Academic Excellence

Academic dead days will typically be two days before exams start. The only points that can be earned during academic dead days are participation points for work completed in class. *Students' grades should not be penalized for excused absences during these days.* Academic dead days will be used for a planned review. No new material may be introduced, no homework can be assigned, no assignments can be graded, no quizzes or tests may be given and no projects can be due. Teachers are permitted to assign make-up work to students who still need to complete assignments if they were unable to complete the assignment before these days. Exceptions to this policy must be approved by the Dean of Academics.

Major projects in exam classes cannot be due the week of academic dead days. Major projects in non-exam classes cannot be due during academic dead days. The last day to turn in those projects is the day before academic dead days. No pre-exams may be given. The only exception to this will be science labs, English writing exams and foreign language speaking and listening exams. The science labs must be completed the week before academic dead week. 

There should be no mandatory co-curricular or other athletic activities unless approved by the Dean of Women. Any approved event must be optional for the student.

In keeping with the mission of faith development, academic excellence and personal growth, students at St. Joseph’s Academy are encouraged to research ideas, seek information, analyze data, document facts and develop their skills and talents to their fullest potential.

Students must understand that intellectual theft is illegal, unethical and immoral. Cheating and plagiarism are serious offenses. Final decisions on plagiarism/cheating are made by the Administration. The use of Turn It In is encouraged to avoid unintentional plagiarism.

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) to complete *any portion of* assignments is prohibited unless specifically directed by the teacher. Students should recognize that use of AI is a form of plagiarism when used in lieu of independent thinking.

*When AI use is permitted by the classroom teacher, students must ensure that the information is accurate and represents their own work and ideas. Student use of AI to correct grammar errors is only permitted when allowed by the classroom teacher and when used to correct sentence structure or sentence errors but cannot be used to change the central ideas or content. AI tools include but are not limited to Chat GPT, Grammarly, copilot, Gemini, anthropic and a general wildcard (google type) search for AI.*

*When AI is used, the generated content must be properly cited and referenced in accordance with the school’s guidelines on plagiarism. Students must not present AI-generated content as their own original work or use it to plagiarize the work of others. Students should save their original work that was created before it was submitted to an AI platform. The student should be prepared to present her original work as evidence of appropriate AI use and save any AI content utilized.*

Issues of academic dishonesty will be brought to the Dean of Academics, who will work with the Dean of Women prior to issuing any consequences.

Some examples of cheating and/or plagiarism are, but not limited to, the following:

• The visual appearance of cheating; i.e., speaking to another student while taking an assessment, looking at another student's test/work or having access to test materials, notes or any prohibited device that is accessible during testing.

• Copying, emailing, duplicating, photographing or transmitting using any technology, including AI, in assignments that will be turned in as the student’s own work;

• Sharing work with another student who then copies it as her own, intentionally or unintentionally, and uses it for her own work;

• Exchanging assignments/tests/quizzes by email, printout, flash drive, disc, camera or other electronic means and then submitting as the student’s own work;

• Writing information on the student, a desk or other object for use on a test, quiz or other graded assessment;

• Using programmed materials in watches, calculator, cell phones, computers or any other electronic device;

• Relaying questions or answers from a test or quiz to students who have not yet taken the test/quiz or trying to obtain this information from a student who has already taken the test/quiz;

• Submitting someone else’s assignment as the student’s own work;

• Submitting material without giving the appropriate credit to the creator/author;

• Taking credit for group work when little individual contribution was made;

• Not following additional specific guidelines on cheating as established by a teacher or department (for example, working with another student when the assignment was to done independently, using prohibited websites, gaining access to hotspots on campus, etc.). *These guidelines include the use of AI which does not adhere to the guidelines of the Academic Integrity Policy.*

• Stealing tests, answers or materials or having unauthorized possessions of such materials, including the possession or attempted possession of materials designed for teacher use.

*Students in dual enrollment courses will be held to the SJA Academic Integrity Policy as well as LSU's Policy on Academic Dishonesty, Plagiarism and AI Use.*

Violation of the Academic Integrity Policy will result in disciplinary action as outlined in the discipline policy. This policy covers all school work both in and out of class.

Teachers will require students to stow away cell phones, smart watches, earbuds or other devices that might distract the student while completing any graded work in the classroom. The classroom teacher has the discretion to determine when these items must be put away. During tests, all personal items, including backpacks, must be stowed away from the student in an area designated by the teacher. 

Implementation of Varying Levels of Consequences for Infractions
When an academic dishonesty infraction is identified, the Dean of Academics, working with the teacher, will issue an academic consequence. In addition, the Dean of Women will issue a Category II infraction for the first offense and a Category III infraction for the second offense. There will be a discussion for dismissal for the third offense. 

As a student of St. Joseph’s Academy, I understand and agree to the following terms as I undertake this assessment.

I understand that cheating is defined as using deceptive means to complete an assignment, such as but not limited to copying another’s work, submitting another’s work as my own, working with someone else on an assignment intended to be completed individually, plagiarism in any form and using prohibited materials. I further understand that plagiarism is defined as intellectual theft, a significant form of dishonesty in which one uses another’s words, ideas and/or efforts without giving credit to the original source. A complete list of prohibited materials and examples of cheating and/or plagiarism are listed in the Academic Integrity Policy. 

In research, I agree to follow the documentation form (MLA or APA) required by my teacher for this particular assignment. I agree to acknowledge all sources used in my research and any ideas not entirely my own.

