Curriculum

Grade 9 is both a transitional year from middle school and a foundation for the increasing depth and breadth of the high school curriculum. All Grade 9 students take the same English, social studies and science courses. Students are placed in math and world language according to individual levels of interest and preparation. Students are also encouraged to take courses in the performing arts, visual arts, technology or journalism. The well-being class is required of all Grade 9 students. In addition, they are required to take a minimum of 7 credits: 5 credits in core academics (English 9, World Civilizations I, math, Science 9 and world language), 1 credit in well-being, and 1 additional credit. Most students take 7-8 credits in Grade 9; however, the number of credits for students depends on their academic and extracurricular commitments.

Grade 10 students are introduced to the next level of sophistication in writing, reasoning, quantitative and research skills that are appropriate for the high school curriculum. They assume greater responsibility for managing their own academic progress. In Grade 10, students develop important skills and learn content required for upper-level courses in Grades 11 and 12. Building upon Grade 9, all students take English 10, World Civilizations II and Science 10, which are core requirements. The courses students take in math and world languages are guided by their performance in earlier courses. All students enroll in a one-semester health course and a one-semester physical education course.

Grade 10 students are required to take a minimum of 6 credits: 5 credits in core academics (English 10, World Civilizations II, math, Science 10, and world language), ½ credit in Health, and an additional ½ credit in Physical Education. Most students take 7-8 credits in Grade 10; however, the number of credits for students depends on their academic and extracurricular commitments.

In Grade 11, students begin to refine their interests in specific academic disciplines, while they continue to deepen their knowledge and skills in all core academic subjects. Planning math, science and social studies sequences requires careful consideration, because the options are broad and often carry prerequisites. The aims of the English program remain constant, but students elect one-semester courses from a selection of topics and genres. Grade 11 students usually take either US History or AP US History, but they can elect to take other social studies courses. Grade 11 students also continue their study of their chosen world language, and some may choose to pursue an additional language. Academic focus and performance are especially important in Grade 11, because they determine the most appropriate Grade 12 courses. 

In Grade 11, students are required to take a minimum of 6 credits: 5 in core academics and an additional credit in another course. Most students take 7 credits in Grade 11; however, the number of credits for students depends on their academic and extracurricular commitments.

Grade 12 students enjoy the widest range of curricular options; their course choices tend to be based on trajectories established earlier in high school. The greatest range of opportunities in Advanced Placement courses occurs in Grade 12; however, students typically have some flexibility to include courses that can be taken for enjoyment and interest. Grade 12 is a transitional year between secondary and post-secondary education, emphasizing improved study skills and increasing independence and responsibility.

In Grade 12, students are required to take a minimum of 6 credits.

When students choose courses, they work closely with their advisor and dean, and university advisor for Grade 12 courses, to sign up for a manageable course load that meets the following goals:

• Ensures that graduation/distribution requirements and prerequisites for higher-level courses are met

• Allows students to challenge themselves in areas of interest

• Preserves students well-being and balance, allowing them time to pursue extracurricular and super-curricular interests

Yearlong courses receive 1 credit; semester courses receive ½ credit. Requirements for graduation include 19 core credits from the following departments: English, social studies, mathematics, science, computer science and engineering and world languages and cultures. In addition, AP art and music courses may be counted as core academics in the determination of core credit enrollment requirements.

The minimum core academic requirements include:

Core Academics	Credits
English (one English class required every semester)	4
Social studies	3
Mathematics	2
Science	2
World languages and cultures (must include single language progression in Arabic, Chinese, French or Spanish)	3

Students may select additional credits from any department, keeping in mind graduation requirements and their post-high school plans and goals. Participation in the school's athletics program does not count towards ASL's graduation requirement nor can it serve as an exemption for any physical education requirement. An independent study course, if approved, is taken in addition to the student's course requirements and may not substitute for course requirements in the regular curriculum. Beginning with the class of 2023, students will complete 2 credits in Well-being, Physical Education and Health. 

