THE ACADEMIC STRUCTURE
ADMISSIONS
Eighth grade students interested in attending Purcell Marian High School need to take the Placement Test in November and have school records sent to Purcell Marian.
Students applying to grade nine must be enrolled in the eighth grade at the time they apply and be promoted to grade nine at the end of the school year. Failure to be promoted to grade nine will be cause to rescind admission if previously offered. Students must have an academic record and scores on the placement test that support a capacity to successfully engage in instruction at the grade level to which they are applying at Purcell Marian High School.
While Purcell Marian High School offers multiple levels of instruction, some students’ level of readiness may not be sufficient for the academic levels offered at Purcell Marian and will be cause to deny admission. Students’ discipline records must affirm behavior in school that is needed to productively engage in high school instruction and to participate in other high school activities. Any reports that indicate any single serious disciplinary incident, consistent disruptive behavior, or any instances of threats or acts of violence will be cause for denying admission to Purcell Marian High School.
In addition to those listed above, additional requirements and procedures apply for students seeking admission to the Student Support Services Team ( SSST ) program. Registration for classes for students accepted for admission will begin in late February.
It is important to note that the placement test also serves as a scholarship test. Only students taking the Placement test at the scheduled time in November are eligible for consideration for scholarship awards. Academic scholarships range from four year full tuition and fees awards to one year partial tuition awards, subject to renewal conditions. Applications for admission received after the posted deadline will be considered on a space available basis. Upon acceptance for admission and continuing throughout their tenure at Purcell Marian, all students, regardless of age or special circumstances assume, “Student Status” and are therefore, subject to the rules and regulations as written in the student handbook.
TRANSFER STUDENTS
Parents must contact the Director of Admissions and have records sent to Purcell Marian to begin the process requesting admittance. Students who are accepted as transfer students will be placed in the appropriate graduation class based on the number of credits previously earned, not years in high school. Students requesting readmission must present validation of course work taken during the break in attendance from Purcell Marian. The school reserves the right to require assessment of subject competence before granting re-enrollment.
CREDITS AND GRADES FOR TRANSFER STUDENTS
When a student transfers credits to Purcell Marian from a school which uses letter grades, the following conversion scale will be used:
A=95 B=88 C=80 D=73 F=65 I=60
Each quarter or each term will be assigned a numerical grade. For mid-year transfers, final grades and credit will be determined by using the Purcell Marian conversion scale and averaging quarter grades at the previous school and grades earned at Purcell Marian.
Students who transfer to Purcell Marian from non-Catholic schools are not expected to make up religion classes which were unavailable at their previous school. Consequently, the credits required for graduation for such students will be adjusted downward.
REQUIREMENTS FOR PROMOTION
Students will not be promoted unless they have completed the scholastic requirements for the grade level just ending.
GRADUATION
Purcell Marian is owned by the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. All diplomas are issued in the name of, or over the signature of the Archbishop of Cincinnati. No senior may be awarded a diploma unless he or she completes all State requirements and all academic and other graduation requirements of Purcell Marian. Beginning in 2007-08, all students must fulfill a service requirement which will be phased in according to the OCSAA School Improvement Plan. Only students eligible for graduation may participate in the graduation ceremony. The school administration retains the right to determine eligibility.
NORMAL COURSE LOAD
The normal course load for students meeting their full physical education requirement in a year is 6.5 credits per year. All other students are expected to take 7 credits per year. The information found below represents a typical sampling of courses that may be taken during each of the four years:
Grade 9 |
Grade 10 |
Grade 11 |
Grade 12 |
Religion English Math Science Social Studies Electives: Physical Education Health Foreign Language Fine Arts Technology |
Religion English Math Science Social Studies Electives: Phys. Education Health Foreign Language Fine Arts Technology |
Religion English Math Science Social Studies Foreign Language Electives |
Religion English Math Science Social Studies Foreign Language Electives |
GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS:
Following are the current graduation requirements of Purcell Marian High School :
RELIGION 4.0 credits
ENGLISH 4.0 credits
SOCIAL STUDIES 3.0 credits
MATHEMATICS 3.0 credits
SCIENCE 3.0 credits
HEALTH / PHYS. ED. 1.0 credit
FINE ARTS 1.0 credit
TECHNOLOGY .5 credits
ELECTIVES 4.5 credits
The minimum number of credits required for graduation for the class of 2008 and succeeding classes is 24. The total credits required for grade level classification is as follows:
Sophomore 6.0
Junior 12.0
Senior 18.0
ADVANCED PLACEMENT/COLLEGIUM AND ADVANCED COURSES
Students have the opportunity to take Advanced Placement/Collegium and Advanced courses. These courses are intended to challenge students beyond the already difficult College Preparatory level. Advanced Placement (AP) and Collegium courses are the most rigorous. Any student opting to take an AP/Collegium course must meet the stringent prerequisites and have the recommendation of the academic department offering the course. All students who register for an AP/Collegium course are also agreeing to take the AP/Collegium test necessary for the awarding of college credit.
