Academics

The final grade earned in a course becomes part of the student’s permanent academic record (transcript). In a full year course, each quarter grade is worth 20%. Both midterm and final examination grades are combined to equal the remaining 20% of the final grade. In a semester course, each quarter grade counts as 40%, and the final examination grade counts as 20% of the final grade.

Students must maintain the required course load at all times.

Withdrawal from a course will result in a failing grade if the withdrawal occurs after the first marking period in a semester course or after the first semester in a full year course. Students withdrawing from a course on or prior to these dates will receive a grade of W and the course will be deleted from their transcript.

A semester course dropped on or before the end of its first marking period will not appear on the final transcript. A semester course dropped after that time will appear as an “F” (failure), regardless of the grade earned at the time the course was dropped. A full-year course dropped on or before the end of the second marking period will not appear on the final transcript. If it is dropped after the beginning of the second semester, the final grade will appear as “F” (failure) on the transcript regardless of the grade earned at the time the course was dropped.

Greenwich High School offers Advanced Placement courses in Biology, Calculus AB and BC, Computer Science, Chemistry, Economics, English, Environmental Science, European History, French Language, German Language, Music Theory, Physics AB and BC, Psychology, Spanish Language, Spanish Literature, Statistics, and US Government and Politics, US Comparative Government and Politics and US History. Greenwich High School encourages all students to take challenging courses. The high academic expectations in Advanced Placement courses require students to receive guidance about the course selection process. Prior teachers, guidance counselors, and program administrators will have significant input in the placement process. After receiving this guidance, the ultimate choice to select an Advanced Placement course is made by the student and his or her parents/guardians and, if necessary, a waiver will be signed. In May, the students will be expected to complete the Advanced Placement examination, which may earn college credit or advanced standing.

GHS places a “soft limit” on the number of AP classes a student takes in a given year. A “soft limit” is a recommended maximum number of AP classes a student can take in a given year. AP classes are typically the most rigorous high school classes and require a student to complete up to 60 minutes of homework nightly per AP class. Our intention with the “soft cap” is to help students and parents make informed decisions about the overall workload for a student. A student who wishes to exceed the limit must meet with his/her counselor to discuss the choice and both the student and parents will have to sign a waiver form.

Soft cap on AP Classes by Academic Year:

• Freshman: 1 AP class
• Sophomore: 2 AP classes
• Juniors: 3 AP classes
• Seniors: 4 AP classes.

AVID is designed to increase school-wide learning and performance. The mission of AVID is to ensure that ALL students, and most especially the least served students who are in the middle will: succeed in rigorous curriculum, complete a rigorous college preparatory path, enter mainstream activities of the school, increase their enrollment in four-year colleges, and become educated and responsible participants and leaders in a democratic society. AVID’s systematic approach is designed to support students and educators as they increase school-wide/district-wide learning and performance.

The Greenwich High School Crisis Team is a multi-disciplinary group of staff members which meets in response to a significant event (e.g. death, serious accident) affecting the GHS community. Once the Crisis Team is notified of the significant event, it gathers to develop a timely action plan, and follow up on the initial meeting, to monitor its plan and provide the team with updated information, as needed. The Crisis Team has completed its responsibility once its action plan has been successfully implemented.

Students are responsible for the care of school issued devices (including chargers) books and supplies entrusted to their use. They will be assessed for damage to devices, textbooks, equipment or materials. In accordance with state law, the school reserves the right to withhold grades, transcripts, or report cards until the student pays for or returns the devices, textbooks, library books or other educational materials. Students must return their textbooks, materials and supplies before taking a final exam. If the student does not meet this requirement, he or she will be rescheduled to take the exam during a “conflict” or make-up period. No loss of credit will occur.

Dual enrollment programs allow high school students to take college courses and earn college credit while still attending high school. 

Greenwich High School offers a number of dual enrollment courses in various academic program areas.  Currently, GHS partners with a number of local colleges and universities to offer this type of credit, including CT State Norwalk, UCONN, Southern CT State and Quinnipiac University.  

Browse our Course of Study Guide by program to see which courses we currently offer with dual enrollment opportunities.

Final examinations are given at the end of each semester. Final exams in a semester course account for 20% of the final grade. Midterm exams and final exams in a full year course account for 10% each of the final grade. In the event of an emergency day prior to or during the examination period, the calendar will be revised to reflect the number of days missed. During the exam periods, students must attend school only during their scheduled examinations; modified bus service is provided.

