Grading Philosophy - Grades are a direct reflection of achievement; students earn the grades that they receive. All subjects are taught in a manner consistent with achieving the highest level of student success. A student's final grade is a function of the teacher's determination of the student's earned grade.
Wyomissing Area Junior-Senior High School assigns higher weight to each succeeding marking period and semester exam as the school year unfolds; i.e., the second quarter is weighted more than the first quarter, the 3rd quarter, more than the 2nd, and the 4th, more than the 3rd.
The reason for this is twofold. First, the weight increase reflects the fact that the difficulty and workload of courses increase as the school year unfolds. Secondly, the increase in weight motivates students to continue to work hard during the entire year.
Students who are not in school for the entire year will receive individual consideration in determining the final grade. In all cases, the teacher has the responsibility to ensure that the final grade accurately reflects student performance for the school year.
3 F Policy - Students who receive 3 F's in any 3 quarters in a course will receive a final F for the course (2 quarter F’s in a semester course).
Courses Graded With O, S, or U - Courses graded with O, S, and U are not counted in the honor roll or GPA calculation.
7 to 12 Honor Roll - is calculated quarterly on a non-cumulative basis according to a student’s non-weighted GPA. Seventh and eighth grade courses graded with O, S, and U are not used for honor roll calculation.
High Honors: 3.5 – 4.0
Honors: 3.0 – 3.49
Commended: 2.5 – 2.99
Promotion - Placement into a grade level homeroom necessitates the satisfactory completion of a minimum number of credits in order to assure the potential graduation of a student after Grade 12. Thus, a student who would not have sufficient credits for graduation if he/she would satisfactorily complete all scheduled courses in Grade 12, would not be placed in a 12th grade homeroom.
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Placement in Grade:
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Required Completion of:
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8
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Pass 3 major subjects in Grade 7
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9
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Pass 3 major subjects in Grade 8
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10
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6.0credits
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11
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12.0 credits
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12
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18.0 credits
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Students must be enrolled in the following number of minimum credits each academic year regardless of the number of cumulative credits they have earned:
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9
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6.0 credits
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10
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6.0 credits
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11
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6.0 credits
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12
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5.0 credits
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Course Credit - All passed courses in grades 9 through 12 accrue credit toward graduation using the following formula:
6 periods/cycle for 1 year = 1.0 credit
6 periods/cycle for ½ year = .5 credit
6 periods/cycle for ¼ year = .25 credit
3 periods/cycle for 1 year = .5 credit
3 periods/cycle for ½ year = .25 credit
In certain instances, and with teacher/administrative approval, students opting for full credit for courses taken less than the allotted time must either complete an approved independent study contract which specifically details the means towards satisfying full course credit, or assume responsibility for all assignments, tests, and other course expectations assigned regularly scheduled students.
Credit By Examination/Contract Revision - Credit by examination/contract is only an option for courses in which mastery of the academic standards can be accurately measured through an examination and/or project completion process. It will be issued to a student (not already enrolled in the course) only after the following criteria are satisfactorily met:
2. Academic guidelines, course objectives, class textbook, and other academic requirements will be issued in June by the department chair or designee. The student, parent, department chair (or designee) and administrator, after outlining all requirements, deadlines, and waivers/reservations of the school district, will sign an academic contract at this time.
3. All due dates for academic course requirements and grading procedures must be listed in the contract. These may vary by academic department.
4. If a student is eligible for credit, (has satisfactorily met each of the contract requirements with a minimum of 85% or higher per requirement) the credit will be assigned and the appropriate letter grade (either A or B) will be recorded on the transcript and factored into the GPA for the upcoming academic term. The student may not repeat the course if he/she achieves a final grade of between 85 percent and 100 percent.
Credit by examination/contract is not an option that can be utilized for any English, World Language, Advanced Placement, lab-based Science, or corresponding Keystone Exam course.
The learning that occurs through regular classroom attendance can never be completely reproduced in a credit by examination/contract option. The District is not responsible for elements of learning for which the student later finds him/herself deficient as a result of trading the regular classroom experience for the credit by examination/contract option.
