GENERAL ACADEMIC POLICIES
All students are required to take eight (8) subjects each year, including physical education. In order to qualify for promotion/graduation, a student must earn seven (7) units of credit and pass all required courses. Students cannot repeat at Aquinas any courses they have failed.
All courses taken at Aquinas are part of the permanent record. Summer school courses are recorded as additional courses in the permanent record.
Student performance is reviewed at the end of each quarter and at the end of the summer session. Only students who have qualified for promotion may return to Aquinas.
The Junior English Research Paper must be successfully completed to qualify for senior year.
Community Service is required each year at Aquinas.
HOMEWORK
Homework is an integral component of an Aquinas student’s education. Failure to do homework is a major cause for failing grades. Students are expected to complete all assigned homework, study, and project assignments on time.
Each student should spend an average of two and one half (2.5) hours on homework each night. Students may be required to stay after school to complete homework that is incomplete or missing.
EXAMINATIONS
Examination periods are scheduled at the end of each semester in January and June.
1. Students are required to write all semester examinations or comparable assessments.
2. Parents must call the Attendance Officer when a student is ill and will be absent for an examination. Upon return to school the student must present a doctor’s note verifying the illness. Parents consult with the assistant principal to schedule the writing of the missed exam. This applies to midterm and final exams.
3. Unexcused absence - A student who has an unexcused absence from a midterm or final examination will receive a zero for that test grade. .
4. Regents exams, if not taken on the regularly scheduled date and time, must be written at the next regularly scheduled time.
5. Students are responsible for reading the posted examination schedule and for being present at the time and place where examinations are scheduled. Information regarding the examination period will not be given by telephone.
6. Conflict examinations (two or more examinations scheduled for the same time) must be reported to the assistant principal. Students have full time for each examination and will be scheduled for a rest period and lunch as appropriate (2 Regents exams = 6 hours of maximum writing time).
7. Projects and papers that count as examinations must be submitted on the due date or will receive a zero (0) grade.
8. Advanced Placement examinations are administered in May according to the schedule set by the College Board. All students who take an AP course must take the AP exam.
REPORT PERIODS
Report cards are issued quarterly. Report cards are mailed following the 2nd, 3rd and 4th quarters. Parents pick up report cards at the end of the 1st quarter. Teachers are available that afternoon and evening for a Parent-Teacher Conference. Teacher requests for parent conferences may be indicated on report cards during any marking period.
Interim Reports are issued midway through the quarter. Teacher requests for conferences may be indicated on the interims.
Co-curricular eligibility is based on quarterly and interim reports.
FAILURE OF COURSES
Students who fail a required course must:
1. Attend summer school.
2. If no summer school is available, complete 30 hours of principal approved tutorial instruction by a teacher certified in that subject, and retake the final exam by August 15.
COMMUNITY SERVICE
Preparation of students to give Christian witness is part of the mission of Aquinas Institute. Therefore, every student is required to complete community service each year. Students in grade 9 must complete 4 hours during the first semester and 8 hours during the second semester. Students in grades 10 and 11 must complete 16 hours. Students follow the directions of the theology department, which coordinates the program for 9th, 10th and 11th graders.
Students in grade 12 are required to complete 20 hours of community service and must complete this service in the summer prior to the beginning of senior year in order to meet graduation requirements. The grade 12 community service program, coordinated by the Campus Minister, takes place through designated agencies in the community. Student leaders in the Peer Ministry program may be asked to participate in additional service.
AQUINAS MINIMUM GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
English 4 Units
Mathematics 3 Units
Physical Education 4 Units
Social Studies 4 Units
Theology 4 Units
Science 3 Units
Foreign Language 1 Unit
Fine Arts 1 Unit
Health .5 Unit
Sequences and/or Electives 3.5 Units
ADDING/DROPPING COURSES
Students’ schedules are mailed during August. Deadlines for students to change courses are Thursday of the last week in August and Thursday of the first week of January, respectively.
