OVERVIEW

The honors program is offered in order to encourage students to work to their fullest potential, to use their talents effectively, and to give themselves a broader education. At graduation each year, special recognition is given to students who have earned the Vandebilt honors diploma. Students who meet all the requirements for the honors diploma are automatically ranked above other graduates in the class.

 
In determining placement into 8th grade Level I classes, school counselors and the academic assistant principal refer to placement test scores, standardized test scores, and grades.

Students new to Vandebilt Catholic High School at other grade levels must show ability to perform in this school's Level I program. They will not receive automatic placement in Level I courses because they had honors status at their previous schools.
 
Continued placement in the honors program in any subject area other than English is contingent upon a student's earning at least a “C” average in the subject for the year, and receiving the recommendation of his/her current teacher in that subject area. In English, a grade of “B” is required to remain in Level I English at the next level.



In determining class rank and weighted GPA, students who take Level I courses are given one extra quality point for each class in which a grade of “C” or better is earned (the unweighted GPA is reported to the state on the transcript). To qualify as an honor graduate, a student must earn an overall 3.5 GPA, exclusive of extra quality points, by the end of the senior year. In addition, a student working toward an honor diploma must earn at least ten credits in Level I courses, with a minimum of two carried during both junior and senior years.

Students who wish to earn an honors diploma, but because of scheduling conflicts cannot meet the exact course requirements of the program, may petition the academic assistant principal for an alternative, equivalent course of study. An honors course is offered only if a sufficient number of students pre-register for the course.

 RANK IN CLASS

All summa cum laude graduates will be ranked above magna cum laude graduates, who will be ranked above cum laude graduates, who in turn will be ranked above all other graduates. Within each category, however, the number of quality points lost will be used to rank those students.

The ranking of the students who are not honor graduates involves the use of a weighted grade-point average. The weighted GPA equals the number of quality points plus the number of Level I courses with grades A, B, or C, divided by the number of graded credits.

 VALEDICTORIAN, SALUTATORIAN

To be considered for valedictorian and salutatorian, students must fulfill requirements for the summa cum laude honors diploma and must complete a core curriculum. To qualify for valedictorian, a student is required to have completed the highest level offered for all core 4 classes.The number of quality points lost will be used to determine valedictorian and salutatorian rankings. In the event two or more students are tied for valedictorian honors, no salutatorian will be named.

Academic policy changes that will take effect in the 2016-2017 school year, are as follows:

• Each semester will be worth 1/2 unit of credit upon successful completion. 
  
• Semester exams, which will encompass information from both quarters, will be averaged in with the second and fourth quarter grades. More weight will be given to second and fourth quarter when averaging grades for the semester. All exams, quarter and semester, will be worth 25%of the quarter grades. 
  
• Beginning with the graduating class of 2020 (2016-2017 Freshmen class) tie-breakers for valedictorians will include quarter grades. 
  
• All honors classes will begin using a 10-point grading scale.
  
• Graded test papers will go home for 8th grade students. The policy for 9th-12th grade is that test papers will remain at school and may be viewed by parents at school upon request.