Since many learning experiences cannot be measured by a written exam, the District offers no guarantee that any student receiving credit by examination has demonstrated the same level of mastery as those students enrolled in the course. The student accepts full responsibility for any negative consequences on student performance in other courses, standardized tests (such the SAT), and college.
Dropped Courses - A 6th major may be dropped without permanent record only with administrative approval and only if the drop is made during the first semester for year-long courses and during the first or third quarters for semester courses.
A 5th major may be dropped only under very unusual circumstances and only with the following conditions being met:
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administrative approval based on teacher recommendation.
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only at the semester break and only if a counselor-approved second semester class can be scheduled in lieu of the dropped course. The dropped course will be made part of the student's permanent record and, in the case of full credit courses, .5 credit attempted will be noted for the work completed and a failing grade will be calculated as part of the GPA. A notation of withdrawal will be recorded on the permanent record.
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in all cases the principal maintains final discretion as to grade and credit calculation.
When a student repeats a failed course during a subsequent school year, the original GPA is maintained and the repeated course is treated like a new course in the cumulative GPA calculations.
Summer School - All failed courses that are needed for graduation are either repeated the following year or semester or are taken through an approved Credit Recovery Program. When a course is completed, the student will receive full credit for the course but no grade higher than a S. Summer school courses receving a grade of an ‘S’ do not calculate in a student’s GPA. Summer enrichment courses or repeated courses that were not failed will not be given credit but may be listed as supplemental information on the transcript.
Course Transfers - Requests for transfers between levels (i.e., honors to academic or academic to comprehensive) will not be approved without teacher and counselor recommendation with final approval subject to the principal’s discretion.
Independent Study -Certain academic courses may be taken via independent study with teacher approval. Independent study is in lieu of regular class time and must substantially meet all course requirements in addition to other requirements, which the teacher may assign to make up for the lack of class time. Student work must be completed within the framework of the given academic year.
Independent Study (IS) Guidelines
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IS classes must be in the approved program of studies in order to receive a grade and credit.
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Students may not take and IS and receive a grade and credit for a class if they are already enrolled in that particular course.
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Independent study courses are not offered for honors or AP weighted courses.
Mid-Year GPA's - (For Seniors Only) - Course credit for full year courses is adjusted by multiplying the full year credit by 0.5. Course credit for semester or quarter courses remains unchanged. Quality points are calculated by multiplying adjusted course credit by 4 for A, 3 for B, etc. Honors weight is calculated by giving 0.1 to each honors course, full year or semester, in which a grade of A or B is earned. AP weight, by .125. Unweighted GPA is calculated by dividing the cumulative quality points by the cumulative credits attempted. Weighted GPA is calculated by adding to the unweighted GPA the cumulative honors weight divided by:
3.5 if the student is in the 12th grade
2.5 if the student is in the 11th grade
1.5 if the student is in the 10th grade
0.5 if the student is in the 9th grade
End of Year GPA's - Quality Points are calculated by adding course credit by 4 for A, 3 for B, etc. Honors weight (.2) is earned by receiving a final grade of an A or B in an honors course. AP weight (.25) is earned by receiving a final grade of an A, B, or C in an AP course. Courses designated as AP/Dual Enrollment also receive .25 weight by receiving a final grade of A, B, or C. Semester courses (or equilivant 90 day courses), which carry 0.5 credit, will thereby receive 0.1 honors weight and .125 for AP semester.
Unweighted GPA is calculated by dividing the cumulative quality points by the cumulative credits attempted. Weighted GPA is calculated by adding to the unweighted GPA the cumulative honors weight divided by:
4 if the student has completed the 12th grade
3 if the student has completed the 11th grade
2 if the student has completed the 10th grade
1 if the student has completed the 9th grade
GPA and Grading Considerations for Incoming Students - The grade equivalents and course tracking designations (AP, honors, accelerated, advanced) provided by the student's former school are used and computed using Wyomissing's credit values. Incoming seniors who would experience a significant drop in rank if entered into our GPA system, will be offered the opportunity not to be a part of the class rank with an explanation on the transcript.
