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Grading Policies and Student RecognitionGrade ScaleGrades at FFCHS are based on the following percentages:90-100% A80-89% B70-79% C60-69% DBelow 59% F (no credit earned)Grade PointsGrades for all classes are counted in the grade point average, except courses taken on a pass/fail basis. The four-point method is used indetermining grade point in all regular (unweighted) classes. The five-point method is used in determining grade points in honors or college level(weighted) classes. The difference between weighted and unweighted grades in terms of grade point value is as follows:Nonweighted Grade PointsWeighted Class Grade PointsA 4 grade pointsA 5 grade pointsB 3 grade pointsB 4 grade pointsC 2 grade pointsC 3 grade pointsD 1 grade pointD 1 grade pointF 0 grade pointsF 0 grade pointsClass RankClass rank will be based on the weighted cumulative GPA for all GPA’s less than or equal to 4.0. For GPA’s over 4.0, total bonus points willdetermine class rank. Bonus points are awarded as outlined below per semester credit. For example, a student with all A’s that has taken 11 weightedclasses would have 11 bonus points.Nonweighted Grade PointsWeighted Class Grade PointsA 4 grade pointsA 5 grade pointsA 1B 3 grade pointsB 4 grade pointsB 0C 2 grade pointsC 3 grade pointsC -1D 1 grade pointD 1 grade pointD -3F 0 grade pointsF 0 grade pointsF -4BonusPoints (Weighted Classes)ValedictorianThe graduate with a GPA of 4.0 or greater that has the most bonus points will be recognized as the Valedictorian. Bonus points are earned only inclasses available at FFCHS or equivalent to classes from transferring students. College classes taken off campus or as a PSEO option will notbe weighted classes and accrue no bonus points. For each graduating class, a maximum number of bonus points will be established. For example: Ifwe offer AP World History at FFCHS, a student transferring in with AP European History may count these as bonus points. Similarly,if we do not offer a weighted grade in world language, the transfer student may not earn bonus points for Honors or AP Spanish.All students with GPA’s of 4.0 or greater will be recognized as Graduating with Distinction. Valedictorian and Salutatorian will be the determinedbased upon total bonus points earned during their entire high school career, including their eighth semester.7 Page

Semester Honor RollPrincipal's Academic Award . (4.0 and higher) First time students will receive a 7" Chenille Letter.A gold bar will be issued for every subsequent 4.0 semester thereafter.Outstanding Academic Award. (3.6 to 3.99) Students will receive an Honor Roll CertificateHonor Roll . (3.40 - 3.59) Students will receive an Honor Roll CertificateConvocation AwardsSenior Convocation Awards are based on their cumulative GPA for all 4 years of high school. Nominated students are recognized for outstandingachievement in each core subject area (language arts, mathematics, science, social studies). Scholarships, athletic awards, service academyappointments, and other distinctions (including those that are not being accepted) are read during the Senior Convocation ceremony. Please send acopy of all award letters, scholarships and other recognition documentation to the counseling center by May 1st of senior year. UnderclassmanConvocation Awards for freshmen, sophomores and juniors are based on a cumulative GPA.Distinguished Honors: 4.0 and aboveHigh Honors: 3.6 – 3.99Honors: 3.4 – 3.59Incomplete GradesStudents may request incomplete grades for extenuating circumstances. No incomplete grades will be given without administrative approval.Regardless of circumstance, make up work and/or final need to be completed within two weeks of grades being posted. It is the responsibility of thestudent to arrange times to meet with teachers for exams and tutoring. An “I” or Incomplete grade may be changed to an “F” (or earned percentage)two weeks after grades have been posted.8 Page