I agree to use parenthetical documentation (in-text citation) where it is necessary to acknowledge my use of direct quotations, paraphrases and synopses from any outside source. I further agree to submit a correctly formatted, works-cited page or bibliography, as specified by my instructor, listing all sources consulted and/or cited during my research. If I do not understand any of the aforementioned requirements, I agree to ask my teacher for clarification before I hand in the assignment.

I understand that the use of AI to complete assignments is prohibited unless specifically directed by the teacher *and used within the guidelines of the Academic Integrity Policy. Students should recognize that the use of AI is a form of plagiarism when used in lieu of independent thinking.

I understand that failure to meet the agreed-upon criteria for intellectual honesty will result in disciplinary and/or academic consequences.

SJA offers a traditional, college-preparatory curriculum with emphasis on English, science, math, social studies, foreign language, theology, the arts, technology and physical education. Honors, advanced placement and dual enrollment courses are also available.

As part of the educational foundation provided by SJA, tablet computers are used as a teaching tool in all academic areas. This innovative approach creates a dynamic learning environment in which both students and faculty can access up-to-the-minute electronic information.

While the information in this section will answer most questions about St. Joseph’s Academy and its policies, it is important to understand that the final word on curriculum and academic matters rests with the Administration.

Specific questions should be directed to Dean of Academics Aubrey DeJohn at dejohna@sjabr.org.

Students may be placed on Academic Support at the discretion of the grade-level counselor or an administrator. Students will be placed on Academic Support based on academic performance.

Students placed on Academic Support will be required to meet with their grade-level counselor at least once every other week. The counselor will determine if more frequent meetings are needed. The counselor and student will develop an academic plan based on each student's individual needs.

Students on Academic Support are required to visit The Learning Center a minimum of once a week. Failure to meet the minimum attendance requirements results in the student not being granted any extensions on assignments, make-up work, extra credit or the ability to retest.

The grade-level counselor will notify parents of their daughter’s participation in the Academic Support program.

Teachers will be required to write comments on the progress of their students. Students on Academic Support will be re-evaluated each quarter. Students who show improvement will be removed from Academic Support.

St. Joseph's Academy offers preferential seating, *paper tests, calculators* and extended time on tests and exams as our accommodations policy. A  *full psychoeducational evaluation report is required to be considered for these accommodations. The grade-level counselor must receive the report in its entirety to be reviewed for consideration. Please note that a diagnosis by a physician is not sufficient for consideration of accommodations. The full psychoeducational evaluation report for accommodations must include specific recommendations for accommodations as well as an explanation of why each accommodation is recommended and how it alleviates the impact of the disability when taking a timed standardized test.*

*Documentation must include a comprehensive evaluation with objective evidence of an impairment. The documentation must also indicate how the impairment interferes with the student’s academic performance and the specific recommendations for accommodations.* 

Evaluations must be sent to the student's grade-level counselor no later than December 1 to receive accommodations for mid-year exams in December and no later than May 1 for end-of-the-year exams in May. Additionally, College Board and ACT corporations have specific deadlines for requesting accommodations. 

*Students who qualify for extended-time testing must take their extra time after school in the Technology and Learning Center on the same day the test is given. If the student has an extenuating circumstance, she must discuss it with the teacher and finish the test after school on the following day.*

The full psychoeducational evaluation must provide the results of age-appropriate diagnostic testing performed by a licensed psychologist. Documentation, including all standard scores and percentiles (including subtests) that are reliable, valid and standardized measures, must address the following:

1. Description of the presenting problem(s) and its (their) developmental history, including relevant educational and medical history.
2. Parent interview.
3. Student interview.
4. A review of the family history.
5. Age of onset and the course of the illness.
6. Evidence of early impairment which, by definition in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th Ed., Text Revision) (DSM-V-TR), is first exhibited in childhood and manifests itself in more than one setting.
7. Evidence of current impairment including a statement of presenting problem and diagnostic interview.
8. Neuropsychological or psychoeducational evaluation which includes results of an aptitude assessment using a complete and comprehensive battery.
   a. Wechsler Intelligence Scale
   b. Woodcock-Johnson Tests
   c. Connors Continuous Performance Tests
   d. Teacher report forms
   e. Youth self-report forms
   f. Parent report forms
9. Results of a complete achievement battery.
10. Results of an assessment of information processing.
11. Other appropriate assessments for consideration of differential diagnosis from co-existing neurological or psychiatric disorders.
12. The history of treatment for the disorder. Note: If the treatment includes medication, please provide evidence of continuing problems that, despite the benefits of medication, make test accommodations necessary for access to this examination.
13. Number of applicable DSM-V-TR criteria and description of how they impair the individual.
14. Specific diagnosis and evidence that alternative explanations were ruled out.
15. Description of the functional limitations supported by the test results and a rationale for the recommended test accommodations specific to those functional limitations.

Noise-Reducing Devises: Students with an official diagnosis which includes noise-reducing headphones as an accommodation are able to wear them during independent worktime with the teacher's permission. Earbuds, headphones and earplugs can only be worn for standardized testing with approved accommodations through ACT or College Board. Questions about standardized testing accommodations should be directed to the student's grade-level counselor. Students with this accommodation should not wear the noise-reducing headphones or earbuds of any kind while teachers are actively teaching or at any school assembly unless specific permission is given by an administrator.

Each request for accommodation is evaluated on a case-by-case basis using the information described above. If a particular element of documentation is not provided, the diagnostician must explain why it is not included in the submission. SJA will determine which, if any, accommodations will be allowed. Additionally, families must show compliance with accommodations at home.