Graduation Requirements - Graduation requirements are for subjects taken in grades 9, 10, 11, and 12. Wyomissing Area Jr./Sr. High students need 23.0 total credits to graduate. Courses taken in seventh and eighth grade do not accrue credit toward graduation. Students must also take end of course Keystone Exams in Biology, Algebra 1, and English Literature to fulfill their graduation requirements. Students may be asked to retake each exam until they earn a proficient score for Keystone exam.
English 4.0
Science 3.0
Mathematics 3.0
Social Studies 3.0
Arts / Humanities 2.0
Computer Technology 0.5
Health / Physical Education 1.5
Family and Consumer Science 0.25
Electives 6.0
Total Credits 23.0
*Exceptions to these requirements may be made at the discretion of the administration.
Keystone Exams & Graduation Pathways
The Keystone Exams are end-of-course assessments designed to assess proficiency in core subject areas. Proficient scores on individual subject exams, as well as a composite score of 4452 will fulfill Act 158 Graduation requirements. Keystone Exams will help school districts guide students toward meeting state standards. Students will take each Keystone Exam after they complete the corresponding course (Biology, Algebra 1 and English Literature).
The Keystone Exams are state-mandated end-of-course assessments in Algebra I, Biology, and Literature. At the high school level, they are used to satisfy the requirements of the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE).
Each Keystone Exam is divided into two parts called modules. Student scores are based on the total points earned from the two modules combined. The scores are then broken down into the following categories: Advanced, Proficient, Basic and Below Basic. Students must score in the Advanced or Proficient range to show mastery of the content.
Act 158, a landmark legislation in Pennsylvania, has paved the way for a more diversified approach to high school graduation. This act acknowledges the uniqueness of each student’s learning style and offers a multitude of pathways to demonstrate readiness for postsecondary success, marking a significant departure from the previous requirement of passing the Keystone Exams in Algebra I, Literature, and Biology.
Students can embark on one of five distinct pathways, each tailored to their individual strengths and circumstances. These pathways empower students to meet the state’s graduation criteria in flexible ways:
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1. Keystone Excellence: Students can attain graduation by achieving Proficient or Advanced scores on all three Keystone Exams in Algebra, English Literature, and Biology.
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2. Composite Achievement: A pathway acknowledging the challenges of the 2019-2020 school year, it requires students to achieve a satisfactory composite score of 4,452 or a composite score of 2,939 or higher on two Keystone Exams. Additionally, a non-numeric Proficient score earned during the pandemic is accepted. Importantly, this pathway necessitates at least one Proficient or Advanced Keystone score with no score Below Basic. A composite score of 4,454 must consist of three numeric exam results, while a composite score of 2,939 comprises two numeric exam results and one non-numeric Proficient score from the 2019-2020 school year.
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3. Local Proficiency and Career Focus: This pathway requires students to earn a locally established minimum grade of a D (higher) in Wyomissing Area Junior/Senior High School’s courses aligned with each Keystone Exam. Additionally, they must pass either the National Occupational Competency Testing Institute (NOCTI) or the National Institute of Metalworking Skills (NIMS) assessment within an approved Career and Technical Education concentration.
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4. Alternative Assessment Success: In this pathway, students need to pass Algebra I, Biology, or Literature Keystone-trigger courses and achieve a minimum score in one of the following approved alternate assessments: Completion of advanced coursework such as an Advanced Placement (AP) course; Meeting a specified cut score on alternative standardized assessments like PSAT (970), SAT (1010), ACT (21), or ASVAB (31); Gaining admission into a four-year non-profit higher education institution.
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5. Portfolio-Backed Achievement: Students on this pathway need to pass Keystone-trigger courses (Algebra I, Biology, Literature) at Wyomissing Area Junior/Senior High School. To demonstrate their readiness for postsecondary engagement, they compile three pieces of evidence in their career portfolio, aligning with their personal goals and career plans. Evidence may include AP-level dual enrollment coursework, acceptance into higher education, participation in community service projects, or completion of internships, externships, co-op programs, or full-time employment.
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6. Special Education Program Completion: Students with disabilities who are unable to fulfill the requirements of the previous pathways but satisfactorily complete a special education program will be granted a diploma under Title 22 §4.24.
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