CNG HS Academic Program Guide 2024 - 2025: Advanced Level Classes (AP and Honors)

ADVANCED LEVEL COURSES (AP AND HONORS COURSES)

CNG believes that students who challenge themselves in rigorous coursework learn more! As we are in the business of learning, CNG fully supports students who decide to take on these challenges, and all students taking AP and Honors level classes can be confident that their teachers will meet them where they are and take them as far as they can get during the course year. Based on this CNG philosophy, the most important prerequisites for AP/Honors coursework at CNG are student motivation and persistence. In order for all students to be successful, it is imperative that students enrolled in AP/Honors Courses are fully engaged in the accelerated paced instruction of these classes. 

AP/Honors courses follow an adjusted grading scale; in simple terms, this means Honors courses will require greater effort and independence from students in order to earn an equivalent grade. In recognition of this increased demand, an additional 0.3 “bump” will be applied to grades for all AP/Honors courses at the end of each semester.

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ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS

The decision to apply for an AP/Honors course should be made carefully; families should discuss the time commitment and the academic diligence required while also considering all other school, co-curricular, and personal commitments. It is important to know that success in AP/ Honors courses requires students to exhibit the following traits of an AP/Honors student: 

• Dedicated to completing rigorous and challenging academic work both inside and outside the classroom 
• Self-directed and capable of managing their time without instructional direction (to prioritize activities, set & follow deadlines, and balance academic & co-curricular activities well) 
• Highly organized (ability to manage and maintain textbooks, online resources, notebooks, and other required class resources independently) 
• Capable of strong academic communication and self-advocacy 
• Personally passionate about the subject areas they choose at an AP/Honors level

A Review Committee of teachers and counselors will evaluate each student individually to determine appropriate AP/Honors enrollment based on the degree to which students possess the traits of an AP/Honors student. 

• Academic history 
• Core values 
• Assessment scores 
• Teacher recommendations 
• Attendance and tardy data 
• Individual expressions of personal passion 
• Positive impact on the learning environment

Students enrolled in on-level courses that demonstrate strengths in the traits below during the year may be considered for transfer into a specific Honors course. 

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ELIGIBILITY PROTOCOL

During the school year, when concerns arise with a student enrolled in Honors, the CNG Eligibility Protocol (below) will be used to assess potential removal.  •

Specifically, students in these courses must: 

• Complete all homework, formatives, and summatives on time 
• Actively participate in class 
• Attend classes on time 
• Exhibit the core values of the CNG Code of Honor 
• Communicate in the target language

CNG will embrace the following process timeline to ensure that students who are not challenging themselves are directed to classes better designed to support their needs and level of commitment.

3 weeks:

After the first three weeks of instruction, families of students who are not consistently participating, completing all activities, and/or attending classes on time will receive an email from the teacher (copying counselor and administration) recommending changes in student habits or withdrawal from the course.

6 weeks:

After the first six weeks of instruction, families of students who are not consistently participating, completing all activities, and/or attending classes on time will be contacted by an administrator and the student will be recommended for withdrawal from the course or will meet with the AP Coordinator to design a commitment contract.

Semester:

At the close of the first semester, students who do not have a score of 2.0 or higher (unweighted) and/or students who have not met the expectations of the commitment contract will be contacted by the administrator will be withdrawn from the course.

NOTE: Students will be withdrawn from these courses if they: 

• Engage in academic dishonesty 
• Fail to complete summative assignments