ACADEMIC HONORS
Students qualify for three levels of honor status at each marking period according to the academic average for the quarter:
St. Thomas Club 95-100
Principal’s Club 90-94.999
Honor Roll 85-89.999
Permanent status in each honor area is based on semester report periods, January and June. (no failing grades, including all exam grades)
NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY
The National Honor Society is an organization that encourages and rewards scholarship, renders service, promotes leadership, and develops character in the students at Aquinas Institute. To be eligible, students must attain a cumulative weighted GPA of 92.000 by the end of their sophomore or junior year and maintain this GPA for the remainder of their membership in NHS. Students must also exhibit leadership qualities, show evidence of exceptional character as reflected in their disciplinary record, and have performed significant hours of community service.
Students will be notified of their eligibility in September of their junior or senior year and will be asked to complete an information form detailing their involvement in school and community activities. It is important that this form be filled in accurately and completely as no further additions or corrections will be allowed. Upon receipt of the information forms, a final decision will be made concerning each student’s membership by a faculty committee and the administration. An induction ceremony will be held in October or November each year.
Questions concerning student non-selection into NHS may be forwarded to the chapter advisor. Formal appeals may be made in writing to the principal within two weeks of notification of non-selection of a student. Appeals may only be based on information previously provided by the student in the information packet or their disciplinary record. No information may be added to their packets during the appeals process so it is important for the information packet be accurate and complete.
An appeal may be made if a student and/or parent thinks that the student, as shown in their information packet and through their disciplinary record, has demonstrated exceptional character, leadership and service during their years at the Aquinas Institute. A final decision on selection will be made by the principal in consultation with the NHS faculty committee after further review of the information packet and disciplinary record. No appeals are allowed for non-selection on the basis of academics as a 92.000 cumulative weighted GPA is clearly stated as the cutoff.
COURSE CATALOGUE
The listing of courses offered and their pre-requisites is available on the Aquinas website and in the Counseling Center.
ATTENDANCE
OBJECTIVES
Daily attendance and participation in classroom instruction are necessary for academic achievement. Educational research shows a direct correlation between class attendance and academic success. Only by being in school can students benefit from teachers' expertise and peer interests. Parents have an obligation to ensure that students understand the importance of school attendance and that their children are in attendance on all school days.
PROCEDURES FOR RECORDING ATTENDANCE
Homeroom and classroom teachers take attendance at the beginning of each period. Homeroom absences are reported to the attendance officer; unverified classroom absences are reported to the appropriate assistant principal. Teachers notify the appropriate assistant principal once a student's class absences have reached 5; teachers notify the assistant principal again once a student's class absences reach 7 for a one semester course or 14 for a two semester course.
A student who reports late to school must report to the attendance officer to receive a pass to be admitted to class or homeroom.
A student who is late to class for any other reason is admitted to that class and accepts the teacher's consequences for being late.
PARENTAL REPORTING OF ABSENCES OR TARDINESS
A parent must phone the attendance officer (Ext. 2001) by 7:30 a.m. on every day a student is absent or will be tardy. The parent provides the following information: student name and ID number, reason for absence or tardiness, dates of absence and name of parent reporting. The call will be recorded on voice mail if a parent calls outside of school hours. If a parent does not call the school, the attendance officer will call the home and/or the parent's place of employment.
DETERMINATION OF EXCUSED AND UNEXCUSED ABSENCES/TARDINESS
The following are considered excused absences/tardiness: sickness, sickness in the family, death of a family member or close friend, religious observance, medical, dental, or court appointment, approved cooperative work program.
Class absence because of participation in a school retreat or other approved Aquinas activity does not affect class credit. The student is, however, required to complete missed assignments.
The following reasons are counted as unexcused absences/tardiness: oversleeping, late ride, missing the school bus, family vacation, activity trips not associated with Aquinas Institute or otherwise approved by the Principal.