The student is responsible for the fee that is involved with the testing. Advanced Placement courses are offered in British Literature, Calculus, Physics, Chemistry, Government, and Computer Science. Collegium Courses are offered in Calculus and American History. Students and parents must sign a letter agreeing to the aforementioned conditions.
POST SECONDARY OPTIONS
Purcell Marian participates in the Ohio Post Enrollment Options which allows students to take college courses for both high school and college credit. Students wishing to participate in Post Secondary Enrollment Options must contact the guidance department by February 15 th. Updated rules and regulations will be available and initial application steps may be initiated. Students should see the Academic Dean regarding any questions pertaining to grading or conversion of college grades to report card grades.
INTERSESSION
The Purcell Marian Intersession Program is designed to complement the regular school program in three ways:
- Intersession experiences will provide students with opportunities to clarify connections between formal classroom instruction and real world learning;
- Student engagement in their own learning depends, to a great extent, on the level of personal importance they experience. Intersession courses allow students to choose not only the content, but also the context of their learning. Intersession courses offer a structured approach to the study of a more narrowly focused body of knowledge.
- Students have an opportunity to engage in types of learning that do not “fit’ a multiple period day within the confines of the Purcell Marian campus.
Participation in Intersession is a school requirement for all students each year. All general school rules and regulations are in effect during the week of Intersession. A student’s discipline record may prevent a student from being eligible for participation in Intersession travel programs or for participation if previously accepted.
Students who accumulate ten (10) demerits prior to Intersession Week will have their eligibility for Intersession travel programs reviewed and may be removed from a travel class. All cases will be individually reviewed by the Dean of Students. If a student is removed from an Intersession travel class for disciplinary cause, there is no guarantee that all or any funds previously paid for the Intersession class will be able to be reimbursed.
GRADING SYSTEM
Following is pertinent information regarding school-wide grading policies and procedures:
GRADE SCALE – P urcell Marian uses a numerical grading system based on the following scale:
A - 100 - 93
B - 92 - 85
C - 84 - 77
D - 76 - 70
F - Below 70
REPORT CARDS are issued to students four times a year. Dates are published in the School Calendar. Parent/Teacher Conferences are scheduled after each of the first three quarters. Parents are asked to call in advance for appointments. If at any time during the school year there are questions, parents are encouraged to call the school to speak with teachers or to email the teachers. Teachers’ e-mail addresses are available on the school web page.
PROGRESS REPORTS are issued to the student at the midpoint of each quarter. Dates are in the calendar. Students and parents are encouraged to frequently login to Edline to monitor academic progress. Purcell Marian use EDLINE which allows parents and students easy and convenient access to information concerning their student and the school. Edline will provide daily homework assignments as well as grading updates every two weeks.
EXAMS Comprehensive exams are given two times a year. Exam grades are listed on the report card and count for 20% of the semester average. Students are expected to take exams on the day and at the time scheduled. Students will not be allowed to take exams early. Students absent on the day of an exam must contact the teacher regarding a makeup exam. Exams must be taken in a timely manner. Students failing to make up an exam will receive a zero which will be averaged in to compute the overall grade for the course. Any exceptions to this policy must be approved by the Academic Dean.
FINAL GRADES are an average of four quarters and two semester exams. Quarter grades are given twice the weight of semester exam grades.
HONOR ROLL - At each grading period, an honor roll is published. Honors can be merited in one of three ways:
DEANS LIST – Students have an academic average of 90% and are taking at least three advanced level courses. Advanced classes are weighted. Students may have no failing, incomplete, or unsatisfactory grades.
FIRST HONORS – Students have an academic average of 90% or above and no failing, incomplete, or unsatisfactory grades.
SECOND HONORS - Students have an academic average of 85% or above and no failing grades.