It is expected that students will have homework to reinforce, expand and enhance classroom work. All assigned work should be purposeful and should be evaluated. Teachers are required to put major projects/tests and significant quizzes on the test calendar, which is supervised by the Dean of Academics, and students will be allowed ample time to prepare. Students cannot be assigned more than two major tests and one significant quiz per day or one major test and three significant quizzes per day. Students will be responsible for communicating with the Dean of Academics and their teacher if they have more than the allowed number of assessments on one day. Projects/tests are not to be assigned during academic dead days (refer to the Academy Dead Days Policy) immediately before exams. Interdepartmental projects/papers are valuable and encouraged.

All next-day assignments must be posted before the end of the class period. If circumstances arise in which this is not possible, teachers should inform the students in class if an assignment will be posted after the end of the class period. *A teacher cannot email the class later in the day with the expectation of finishing the assignment for the next day.*

Each department will have a late-work policy for missed assignments. This policy will be stated in the course syllabus and on the *platform the individual teacher uses* (Moodle/MySJA page). Students are responsible for meeting late-work policy requirements.

Teachers will review tests in class in order for the student to receive feedback.

Students are encouraged to use Turn It In to avoid issues of plagiarism and academic dishonesty. *Students can only use AI at the discretion and with the expressed permission of the teacher. AI must be used within the guidelines of the Academic Integrity Policy.*

SJA does not report class rank. When it is an absolute requirement or when it may benefit a student's application for admission or scholarship, the College Advisors, at their discretion, may report rank directly to the college or scholarship committee.

Concurrent enrollment at LSU for credit is available with permission from the Dean of Academics for those students who have surpassed our course availability and are capable of fulfilling the requirements of SJA and LSU.

College credit is available for dual enrollment in Pre-Calculus, Calculus, English and U.S. History at LSU. To participate, students must meet the requirements in the Course Catalog. The cost is determined by the university and is in addition to SJA tuition. Students enrolled in English must enroll with and pay tuition to LSU. For other courses, students are not required to be enrolled at LSU. Grades earned in these classes will be reflected on the student's college transcript. *LSU is on a 10-point grading scale while SJA is on a seven-point grading scale; therefore, grades will be adjusted accordingly.*

Complete information regarding course offerings can be found in the Course Catalog posted on the SJA website under the Students and Parents portals. The Course Catalog is updated each January by the Dean of Academics.

Freshmen are required to take a course load of 7 units. Sophomores are required to take a course load of 6.5 units and may take as many as 7 units. Juniors and seniors are required to take 6 units and may take as many as 7 units. 

All elective courses are offered by demand. Several elective courses are offered with Catholic High School. *If too many students sign up for a limited-enrollment elective course, the administration has the right to require students to choose another elective. Additionally, we reserve the right to not offer courses if minimum enrollment numbers are not met.*

The Louisiana State Department of Education requires 24 units of high school credit for graduation. St. Joseph’s Academy requires *25.5* units of credit. A senior will not be allowed to graduate if she fails to fulfill SJA’s academic requirements. In addition, service requirements, all grade-level retreats, job shadowing at the junior and senior levels and junior year ACT must be completed to graduate. Details of SJA’s academic requirements and course descriptions, as well as the TOPS core curriculum, are listed in the Course Catalog.

TOPS requirements are found at this website. 
​
A TOPS core unit worksheet is a helpful tool for estimating purposes. Visit the Counseling Center Moodle page for your class to access the worksheet.
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Transfer students must follow their individual transfer agreement. *Students taking non-SJA credit courses (including courses through Catholic Virtual) still must meet the requirements below.*

• English: 4 credit units (at least one credit must be taken each school year)
• Science: 4 credit units (at least one credit must be taken each school year)
• Mathematics: 4 credit units (at least one credit must be taken each school year)
• Social Studies: 3 credit units (Civics, U.S. History and World History are required)
• Theology: 4 credit units
• Foreign Language: 2 credit units of the same language at SJA
• Health and Physical Education: 2 credit units (at least one-half credit must be taken each school year)
• Fine Arts: 1 credit unit of same art at SJA
• Electives: *1.5 additional units* from any of the courses offered

Total: *25.5* units

SJA offers a variety of honors and advanced placement courses. See the Course Catalog for details. Admission to honors and advanced placement courses is based on teacher recommendations, grade point average, acceptable standardized test scores and a strong work ethic.

In order to effectively utilize the faculty and physical facilities of each school, certain honors and advanced placement courses are taught in conjunction with Catholic High School.

If a student earns a failing grade in an honors course, no quality points will be awarded.

Enrollment requirements for AP courses can be found in the online Course Catalog. Sophomores, juniors and seniors may take AP courses. To take an AP course, a student must have the recommendation of her teacher, grade-level counselor and the administration based on GPA, standardized test scores and a strong work ethic. A student enrolled in an AP course is required to take the test.

Because AP courses are rigorous, the administration requires that at least one parent attend a mandatory meeting about AP courses when their daughter is taking a course for the first time. AP scores are returned in July. Course changes will not be permitted based on the score received on a previous test.

A student interested in taking an AP exam in a course in which she is not enrolled must notify the Dean of Curriculum & Instruction. Deadlines will be communicated to students via email. Once the Dean has been informed, payment is required. Please note that refunds will not be granted.