To graduate, a student must earn a minimum yearlong GPA of 1.67 (C-) in each year, and must pass all required courses for graduation. Students who fail yearlong English classes may be required to repeat the entire year.

In Grade 9, students are required to take a minimum of 7 courses/3.5 credits. In Grades 10, 11 and 12, students are required to take a minimum of 6 courses/3 credits each semester, not including an independent study. Exceptions to this must be approved by the dean and OSA director.

Homework

Homework is an important component of all classes in all subjects, yet its nature can vary among subjects and courses. Some assignments, for example, might take 30-45 minutes to complete and be due when that class meets next, while other assignments might be of a larger, more long-term nature that allows students increased discretion about how best to approach their learning. Likewise, assignments appropriate for Grade 9 evolve into quite different assignments, at a varied pace, for Grades 11 or 12, especially in AP courses where external exams are part of the curriculum. ASL teachers are expected to post homework assignments no later than 5 pm on the day the class meets. If students feel overwhelmed by the amount of homework represented by a program of study, they are encouraged to talk to their teachers, advisor or class dean.

Grade reports and special reports

Grade reports are issued four times a year, at the end of each quarter, based on the following standards:

A
B
C
D
F

With the approval of the director of student advising, the following marks can also be used in grade reports:

INC	Incomplete
P/F	Pass/Fail
W	Withdrawn (no credit awarded)
EX	Exempt (no credit awarded)

The following scale applies to all letter grades:

98-100	A+	73-76	C
93-97	A	70-72	C-
90-92	A-	67-69	D+
87-89	B+	63-66	D
83-86	B	60-62	D-
80-82	B-	59	F
77-79	C+

High school letter grades have numerical equivalents that are used in creating a Grade Point Average (GPA):

A+ = 4.0	A = 4.0	A- = 3.67
B+ = 3.33	B = 3.0	B- = 2.67
C+ = 2.33	C = 2.0	C- = 1.67
D+ = 1.33	D = 1.0	D- = 0.67
F = 0.0

        
Parent-teacher conferences are held during the first and third quarters. Third quarter conferences include students.

Special reports are formal notifications from teachers to parents that their students’ academic progress has either improved or declined. Special reports are sent at the mid point of each quarter or whenever there has been a shift in academic performance (e.g., a letter-grade drop any time during the marking period). Special reports are sent for all students with a grade average of C- or below. In certain situations—including academic probation—class deans may request that special reports be written in order to provide specific grade and classroom information to parents. Special reports do not form part of a student’s permanent record.

Special reports are shared with teachers, parents, class deans, college counselors, university advisors and the SLD teacher, if applicable.
 

Grade Point Average (GPA) calculation

The GPA is calculated by means of a straight average and reported on the ASL transcript. Every course is included in a student's GPA with the exception of pass/fail courses and independent study. The GPA is calculated to two decimal points. GPAs from other schools are not included in the ASL GPA calculation.

Approaches to Learning

Recognizing that some key development goals cannot be met simply through mastery of material, all courses assess students using common developmental goals, called Approaches to Learning. Progress towards these standards is reported on the twice-yearly reports within each subject. The Approaches to Learning are:

Collaborative

• Works well with others
• Understands and respects diverse approaches
• Communicates through dialogue and participation
• Attends to the perspectives of others
• Helps others

Respectful

• Treats others the way we expect to be treated
• Appreciates own culture and the cultures of others
• Values diversity of thought and experience
• Demonstrates honesty
• Makes the right choices even when no one is watching
• Acts with compassion

Responsible

• Takes ownership of words, actions and learning
• Fulfills obligations to self and to others
• Works hard

Reflective

• Values mistakes as learning opportunities
• Reflects on own learning
• Sets and pursues goals for improvement

Engaged

• Demonstrates intellectual curiosity about the world
• Cultivates interests and strengths
• Finds passion and purpose in learning

Resilient

• Stretches and grows by taking risks
• Demonstrates resourcefulness in the face of challenges and change

Pass/fail

Students in Grades 9-11 may request to take any one course at a time on a pass/fail basis from any of the following areas of study: performing arts, physical education or visual arts. Grade 12 students may request to take any one course at a time pass/fail, with the exception of AP courses, which must be taken for a grade. The deadline for a student to request pass/fail or change from pass/fail to a grade is one month after the beginning of the semester. By that time, students must have discussed with their teacher, class dean and director of student advising their intention and received permission. Any exception to this rule must be approved by the director of student advising. 