COURSE FAILURES - A student, who fails a subject that is required for promotion or graduation, must retake the course in an approved program during the summer immediately following the failure or may be dismissed from Purcell Marian. For details concerning remedial work, students must consult with their Guidance Counselor. Students who wish to make up any credit in a program that is not sponsored by Purcell Marian High School must receive approval for the program from the Academic Dean prior to signing up. Conditions for acceptance of the remedial work will be spelled out. Students failing non-required courses may be required to make up these courses as determined by the total number of credits needed to advance to the next grade. Students will not be permitted to retake a failed course during the normal school year that was not taken in summer school without permission of the Academic Dean.
ACADEMIC DISMISSAL - Any student who fails three or more classes in a year is subject to administrative review. Students who fail three or more classes in a year may be placed on an Academic Contract for the following year which will outline conditions required for students to return to Purcell Marian High School. If the conditions outlined in the Academic Contract are not accepted, the student may be dismissed from Purcell Marian.
While Purcell Marian High School offers a comprehensive range of courses and academic levels, it may occur that, given the individual academic background and/or individual needs of a student, an appropriate program of studies to meet the needs of the student may not be available. In such cases, this information will be shared with parents. In such cases and in the best interest of the student, the school reserves the right to dismiss the student from Purcell Marian if the parents do not voluntarily withdraw the student.
ACADEMIC PROBATION - A letter of Academic Probation will be sent to the parents of any student who does not pass at least four classes during any quarter. The letter is meant to advise parents of the situation, review the policy regarding academic dismissals, and encourage dialogue helpful in improving the situation. A student remains on Academic Probation until the student improves his/her academic standing.
ACADEMIC ELGIBILITY - Any student on Academic Probation will not be eligible to participate in the extracurricular activities.
ATHLETIC ELIGIBILITY - Athletic eligibility is complied by the Athletic Director according to the OHSAA requirements found in its bylaws and any applicable Purcell Marian policies and regulations.
RANK IN CLASS - Each semester class standing or rank is computed based on the total average of all courses taken by students. Three factors are taken into account which include:
(1) the actual grade in courses;
(2) the credit value of the course; and
(3) the course quality weighing factor. Courses are weighted on the following levels: Advanced Placement/Collegium, Advanced, College Preparatory, College Option, and Remedial.
SCHEDULE CHANGES - Students are scheduled for classes through the Guidance Office on the basis of course pre-requisites and teacher recommendations. Students are expected to remain in the classes for which they are scheduled. Scheduled changes may only be made under following conditions:
a) There is an error in the schedule on part of the School
b) There is a conflict in the master schedule resulting in a student not being able to schedule the classes required.
c) There is a lack of successful completion of a prerequisite.
For any other schedule change requests, the following procedures will apply:
- The approval of the Academic Dean is required
- F ees will be charged according to the following timeline:
Before the course begins $30.00
During the first week of course $40.00
During the second week of course $50.00
- Course changes may be limited by class size and by the number of sections of a particular class.
- A grade of WF or WP (Withdraw Failing – Withdrawn Passing) will be assigned to a class that is dropped.
- Parents and appropriate teachers will be consulted before a change occurs.
WITHDRAWALS FROM PURCELL MARIAN - Should a student wish to withdraw from Purcell Marian, parents must give formal written notice to the school. The process for withdrawal must be initiated with the student’s guidance counselor. Failure to follow procedure could result in truancy charges being placed against the individual by state authorities.
MEANING OF HOMEWORK - PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITY - Very few students, no matter how intelligent they may be, can accumulate the necessary knowledge solely within classroom walls. Work must be done at home. This means reviewing notes, studying and reflecting upon assigned reading, going back over past lessons so as to correlate the material, and actual written work that has been assigned.
Students are expected to put in at least two hours of home study each night. If a written assignment is not given, it is understood that the time should be used to review work or work on long term assignments.
ABSENCE FROM CLASS OR SCHOOL Students are expected to be in school every day. Attendance is important if students are to be successful in school. There are many learning opportunities that occur everyday in classrooms that students are unable to make up by doing work outside of school. Students who are absent from class or school must make up work in a timely fashion.
It is the student’s responsibility to meet with each teacher within three (3) days of his/her return to school to determine what work was missed and when the work must be submitted in order to obtain credit for it. Any student failing to meet with a teacher within the stipulated time period may receive a zero for all class work and homework given during the absence.