Students’ report cards and transcripts will be published on MySJA. St. Joseph's Academy will not mail report cards. Report cards will be posted four times a year, and transcripts will be posted at the end of each semester. MySJA instructions and login information are issued to new parents in August. The daily work, class participation, assignments, quizzes and unit tests given in a nine-week period are taken into consideration in determining a student’s grade. Numerical grades are given for quarter and exam grades. Letter grades are calculated for final marks at the end of each semester.

The value of each grade is as follows: A = 100-93 B = 92-85 C = 84-75 D = 74-67 F = 66 and below

Honors and AP courses are weighted.

The final marks for each semester are based on the nine weeks’ grades and the semester examination. The semester examination is worth 20 percent of the grade for the semester. If the exam grade is below 60 percent, the student is eligible to lose her credit for the semester. This decision will be made in a teacher-administration conference.

In a course in which there is no exam, the semester average is based on the two quarters, unless the course has an alternative final assessment.

Full Credit Courses:

Multiply the numerical value for the quarter by the percentage assessed to the quarter or exam to arrive at the product for each quarter or exam. Add the product of the quarters and exam to arrive at the percentage for the final mark. Refer to the scale to assign the final letter grade.

Only final *letter grades for the semester* are used in computing the official/true GPA for a student. GPAs are reported at the end of each semester and are the official/true GPA. *GPAs are included on the report cards but only reflect the GPA from the previous semester.*

At the end of each semester, the calculation of the cumulative GPA includes the final *semester letter grades* for all courses completed to date, including semester courses. Therefore, the GPA that appears on the *transcript* at that time is the official/true GPA.

*Report cards listing numerical grades will only be sent to another school if requested by the student.*

GPA is computed using the following quality point scale:

Cumulative GPA = Historical grade points + Year grade points ÷ Historical credits attempted + Year credits attempted

Senior Exams: If a senior has an A for the third and fourth quarters, she can be exempt from the final exam. The exam grade will be the average of the third- and fourth-quarter number grades. *Since letter grades are reflected on the transcript, exempt students may not elect to take the final exam to raise their numerical average. This does not apply to students in dual enrollment courses.* This does not affect the determination of the valedictorian and salutatorian.

*Beginning in the summer of 2025, students may remediate a course in summer school if they earned a D or F semester grade during the most recent school year. Students may not attend summer school for remediation for a previous school year. Students may not remediate a course if an A, B or C grade is earned. Only those classes that are required for graduation may be remediated. Students may not remediate an elective course.*

*If a student fails a semester by earning a grade of F, she must follow the failure policy below to return to SJA the next school year and graduate.* 

*A student may choose to remediate a course for a grade of D in a semester in order to improve her GPA, including her TOPS GPA.* 

Grades received in summer school courses do not replace the failed grade *on a student’s SJA transcript* but are averaged in as an additional grade. *For her TOPS GPA, the grade earned in summer school replaces the semester grade earned.* 

*Example SJA Transcript*
 

Students taking summer school courses must do so at Catholic High School unless special permission has been granted by the Dean of Academics. Students attending summer school may not take summer P.E.

Students who fail three or more subjects during the fall semester may be asked to leave St. Joseph's Academy. Students who fail more than four semesters cannot return to SJA the following school year or graduate from SJA. Students are not allowed to repeat a grade.

Failure Policy
First semester: If a student fails a course for the first semester, in order to pass the course for the year, she must earn at least a C average for the second-semester letter grade. In such cases, on the student’s final transcript in the Student Transcript System (*STS*), the transcript database for the Louisiana Department of Education which is used for TOPS eligibility and college admissions, the student is assigned one letter grade for the entire course.

*Example*

A student would not be assigned a letter grade lower than a D if she earned a C or higher in semester two. If she earns a D for the second semester, she does not pass the course and must make up the half-credit from the first semester in summer school. Once completed, the summer school grade replaces the semester grade in STS.

*Failure in second semester:* If she earns an F and fails the second semester, in addition to failing the first semester, she must earn the whole credit in summer school. Students who pass the first semester and fail the second semester must make up the second semester in summer school.

Each fall, students who completed the previous school year at SJA with a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher after two, four or six semesters will receive either an academic letter or academic bar. Students who attain a cumulative GPA of 3.5 will first receive an academic letter; students who maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.5 will then receive an academic bar. Qualifying students will be awarded at a ceremony at the beginning of the following academic school year. Graduating seniors receive special academic awards at Honors Convocation for their cumulative academic performance in lieu of an academic letter or bar. *Transfer students would not earn academic awards based on academics from their previous school but could earn an academic letter the following school year.*

In order to become a member of the Aquinas Chapter of the National Honor Society at St. Joseph’s Academy as juniors or seniors, students must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.8 at the end of their sophomore or junior year. If inducted as a junior, a student must have maintained a 3.8 GPA at the end of her junior year and completed her required service through NHS to remain a member as a senior.

Students who are members of NHS must be in good standing with the school and must exhibit the qualities of leadership, scholarship and service. Only members who complete all requirements, including GPA and NHS service hours, will be given an NHS seal on their diploma.

Beta Club is a national organization that is based on scholarship and service. Membership in the SJA Beta Club is open to students in grades 10, 11 and 12. Juniors not currently in the club but who meet the 3.4 cumulative GPA requirement in May must contact SJA’s Beta sponsors in August in order to be considered for admission. Sophomores who meet the 3.4 cumulative GPA requirements will be offered membership at the beginning of their sophomore year. To maintain active membership, students must complete 20 Beta service hours and maintain a 3.4 GPA. Students who remain active Beta members during their years at SJA will receive Beta Honors on their diploma upon graduation.

