Academy enrollment
Academy Application and Selection Criteria
Application information is made available during the fall to all eligible eighth grade students interested in the Academy program. Resident students must apply during their eligible 8th-grade year. No applications from resident students will be accepted after this time. Late and move-in applications will be taken March through July. Out-of-district eighth grade and high school transfer students interested in the Academy should contact the Academy office for further information.
Junior high grades and standardized test scores are used to qualify students for the Academy. Minimum averages in junior high English, social studies, math and science courses are required. The Academy selection committee uses the student’s application letters, teacher evaluations, test results, writing sample, and an interview to assess the student’s interest in, and commitment to, succeeding in a rigorous academic program. Parental understanding of the program and support of the student are vital to this success. We want to admit students who will bring something special to the program and who will benefit from it. Not all applicants may be interviewed.
A student must have completed Algebra I to enter the Academy.
Maintaining Academy Enrollment
To be considered an Academy student, i.e. enrolled in the Academy and making satisfactory progress towards graduation, the student must:
(a). Be enrolled in at least three required Academy courses for each grade level for four years; early graduation from the Academy will NOT be possible.
(b). Earn credit for Research and Problems in grades 10, 11 and 12. If credit is denied or otherwise not earned during the school year the student is subject to dismissal review. A summer Independent Project may be required, which would have to be presented to an appropriate panel by September 15th of the following school year.
NOTE: An Academy student is expected to enroll in an available Academy course unless an irresolvable scheduling conflict or other documented need exists. Under these circumstances, the course taken would count as a course “taught” in the Academy.
Students not meeting Academy enrollment requirements are subject to dismissal.
The Senior Component: complete, pass, and get credit for all Academy courses (i.e. taught by Academy teachers or approved as “Academy” courses) the senior year.
*Waivers: Modifications to the above requirements may be granted to students who enter the Academy after the ninth grade, or in recognition of special circumstances, as long as all other requirements are met. Waiver requests must be submitted in writing and signed by student and parent. The specific graduation plan of any student granted a waiver as approved by the faculty and Headmaster will be placed in the student’s file.
Satisfactory Graduation Progress
If you are making satisfactory graduation progress, a letter and an Academy Class Profile will be included with your official transcript for college and/or for scholarship applications. The letter explains the special nature of the Academy program. The Class Profile provides further information about the Academy and your graduating class.
If you are not making satisfactory progress, these items will not be sent with your transcript.
Following are specifics for satisfactory graduation progress.
• Courses: Required courses have been taken and passed; passing averages in all current Academy classes.
• Explorations: all 14 Exploration Credits should be completed by the end of the sophomore year. A letter jacket patch is awarded when Explorations are completed. If you start your junior year needing Exploration credits, you are not making satisfactory graduation progress.
• Internship: You must complete all Internship requirements by the end of the nine-weeks following completion of your Internship time requirement. For example, if you do your Internship in the summer of 2022, you have until the end of the first nine weeks of the 2022 fall semester to complete all of the other requirements.
• Research & Problems Projects: You must complete your Research and Problems project requirements by the end of the third nine weeks each year (unless competition occurs after this date).
• Last Senior Progress Report Date: You must be passing all Academy courses and must have completed Internship, Explorations, and Research & Problems requirements by this date to receive your Academy medallion and to be recognized as an Academy graduate at graduation. Any student who does not meet this final deadline or who subsequently fails or is denied credit for an Academy course will not be recognized as an Academy graduate.
• Adequate Progress: The Academy faculty is committed to the success of our students. We realize that each student is uniquely dedicated and talented but also may experience difficulty in one or more courses from time to time for a variety of reasons. Academy students are expected to maintain a minimum grade of 75 each semester in each Academy course in order to demonstrate satisfactory progress and to be prepared for further study. Every effort will be made to work with students to attain this level of consistent performance. Any student experiencing academic difficulty is expected to work with teachers, other students, and with adults at home to identify and solve the problem. Tutorial help is available. CHS Counselors are also available for help. Three-week progress reports are provided to help students and parents monitor academic progress.
Dismissal from ASHP: Students may be dismissed from ASHP for academic or behavioral reasons in accordance with this handbook, the CISD student handbook and/or the CHS student handbook. Students, of course, have a right to due process and appeal.
Resignation or Dismissal from the Academy
A student who resigns from the Academy, or who is dismissed from the Academy for academic or behavioral reasons, will be reassigned to his or her attendance zone high school only at the semester (unless requested otherwise by the parents and approved by both principals).