Excessive absence from a class may prohibit a student from successfully completing the requirements of the course resulting in a failing grade. Students with excessive absences in a class may be removed from the class at the discretion of the school administration. Students who are removed from a course (not permitted to attend the class) will receive the grade which they earn. Students will then need to repeat the entire class. All matters regarding excessive absence from class or school are to be referred to the Dean of Students.
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY AND HONESTY
Academic integrity and honesty are expected and required of Purcell Marian students in their studies. Students are responsible for taking advantage of the learning opportunities provided them by the hard work of their parents and the dedication of faculty. Students must strive to make the most of their time and abilities to fulfill the academic requirements asked of them. Towards this end, Purcell Marian students are expected to:
- Strive for excellence and quality in their work and endeavors
- Act responsibly and accept the consequences, good or bad, of their actions.
Academic integrity and excellence are achieved when a Purcell Marian student produces original work of the highest quality commensurate with his or her ability. Presenting another person’s work as original is cheating. It constitutes academic dishonesty and will not be tolerated from any student in any subject. The person presenting the information as his or her own as well as one knowingly providing the information may receive a zero on the assignment, test or exam. Additional disciplinary action may also be taken.
A form of cheating is plagiarism and is defined as the use of another’s work or ideas without clearly acknowledging the source of the information. The faculty at Purcell Marian has accepted for use the three levels of plagiarism developed by the faculty at Rutgers University , each carrying its own penalty:
Fraud – the outright purchasing or copying of an entire paper, perhaps with a new introduction or conclusion added. In some cases, such copying may entail copyright infringement. Any student suspected of this type of plagiarism is subject to failure of the assignment, loss of credit for the course, suspension/expulsion and/or other disciplinary action at the discretion of the administration.
Substantial Plagiarism – widespread or considerable borrowing of material, passing off borrowed material as original, failure to indicate quoted evidence or to give bibliographical sources or other appropriate credit. Any student suspected of this type of plagiarism is subject to suspension/expulsion and/or failure of the assignment and a failing grade for the quarter.
Incidental Plagiarism – small scale borrowing, copying, downloading, or insertion without appropriate quotation, credit or acknowledgement. Any student suspected of this type of plagiarism is subject to failure of the assignment with no option of make-up work. This type of plagiarism also applies to any student suspected of copying another’s homework assignment or providing homework for another student to copy. Both parties suspected of this type of plagiarism are subject to demerits for their actions.
The teacher makes the determination of plagiarism. The Academic Dean and Dean of Students will make a determination of academic and disciplinary action in consultation with each other.
DAILY SCHEDULE
Homeroom 7:50 – 7:57
First Period 8:00 – 8:50
Second Period 8:53 – 9:43
Third Period 9:46 – 10:36
Fourth Period A 10:39 – 11:33 (54 minutes)
Lunch 1 11:33 – 11:59 (26 minutes)
Fourth Period B 10:39 – 11:05 (26 minutes)
Lunch 2 11:05 – 11:31 (26 minutes)
11:31 – 11:59 (28 minutes)
Fourth Period C 11:05 – 11:59 (54 minutes)
Lunch 3 10:39 – 11:05 (26 minutes)
Fifth Period 12:02 – 12:52
Sixth Period 12:55 – 1:45
Seventh Period 1:48 – 2:38
Announcements 2:38 – 2:40
Academic Levels
Purcell Marian is unique offering a tailored made study ranging from Advanced Placement through Remedial . Each student is encouraged to strive for academic excellence at their academic level. Purcell Marian believes in the innate dignity and ability of each child and is committed to their individual development therefore students may move between the levels as their individual strengths would warrant.
ADVANCED PLACEMENT and COLLEGIUM - These courses are intended to challenge students beyond the already difficult Advanced and College Preparatory levels. Any student opting to take an AP/Collegium course must meet the stringent prerequisites and have the recommendation of the academic department offering the course.
All students who register for an AP/Collegium course are also agreeing to take the AP/Collegium test necessary for the awarding of college credit. The student is responsible for the fee that is involved with the testing. Advanced Placement courses are offered in British Literature, Calculus, Physics, Chemistry, Government, and Computer Science. Collegium Courses are offered in Calculus and American History. Students and parents must sign a letter agreeing to the aforementioned conditions.
Advanced Courses are designed to be more rigorous than the college preparatory courses in that they will explore the subject area to a greater depth and breathe.
College Preparatory Courses are designed for students who intend and have demonstrated the ability to continue their education in college.
College Options Courses are designed for students entering college or the work force.