St. Joseph's Academy confers the Seal of Biliteracy to graduating seniors upon successful completion of a level four or above foreign language course and earned qualifying scores on the English and Reading sections of the ACT. The seal is affixed to the student's diploma. This recognition provides universities with a method of giving credit to applicants for attaining high-level skills in multiple languages and allows employers to identify those with important 21st century language skills.

If clarifying questions arise regarding the following criteria, the Administration has the final say on the interpretation of the wording.

Honors Diploma
All honors and AP courses are weighted on a 5.0 scale. The requirements for an honors diploma are a GPA of at least 3.8 after eight (8) semesters of work and the completion of eleven (11) weighted courses over the four years.

The following criteria are the minimum course requirements each year. Please note these requirements do not add up to the required 11 weighted courses. The remaining four (4) weighted courses required to earn an honors diploma can be taken in any grade and can be chosen from any weighted course offered by SJA.
  • A minimum of two (2) weighted courses must be taken during the freshman and sophomore years combined.
  • At least two (2) weighted courses must be taken junior year. 
  • Among the weighted courses taken during the freshman, sophomore and junior years, two (2) must be AP courses and must be completed by the end of junior year.
  • At least three (3) weighted courses must be taken senior year, and two (2) of those weighted courses must be AP courses. 
  • There is no AP score requirement to earn the honors diploma.

If the student has taken the highest-level core AP courses prior to senior year, the Administration will work to find alternate courses to fulfill the honors diploma requirements, which might be but are not limited to courses at Catholic High School or a postsecondary university.

To earn an honors diploma, the student must earn all As and Bs in all courses but can earn one (1) C in a weighted course. Honors diploma recipients receive a gold SJA medallion and red stole to wear at graduation. Students are reminded about the honors diploma and its requirements during the scheduling process by their grade-level counselor.

First and Second Academics
First academics must earn a 3.6-5.0 cumulative GPA with no Ds or Fs during 10th, 11th and 12th grades. They receive a silver SJA medallion and red cord to wear at graduation. Second academics must earn a 3.3-3.599 cumulative GPA with no Ds or Fs during 10th, 11th and 12th grades. They receive a bronze SJA medallion to wear at graduation. There are no requirements regarding honors/Advanced Placement courses for the first and second academics.

The valedictorian and salutatorian must meet the criteria for an honors diploma and have the two highest GPAs, based on the following criteria. 
  • Must have attended St. Joseph’s Academy for four years. 
  • Cannot schedule any unstructured periods during their four years of high school. 
  • Must have an A in all courses taken outside of normal school day hours (for example, Summer PE, Journalism and any extra course that the Administration has given a student permission to take and that will be included on her transcript). However, courses taken outside of the normal school day will not be calculated in the final GPA that determines the valedictorian and salutatorian. Final determination is made by the Administration. 
  • The GPA will be calculated using 7 credits earned each year, during the regular school day, over the four years of high school. 
  • Must have taken AP U.S. History, World History AP, English III AP, English IV AP, AP Calculus AB and at least one AP science course. If an AP science course is not offered in the year a student requests it, Physics Honors can be substituted with the approval of the Administration, but only if Physics AP is not offered at SJA.

If students are unable to complete the requirements due to course offerings, the Administration will make the final determination.

Valedictorian/Salutatorian Tiebreaker
Class of 2025: If there is a tie for valedictorian or salutatorian, the student with the higher ACT composite score will be ranked higher. The last ACT composite score to be considered is the February test date. In the event of a tie for valedictorian due to equivalent ACT composite scores, no salutatorian will be named. *Superscores are not used.*

Beginning with the class of 2026, if there is a tie for valedictorian, a tiebreaker is only enacted if there are four or more students with equivalent GPAs who meet the requirements for valedictorian and salutatorian. In such cases, an average of these students’ numerical semester averages from every class their junior and senior years are calculated. The student with the highest average will be named the valedictorian, and the remaining students will all be named as salutatorians. In the event there is still a tie for valedictorian due to equivalent averages, those students will share the title of valedictorian, and the remaining students will be named salutatorians. In the event there is no tiebreaker due to three or fewer students having equivalent GPAs, no salutatorian will be named. There is no tiebreaker for salutatorian in any case. 

St. Joseph's Academy offers students additional free-of-charge resource opportunities outside the classroom in the areas of math, science, English and writing. Also offered is academic counseling. Peer tutoring in foreign languages and ACT Prep are provided when available.

Students will be notified of dates and times of resource opportunities through the daily announcements and email. 

Students are expected to complete their make-up assessments within one week. Failure to attend a scheduled make-up date will result in an infraction issued by the teacher. Students who do not attend department make-ups within the one-week timeline are required to make up the test on Friday after school.

Each department has its own make-up test policy. Make-up quizzes of 20 minutes or less may be completed at the teacher's discretion. Otherwise, makeups are not allowed during class time or at lunch. 

The Arts
AP Art History makeups will take place Wednesdays after school or on another designated day and time agreed upon by the teacher and student. Students must schedule a makeup test time with their teacher upon returning to school. All other art courses do not require scheduled make-up days; students should work with their teachers on making up projects.  

English
Students should use the Make-up Scheduler on the English Department Moodle page to sign up to take make-up tests and quizzes for all English classes. Tuesday slots are from 3 to 3:50 p.m., and Thursday slots are from 6:30 to 7:20 a.m. every other week. See the make-up proctor to sign in and receive either your password or your paper test or quiz.