Senior exam exemption

A Grade 12 student whose cumulative average in a course is B+ (87%) or above, as measured the day before the beginning of final exams, may, with the teacher's permission, be exempt from the final exam in that course, provided that the student has no unexcused absences in that class. While there may be final unit tests, there are no final exams in semester courses.

Add/drop

Students may request a schedule change during the add/drop period at the beginning of each semester. While ASL tries to accommodate student wishes, any switch requires that there be space available, and approval by the department, advisor, and dean or college counselor. Add/Drop is processed by the OSA office with the following in mind: meeting graduation requirements, meeting placement needs, and whether or not this affects other student schedules, as well as the student’s wishes.

Students may drop a class after the Add/Drop period ends under the following guidelines:

• Students may drop a class through the first quarter (when grades are released) without a record of enrollment or a grade appearing on the transcript. 
• If a student drops a course after this period, a W reflects this change on the transcript. This can only be done after consultation with the teacher, advisor, dean and OSA approval. 
• Students cannot add a course after the Add/Drop period, unless it is a placement change. Placement changes must have the approval of the teacher and department head. 
• Add/drop in Semester 2 follows the same guidelines. 

Students who drop a yearlong class after the first semester will retain the first semester grade and credit.

Repeating courses

Repeating a course is allowed and may be required if a student fails the class. Students are required to have department head, class dean and director of student advising approval for repeating a course. If a student repeats a course, the course and grades are recorded both times on the official transcript.

Incompletes, waivers, medical leaves

A student should make every attempt to complete all graduation requirements; however, incompletes, exemptions, class waivers and medical leaves may be granted in exceptional circumstances.

An incomplete at the end of a quarter/semester is granted by the teacher in consultation with the student’s dean, on the rare occasion where the student has been unable to meet the quarter/semester grade deadline, but can make up the work within a stated extension of no more than two weeks. Incompletes at the end of the year must be made up within one week of the final grade deadline. If the work is not made up by the deadline, then the grade earned without the work is recorded. Exceptions to this policy are extremely rare and are made on a case-by-case basis in the OSA office.

An exemption is granted by the OSA office if a documented medical condition prevents a student from completing a course within the course’s timeframe. In lieu of a grade on the student’s transcript, the designation “EX” will be listed. There is no credit for an exempt course. When the student has recovered, the course must be made up if it is required for graduation.

An exemption will be granted only in situations where a qualified doctor gives written confirmation that the student is unable to participate in the class, out-of-class activities and assignments associated with the class; and thus cannot fulfill the requirements of the course. 

A class waiver is granted in rare cases by the OSA office, where a student is unable to take a course required for graduation or as a prerequisite for some reason. Students must apply for a class waiver by meeting with their dean and filling out the class waiver form and providing any requested documentation by the designated deadline: currently 15 May of the following year. The student may need to study outside of school in order for the waiver to be granted. The waived class does not appear on the transcript.

Language waiver. In rare cases, a student may have the “three years of the same world language” graduation requirement waived for one level by the OSA office, in conjunction with the world languages department, in the following circumstances:

1. A student has a documented language-based learning difference that makes success in language learning very challenging.
2. A student entering in Grade 11 or 12 has taken a language not offered by ASL in his/her prior school and will be unable to reach level 3 of that language. These students are encouraged to begin a new world language to complete the three-year requirement.

Medical leave. When a student is unable to attend school and/or complete assignments in more than one class because of a chronic condition with unpredictable or cyclical acute episodes, and modifications to the attendance policy are no longer appropriate as an accommodation, a medical leave will be considered. The terms of a medical leave are determined on a case-by-case basis in OSA in consultation with the Student Support Team, and with the approval of the HS principal. Each medical leave is designed to address the needs of an individual student, and the goal of a medical leave is to enable students to return to ASL. Once a student has been placed on medical leave, the student and family will receive a letter outlining the school’s expectations and requirements with respect to the leave period. Letters are individualized and may include specific criteria, conditions and expectations relevant to the student’s needs and the reasons that informed the medical leave. 

