Courses and Scheduling

Designing your course schedule is an important process. Ultimately, your post-secondary goal should be the driving force when selecting courses. Once you decide on the courses you wish to take, teachers are hired to make sure that all courses have appropriate levels of staffing. Due to the staffing implications that result when changes are made to student schedules, CPHS has developed a policy to assist students with their decisions.

Student schedules may only be changed for the following reasons:

• Increase academic rigor of CORE COURSES - changes may be considered to move to a more academically challenging course
• Adjust for incorrect schedules
  • Student taking a course over again
  • Student took a scheduled course during summer school
  • Missing graduation requirement
• Change in post-secondary study or career path
• Documented medical reasons

If any of these reasons are applicable to the change desired, schedule changes will only be made during the first 5 days of the semester.

Level Changes: Students are encouraged to take the most rigorous course that is commensurate with their ability level. At times, level changes need to be made. For example, a student may need to move from English 9 Honors to English 9 (or vice versa). This process will occur between weeks four (4) and six (6) of each semester. This time frame allows teachers to develop a strong understanding of a student’s academic potential and ensures that students will not fall behind in the courses they are moving into. If a student/parent feels that a level change is warranted, the parent should contact the teacher to discuss the request.

Students who wish to graduate either a semester early (after 1st semester of senior year) or a year early (at the conclusion of junior year) need to complete a minimum of 6 total semesters in order to be eligible for early graduation. Students wishing to graduate early will need to fill out the Early Graduation Application. This application is due to the student’s counselor by the 5th day of the school year to ensure that all requirements are met. In order to qualify for early graduation, students must be able to answer “yes” to both of the following statements:

• I am on track to earn the Core 40, Academic Honors or Technical Honors Diploma (minimum 25 credits)
• I have worked with my counselor to ensure that my Graduation Pathway paperwork is complete and has been submitted.

If approved, students will be placed into the remaining courses they need to finish out their high school requirements. Students who do not complete the Early Graduation Application or who are not able to answer “yes” to the above statements are not eligible to graduate early.

Starting with the graduating class of 2029, students are unable to graduate early unless they have earned an optional seal in addition to the Indiana Diploma.

Students are encouraged to work directly with their teachers to garner the most support in their courses. There may be instances where a student and/or parent requests to change a teacher due to a myriad of reasons. It is CPHS’s policy that students follow our Teacher Change Policy to ensure fairness for all students and staff.

1. The student will speak to their teacher regarding struggles/issues that they are experiencing. The student and teacher will work together to try to remedy the situation.
2. If, after this conversation with the teacher, the student still feels that they would like a teacher change, the student’s parent then contacts the teacher for a meeting to discuss the student’s struggles and try to find ways to resolve the issues the student may be experiencing.
3. If, after this meeting with the parent and student, the student/parent still wishes to change the teacher, the student’s Assistant Principal will be presented with the information from both conversations, outcomes of meetings, and will make a determination as to whether or not a teacher change is warranted.

The purpose of a student taking an online course(s) is to allow enrollment in in-person course(s) that align with individual academic and post-secondary goals. If a student’s schedule would prevent them from taking an in-person course during the school year, online course enrollment may be considered. Select online courses may be offered during the summer and/or school year. Online course offerings are subject to change.

An audited class is an elective course not needed for high school graduation. Auditing a course would be a way for a student to pursue an interest without having it impact their GPA. The audited course will appear on the transcript but will not carry any grade or credit. In order to audit a course, a student must turn in the audit form within the first two weeks of the semester.

• Auditing students are expected to attend class, do the assigned work, take assessments, and participate in class activities.
• Student work will be evaluated and graded.
• Students may not audit a course in order to prepare for subsequent enrollment in that course.
• Students may not audit a course in order to make up work as a result of an incomplete grade.
• Audited classes cannot be used to fulfill graduation requirements.
• Schedules will not be altered to accommodate audit requests.
• Once a student begins auditing a class, requests to receive credit for the course will not be considered.
• Transcripts and report cards will reflect the audited class and grade received, but credits will not be granted. The class grade will not be included in the calculation of the student’s grade point average.
• Students may audit a maximum of 2 courses per semester.