COURSE PLANNING AND SELECTIONMinimum Class Load RequirementsAll students must enroll in seven periods per day to include a full year of math, language arts, science, and social studies for their first three years.Release or “free periods” are not an option in a student’s schedule. Additionally, if enrolled in a yearlong course, students are required to remain in theclass the entire year.Independent StudyIndependent study is only recommended in rare cases. It is best used for irresolvable scheduling conflicts, student hardship, and occasionally foracademic enrichment. A certified teacher, within the appropriate content area, must be assigned to monitor a student wishing to take anindependent study course. No student will be enrolled in an independent study without permission of the Principal.Schedule ChangesThe constraints of the Master Schedule may make it difficult and many times impossible to change courses. If possible, students may make schedulechanges after the first day of school. Counselors are available before and after school, and at lunch for the first five (5) days of 1st and 2nd semester tomake changes. Students wishing to change courses, will first need to have a parent signature on a Schedule Change Request Form available incounseling.Examples of appropriate changes include a schedule that: Does not fulfill the required 7 periods Does not include required Academic Electives Does not include a sufficient number of core classes (at least 1 language arts, 1 science, 1 social studies, and 1 math) Places a student in the wrong course level or the student does not meet the course prerequisite Includes a course the student has already taken Includes a class the student is physically unable to perform the requirements (doctor’s note required)Drop/Add PolicyIn order to ensure the academic integrity of courses offered at FFCHS, the following Drop/Add Grading Policies are in effect:DAY OF CLASSPOLICY1-10thA student may drop a class without grade penalty, pending approval of the counselor and parent. After the 5thday of the semester, additional approval of an administrator must be given. A parent signature is required. Another class mustreplace the dropped class. The student is responsible for making up all assigned work in the new class. Parental approval maybe required for all dropped classes.11-15thA student may drop a class, pending approval of a counselor, teacher, and/or administrator. An alternate class must replace thedropped class and the student is responsible for making up all assigned work to earn credit in the new course. Parental approvalmay be required for all dropped classes.16th and onA student may drop a class, pending approval of a counselor, teacher, and/or administrator and receive either a “WP”(withdraw passing in satisfactory academic standing) or “WF” (withdraw failing-earning a 59% or less during time of withdraw)on their academic transcript. Neither the term/cumulative GPA nor class rank will be affected by the WP or WF. The studentmay be placed in an alternate course and is expected to participate while on audit status (for no credit and a “NM” on thetranscript). Parental approval may be required for all dropped classes.College Credit and Dual Enrollment GuidelinesConcurrent credit is credit earned in both college and high school simultaneously. CU-Denver, CSU-Pueblo and Pikes Peak Community College offermultiple courses to our students. Must be in the 11th or 12th grade In some cases sophomores can take college courses offered at the high school with met perquisites and administrative/college approval. Must have qualifying placement test scores (PSAT, SAT, Accuplacer, ACT, or SCANTRON)Final ExamsAll students must take finals. Student attendance during finals is mandatory. Any student with extremely extenuating circumstances must obtainapproval from the Principal to take early or late finals. Please contact the Principal’s Secretary.Pre AP and College Class Enrollment Appeal ProcessStudents and parents must sign an Advanced Course Parent Agreement Form to enroll in a class in which the student does not meet prerequisites. Thisform indicates that parents and students assume responsibility for grades and course expectations. Schedule Change Request Forms are available inthe counseling center for students or parents to pick up.9 Page

SPECIAL OPPORTUNITIESAdvanced Placement (AP) CoursesVarious AP courses are offered at Fountain-Fort Cason High School based on availability of AP trained teachers and enough student requests.Students enrolling in AP Courses are required to take the AP Exam(s) in May of each school year. Exams are scored on a number basis from1-5. Students scoring a 3, 4, or 5 are eligible for college credit at over 2,900 colleges and universities. (Credit is given at the discretion of theacademic institution) An Exam fee is required for students in AP classes. Each AP exam is 94, with a discount for students receiving free orreduced lunch. All students enrolled in Advanced Placement classes are required to take the course AP exam in May. Additional fees may beassessed if the course is dropped after October 1st. AP course offerings available at FFCHS:AP Language and CompositionAP Literature and CompositionAP CalculusAP StatisticsAP World HistoryAP Human GeographyAP PsychologyAP Studio ArtAP Music TheoryAP ChemistryAP BiologyAP PhysicsAP Environmental ScienceAP Computer Science PrinciplesSenior to Sophomore and CU Succeed Concurrent Enrollment ProgramVarious courses offering students the potential to earn college credit are offered at Fountain-Fort Cason High School based on availability ofapproved/trained teachers and enough student requests. University of Colorado in Denver and Colorado State University in Pueblo and Fountain-FortCarson high school have designed a cooperative program that provides the opportunity for Fountain-Fort Carson high school students to earn highschool and college credit while attending classes on the high school campus. The college courses in this agreement meet the requirements andcompetencies established by CU-Denver and CSU- Pueblo. The instructors are certified as high school teachers and must meet the CU-Denver andCSU-Pueblo standards to teach at the college level. These classes are offered as part of the regular high school day and are free of charge. Uponsatisfactory completion (“C” or better) of these courses, a student may use these credits toward a degree at the community college or university level inthe state of Colorado. Out of state and highly selective colleges will make their own determination as to how these credits are transferred. Collegecourse offerings available at FFCHS:CSU-P US History 201CSU-P Principles of BiologyCSU-P US History 202CU-Den General Chemistry ICSU- American History/HollywoodCSU-P Teacher CadetCSU-P Southwest History 136CSU-P Spanish 201CSU-P Spanish 202Students not passing a college course with at least a ‘C’ will be responsible for tuition reimbursement to Fountain-Fort Carson SchoolDistrict Eight in the amount of 180.00 per course failed or with a “D”.Career and Technical Education (CTE)Did you know that nearly 80% of Colorado jobs will require some form of postsecondary education and 60% will require at least a 2-year degree?Did you know that Fountain-Fort Carson High School has a Career and Technical Education program that is preparing students for college andcareers? Welcome to the world of Career and Technical Education --- the gateway to postsecondary workforce readiness. Today’s generation ofCTE programs are totally integrated with the academic courses, combine relevance and rigor, prepare learners for college and careers, and promotepartnerships among education, the workforce, business, industry, and the community. We are fortunate to have the following CTE approvedprograms in our district: business, marketing, education, culinary, graphic arts, biomed, and ACE. Two of the programs have a required studentorganization component – FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America) and DECA (Distributive Education Clubs). These studentorganizations allow students to compete both regionally and nationally in their respective fields. For more information on Career and TechnicalEducation in Colorado, please contact any of the CTE teachers or go to http://www.coloradostateplan.com/index.htm.10 P a g e