Students bear the responsibility for attending all of their final examinations or communicating with the school about an absence. Students must sign all exam materials. In case of illness, parents/guardians must notify the house attendance aide to explain the absence. Students must contact their teachers immediately to arrange a make-up exam. If a question arises about the legitimacy of an absence, the House Administrator will consider the information presented and make the determination. If the absence is excused, no loss of credit will occur. If the absence is unexcused, a student will be penalized two letter grades on the examination.

Students have the right to review their final exam and the manner in which it was graded no later than March 1/October 1 of the semester following course completion.

All students must demonstrate proficiency in the Graduation Performance Standards in order to graduate from Greenwich High School. The usual way that students demonstrate this learning is by achieving the proficiency level in the Reading and Mathematics sections of the Connecticut Scholastic Aptitude Test (CTSAT). Alternatives for demonstrating the competencies will be available for those students who do not achieve proficiency on the CTSAT.

Reading Performance Standard: The student will read literary, informational and persuasive texts and will analyze, interpret, and evaluate them.

Students will demonstrate competency by attaining the proficient level or higher on the Critical Reading section of the CTSAT. Students may also demonstrate proficiency by attaining a 3 or higher on the AP English Composition and Literature Exam, a 3 or higher on the AP U.S. History Exam, a 50 or higher on the Critical Reading PSAT. Students in need of remediation will be assigned to a staffed Learning Center.

Writing Performance Standard: The student will use Standard English to communicate effectively to an audience for a specific purpose.

Students will demonstrate competency by demonstrating proficiency on the Sophomore Research Paper, through attaining a 3 or higher on the AP English or U.S. History exams, or by attaining a proficient score of 500 on the SAT optional essay (not included with the CTSAT). Students in need of remediation will be assigned to a staffed Learning Center.

Mathematics Performance Standard: The student will acquire and demonstrate the conceptual, computational, and other mathematical skills necessary to formulate, analyze, and solve quantitative problems.

Students will demonstrate competency by attaining the proficient level or higher on the Grade 11 CTSAT (Mathematics subtest), by attaining a 500 or higher on the math SAT or the math SAT subject test, or by attaining a 50 or higher on the math portion of the PSAT, Students in need of remediation will be assigned to a staffed Learning Center.

The school uses a plus/minus letter grade system to evaluate student academic performance. Quarter grades and the mid-term/final exam grade are averaged to produce a course grade. Course grades are recorded on your transcript and are used to determine your cumulative grade point average. Honors and Advanced Placement courses receive a weighted grade toward the calculation of grade point average. The Board of Education is in favor of weighted grading for honors and advanced placement courses.* The grading system reflects their position. The cumulative grade point average is used when determining the valedictorian, salutatorian, and the Principals Award recipients.

Grade Standard

• A+, A, A- =Excellent
• B+, B, B- =Very Good 
• C+, C, C- =Satisfactory 
• D+, D, D- =Poor 
• F =Failing 
• W =Withdrawn
• I =Incomplete
• N =Audit

Individual Effort:

• 1 = Excellent
• 2 = Average
• 3 = Unsatisfactory
• 4 = Conditional
• 5 = Parent Conference Requested

Full time students are eligible for Honors and High Honors status based upon their quarterly Grade Point Average (GPA). Students with GPA’s of 3.6 to 3.9 are named to the Honor Roll; students with GPA’s of 4.0 and higher are named to the High Honor Roll. Students having any incomplete grades are not eligible for the honor roll.

Withdrawal from a course will result in a failing grade if the withdrawal occurs after the first marking period in a semester course or after the first semester in a full year course. Students withdrawing from a course on or prior to these dates will receive a grade of W and the course will be deleted from their transcripts.

A D4 may be given as the final grade for the year to indicate that the student has passed the course with minimal success. This grade is given only in sequential courses and indicates the teacher’s recommendation that the student not continue with the next course in the sequence the following year. If the student wishes to continue with the next course in the sequence, repetition or summer school enrollment is strongly recommended. Parents are notified of a D4 through a letter sent home.

Students may elect to audit a course with the permission of the teacher. The student will be expected to attend the course regularly and complete all work and testing. Students must decide to audit a course within the first three weeks of the course. Once a student has elected to audit the course, this status may not be changed for the duration of the course. Students will receive no letter grade or points towards graduation, but the audited course will be noted on the report card and transcript by an asterisk (*).

Course Load: Students should be aware of the rate at which they accumulate credit. They must pass 6 credits per year to progress normally in the ninth and tenth grades. All ninth graders are required to be enrolled in at least 6 credits. Honors and Advanced Placement courses receive a weighted grade toward the calculation of grade point average.

