General Information

Advanced Placement
The Advanced Placement (AP) is a cooperative educational endeavor where students can complete college level studies in high school. Those who score well on the AP examinations may receive credit from colleges where they will matriculate.  Students enrolled in AP courses will be awarded a 10% increase in GPA points for each AP course taken.


College/High School Dual Enrollment Program
Dual enrollment options will be open to students who are 15 years of age or older.  Participation in a dual enrollment program enables students to earn both high school and college credit at the same time.  Students may select from a number of options.  Options include approved elective courses to be taken on-line or at the college campus, full-time early admission (typically junior or senior year), and college credit for Pottsgrove courses that have been identified as such by the college.  (See page 9.)  Full-time dual-enrollment students and students taking more than 7 weighted credits throughout the year are excluded from class rank.  Dual-enrollment students will be awarded a 5% increase in GPA points for all 100 level courses and a 10% increase in GPA points for all 200 level and above courses.

Gifted Education
Identified gifted education students may choose one Honors level class in each math, English, social studies or science for their Individual Education Program (IEP) in ninth and tenth grades. Gifted education subject choices include seminars and advanced placement subjects.

Grading System and Reporting
Marking period and current course grades are always available on the Pottsgrove PowerSchool parent portal. These grades reflect all aspects of academic achievement including classroom participation, homework, tests, projects and quizzes.  Below is the high school grade scale:

A= 93%-100%-        WP= Withdraw Passing        M= Medical
B= 85%-94%        WF= Withdraw Failure         O= Outstanding
C= 77%-84%        I= Incomplete            S= Satisfactory
D= 70%-76%        P= Pass                U= Unsatisfactory
F= 0-69%    -        F= Fail

Honor Roll:
Distinguished………………………All grades are 93%-100%
Honors……………………………   All grades are 85%-100%

In order to receive a grade of Medical (M) a student must provide a statement from a physician; otherwise a regular grade will be recorded. The statement must include the reason for the medical excuse, the duration and the limitations. The medical grade will be replaced by a regular grade upon satisfactory completion of course requirements. No credit will be awarded for a medical grade.

Graduation Project
Each student graduating from Pottsgrove High School will complete a Graduation Project in accordance with the Pennsylvania Department of Education regulations and the Pottsgrove School District requirements.

All sophomores will be assigned a faculty advisor in their sophomore year. This advisor will meet with the student periodically throughout the student's high school career in order to monitor the student's self-directed progress.  Projects will be evaluated in a student's junior year, allowing adequate time for remediation, if necessary.

This project will provide the opportunity for in-depth learning of a self-directed topic involving 60-hour cumulative project involving out-of-class research or community service, an oral/written component, and a project presentation.  The timeline for completion of the graduation project is outlined below:

Grade 10    Graduation project proposal must be submitted and approved no later than April of the Sophomore year.
Grade 11    Project must be completed and students should be ready to make oral presentation by January of the Junior year.
Grade 12    Any student who has not successfully completed the Graduation Project by their senior year will be required to enroll in a weekly evening class which runs October to February of their senior year.

Guidance Services
The counseling staff has acquired special skills to work with students individually or in groups to help them solve problems and plan for the future. Students are urged to take advantage of their counselor’s services by making an appointment with them.  Students may stop in the guidance office to schedule an appointment in the morning between 7:15 and 7:30 am, during lunch, during study halls and at the end of the day between 2:17 and 2:45 pm (only those students not taking bus transportation).

Honors Courses
Honors courses are designed to provide challenging experiences for highly motivated, academically successful students.  Students enrolled in honors courses will be awarded a 5% increase in GPA points for each honors course taken.

Prerequisites:  Completion of a previous honors course in the same subject with at least an 85% final average for that course, gifted student identification, completion of an academic level course in the same subject with at least a 93% final average.

Vocational-Technical – 3-Year Half-Day Programs
The Western Montgomery Career and Technology Center (WMCTC), located at 77 Graterford Road, Limerick, is an extension of the existing programs of the secondary schools of Spring-Ford, Pottsgrove, and Upper Perkiomen School Districts.

The technical programs offered at WMCTC are available to students in grades 10, 11, and 12.  Students will attend WMCTC ½ day in their technical program and spend the other ½ day in academic classes at Pottsgrove High School.  WMCTC currently offers 18 technical programs to give students a jump-start on their careers, directly after high school or through post secondary education.  See page 9 for list of programs.

Pottsgrove Virtual Academy
During the school year, Pottsgrove High School will be offering courses in a virtual learning format.  These courses have been designed to augment the school’s traditional curricular offerings and serve the needs of both traditional and nontraditional students.  Pottsgrove Virtual Academy students have the freedom and convenience to work on their courses in a variety of formats and activities.  Students interested in the Pottsgrove Virtual Academy must meet with their counselors to enroll in courses.

Special Education
Special education programs are available for students who qualify. Recommendation for entrance into a program requires thorough testing by the school psychologist. Special education classes are available based on individual learning needs.

Weighted Subjects
In order to serve as an incentive for students to choose the more demanding and rigorous planned courses of instruction, grades for the following subjects will be weighted for purposes of class rank and grade point average:

5% Increase in GPA Points:
•    Honors classes for English, math, science, and social studies in 9th, 10th and 11th grades.
•    College level chemistry and physics, honors trig, honors chemistry.
•    Anatomy & Physiology
•    Fourth and/or fifth level of world languages
•    Introductory (100 level) dual-enrollment courses

10% Increase in GPA Points:
•    All Advanced Placement (AP) subjects
•    Advanced Biology
•    Dual-enrollment courses at 200 level or above

 

 

( updated: 01 Feb '13 )