In general, there are four requirements during the medical leave: 

• The student will receive ongoing treatment by a medical professional appropriate to the student’s condition; 
• The family will engage in ongoing and regular communication and cooperation with the School about the student’s treatment and the school’s expectations during the medical leave; 
• The student and family will comply with other conditions that the School articulates in the medical leave letter; 
• A re-entry meeting is always a requirement before returning to school.
   

Academic warning and academic probation

If a student receives two or more grades of C- or below or one failing grade F during the first or third quarter, the student will receive an academic warning. Furthermore, at any time during the school year when a student is failing a course or a student's academic work represents serious under-achievement, the student may immediately receive an academic warning. The Student Support Team will evaluate the student immediately and any or all of the following may be put in place:

• Weekly progress report
• Scheduled study periods
• Restriction of participation in social and athletics activities
• Closed campus
• Restructured schedule

If a student receives two or more grades of C- or below or one failing grade F at the end of the semester, the student is automatically placed on academic probation and an official letter is placed in the student’s internal permanent record. Once placed on academic probation, the student remains so for the next semester. If, at the end of the semester, the student earns a grade average of C (75) or higher in his/her academic subjects with no more than one grade of C- or below in any subject, probationary status is removed. However, a student receiving an F or an incomplete will remain on probation. Students who fail a required yearlong course may be required to repeat the course the following year. Students who fail a yearlong English class may be required to repeat the entire year. 

Academic probation may include some or all of the following:

• Weekly progress report
• Scheduled study periods
• Restriction of participation in social, extracurricular and athletics activities
• Closed campus
• Restructured schedule
• Withheld re-enrollment agreement

A student's place at the School depends on meeting academic standards. Probationary status for two consecutive semesters indicates that the student is not meeting the standard and may require a family meeting with the high school principal.

Summer school credit policy

Summer study does not carry ASL credit, appear on an ASL transcript, or substitute for specific course or distribution requirements in ASL's curriculum. With advance planning and approval by the appropriate department head, students may be able to place into advanced levels in some subjects by demonstrating their knowledge upon successful completion of a rigorous summer academic program.

Summer reading

The High School Summer Reading program requires all students entering Grades 9-12 to read a minimum of two books; one of these may be determined by the HS English department; the other is drawn from an ASL reading list. Follow-up work on summer reading occurs at the start of school.

Independent study

A student who has exhausted a department's curricular offerings, demonstrated a commitment to independent work, and expressed ongoing interest in a topic, as well as acquiring a faculty sponsor willing to oversee the project, may apply for independent study. The application involves stating the nature, conditions and goals of the proposed course of study; a teacher who chooses to act as sponsor supervises the project. An independent study course is taken in addition to the student's course requirements and may not substitute for minimum course/credit or distribution requirements in the regular curriculum. Independent study receives academic credit and a grade, but is not part of the GPA calculation. It requires the approval of the instructor, department head and assistant principal. An application form for independent study must be submitted before the beginning of the semester and finalized before the end of the add/drop period. Approval for independent study is granted on a semester basis.

ASL's College Board’s Advanced Placement program offers students the opportunity to take college-equivalent courses during high school, which may result in earning credit or advanced standing once a student enters college. In addition, the results of these examinations are recognized by UK universities as the equivalent of A-levels in the admissions process; they are also recognized by many other non-US university systems. More than 90 percent of AP exams taken by ASL students achieve scores of three or higher. Admission to AP courses requires a recommendation from the department and approval from the class dean.