Unless you have permission from your English teacher, you should schedule the next available day for your make-up test. Failure to do so may lead to an infraction.

You must sign up for tests by the end of the school day prior to the test slot.

Foreign Language
All makeups for written assessments will be Monday afternoons from 3 to 3:50 p.m. or Thursday mornings from 6:45 to 7:20 a.m. All speaking and listening sections of assessments should be scheduled with the student’s teacher in a timely manner and may be at a different time than the written assessment. Students should use the Make-up Scheduler on the Foreign Language Department Moodle page to sign up to take make-up tests and quizzes for all Foreign Language classes. Unless you have permission from your foreign language teacher, you should schedule the next available day for your make-up test. Failure to do so may lead to an infraction. 
 
Mathematics
Students should use the Moodle Scheduler on the Math Department Moodle page to sign up to take make-up tests and quizzes. Monday slots are from 3 to 3:50 p.m., and Wednesday slots are from 6:30 to 7:20 a.m. You must sign up for tests by the end of the school day prior to the test slot. Unless you have permission from your math teacher, you should schedule the next available day for your make-up test. If you cannot attend Monday or Wednesday makeups, your teacher may require you to attend the Friday afternoon session. Failure to take your makeup within one week will result in a 10 percent drop every make-up date that you do not attend. Dual enrollment courses follow guidelines listed in the course syllabus.

Physical Education
Makeups can be completed Friday before school. Please be sure to schedule with your teacher. A deadline for taking a makeup is set at the teacher’s discretion.

Science
Students should use the Moodle Scheduler to sign up to take make-up tests and quizzes. Tuesday slots are from 6:30 to 7:20 a.m., and Thursday slots are from 3 to 3:50 p.m. You must sign up for tests by the end of the school day prior to the test slot. Unless you have permission from your science teacher, you should schedule the next available day for your make-up test. Failure to do so may lead to disciplinary consequences.

Social Studies
Students must contact their teacher to schedule a make-up test or quiz. Makeups are given on Tuesday afternoon from 2:50 to 3:40 p.m. and Friday mornings from 6:30 until 7:20 a.m. Unless prior arrangements have been made with the social studies teacher, failure to take a makeup within one week may result in a 10 percent drop every make-up date a student doesn't attend. Social studies faculty members will proctor these sessions on a rotating basis.

Theology
Students should use the Moodle Scheduler on the theology department page to sign up to take make-up tests and quizzes. All make-up tests and quizzes must be taken during theology department make-up times, which are Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:40 to 7:20 a.m.; or Wednesdays and Thursdays from 3 to 3:40 p.m. You must sign up for tests at least 12 hours in advance. You are not allowed to make up a test during your lunch period. Once a test is scheduled, you are responsible for attending your appointment. All theology make-ups will be held in MAH 209. 

Extended Time
Students who qualify for extended-time testing must take their extra time after school in the Technology and Learning Center on the same day of the test. If the student has an extenuating circumstance, she must discuss this with the teacher and finish the test after school on the following day. 

All students in the junior class will be required to take the ACT on campus on a designated date in the spring. Parents will be required to pay the registration fee through *SchoolCash Online.* More details will be given closer to the test day.

All courses required for graduation must be earned at SJA or in conjunction with Catholic High School or through concurrent enrollment at a university or accredited school that is first approved by the Dean of Academics. 

Concurrent enrollment for college credit is available with permission for those students capable of fulfilling the requirements of SJA and a university.

Incoming ninth graders who have earned high school credit prior to entrance into St. Joseph’s Academy may receive a Carnegie unit with a grade of P (except for Health and P.E.). No grade point average is assigned to the course(s). The course will be listed as an honors course on SJA’s transcript if it is so designated by the previous school.

Students wishing to earn external credit must first meet with the Dean of Academics.

*Online Courses
*Online courses through Catholic Virtual are offered to students with a prolonged illness. Enrollment in these courses requires approval from the administration. For students taking online courses through Catholic Virtual due to illness, SJA will cover up to $3,000 in tuition for online courses. The parent will be expected to cover additional costs to Catholic Virtual and continue paying SJA tuition. 

*In some circumstances, online courses are offered to students for extenuating circumstances that are not related to illness. In these cases, the  parent will be responsible for tuition payment to Catholic Virtual for online courses. The final decision on tuition payments is made by the administration.

*Students may not take online courses through another program and remain enrolled at SJA unless special permission is given by the administration. 

*Students required to take courses through Catholic Virtual will not be considered for valedictorian and salutatorian unless such courses were necessary because the student exceeded the course availability in core subjects (for example, a student needing to enroll in Calculus BC because it is not offered at SJA or CHS in the year she takes it) or due to extenuating circumstances involving PE credits that were taken in lieu of summer PE. Final determination is made by the administration. In these cases, for valedictorian and salutatorian, As must be earned in the courses if not included in the calculation that determines the valedictorian and salutatorian. (See the Valedictorian and Salutatorian Requirements section of the handbook.) 

*Courses that are designated as honors or AP at catholic virtual will be designated as such at SJA as long as there is an honors level offered at SJA. An exception would be AP Calculus BC. Even though not offered at SJA, it would be given a weighted grade at SJA.*

Some school days will be deemed virtual by the administration, either for professional development purposes or weather emergencies. 

