Seabury Hall Upper School
Course Sign-up
Course Sign-up Worksheet (.pdf)
Four-Year Plan Worksheet (.pdf)
Course Offerings at a Glance 2008-2009 (.pdf)
Process: 1. Students meet with advisor and design their four year plans. Special emphasis is placed on (1) fulfilling graduation requirements (2) recognizing special needs and/or talents (3) encouraging trying new and different courses (4) course and work load and (5) college placement.
The four year plan is meant to be flexible - able to be altered numerous times - and will travel with the student from grade 9 through grade 12.
The four year plan is meant to be a guideline for the student.
The four year plan should be reviewed in the first and second semesters.
If there are questions or concerns, students and their parents are encouraged to meet with their dean, college counselor, teacher and/or Head of the Upper School.
2. During the second semester, using the four year plan and the course descriptions found on the Seabury Hall Website, students and their advisors fill out the course selection sheets indicating their requests for specific courses for the next school year.
Concurrent to this, the Seabury Hall Departments are also submitting their recommendations for students placement in honors and Advanced Placement Classes. Teachers will convey this information to the students as well.
3. The four year plans and the Course Sign Up sheets are then forwarded to the students grade level Dean for their input. The dean examines the plans and sign up sheets again for the emphasis described in #1.
If there are questions or concerns the Dean meets with the individual student and/or writes them notes on the forms asking the advisor to review the question or concern with the student.
4. The forms are then sent home to the parents for their input, questions or concerns.
Parents are encouraged to talk with the advisor, the Department Chair, the Dean, the college counselor and/or the Upper School Head about about any questions or concerns
5. The Head of the Upper School and the college counselor then take the course sign up and examine them once again for the criteria described in #1, solve any problems or questions and then turn over the forms to the registrar to begin devising the schedules for the succeeding academic year.
6. Students have the first two weeks of the academic year to change courses, however, changes taking place after the first few days makes it become increasingly more difficult for the student to assimilate into their new class.
Resources:
1. Parent Student Handbook: This handbook details the graduation requirements and suggestions for the daily and yearly class and work load.
2. Seabury Hall Web Site - www.seaburyhall.org - academics - Upper School. This site describes the various academic class offerings and any prerequisites.
3. Seabury Hall Web Site - Upper School - Course Planning. This site gives an overview of the departmental sequencing of courses with suggestions of how to best plan the four year plan and course sign ups. Flowcharts and sample plans will also be illustrated.
Year by Year:
1. Ninth Grade:
During this year students are normally taking the normal sequence of courses - this includes the appropriate math, science and foreign language class as well as World History 9, and Expository Writing. In addition, all freshman are required to take another elective during both semesters. These electives generally fall in the art, music, drama, computer, journalism or yearbook disciplines.2. Tenth Grade:
During this year, the student normally continues along in the math, science or foreign language sequence as well as World Civilizations, and World Literature. Sophomores also must have another elective during both semesters. These electives can be art, music, drama, computers, journalism and yearbook, as well as speech ( a graduation requirement), a course in philosophy and religion ( two courses here are necessary for graduation) or even another math course.3. Eleventh Grade:
During this year the number of choices expand. Some have completed their graduation requirements in such subjects as Math and foreign language. However, if they have an ability to do well in this subject, most choose to continue on in these subjects - there are possible college acceptance consequences here. Courses like Ethical Dilemma, and other philosophy and religion courses (graduation requirement - 2 courses) and speech are taken during this year. Also students begin to take Advanced Placement courses (generally by department recommendation). Students are still required to take 6 courses both semesters and four of those must be in the core subject area ( Math, science, history, English, Foreign Language, Philosophy/Religion, Computers or AP Art)4. Twelfth Grade:
During this year the choices expand even more. Except for English most students have met the minimum graduation requirements in the other subject areas (see Parent/Student Handbook). Consequently, the students have more flexibility. Maybe they will take two math courses, or two science courses etc. Seniors must take at least 5 classes on semester and 6 the other semester - four of the classes must be core subjects. Advanced Placement classes, speech, philosophy/ religion classes and many other electives are possible. The number and type of courses chosen does have college acceptance consequences. However the trick is to find the balance between too little and too much. In addition we are still encouraging students to expand their horizons.Graduation Requirements:
Students need the minimum of 23 credits to graduate. Most students take more than the minimum 23 credits necessary for graduation. One credit is the equivalent of one full year course. A one semester course counts as 1/2 credit. Students must take at least 4 years of English, 3 years of History (through U.S. History), 3 years of Math (through Algebra 2), 3 years of Science ( Biology, Chemistry, and Physics), 3 years of Foreign Language (through level 3), a semester of speech (1/2 credit), a course in Ethical Dilemmas and one other course in Philosophy and/or Religion ( the 2 courses combined count a total of 1 credit), 2 courses in the Fine and Performing Arts ( the 2 courses combined count a total of 1 credit), 4 years of Physical Education (2 credits) and a total of 30 hours of Community Involvement served in the tenth, eleventh or twelfth grades ( 1/2 credit). This comes to a total of 21 1/2 credits. The remaining minimum credits needed for graduation come from "Electives". Electives are any course beyond the minimum graduation requirement. For instance, taking the fourth year of history will yield an extra graduation credit or taking the fourth year of science or math or more more courses in the Fine or Performing Arts beyond the required 2 courses count as credits towards electives.Work Load:
When planning a schedule it is important to also understand the work load and college acceptance implications as well. This is always tricky. If a student schedule is too light, they are not benefiting from the educational opportunities here at Seabury and that will also be evident on their transcript. On the other hand if the student's schedule is overloaded or so demanding that the student's grade and/or health suffers then that is counter productive as well. Special care should be taken to take in many factors when planning the schedule. Student interests, abiltiy, school and outside commitments and college choices. Parents, teachers, advisors, deans, the college counselor, the Head of the Upper School and the student should all work together to determine the right mix for the student.In general, nightly homework load is as follows: regular courses (30 to 45 minutes), honors courses (45 minutes to an hour) and Advanced Placement courses ( an hour to an hour and a half). Depending on the student's schedule this daily homework load could range from 2 1/2 hours to 5 hours a night. Consequently students wishing to take numerous honors or Advanced Placement courses should do so at the recommendation of their teachers and with the permission of the Head of the Upper School.
The following flow charts and sample forms should help one navigate through this maze of possibilities. Hint: When in doubt ask - advisors, deans, teachers, college counselor and/or Head of the Upper School.
