The following information is designed to assist students and parents in planning course selections for all four years in high school. This bulletin represents a revision of previous bulletins and supersedes them.

            Your graduation program should include courses that meet the graduation requirements of River Road High School and prepare you for your educational or occupational goals, as well as providing avenues for development of new interests.

            Course selection and planning for the high school years result in educational decisions that involve the student, parents, counselor, and teachers. It is important that these decisions be made carefully, considering personal objectives, educational goals, and post-high school plans.

            Think about the following questions as you begin to select your course:

·        What are my goals?

·        What are my strengths, abilities, and needs?

·        How do my course selections reflect my strengths, abilities, and needs?

·        What are the requirements for the type of work or colleges I am considering?

·        Are the courses I am selecting appropriate for my future?

  

Four-Year Graduation Plan

            The student’s graduation plan developed in 8^th grade should be a guide for selecting courses to be taken in high school. The student needs to review the graduation plan annually and make adjustments prior to the time for selecting courses for next year.

  Course Selection and Registration

After developing a list of courses for the next school year with school personnel, the student is encouraged to review the list with parents. Counselors and/or faculty will counsel and advise students in making selections; however, the student and his/her parents make the final course selections. Students that fail to turn a course selection sheet in will have one made for them.

 Course Availability

The availability of any course depends upon sufficient enrollment, personnel, and other resources. All courses listed in this booklet will not necessarily be offered every year.

Changing Courses

By contacting their counselor, students may request a change in their course selections through Friday, May 19^, 2006. This deadline is necessary because course offerings, teacher assignments, and class schedules are based upon student requests.

Requests for a course change after May 19, 2006, must be approved by Mr. Nies.

Students may request to drop or add a scheduled course within the first 5 days of the semester. These requests will be considered on a space available basis and Principal approval.

Schedules may be changed at the discretion of the school administration to balance class size or for other administrative reasons.

 Student Classification

Grade level advancement for students in grades 9 – 12 shall be earned by credits. Changes in grade level classification shall be made at the end of each year. Grade level classification of retained students will be reassessed at the end of the fall semester.

9^th grade – less than 6 credits

10^th grade – 6 credits

11^th grade – 12 credits

12^th grade – 18 credits

 Declaration of Intent to Graduate Early

            Students are encouraged to remain in high school for the entire four years to assure successful preparation for life after high school. Students wishing to attempt early graduation must meet complete the following:

1.      A “Declaration of Intent to Graduate Early” form must be picked up from the Counselor’s office, completed, and returned by September 1^st of the student’s senior year.

2.      A conference with the student, parent, principal, and counselor must be conducted to consider all aspects of early graduation.

3.      An acceleration plan of graduation must be completed by the student, parent, and counselor and filed in the student’s permanent folder.

 Alternatives for Gaining Academic Credit

            A student may gain credit toward graduation through the alternatives listed below. Principal and Counselor permission must be granted before participating in any of these alternatives. Students must pay all expenses, including tuition, fees, and books. Grades received in these courses will be entered on the student’s transcript and included in the student’s GPA if appropriate. (See student handbook for GPA computation explanation.)

1. Correspondence or Online Courses – Correspondence and/or on-line high school courses will be accepted as part of the high school graduation requirements, provided the courses are taken through Texas Tech University or The University of Texas. Information is available in the Counselor’s office.

2. Credit by Examination - Students may take a credit by examination from Texas Tech University to demonstrate mastery and earn credit in a course. For credit by examination with prior instruction, a student must score a 70 or above to receive credit. For credit by examination with no prior instruction, a student must score a 90 or above to receive credit. Information on ordering a credit by examination is available in the Counselor’s office.

3. Summer School – River Road High School does not offer summer school classes. Students may attend summer school at Palo Duro High School, Caprock High School, Tascosa High School, or Amarillo High School. Information about summer school is received from AISD in mid-May. The Counselor will have a summer school information meeting during the third week of May. Any student interested in attending summer school should attend the meeting to receive important information. Students are responsible for summer school fees and transportation.

4. Amarillo College Access Program – A.C. Access Program is available to students in grades 11 and 12. Students are responsible for all fees and transportation.