ASL offers Advanced Placement courses in Art History, Biology, Calculus AB and BC, Chemistry, Chinese Language, Computer Science A, Computer Science Principles, Environmental Science, European History, French Language, Human Geography, Macro- and Microeconomics, Music Theory, Physics 1, 2 and C, Psychology, Spanish Language, Spanish Literature, Statistics, Studio Art, and US History. The English department does not offer AP English courses but many students elect to take the AP English Language and Composition or AP English Literature and Composition exam. The English department offers a helpful lunchtime AP exam preparatory program in the second semester.

The AP exam is an integral part of the AP course, and all enrolled students are required to take the AP exam. If students enrolled in an AP course do not take the AP exam, they are required to sit for an in-house final exam in that course, and the AP designation is removed from their transcript.

Advanced Placement (AP) Courses, Self-Study and Exam Expectations at ASL

• AP courses and exams are offered to students in Grade 10 and above.
• Students who enroll in an ASL AP course are required to sit the exam in May.
• Current students may not sit an AP exam at ASL unless they are currently enrolled in the respective ASL AP course.
• AP exam registration at ASL happens in the AP course through the AP Classroom online system from the College Board. Teachers will assist students with the process.
• G11 and G12 students wishing to sit the AP English Language exam or AP English Literature exam must attend the information session in early November to register through the AP Classroom system by a date communicated in the information session.
• If ASL does not offer a particular AP course, G10-12 students can self-study and arrange to sit the exam at ASL. Students must speak to their advisor and dean to discuss this option and register with the external testing coordinator by 1 November.
• In rare cases, G10-12 students may be allowed to sit an exam without taking the respective AP course offered at ASL. Any student wishing to do this must meet with their dean, the Director of the Office of Student Advising, and the High School Assistant Principal. 

AP predictions

There are some post-ASL higher education options that require AP predictions for AP courses taken in the Grade 12 year. If this is the case, the student must have communicated the need for AP predictions with their university advisor prior to 15 September during Grade 12. 

AP predictions are based on data provided by the student in the current AP class and may include data from previous relevant classes. The exact parameters for predictions are decided by individual departments. 

For those students with an October deadline, predictions will be recorded on 5 October. For all other students, predictions will be recorded by the end of quarter 1, when grades close. Further updates to predicted grades are not allowed; there may be rare exceptions to this, usually for unusual and/or extenuating circumstances, which must be cleared with the director of the office of student advising (OSA).

Students who wish to query their AP prediction should meet with the director of OSA and/or the high school assistant principal. 
 

In the High School we endeavor to the following assessment principles:

• to align assessments and rubrics with ASL’s curriculum and course standards
• to use a variety of assessment methods so that students have various opportunities to showcase their learning
• to allow multiple opportunities for students to practice skills and receive feedback 
• to collaborate to ensure assessments are aligned across all sections of the same course
• to communicate major assessment dates across departments 
• to provide timely feedback so that students understand their learning progress and
• we have an unequivocal commitment to providing approved accommodations to students with documented learning needs

All courses in high school require homework. This guide aims to help students and families understand the commitment needed for each class and how the overall course load interplays with students' lives outside school. To arrive at this data, ASL students self-reported the average time spent per week, with some reporting outside the range. We acknowledge that an individual student's experience varies based on their needs. 

The center of our ASL Portrait of a Learner is well-being. This guide aims to empower students to learn the skills of planning, prioritizing and time management. Beyond academics and extracurriculars, students also need time to relax, unwind, and be with friends and family.

	Approximate number of hours  per week
Light	1 hour or less
Medium	1-3 hours
Heavy	3-5+ hours

 

 

A student who has exhausted a department's curricular offerings, demonstrated a commitment to independent work, and expressed ongoing interest in a topic, as well as acquiring a faculty sponsor willing to oversee the project, may apply for independent study. The application involves stating the objectives, process and final product of learning during the proposed course of study. A teacher who chooses to act as sponsor supervises the project must agree to the proposed timeline and rubric of assessments created by the student. An independent study course is taken in addition to the student's course requirements and may not substitute for minimum course/credit or distribution requirements in the regular curriculum. An independent study is graded on a pass/fail basis and is not calculated into the GPA. Applications are due for all independent studies on 1 June for the following school year.