All enrolled students must attend classes on campus daily as we will not offer virtual/remote access to classes. Students who are ill should stay home and make up the work when feeling better. Remoting as a matter of convenience to the student or family will not be an option. Individualized plans will be made with those students who are absent due to the need to quarantine or those experiencing a prolonged illness.

Once courses are selected in the spring, the master schedule is planned. If an elective course is not filled, it will not be offered and *the student is contacted to choose an alternate course.* Faculty is hired based on the courses chosen; therefore, students will not be able to add a course after parental approval forms are returned. Any schedule-change requests made after *the parent approval form is returned* will be brought to the Dean of Academics for consideration. Final decisions are made by the administration. Copies of the final schedule are posted online in late July. We do not honor requests to move the time of a class, change lunch periods or change teachers. 

Once the school year begins, changes will be considered based on level changes only (i.e., moving from Algebra II Honors to Algebra II College Prep) during the first two weeks of classes. These requests are honored only if dropping or adding a course does not affect class sizes or teacher load and if the change is possible in the student's schedule. Because electives are not required courses and are based on student choice, schedule changes are not honored after parent approval forms are returned in the spring. Only honors or AP elective schedule-change requests are considered. Once summer PE classes begin, students enrolled in the course may not alter their schedule by dropping full-credit electives for unstructured periods or half-credit courses.

After the first two weeks of classes, changes to a student's schedule will only be considered due to extenuating circumstances. A student may not drop a course due to poor grades, teacher issues, a loss of interest or other demands on her time. Requests to change a schedule for a half-credit course in the spring will be subject to the same guidelines as all other courses. It is important that students understand the commitment they are making when requesting courses. 

St. Joseph's Academy and Catholic High School are pleased to provide their students the opportunity to participate in shared classes on the campuses of both schools. The following guidelines provide direction for students, parents and teachers as we work cooperatively in this program of shared classes. 

We consider a student's participation in a shared class to be a special opportunity that implies significant responsibility, which is a recurring theme throughout these guidelines. It is very important that a student and the student's parents understand these responsibilities and are willing to make the necessary commitment to ensure a successful academic experience. School officials will offer support, direction and encouragement to facilitate the student's success. 

Academics

• Student performance: Both schools and teachers involved in the shared classes program have high expectations for student performance. Students must assume full responsibility for completing assigned homework and appropriate classwork to ensure academic success.
• Progress reporting: Parents will be informed about student performance through methods currently available, including but not limited to academic status/mid-quarter grades and report cards.
• Makeup work: Although every attempt will be made to minimize scheduling conflicts caused by assembly schedules of the two schools, occasionally, conflicts will be unavoidable. Teachers will use their discretion in assigning work. Scheduling conflicts will be considered, but it will remain the student's responsibility to complete all assigned work. On days when schedules conflict, any tests will be forwarded to the appropriate school so that the test can be taken as scheduled. 

Behavior

• Commuting between schools: All SJA and CHS students should walk unless given specific permission to drive by the SJA Dean of Women or CHS. In either case, students should conduct themselves appropriately and responsibly in transit between schools.
• Attendance: Students and teachers will cooperatively make arrangements to reconcile any scheduling conflicts. Each student and each teacher of shared classes will receive copies of both schools' monthly calendars. Students should inform teachers about upcoming absences at least one week in advance. SJA students will receive the monthly calendar via email. When one school is not in session, students from that school are expected to attend shared classes at the other school unless the student is participating in a school activity or is excused by the teacher. Students should not travel to CHS by themselves. If they are the only student traveling, they should go to the Main Office of Deans' Office for an escort.
• Absences: Each teacher should notify the office in his or her school of a student's absence. The attendance office of that school should then contact the attendance office of the sending school to report each student's absence. Information regarding excused and unexcused absences will be reported to the individual teacher through the attendance office at his or her school.
• Tardiness: Each teacher will determine an appropriate time for students from SJA or CHS to be in attendance. Students arriving after this designated time will be considered tardy. Tardiness problems will be handled by the individual teacher in consultation with the Dean of Women.
• Dress and grooming: Students are expected to be neatly dressed and groomed at all times during the academic day. Students from SJA are expected to wear the complete SJA uniform whenever attending classes at CHS, even on special dress or out-of-uniform days. CHS students are expected to comply with the requirements of the CHS dress code whenever attending classes at SJA. This policy remains in effect regardless of whether classes are being held at the sending school. 
• Conduct: Each student is expected to conduct him or herself in an appropriate manner both in the classroom and in other locations on the campuses of both schools.

Parent/Student Conferences
Students and teachers are encouraged to meet to resolve academic or behavioral problems. Should either a teacher or a student feel the need to consult with a third party, he or she should contact the appropriate school administrator (academics: Dean of Academics at SJA or Academic Assistant Principal at CHS; behavior: Dean of Women at SJA or Assistant Principal for Discipline at CHS). This administrator will then contact his or her counterpart to begin the process of resolving difficulties.

Miscellaneous
These guidelines are not intended to be overly prescriptive; rather, they are intended to provide the maximum amount of flexibility to the individual classroom teacher as he or she works with students from both schools. Should questions arise which are not specifically addressed by these guidelines, students, parents and/or teachers are encouraged to talk to an administrator. It is our hope that in the spirit of true cooperation between schools and among students, teachers and parents, each participant will realize the maximum benefit from his or her participation in this program of shared classes. 

