• Academic Expectations
• Social and Civic Expectations
• Rubrics for Academic Expectations

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Lexington High School

Program of Studies

2008-2009

Lexington High School
Mission Statement

Lexington High School is a learning community committed to developing well-educated, healthy, engaged students in a respectful, safe, supportive environment. We encourage the effort and imagination necessary to acquire knowledge and develop academic habits of mind. We maintain our high expectations with a challenging and varied curriculum, inspired by curiosity, enriched by clubs and activities. At the same time we emphasize the need to reduce unhealthy stress and unproductive competition in pursuit of balanced lives. We honor diversity and individual achievement; we promote collaboration and community service. Together we strive to model behavior that will help make our campus a microcosm of the world we hope to create.

The faculty, staff, and administration of Lexington High School, with the support of parents and the community are committed to helping students achieve the following academic, social, and civic expectations.

Academic Expectations

Students at Lexington High Scholl will ...

• write clearly and effectively, producing work that is informative, well organized, and appropriate to its purpose and audience.
• read and comprehend varied materials and be able to interpret and apply what they have read.
• listen actively and respond to communications through inquiry, discussion, writing, and various forms of art.
• speak clearly and effectively in a variety of contexts including academic discourse and oral presentations.
• gather data and critically evaluate their content, source, and relevance.
• reason logically, using appropriate qualitative or quantitative methods, and use their analysis to answer questions and to solve problems.
• employ technology to gather, organize, and communicate information, to create and share visual images, and to investigate and solve problems.
• demonstrate an understanding of the political, social, cultural, and scientific contexts of knowledge.
• demonstrate practical applications of knowledge.
• demonstrate awareness of aesthetic principles such as theme, motif, pattern, and symmetry.

Social and Civic Expectations

Students at Lexington High Scholl will ...

• learn to make appropriate and healthy choices that foster their personal well being, and will seek support when needed for academic, social, physical, mental, and emotional issues.
• demonstrate self-awareness, tolerance, and respect while cultivating social skills that reflect self-assurance, kindness, and tact.
• act with integrity and be accountable to themselves, to the school, and to the community at large.
• participate in meaningful community service activities that expand their life experience and benefit others.
• act as responsible citizens, recognizing the important stake they have in the school community while finding constructive opportunities to influence its direction.

Rubrics for Academic Expectations

The following represent Lexington High School's performance standards in nine schoolwide expectations. The descriptors under each expectation constitute a performance “rubric” against which student work may be assessed and though which the meaning of the assessment may be better understood. Teachers may adapt these rubrics to specific assignments, and individual departments have taken primary responsibility for the teaching the mastery of one or more expectations (see the introduction to each department's course offerings).

• Academic Expectation 1
  Students will write clearly and effectively, producing work that is informative, well organized, and appropriate to its purpose.
• Academic Expectation 2
  Students will read and comprehend varied materials and be able to interpret and apply what they have read.
• Academic Expectation 3
  Students will speak clearly and effectively in a variety of contexts including academic discourse and oral presentations.
• Academic Expectation 4
  Students will listen actively and respond to communications through inquiry, discussion, writing, and various forms of art.
• Academic Expectation 5
  Students will gather data and critically evaluate the content, source, and relevance of that data.
• Academic Expectation 6
  Students will reason logically, using appropriate qualitative or quantitative methods, and use their analysis to answer questions.
• Academic Expectation 7
  Students will employ technology to gather, organize, and communicate information, to create and share visual images, and to investigate and solve problems.
• Academic Expectation 8
  Students will demonstrate an understanding of the political, social, cultural, or scientific context of knowledge.
• Academic Expectation 9
  Students will demonstrate awareness of aesthetic principles such as theme, motif, pattern and symmetry.

Graduation Requirements

1. Students must earn 104 total credits and fulfill minimum course distribution requirements. Students should check the Program of Studies regarding the number of credits being earned in each course. In addition, students must perform 40 hours of approved community service. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts requires all students to pass the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) exams in English Language Arts and Mathematics for graduation.

2. Required courses

   Students will study English, math, science, and social studies during each of the four years.

   Grade Nine students must take

   Earth Science; World History I; Adolescent Health Issues I; and Literature and Composition I; Mathematics

   Sophomore students must take

   Biology; World History II and Literature and Composition II; Mathematics

   Junior students must take

   Chemistry; Adolescent Health Issues II;
   American Studies -or- American Literature and U.S. History; Mathematics

3. Course Distribution Requirements

   By graduation time, a student should have accumulated the following number of credits in each department as indicated:

   English	16 credits
   Fine & Performing Arts	8 credits
   Foreign Languages	8 credits
   Mathematics	16 credits
   Physical Education	6 credits
   & Wellness	2 credits
   Science	18 credits
   Social Sciences	16 credits

4. Please note that partial credit will be allowed for full-year courses only with the advanced written approval of the Department Head.

5. Summer school credit: All summer school credits must be approved in advance by the Department Head and the Associate Principal. Forms are available for this. Summer school courses may appear on the student's LHS transcript but may not replace existing LHS course offerings.

6. Independent studies must adhere to the following guidelines:
   1. Students may not use independent study in place of regular departmental course offerings.
   2. All independent studies are Pass-Fail.
   3. Independent studies are generally 1 semester-2 credits (potentially three credits in science). In special cases, year-long (4 credit) and quarter (1 credit) independent studies will be considered. Department Head approval is required.
   4. Participants in any independent study program must generate and sign a contract, to be kept on file in the Department Head's office, that, among other things, specifies location of, frequency of, and length of formal meetings.
   5. Certain structured learning activities that are designated as part of the High School's educational program and that partially fulfill the Massachusetts Department of Education regulations for time and learning are subject to independent study guidelines.

