The Sharon Academy

NECAP SCORES: TSA compared to surrounding UV Schools

Assessment

At The Sharon Academy we are dedicated to delivering an academically challenging and stimulating curriculum to students who are committed to academic success.

• A+ = 97-100
• A = 93 - 96
• A- = 90 - 92
• B+ = 87 - 89
• B = 83-86
• B- = 80 -82
• C+ = 77 - 79
• C = 73 -76
• C- = 70-72
• O = Outstanding
• S = Satisfactory
• U =Unsatisfactory
• I = Incomplete

Sharon Academy students take all Vermont required assessments. Students in 9th 10th and 11th grade take the PSAT annually. SAT and ACT tests are available at area schools for all interested 11th and 12th grade students.

High School Exams: Final exams are worth 7 – 15% of the years' grade, at the discretion of the teacher.

Report Cards and Conferences: Scheduled parent, teacher, student conferences are held in the fall and spring. Teachers may choose to schedule conferences anytime throughout the year. In addition, parents are encouraged to schedule appointments with teachers whenever the need arises. Report cards are issued quarterly in HS and 3 times per year in MS. Progress reports are issued in October and January in the High School; October, January and April in the Middle School.

Homework: The purpose of homework is to reinforce work covered in school, and, if necessary, to make up work not completed in school. Students are responsible for all assignments and can expect at least an hour of homework a night at the middle school level and 2 hours at the high school level.

Honor Roll

High School:

• HH (high honors) for an individual subject indicates a 97or higher.
• Highest honors can be earned in all subjects.

Middle School:

• Honors = All A's and B's, must have at least one A, no C's.
• HH (high honors) for an individual subject indicates a 97 or higher.

Awarding of Credit

Academy students are expected to work to the best of their abilities. Our assessment procedures are varied in order to allow students the opportunity to express their learning in many ways. Our expectations are high. Students receive credit at The Academy for all “C” work and above. We believe that students who earn a “D” on their report cards are not properly prepared for the next level of work. For this reason, a “D” on a report card will not receive TSA credit. A student in this situation has four options:

• Retake the course at TSA (when possible)
• Retake the course in summer school
• Transfer to another school where a “D” will receive credit
• Receive no credit for the course

Student Services

Students who require services for academic success will be referred to the Student Services Coordinator. The student, along with his/her family will work with the coordinator to develop a plan for academic improvement, including: referring the family and student for testing, referring the family and student to a tutor, or developing an appropriate 504 plan. The family of the student in need of special services must be actively involved in the coordination of the services, and is responsible for all the costs, transportation and scheduling of the services.

High School Advisory

The Advisory program at TSA exists to enable advisors and students to know each other well so that students make the most of their experience as members of the TSA community. Attendance will be taken during Advisory. The specific purposes of advisory are:

• Academic - to monitor student progress, set academic goals and help students reach them;
• Discuss progress reports with students and parents;
• Develop a greater understanding of TSA's mission and the common principles associated with the Coalition of Essential Schools (CES);
• Community service - to practice being an active member of the broader community by designing and implementing community service projects and keeping track of them;
• Community conversations - to converse about community issues, including school governance and becoming a community member;
• Recreation - to have fun and to learn about group process and dynamics;
• Physical - to discuss and manage physical education requirements;
• Communication - to strengthen communication between students and staff and share school related announcements and information.

To enable the Advisory program to work effectively, the following criteria have been set in place:

• Advisor to advisee ratio is 1:10 or less so students can be known well by their advisor.
• Students will submit a request for three faculty members who they would like as their advisor. It would be wise for students to sign up for a teacher who knows them well. Students can choose the same faculty member from year to year.
• Parents will be contacted by their student's advisor in the first two weeks of school.

College Guidance

Our goal at TSA is to prepare each student for post-secondary education. All students receive an academically rigorous core education and our classes are heterogeneously grouped. A highlight of our program is the annual college fair, which is attended by all students. As freshmen and sophomores, students take the PSAT for practice. Juniors explore our catalogue library and college information websites, are encouraged to visit colleges, and take the SAT or the ACT. We recommend spring of the Junior year as the time to begin college visits.

Seniors actively cultivate connections at the colleges in which they are interested in a variety of ways, including at the college fair and with college representatives that regularly visit our school. We diligently assist seniors with filling out college applications, writing college essays, and requesting letters of recommendation. Throughout the process, we strive to help students discover where they want to go after high school and this even includes information on deferring college for a year, which can be the best answer for some students. Please see the College Guidance Handbook for detailed information on all of these areas or contact the school if you have further questions.

Graduation Exhibitions

Students in the High School are required to complete and present two Graduation Exhibitions. Exhibitions contain a written, visual and oral component. Assessment is based on all written material as well as the knowledge and skill demonstrated in an oral presentation. Students are no longer required to do a science, math and technology exhibition separate from a humanities exhibition.

Beginning in Fall 2006, exhibition topics may be chosen from either or both areas. Two staff members will mentor the junior exhibition process during second quarter electives. With the exception of a few students who may “pass out” of this elective, all juniors will be divided into two elective classes which will be devoted entirely to ushering the students through this process. Senior students work independently with the guidance of a staff mentor. Presentations are given before a committee of faculty and peers.

Academic Probation for High School Students

Any student with a grade lower than 70 in one or more classes will be placed on academic probation for two weeks. In the first week of the probation the students advisor will be informed, who in turn will inform the student's parents. The advisor will make a written plan with the student outlining changes needed for future success. The plan needs the approval and understanding of the student's parents. The student's standing will be reassessed every two weeks. Students being removed from academic probation will be at the subject teacher's discretion or until grades are raised and all assignments are complete. In the initial two weeks student athletes will continue to practice and represent the school in scheduled games.

If a student athlete continues on academic probation after the initial two-week period, their availability to represent the school in games will be withdrawn until they are no longer on academic probation. Student athletes will continue to practice with the team.