In order to receive a high school diploma, students must meet the following criteria: · Pass all 3 MCA tests
· Earn at least 64.5 credits
· Of the above mentioned credits, credits must be earned in the following areas:
§ English, 12 credits (4 years) § Social Studies, 12 credits (4 years) § Math, 9 credits (3 years) § Science, 9-12 credits (3-4 years) depending on science path § Health, 3 credits (2 semesters) § Physical Education, 3 credits (2 semesters) § Fine Arts, 3 credits (2 semesters)
· Complete “My Life Plan”
Students may participate in the graduation ceremony if they have passed at least one of their MCA tests and be no more than 2.25 credits short of the requirements needed for a diploma. However, these students may not receive a diploma until diploma requirements are met as outlined above. Students who have a cumulative 3.25 Grade Point Average will receive an Honors Diploma. Students may not graduate early; all students graduate in June of their senior year on the assigned date.
Credits for students who transfer from another school will be honored if an official transcript is presented from an accredited institution. Juniors and Seniors may use credits earned in the Post Secondary Enrollment Options Program (PSEO) to fulfill credit requirements. Students must earn their final 4th quarter senior year credits from Washburn, a Minneapolis Public Schools Contract Alternative School, or PSEO in order to receive a Washburn High School diploma.
Course Load
Students may earn up to 19 credits per year. All students must take a full load of classes each quarter (6 classes/4.5 credits).
Juniors and Seniors with at least a 2.0 GPA can elect to be a teacher’s aide. Students are expected to follow the same rules for punctuality and attendance as other students. The staff person to whom they are responsible assigns duties to the student aides. Students may not attempt more than 3 credits as an aide. Grades are assigned on a CR/NC basis.
Schedule Changes Students are given their schedule for the year in September. Generally, Math, English, Science, Social Studies, and World Language classes are full-year courses and most electives are semester-long. Requests for schedule changes can only be made during the first two weeks of the year for year-long or semester 1 classes and the first week of semester 2 for second semester classes. Generally, core classes cannot be changed. Requests for changes can be made only through the counseling office.
Credit/No Credit Classes *In selected courses, students may take a class credit/no credit instead of a letter grade. *A credit/no credit class is counted toward graduation requirements but is not included in the grade point average. A student may designate a maximum of 20% of his/her total credits in credit/no credit classes. (80% of the total credits earned must be in a letter grade system.) If you have questions, see your counselor. *Application forms for credit/no credit are available in the Counseling Office and must be applied for in the first two weeks of the quarter. After the teacher signs the form, the student should return it to the Counseling Office. *Classes taken on the credit/no credit basis may not be counted toward the NCAA course requirements. Recommendations for Post High School
College and other post-secondary institutions have entrance requirements that vary from schools that require only a high school diploma to those which are highly selective. The following information may be helpful as you plan your high school courses.