7. Freshmen are required to carry 28 credits, sophomores 27, juniors 27, and seniors 26, regardless of their credit status. It is recommended that freshmen not exceed 30 credits of course work given the academic demands of the High School. Credit will not be given when a course is repeated. (Minimum credit requirements are under review at the time of this publication.)

8. All study halls at Lexington High School are directed studies. Students are expected to do academic work under the supervision of a teacher.

9. Students may qualify for graduation in less than four full years if they have fully satisfied graduation requirements and have submitted a note from a parent to the Principal authorizing early completion. Students leaving in January must complete a checkout form before leaving certifying that all obligations have been met. No credit may be allowed for a full-year course not completed unless provisions in number 4 above have been met.

10. Any semester or full-year course dropped after the mid-point grade has been assigned will be permanently recorded as 'W' (withdrawn). The transcript will include no reference to courses dropped before their midpoint.

Procedures and Policies for Implementing Student Choice

Policy

In senior year, students may opt out of one of the following three disciplines (science, mathematics, social studies) while continuing to take a full year of courses in the other two.

Procedures

Students must still maintain a full schedule and will achieve the required minimum number of 27 credits by adding courses/electives of their choosing.

Decisions on course selection should be based on the student's academic/personal interests and the requirements of colleges to which he/she is applying.

In the first phase of course selection, all juniors must be recommended for a science, math and social studies course as in previous years. No one may opt out during this part of the process.

In the next phase, when students receive their course selections sheets, they will also receive a timeline and protocol for exercising the “student choice” option.

Parental permission must also be obtained.

Individual College Requirements –– Beware!

It is incumbent upon each junior to review carefully the consequences (positive and negative) in exercising the student choice option. Most colleges and universities expect that students will take the most rigorous academic courses available to them. Students who avail themselves of four years in all major disciplines will meet and in many cases exceed the requirements for these colleges and universities.

In the various handbooks, colleges and universities list only the minimum high school preparation program needed for a student to be considered for acceptance. There is no guarantee that by meeting the minimum standard a student will be admitted.

The Importance of Community Service

The Course Selection Process

1. Since the scheduling process operates on a strict timetable, it is very important that you meet the deadlines listed below for submitting your course requests.
2. To familiarize yourself with the courses that might be appropriate, first read the Course Level explanation and the graduation requirements at the beginning of this booklet; then read the more specific course descriptions listed within each departmental section.
3. For any course that represents continued study within a department, the current teacher will confer with the student and then record the placement on the computer's Course Request File. This student-teacher conferencing will begin in February. Note: Parents should speak directly to the teacher if there is any question about course or level placement. If the issue is still unresolved after conferring with the teacher, the parent should request a placement review. A placement review request form must be obtained from the teacher or the department, and must be submitted to the Department Head no later than Wednesday, March 19.
4. Students must have all course selection sheets to their counselors by Wednesday, March 19. Note: Students in grades 9 must select a minimum of 28 credits, and students in grades 10 and 11 must select a minimum of 27 credits. Seniors must select a minimum of 26 credits.
5. Minimum credit requirements for juniors and seniors are under review at the time of this publication. Students are encouraged to select their academic program carefully. We believe that decisions about courses can be made within a reasonable period of time to best capitalize on the educational process. For guidelines on course changes refer to the LHS Student/Parent Handbook.
6. Our intention is to complete the scheduling process by early June so that any schedule conflicts can be resolved before the end of the school year. Opportunities for schedule changes during the summer and fall are very limited.
7. Do not hesitate to call for further information. A list of telephone extensions are included for your information.
   

Course levels at Lexington High School

The following description is intended as a general guideline for students, parents, and college admissions officers. The individual course descriptions under each department heading can provide more explicit information regarding the nature of the courses and the types of programs available at Lexington High School.

Grade Point Averages: Beginning in the 2008-2009 academic year, all grade point averages are a simple, unweighted average based upon a four-point scale. Lexington High School does not use grade point averages to calculate class rank. Reports on the school profile and on students' transcripts may include information on grade and GPA distribution within the class.

Many of our courses are unleveled.
This indicates that course objectives and activities are appropriate for all students. As described above there are some unleveled courses in which students may choose to study at an Honors Level. At all levels, individual teachers, in coordination with Department Heads, define their course expectations, outcomes and grading standards.

Honors (Hon) courses study at advanced levels and require well-developed scholarship and study skills for success.
Honors Level courses are conducted at a level which is comparable to college work and may prepare students for AP exams. Courses which specifically follow the AP curriculum are so designated in their titles. Teacher recommendations and/or departmental approval may be required prior to enrollment. In some multi-level courses, students may elect to study at an honors level by working toward additional course objectives and responding to special expectations established by the teacher.

Level 1 (Lv 1) courses require sound scholarship and study skills for success.
Many Level 1 courses provide the background necessary for success on CEEB SAT II Subject Tests.

Level 2 (Lv 2) courses provide a foundation in the subject and prepare students for more advanced academic work.
Level 2 courses are designed to emphasize the development of the study skills necessary for continued progress in the discipline.

All courses offered at Lexington High School are designed as college preparatory.

Telephone for Information

7:30 am to 3:30 pm
Dial 781-861-2320 and the extension listed below

Copyright 2008, All Rights Reserved