 EXIT TAKS Requirements

            To receive a high school diploma, students must successfully complete the required number of credits and pass the EXIT Level Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills in English Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies.

 Full Time Status

            Students in grades 9 and 10 must have a full schedule. 11^th grade students who are enrolled in Marketing Dynamics are allowed a one period work permit. 12^th grade students who are enrolled in Marketing Dynamics or Marketing Management must be enrolled in five or more for credit classes to be counted as a full time student for ADA and UIL purposes. (Courses which do not count are those without a curriculum, such as office aide.) 12^th grade students not enrolled in a Marketing class are allowed a one period senior permit, 1^st period or 8^th period only.

 NCAA Clearinghouse

            If you are planning to enroll in a college or university as a freshman and you wish to participate in Division I or II intercollegiate athletics, your initially eligibility status must be determined by the NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse. It is the responsibility of the student and the parent to make certain that all NCAA eligibility requirements have been met. Information regarding the NCAA Clearinghouse is available in the Counselor’s office.

 Dual Credit Definition and Requirements

            The dual credit program is a partnership between River Road High School and Amarillo College through which a student is awarded both college and high school credit in courses which meet the requirements of both institutions.

            To enroll in a dual credit course, a student must be classified as a Junior or Senior   and fulfill the requirements of Amarillo College and River Road High School. Students who are interested in applying to take dual credit classes may pick up information in the Counselor’s office.

 Special Services Graduation Requirements

The Admissions Review and Dismissal (ARD) committee will set graduation requirements for students in the Special Services program.  The requirements will be determined according to the needs of each individual student.

 GPA Computation

Eligible grades for computing cumulative average shall be all state-accredited semester course grades that count towards state graduation, except those taken at the middle school.  Lost credit grades (failed courses or late drop courses), duplicated course grades, locally approved advanced placement grades, and credit by examination grades shall be included in the determination of the cumulative average.

Any physical education failing grades received before two credits are accumulated shall be used in the computation of the cumulative average.  After two credits are accumulated in physical education, additional grades in the subject shall become local credit for graduation purposes and shall not be included in the cumulative average. 

RRISD uses a weighted grade point/grade average system that is designed to recognize the relative difficulty and effort required for advanced courses.  The additional grade point/points on the grade are used solely for ranking purposes and will not be reflected on the official transcript or Academic Achievement Record.

 Class Rank and Scholastic Honors

Class rank is based on the cumulative numerical grades average earned in courses taken for high school credit, except those taken at the middle school.  Courses bearing more than one credit are counted only once in determining the cumulative average.  Five points will be added to the semester average for courses designated as honors.  The five point weight will not appear on the report card or the Academic Achievement Record (transcript).

 

 Valedictorian/Salutatorian

The selection of the valedictorian and salutatorian shall be made from a ranked GPA list of graduates on the following basis:

1.      The student(s) chosen for valedictorian and/or salutatorian shall have been enrolled at River Road High School for four (4) consecutive semesters prior to graduation.

2.      State graduation credit courses shall be averaged from the ninth grade through the third nine week grading period of the graduation year.

3.      After the cumulative average has been tabulated, the top ten percent of students’ averages shall be hand tabulated to determine valedictorian and/or salutatorian.  For these students, only 30 grades shall be used (eight (8) English, eight (8) social studies, best three (3) math courses, best three (3) science courses, and technology applications.)

4.      Candidates shall graduate under the Recommended or Distinguished Achievement Programs.

The student making the highest scholastic average for credits computed for class ranking shall be declared valedictorian of the senior class.  To be eligible for this award, the student must have spent his or her last two years in River Road High School. EIC (Local)

The honor of salutatorian shall be awarded to the student making the second highest academic average under the same requirements indicated for valedictorian.  Additional requirements are listed in EIC (Local).

 

 Graduation Requirements, Beginning With School Year 2004 - 2005

            A student entering Grade 9 in the 2004 – 2005 school year and thereafter shall enroll in the courses necessary to complete the curriculum requirements for the recommended high school program or the distinguished achievement program unless the student, the student’s parent or guardian, a school counselor, and school principal agree that the student should be permitted to take courses under the minimum high school program.

For more information, contact your Counseling Center.