Program of Studies - Hunterdon Central Regional High School

c. College distance learning courses may be taken only if pre-approved as outlined in the stipulations above. The course must be
from an accredited institution. The accreditation must be from a Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA)
participating organization and be recognized by the United States Department of Education as a national, regional, specialized,
and/or professional accrediting organization.
d. HCRHS must receive an official transcript clearly showing successful completion of the course work.
e. High school credits and grade may be awarded based on the transcript received from the college, or by the number of
instructional hours per week, or by certification by the principal under 6A:8-5.1(a) 1.ii, and posted on the permanent record
card.
Independent Study:
The Independent Study Program is available for those students who are looking for an additional academic opportunity for indepth
study beyond the HCRHS course offerings or have a desire to fulfill a course need that is not available in the current
HCRHS curriculum. An Independent Study may not be employed to replace a course that is offered in the current HCRHS
curriculum unless there is an irresolvable scheduling conflict. A maximum of 5 Independent Study credits may be attempted each
year. The following steps are required for the proper completion of an Independent Study (I.S.):
1. A Hunterdon Central High School certified faculty member must serve as the I.S. advisor. Please understand that faculty
members are under no obligation to serve as an I.S. advisor; they do so voluntarily. Advisors agree to work with students on a
strictly voluntary basis and receive no compensation.
2. The student and his/her advisor must collaborate on the work to be completed and grades, the credits to be awarded, and the
time to be allotted. The student must complete an Independent Study Contract (available online), listing the appropriate details of
the I.S. proposal. The student is then responsible for getting the contract approved and signed by his/her parent or guardian, the
department supervisor, his/her school counselor, the instructor/advisor, the director of curriculum, a representative of the
Principal’s Credit Committee and the principal. The contract is kept on file in counseling services until the completion of the I.S.
3. Independent Study Eligibility - The Independent Study Program is available to those students who have demonstrated an ability
to be self-directed and who are looking for an additional academic opportunity for in-depth study beyond the present course
offerings. I.S. is for students who:
wish to pursue a course of study that is not in the curriculum or
wish to do further study of a subject that they have already taken in the regular curriculum or
have a desire to fulfill a course need that is not possible due to scheduling constraints.
4. Independent Study Application Process
All plans for independent study should first be discussed with the student’s counselor. A written request will be submitted to,
and approved by, the Principal in conjunction with the Principal’s Credit Committee. Requests must be received prior to June
30 th for Quarter 1 course work; September 30 th for Quarter 2; November 30 th for Quarter 3 course work and April 30 th for
Quarter 4 course work.
All signatures must be obtained in the order listed on the contract.
5. Credit Awarding
Credits will be awarded upon completion of the I.S. course or project. A time log must be maintained, verified and presented
when the I.S. is completed. The student may take up to five credits of independent study per year.
Credit will be awarded subject to the stipulations outlined in “a” through “f” - “Outside High School Course Work for
Additional High School Credit” and “a” through “d” - “Advancing a Course Level.”
In the case of all independent studies, prior approval must be obtained.
The proposed study plan must be reviewed by the department supervisor and the director of curriculum before beginning the
course.
Credit may be awarded upon the student’s successful completion of a final assessment as determined by the department
supervisor. The student will be informed of the format of the final assessment upon receiving approval to begin the
independent study.
Independent study may be considered to be part of the minimum 30 credits per year required by school policy.
6. Independent Study Grading
Refer to the section “Recording of Non-traditional Coursework” in the course of study handbook.
A grade of pass or fail will be issued for all independent studies.
All evaluations must be reviewed and approved by the I.S. advisor.
If a student does not complete an independent study for which approval has been received, the independent study will appear
on the transcript and a grade of W (Withdrew) will be noted.
It is highly recommended that a public demonstration of student understanding be scheduled as the culminating experience of
the independent study.
It is also recommended that the final product be stored and catalogued in the IMC if appropriate.
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