2013-14 Guide for Academics and Student Life - Tampa Preparatory ...

ACADEMIC INFORMATION AND POLICIESDEADLINES FOR DROPPING CLASSESClasses may be dropped without penalty within five schooldays after the School posts mid-semester grade updates.Transcripts of classes dropped after these dates and througheither November 15 or April 15 will indicate that the studenthas “withdrawn passing” or “withdrawn failing.” Classes maynot be dropped after either November 15 in the first semesteror April 15th in the second semester.(Revised 7-13)Seniors who drop classes are responsible for notifying thecolleges to which they have applied if those colleges alreadypossess the seniors’ transcripts.DEADLINE FOR ADDING CLASSESNo class, other than a class comparable to one in a student’scurrent schedule, may be added after its 12th meeting.TRANSFER DEADLINES AND GRADE TRANSFER POLICIESBETWEEN COMPARABLE CLASSESIf students transfer from one level of a comparable course toanother (i.e. classes with decidedly similar content but taughtat different academic levels, such as AP US History and USHistory Honors, or Algebra 2 Advanced Honors and Algebra2 Honors) as late as two weeks after mid-semester reportsare sent home, then the only grades transferred from oneclass to another are those assessments for material shared incommon by the two courses. These grades are agreed uponthrough conversations with the two corresponding teachers.After two weeks beyond the date when mid-semester reportsare mailed, all grades are transferred from one comparablecourse to another. Students may not transfer from onecomparable class to another after November 15 or April 15of each semester. Should questions arise, the correspondingDivision Director will determine whether one course iscomparable to another.MAKE-UP WORKAny student switching into a class already in progress may beasked to make up all significant work (i.e., required reading,tests, papers, projects, labs, reports, etc.) assigned before hisor her transfer. This work should be completed according toa calendar agreed upon by the student and teacher. In certainsituations, the Division Director may mitigate the amount ofwork to be made up.OTHER ACADEMIC POLICIESPOLICY FOR MAJOR ASSIGNMENTS1. Schedule with Division Directors. To distributestudent work loads and school resources as effectivelyas possible, the Middle School Director coordinatesand approves all Middle School major assignment duedates and the Upper School Director coordinates andapproves all Upper School major assignment due dates.2. Identify as “major.” “Major assignments” are thosethat require substantial extra and extended time andindependent work. Examples: Grade 11 Synthesis14 | GUIDE FOR ACADEMICS AND STUDENT LIFEProject, Middle School Portfolio Presentation,research papers, etc. Teachers designate relevantassignments as “major” and make certain that allstudents understand their designation at the time theassignments are made.3. Collect at 8:50 a.m. To discourage students frommissing school to complete homework, all majorassignments are due at 8:50 a.m. Teachers make theirmajor assignments due on Mondays.4. Grade Reduction if late. If a student is absent on thedue date of a major paper, project, or report, he or shemust send the assignment to school with someone else.Major assignments not received by 8:50 a.m. on thedue date are automatically turned in to the DivisionDirector who will determine a grade penalty.NUMBER AND VARIETY OF TESTSTo help students perform well academically, teachers shoulddo their best to schedule tests so that students have nomore than two tests in one day. Students who are unable torearrange to no more than two tests should see the Directorof the Middle School (MS) or the Director of the Upper School(US). To help students maintain academic integrity, teachersof multiple sections of the same course are encouraged tovary their tests and quizzes when all sections do not take thetest on the same day.TESTS AND MAJOR ASSIGNMENTS BEFORE EXAMSTo ensure quality evaluation and optimum benefit for exampreparation, all major assignments must be due no later thantwo weeks before the start of exams. Unless pre-approvedby the Division Directors, feedback and grades for all butthe smallest quizzes and homework assignments must becollected from and returned to students at least five schooldays before exams begin.EXAMSWith rare exceptions, Tampa Prep classes include exams.These are weighted 25% of the semester’s total grade. Twohour exams are administered over a three-hour period atthe end of each semester. Arts performances are consideredexams.Seniors who have more than eight unexcused absences fromany class during the second semester will be required to takethe second semester final examination and be required toattend all meetings for that class prior to the final exam.EXEMPTION FROM EXAMSWith few exceptions, courses must conclude with atwo-hour final examination during finals week. In thefollowing situations, however, students may be excusedfrom taking certain exams:1. Second semester juniors and first semester seniorsare exempt from their semester final exams if theirpre-exam average is an A+. This policy does not apply