To be promoted from grade to grade, a student must accumulate:

• 6 credits to be considered a sophomore
• 12 credits to be considered a junior
• 18 credits to be considered a senior

As part of the prescribed course of study, students must demonstrate mastery of specific proficiencies – the basic skills and knowledge essential to further learning and productive citizenship. While many of students have mastered these proficiencies in earlier grades, some students need to focus their secondary school program on achieving them. If a student is not proficient he/she will be placed in course sequences that lead to mastery. If a student does not demonstrate proficiency with the skills taught in these courses he/she will be assigned to academic support.

* The Board of Education is in favor of weighted grading for honors and advanced placement courses. The grading system reflects their position.

Please see the Board of Education Policy Graduation Requirements (6146) and the GHS Course of Study Guide for detailed information on Graduation Requirements.

Worthwhile homework benefits students.  Homework should be an extension of the class lesson, be clearly understood by the students, be well planned and meaningful.  Homework shall not be used as a form of punishment.  Homework assignments should be minimized over vacations and should not be assigned on major religious holidays.

Purpose of Homework:

• Practice of Skills: Practice provides students with the opportunity to reinforce and master specific skills presented in class and to review content.
• Preparation for Future Classes: Prepares students for future classes, and may include preparation for discussion, reading, research, studying or other information-gathering/processing activities.
• Extension of Class Work: Extension focuses on individual application, research, and study; takes students beyond work covered in class.

Please see the Board of Education Homework Regulation (6154R) for detailed information on homework guidelines.

GHS Homework Guidelines (Revised 8-18-21)   

Amount of Homework:

Greenwich High School adopts the following guidelines* regarding the amount of homework expected for a particular class each night and over the course of an eight-day cycle:

** Guidelines are not hard limits. They are intended as an average amount of time. Some students will require more than the amount of time indicated above and some will require less.

Expectations for When Homework is Due following an Excused Absence

Per the GHS Attendance Policy, students may make up any work missed due to an excused absence. If students are well enough and have the resources they need, we encourage them to make up missed work on the day the class meets. When students are unable to complete work missed because of an excused absence, they have one day to make up the work for each day missed. Students should always communicate with their teacher to discuss particular situations.   

Greenwich High School offers many honors level courses. All honors courses meet the following criteria:

1. The prerequisites for admission to an honors course are more demanding in terms of performance in prior courses, skill level, ability, and motivation.
2. The honors curriculum proceeds at an accelerated pace in terms of the quantity of material covered and assigned, demands higher quality work from the student, and requires the student to exercise a high degree of academic independence.

When considering courses, the prerequisites must be carefully considered. For a description of specific honors courses and prerequisites, see the learning program course listings in the Course of Study Guide. An exception to these prerequisites may be appealed to the Program Administrator responsible for the course.

All honors courses carry a weighting factor of +1.0, e.g. a B in an honors level course has a grade point equivalent value of 4.0 instead of the standard value of 3.0.

When students receive an incomplete (I) as a quarter or final grade, the teacher must file a progress report indicating the work still not completed and the deadline for making up the work. If work is not completed by the deadline, the student will receive a grade of F for the marking period.

At Greenwich High School any student interested in pursuing an area of study not offered in the curriculum may submit an Independent Study proposal. Under the guidance of a sponsoring teacher, who must be a member of the Greenwich High School faculty, a student may self-design an independent study. Independent Study has the support of the administration and faculty of the school because it furthers the goal of personalized learning and encourages students to take responsibility for pursuing their own education plan. The independent study proposal must be presented to the student’s School Counselor for review by the Independent Study Committee. The sponsoring teacher monitors the student’s progress, meets with the student at least once per cycle, and issues a grade upon completion of the independent study. A student may earn a maximum of one credit for an independent study per school year unless approved by the Vice Principal. Independent study may not be honors-weighted unless approved by the Vice Principal.

Students who complete all of their academic requirements by mid-year are eligible to graduate at that time. Such students must apply to their counselor and complete an academic contract for January graduation no later than June of the preceding year.

In an effort to ensure fair opportunities for all students to achieve at their highest level, GHS implements the following procedure for the occasional time when a student is assigned multiple major assessments for the same day.

If a student has three or more major assessments (tests and projects, not short quizzes) on the same day, the students should do the following as soon as he/she is assigned the third or fourth major assessment:

1. Speak with or email each teacher, explain the situation, and request that a test be taken either prior to the day assigned or after. (It is preferable to email all the teachers together).
2. If the student request is refused by all teachers, the student should see his/her House Administrator. The House Administrator will inform one or two teachers (depending on how many tests the student has) that the student will take their test on a different date.

Exceptions:

1. Students should not wait until the night before the multiple assessments to request a change. The House Administrator will deny a change if the request is not made as soon as the student is assigned the third or fourth major assessment.
2. A House Administrator may deny a request for a change if the student has already moved major assessments or projects to suit his or her plans to be absent from a regularly scheduled school day.