The Summer PE course is for students who choose to take seven full credit courses during the school year and cannot fit a half credit of PE into their schedules. Summer PE takes place the summer before the start of the school year. Students must choose one session and may not attend other sessions to fulfill the requirements. Students must attend *10* of the *12* classes offered during the selected session and must complete home health assignments each week of class. Students who take Summer PE will not be permitted to schedule an unstructured period the next academic year. Additionally, students are not eligible to take Summer PE for half-credit electives. Students who sign up must be physically capable of completing the session. If a student must enroll in summer school, she cannot take Summer PE and will need to change her schedule.

All requirements must be met, and all assignments must be completed. Assignments will be posted on Moodle/MySJA. Health assignments will be completed off campus. Students should be in class prior to the start of each session. If a student arrives after the start of class, she will be counted as tardy and will lose participation points. If a student is more than 10 minutes late, she will be considered absent.

There is an extra fee for this course. Each session of Summer PE has an enrollment limit. Session availability is communicated to students and parents after course selections. Every effort is made to honor a student's first or second choice.

Incoming freshmen or transfer students enrolled in Summer PE must participate in a computer training session prior to the start of sessions.

*This course is not included in the determination of valedictorian or salutatorian. Please refer to the Graduation Requirements section of the handbook.*

Young women from other schools interested in becoming an SJA student must contact the Director of Admissions.

Due to SJA graduation requirements, a student will not be accepted as a new student after the first semester of her junior year. Students who transfer from another high school will earn credits that align with SJA's credit system. A transfer student's official transcript from her previous school(s) will be reviewed by the Registrar. When a comparable course is not found, a course is defined in the student management system, and appropriate credit is assigned. For honors designation, only those courses offered at the honors level at SJA are designated as such and weighted. These courses must be designated as an honors course on the previous school's transcript.

When a student transfers to St. Joseph's Academy, transferred credits and GPAs earned will be equated as fairly as possible in alignment with SJA's curriculum and GPA requirements. Final approval of credits will be made by the Principal and Dean of Academics.

Transfer students and parents must meet with the Dean of Academics and sign an individualized transfer agreement. After the student has transferred, a meeting will be scheduled between the student and the Dean of Women to discuss campus life and policies, including clubs, Dining Hall procedures, parking, student ID pictures and uniform information. The student and parent will be required to sign the Handbook Acknowledgment Form on MySJA.

*If enrolling after a team holds its tryouts, transfer students may not be able to join the team until the following year. Questions about athletics should be directed to the SJA Athletic Director.*

Service Requirements
Transfer students enrolled at St. Joseph's Academy are required to participate in the service program. Transfer students completing more than 50 hours of service in one school year will receive special recognition at the end of the year. Students who complete 50 hours of service during every academic year, at their previous high schools as well as St. Joseph's Academy, will receive the Service Award and be recognized at Honors Convocation following their senior year.  Transfer students must show evidence of prior service hour completion during the admissions process. Transfer students who did not complete 50 or more hours during an academic year before coming to SJA will not be allowed to apply extra service hours in their years at SJA towards making up the deficit.

Course Requirements
Theology: Transfer students are required to complete all four levels of theology in order to graduate from SJA. *This means they may have to take more than one theology course in a single year.* Theology courses from previous high schools can be applied in place of an SJA theology course if the description provided by the previous school aligns with the SJA course description. Final determination of accepting credits for theology is made by the Dean of Academics.

Health & PE: In order to fulfill health requirements, transfer students may need to enroll in SJA Health & PE courses that surpass the required activity credits needed to graduate. Transfer students enrolled in Summer PE must participate in a computer training session prior to the start of sessions.

Foreign Language: All transfer students are required to complete two years of a foreign language at the high school level. High school credits taken in middle school cannot be applied toward the required two years. Additionally, transfer students must take a placement test to be placed in the most appropriate level language course. Due to differences in course rigor, students may be asked to repeat a level taken at their previous school.
 

All students with unstructured periods in their schedule may use this time for reference work and for arrangement of conferences with teachers and guidance counselors/college advisors. These periods enable students to develop habits such as responsibility, self-discipline and wise and efficient use of free time, habits that will benefit them beyond high school. Students are not allowed to leave campus during their unstructured period. *Students are welcome to spend their unstructured time (before/after school, unstructured periods and lunch) in the Technology and Learning Center, Fife Student Commons, dining hall or outdoor areas. When permitted by the teacher and with supervision, a student may spend her unstructured time in an academic classroom/building.* 

If a student has scheduled two unstructured periods, she will have one unstructured period in the fall semester and one in the spring semester. If a student has scheduled one unstructured period, it will be scheduled in one semester only. The student does not have a choice in which semester the unstructured period occurs. Additionally, the student will not be able to choose the class period in which the unstructured period occurs. Unstructured periods are scheduled during the class period and in the semester that work best for the student’s schedule and the entire SJA master schedule. 

Late-arrival or early-dismissal unstructured periods are a senior-only privilege. Parents and students are required to complete the Senior Late Check-In Permission Slip for Unstructured First Period or the Senior Early Check-Out Permission Slip for Unstructured Last Period. Both forms are located on MySJA.

Seniors with first period unstructured are allowed to check in late but must arrive 10 minutes before the end of first period. In the event of a Prayer Service, seniors are required to be checked in by 7:30 a.m. 

Seniors with eighth period unstructured are allowed to leave at the end of the day *but must remain and attend all end-of-the-day assemblies.*

A student who withdraws from SJA, regardless of the reason, must fulfill any pending financial obligations, return her school-issued laptop computer, including the case, stylus and cord in working condition, and any issued textbooks to the school.