National Honor SocietyFountain-Fort Carson High School’s National Honor Society is a recognized chapter in the National Honor Society. We follow all of the nationalguidelines. National Honor Society www.nhs.us is an organization that recognizes students for outstanding high school performance in scholarship,character, leadership and community service.Students are scholastically eligible at FFCHS for membership in National Honor Society provided they are at least juniors, have a weighted GPA of atleast 3.8, and have been enrolled for at least a semester at FFCHS. Students who are scholastically eligible are encouraged to submit an applicationfor membership in the FFCHS National Honor Society. This application allows the students to document their leadership, character, and communityservice. Leadership activities and community services may be at school or in community activities. These leadership and community service activitiesmust have occurred while the student is in high school. (Efforts prior to high school may be recognized in National Junior Honor Society during theirjunior high school years.)Transfer students who were members in NHS at their previous school may transfer membership. At the end of their first semester, they must meetthe National Honor Society scholastic requirements at FFCHS. (Local NHS chapter GPA requirements vary from school to school. The GPA atFFCHS of the transfer student will reflect weighted and unweighted classes at FFCHS, so the GPA may change as a result of the transfer.)Transfer students may waive the one semester enrollment requirement by getting a letter from their previous school from either the principal or NHSChapter Advisory stating that they met all of the requirements for National Honor Society at that school. The transfer student could then apply throughthe regular process at FFCHS. Typically students need two letters of recommendation. These letters may come from the previous school. Students mayapply for membership in NHS each semester at FFCHS. The NHS Induction Ceremony is held annually.Gifted and TalentedGifted children are those students, pre-school through 12th grade, who give evidence of high achievement capability in areas such as intellectual,creative, artistic, leadership, or specific academic fields, and require differentiated learning opportunities in order to fully develop those capabilities.Screening ProcessA four step process is used to identify Highly-capable and Gifted Students at FFCHS. A student may be nominated for consideration by a parent,teacher, previous district identification, or assessment data. A student new to FFC8 who was previously identified GT in another district/state willautomatically be nominated for the screening process. A body of evidence is collected for an identification process. Based on the student’s learningprofile, the Gifted and Talented team will convene to analyze the data and determine the level of appropriate identification. If a parent, student orteacher does not agree with the identification decision, he/she has the right to an appeal (see below).Step I-NominationA student may be nominated for the identification process by Parent Teacher Assessment Results Previous GT IdentificationStep II-Collection of Body of EvidenceThe Gifted and Talented Team including a building administrator will collect and review a Body of Evidence for the nominated student. This includesassessment results, class work, parental input, and teacher observations. The Identification Committee may make a recommendation foridentification.Step III-IdentificationThe Screening Committee will recommend one of the following levels of identification: Grade Level Learner: Body of evidence suggests the student is performing successfully on current grade level standards. Highly-capable Learner: Evidence suggests the student demonstrates potential and/or ability above grade level standards. The student mayrequire differentiated teaching strategies or curriculum to ensure academic growth. Gifted Learner: Evidence strongly suggests the student demonstrates exceptional potential and/or ability. The student is identified as a GiftedLearner and an Advanced Learning Plan will be developed to ensure academic growth and achievement.Step IV-Appeal ProcessA parent, student or teacher has the right to appeal the identification decision. To initiate an appeal process the appellant should contact theadministrator overseeing Gifted Education at FFCHS and complete the necessary documentation.11 P a g e

Higher Education Admission Requirements (HEAR)In 2003, the Colorado Commission on Higher Education adopted the Higher Education Admission Requirements (HEAR). HEAR are entry requirementsfor students planning to attend any of Colorado’s public four-year colleges or universities. In addition to the Higher Education Admission Requirements,students must also meet the Admission Eligibility Index. Meeting the HEAR requirements does not guarantee admission to a four-year public institution.Colleges and universities may have additional requirements. Private colleges and universities set their own admission standards, so students shouldcontact those institutions directly for more admissions information. For more information on HEAR go s/coursecompletion.htmlACADEMIC AREAREQUIREDEnglish4 yearsMathematics (Must include Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II or equivalents)4 yearsNatural/Physical Sciences (two units must be lab-based)3 yearsSocial Sciences (at least one unit of U.S. or world history)3 yearsForeign Language1 year***Academic Electives2 years***In State Residency for MilitaryActive-duty members of the armed forces of the United States and Canada on permanent

Carson High School grants credit for course work successfully completed in any regionally accredited summer school program. . 1-877-542-7233 (SAFE). Enter the number into your cell phone, in case you ever need it! Web reports can be made from our main page. Safe2Tell is for serious reports only and saves lives of students in Colorado .