The Greenwich High School chapter of the National Honor Society recognizes students for their exemplary scholarship, service, character and leadership. Membership is a privilege, not a right.

Students at the middle and high school level will be informed of the availability of (1) vocational, technical and technological education and training of technical high schools and (2) agricultural sciences and technology education at regional agricultural science and technology education centers. Full access for the recruitment of students by technical high schools, regional agricultural science and technology education center, magnet schools, charter schools will be provided. Military recruiters and institutions of higher learning shall have access to secondary school students’ names, addresses and telephone listings unless the student’s parent/guardians submits a written request that such information not be released without their prior written consent.

Please see the GHS Course of Study Guide for Physical Education requirements and course offerings. 

Students who fail Physical Education may make up the missed credit by:

1. Doubling up the next quarter
2. Attending summer school

No student will be permitted to take three Physical Education classes in the same marking period. A medical excuse may not be used to make up a Physical Education class from a previous quarter.

At mid-quarter, Progress Reports will be made available through Aspen Parent/Student Portal for all students. After the mid-quarter, teachers will issue Progress Reports any time a failure or two-letter grade drop is anticipated.

One regional specialized high school program is open to Greenwich High School students. The Academy of Information Technology & Engineering (AITE) is the first program of its kind in Connecticut for high school students interested in all aspects of technology. The program combines traditional high school courses, cutting edge technology training, industry certification, college credit, and paid corporate internships. All classes take place in the Rippowam Center on High Ridge Road. The program is designed to give students in grades 9-12 a decided edge upon graduation from high school, whether they are looking to secure high paying jobs or gain admittance to competitive colleges. Interested students should contact the GHS Coordinator of School Counseling.

A system of annual evaluation of student performance shall include standardized measures of achievement and school learning ability. It shall also measure attainment of Greenwich curricular objectives. Annually, the Superintendent shall report on these measures to the Board and the public through monitoring reports. Reporting progress in academic, learning, attitude, effort and attendance to students and their parents will be done on a regular basis.  For more information, please see Examination/Grading/Rating (5121).  

Report cards are issued four times during the school year in all grades. Parents and students should carefully review a child’s report card. Parents and students are encouraged to contact the subject area teacher if there are questions or concerns.

Students should start early to establish records worthy of scholarship consideration. In general, requirements for scholarship consideration are some combination of the following: serious attention to studies, good character, financial need and involvement in the activities of the school. Many scholarships and awards are available to qualified students. Students should consult their School Counselor and read the College & Career Update for information about what scholarships are available and how, when and where to apply.

Please see the GHS Senior Options Program webpage for more information about this program.

Students will demonstrate the Social and Civic Expectations by keeping an ongoing record of relevant activities. Some examples of activities related to the Expectations might include: participation in a school club or activity, employment, expressing concern and support for others in need, not using insults or prejudicial remarks, not abusing or damaging property, active participation in a volunteer organization, completing the public service requirement in Civics, representing work of self and others in an honest fashion, accepting responsibility for one’s behavior. In their senior year, students will complete a self-assessment as evidence of their meeting the Social and Civic Expectations.

The Stand By Me program offers academic peer support to 9th graders who would benefit from this service. Ninth graders are matched with juniors and seniors who act as tutors and mentors. Each pair meets three times per cycle. They work on organization, study skills, homework completion and test preparation. The program also offers an individualized goal setting meeting at the beginning of each quarter, a bi-weekly progress report for each student, award luncheons and field trips. One field trip includes a tour and information session at one of several local colleges.

For more information on standardized testing at GHS, please visit the GHS Assessments page.

The Greenwich Public Schools offers a wide range of courses during its five-week summer session. In addition to the traditional improvement-review and make-up courses in English, math, foreign language and physical education, the Summer School also provides enrichment courses and credit recovery. Extended school year services (ESY) are provided for all students with IEPs found eligible during a PPT meeting.

Students may retake a course for credit in summer school depending on course availability. The grade for a course successfully completed in summer school is averaged with the grade of the course taken during the school year when the cumulative GPA is calculated. Both grades will appear on the official transcript.

See also Summer School Regulation (6120R)

Students withdrawing from school must notify the house administrative assistant one week in advance of their last day. At that time, they will be given forms for their parents to complete. Included will be a formal written statement of withdrawal and release of records form.

On their last day of attendance, students will be given a form that must be signed by each of their teachers. This form will indicate their grade at the time of withdrawal and that all materials have been returned. Records cannot be forwarded until all materials have been returned.