Truancy, an unauthorized absence from a class or classes, is an unexcused absence carrying further consequences.
INCENTIVES AND INTERVENTIONS
Administrators and teachers demonstrate to parents and students the importance of promptness and regular attendance in educational, social and business matters and set a positive example by their own promptness and regular attendance.
Assistant principals and counselors schedule meetings with the student and parent when attendance interferes with academic progress. Together they formulate an attendance improvement plan.
After 5 absences the student meets with the assistant principal.
After 7 absences in a one semester course, the student and parent meet with the assistant principal.
After 14 absences in a full year course, the student and parent meet with the assistant principal.
A student who is truant serves a detention for each class missed or fulfills another consequence determined by the assistant principal.
A student who has a third, unexcused incidence of tardiness to school within a semester serves a detention. Every subsequent instance of tardiness receives additional disciplinary consequences.
Consequences for unexcused absence/tardiness may result in additional disciplinary sanctions including detention, suspension, probation, dismissal and exclusion from co-curricular activities. Assistant principals may request a physician's note for cases of excessive absence.
DETERMINATION OF CREDIT
To receive credit for a one semester course, the student's class absences cannot exceed 10. To receive credit for a year long course, the student's class absences cannot exceed 20. The Physical Education department explains its attendance policy at the beginning of each semester.
MAKE UP ASSIGNMENTS DURING ABSENCE
Parents of students who are absent for three or more consecutive days due to illness or other excused absence should contact the counseling center administrative assistant (Ext. 1015) to arrange for getting the student's assignments.
Students are responsible for contacting teachers on the day they return to school after an absence to make arrangements to make up assignments, labs and tests missed on the day(s) of absence. All work must be made up within 3 days of the student's return or a grade of "0" will be assigned.
Students are required to submit long term assignments/projects/papers on the due date regardless of excused or unexcused absence.
A student who is truant receives a grade of "0" for any work missed or due on the day of truancy.
Teachers are not required to give extra help to students who have an unexcused absence or provide assignments before the unexcused absence.
EXTENDED MEDICAL ABSENCE
The school nurse, in consultation with the administration and/or counseling center, may require that a student not return to school until an acceptable health professional testify that the student can do so without danger to self or others. The professional would be asked to supply information on:
Care being provided to the student
Medications taken, either at home or at school
Recommendations regarding class load or other considerations
APPOINTMENTS AND EARLY DISMISSALS
A student who needs to leave school at any time during the school day must submit a note to the attendance officer prior to homeroom. The note must state the date, time, reason for dismissal, parent signature and name of person transporting student, or permission to drive self. A parent or guardian must sign the student out at the attendance window. If a student has permission to drive, a parent must call the attendance officer on the day of the appointment to confirm permission for early dismissal and the student must sign out with the Attendance Officer.
Students may not call home during the school day for an early dismissal.
The same designation for excused and unexcused absences applies to early dismissal.
PARTICIPATION IN CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
Students must be in school on time and in attendance for the rest of the day in order to attend or participate in any co-curricular activity that day. A student who has a pre-scheduled medical appointment may be absent for the time of that appointment with a note from the doctor's office indicating the time that the appointment ended. Students absent on Friday may not participate in any activity on Saturday. Students who have an unexcused absence or tardiness on the day following an activity will receive an automatic detention.
WAIVER
The principal has the authority to waive parts of the attendance policy where it is determined that the circumstances warrant such action and comply with the New York State Education Law.
ACADEMIC HONESTY POLICY
INTRODUCTION
Aquinas students are expected to recognize the gifts and talents God has given them and utilize these gifts as they pursue their academic, spiritual, and personal development. By engaging in academic dishonesty they are cheating themselves and the Aquinas community.
Academic dishonesty, including cheating and plagiarism, is a form of lying. Such behavior is antithetical to academic achievement. True academic achievement requires that a student’s grade be based on the work of the individual student. A student who assists another student either by giving papers, assignment answers, examination answe