Academic Information

Consumer Education is also required. This may be a separate course or part of a longer course. A Proficiency Test is also available. Successful performance on the test excuses students from the necessity of completing the state consumer education requirement. The Minimum Proficiency Skills Test and the U.S. Constitution Test must also be passed. Driver Education is offered as part of the sophomore curriculum in Physical Education.

COLLEGE ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
College entrance requirements differ with each college. Students who plan on continuing their education in colleges or universities should become acquainted with specific entrance requirements of the school they hope to attend and should choose high school subjects which will enable them to meet these requirements. A library of college catalogs is maintained by the Counseling Department and Media Center for the use of college-bound students.

The Counseling Department urges students to make inquiries concerning specific college requirements even during their freshman and sophomore years. Minimum requirements to most colleges and universities are:

Graduation from an accredited high school. At Kennedy 21 credits are needed to graduate for students who entered high school for the first time before September 1997. Students who entered high school for the first time as of September 1997 will be required to have 24 credits to graduate.
High school work including at least four units in English (literature and traditional writing courses), three units of mathematics*, three units of laboratory science*, two units of fine arts (art, music, foreign language)* and three units of social science.
*Add 1 to 2 units each for selective colleges.
Scholarship rank in the upper fifty percent of high school graduating class.
Above average test scores on national examinations such as the American College Testing Program (ACT), or College Entrance Examination Board (SAT).

In addition, selective colleges look at the type of courses students take such as Advanced Placement courses, honors level courses, etc., as well as involvement in co-curricular activities which will demonstrate such qualities as leadership ability, intellectual curiosity, and special abilities.

As you know, during the four years of high school, our youngsters are faced with many decisions involving admission to college and the choice of a career. To help our students make these decisions, we have installed a computerized College/Career Center in the library. Here, a student will have access to an information bank for several hundred colleges and universities about programs, student body, admission requirements, majors and occupations.

COLLEGE PLACEMENT TESTS
College Entrance Examination Board tests may be taken at various times during the school year.

The American College Test (ACT) is given in September, October, December, February, April and June to juniors and seniors who are college-bound and who wish to compete for Illinois State Scholarships. All students who are college-bound should definitely plan to take the ACT. Beginning in the spring of 2001, all juniors take the ACT as part of the Prairie State Achievement Exams.

The SAT Achievements Tests may be required by some colleges and may be taken in the spring of the junior year or the fall of the senior year. All information and manuals regarding these important tests are available in the Counseling Office during the entire year. It is the student’s responsibility to pick up such materials and register for tests, which the student must take.

SCHOOL TESTING PROGRAM

Kennedy’s testing program for students follows that which is prescribed by the Chicago Board of Education.

GRADE SCALE 2012-2013
A serious attempt is made at all times to evaluate in the best possible manner the progress of students.

Alpha Grade	Numeric High	Numeric Low	Alpha to Numeric Median/Defaul Value**
A	100	90	95
B	89	80	85
C	79	70	75
D	69	60	65
F	59 and below		59

HIGH SCHOOL REPORT OF STUDENT PROGRESS

Student progress reports are issued four times each year: November, January, April and June. These grade reports are the permanent record of the student’s progress. Grade Report Pick-Up Days are scheduled for Thursday, November 13, 2003 and Thursday, April 22, 2004. On these dates parents must pick up grade reports at school, which will be open from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. Teachers will be available for short conferences between 1 p.m. and 6 p.m.

January and June mark the end of the semesters. This is the time that credit is awarded in all classes. Students will be issued their grade reports during division and will bring them home for their parents’ inspection.

REPORT OF UNSATISFACTORY PROGRESS

Notices to parents of the possibility of student failure in a course if corrective measures are not taken are issued the 5^th, 15^th, 25^th and 35^th weeks of the school year.

Teachers, additionally, may send these at any time between marking periods to parents of students who may need special attention.

Parents who would like a conference with the teacher as a result of the unsatisfactory progress report are requested to call the counselor to make an appointment so that a mutually agreeable time can be arranged. The counselor’s telephone number is listed in this handbook.

GRANTING OF CREDIT
1. Credit is granted for the successful completion of a subject. Most subjects are granted .50 credits per semester of work completed with a D or better. No credit is given for a subject in which an F is received.

SERVICE LEARNING
The Service Learning program at John F. Kennedy High School consists of two components. Students graduating in 2001 and beyond will be able to earn the required 40 hours of community service and site based learning either as part of a pre-approved “Extra-Curricular Group Project” or based upon “Individual Student Experience” Each student must have documented evidence of community service by creating with teacher supervision (1) a planning activity prior to the service project and (2) a reflection/evaluation activity following the project. Thus, the community service becomes service learning when the student integrates instructional guidance with community service. Students earn graduation credit for only the time spent on the actual service project not for the planning nor reflection activities.

Students who do not submit a reflection exercise to the service learning coach do not receive service learning hours on their high school transcript.

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
The Academic Excellence list is displayed two times a year in the showcase bulletin board on the first floor to recognize students who are excelling in their academic subjects. Students who have a 3.0 cumulative average (GPA) and above in all subjects are placed on the Academic Excellence list. No D or F grades are acceptable. A Quarterly Excellence list is also displayed to recognize students whose grades are B or better in all subjects.

HOMEWORK POLICY
Homework will be assigned and evaluated in all classes. Assignments will be well- planned and challenging. Homework is a useful instruction tool for the following reasons:

It helps develop independent learning habits.
It enables the student to practice the kind of thinking and analysis he/she does in class prior to taking a test.
It allows the class to cover more material.
It helps to introduce the students to new material.
It is necessary in order for students to complete long-term assignments.

Students should keep a written record of all assignments in this handbook and budget their time so they will be able to turn in all their assignments on the date they are due. Also, it is the student’s responsibility to get assignments when they are absent.

Generally, homework will average approximately thirty minutes per day for each subject. For most of our students, this means approximately two and one-half hours of homework each day. Advanced Placement classes will require additional study time.

PROGRAMMING
Programming is done during the spring of each year. Student needs insofar as graduation requirements are reviewed, and the student’s interests are taken into account as well. The division teacher, counselor, and the student participate actively in this project. A parent’s signature is required on the student’s confirmation form.

COURSE PREREQUISITES
Certain subjects require minimum proficiencies before a student may advance to higher level courses. More information will be distributed regarding specific classes during programming.

FAILURES
Students who fail a course make up the credit by attendance at summer school and after school if funds are available. If the subject is required for graduation, the course must be repeated. If it is not required, another subject may be taken in its place.

SUMMER SCHOOL
Courses taken in summer school for credit must meet North Central Association guidelines as to hours completed before credit can be granted. Approved lists are issued each year. Note: Students are not allowed to attend day and night school at the same time.