• GUIDANCE - CURRICULUM

    Google Classroom Code: sseiuc7

     

     

    ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS PROGRAM 

    Each spring an evening program is held to honor outstanding students and to present various awards. This program is usually held on the second Monday of May. A list will be posted by late April of students who are invited to the program and who will receive an invitation from the guidance office. Family members and friends are also encouraged to attend the program. Tickets are not required. Many awards and scholarships will be announced at this dinner.  Over $185,000 in scholarships and awards will be presented to seniors who are recognized for achievement in various areas.

     
     
     

     

    APPOINTMENTS

    Counselors are available for students and parents throughout the school day. Students may stop in the guidance office and request an appointment with the counselor. It is best to stop after school or during study hall. Parents are advised to call ahead and arrange an appointment to guarantee that the counselor is available at that time.

    CLASS RANK

    Class rank is calculated for students in each grade based on final year averages for grades 9 through 12. Students can find out their current class rank from their guidance counselor. Official class rank is only determined at the end of each school year.

    COLLEGE INFORMATION

    Students who are interested in applying to college should plan this with their guidance counselor. Information about college, including college catalogues and financial aid applications, is available in the guidance office. Students should listen to announcements, fill out required forms, and meet the necessary deadlines.

    COLLEGE TESTING

    Students planning to attend college or thinking about attending college should take the PSAT’s in grade

    11. It’s recommended that students take the SAT’s in the spring of their junior year and/or the fall of their senior year. Listed below are the approximate dates for the tests given at Tamaqua High School during the school year. Other dates and test sites are available for the SAT. For more information and application forms, please see the guidance office.

    Approximate Test Grade Date

    PSAT 11 October 17

    COLLEGE VISITATION/JOB SHADOWING

    Students must get parental permission forms signed and returned before the visitation. There are three in your 1st day folder. Students will then receive a form to be signed by the college official and returned to the school. Students must spend the entire day on the visit or return to school

     
     
     

     

    FINANCIAL AID/SCHOLARSHIPS

    The guidance office has scholarship information and applications available. Announcements will be made to students regarding various scholarships, but students should stay informed and check in the guidance office.

     

     

    The guidance office also has PHEAA and other financial aid information. The guidance counselor can assist students and parents with information regarding financing a student’s college plans.

     

     

    COURSE DROPPING PROCEDURES

     

     

    Generally, dropping any course is not permitted. After a course has been in session, any request to drop a course, except under extreme conditions such as changing curricular areas or physical impairment, will be denied. If a course is dropped for other than an extreme condition a WF grade will be assigned to the course.

     

     

    CURRICULUM

     

     

    Tamaqua Area High School is a comprehensive high school offering a wide variety of curricular programs. The vo-tech students attend one of the two Schuylkill County vo-tech schools located in Frackville and Marlin.

    Complete details about the curriculum and a description of each course are available in the Program of Studies. This is distributed to each student annually as they plan their courses for the following year. The Program of Studies also includes a complete outline of graduation requirements. Extra copies of the Program of Studies are available in the high school office and the guidance office.

     

     

    DUAL ENROLLMENT

     

     

    Tamaqua Area High School offers several courses that are dually enrolled with Lehigh Carbon Community College. College English, AP Calculus, Public Speaking, Anatomy and Physiology, and Introduction to Marketing will be offered this year. Successful completion of each semester will earn students college credits each semester. In order to be eligible for these courses, students must complete an LCCC dual enrollment registration card at the beginning of each semester and create an LCCC online account at the beginning of each school year. Please see your Guidance Counselor for further details.

     

     

    FINAL EXAMS

     

     

    Final exams will be given in all classes that meet every day of the week. First semester courses that meet every day of the week will have their exams during the 89th and 90th day of classes.

    Final exams will count between 10 and 20% of the final grade for the course. Finals will not count toward quarter grades. Teachers will inform students of the exact percentage ahead of time. In some instances, a final project may be substituted for the final exam.

    Students who do not take the final exam will receive a failure for the course. Exceptions will be made for students who have extenuating circumstances with administrative approval.

    In classes which meet less than every day of the week, students have the right to take an exam in order to raise the student’s grade. If a student chooses to take the exam, the grade will count whether it raises a student’s grade or lowers it.

     

     

    GRADING

     

     

    All students will be graded using a numerical system. Report cards will report a numerical average in each course. All students will be graded to the following standards:
                A – Excellent 93 - 100

    B– Good 86 - 92

    C– Fair 78 - 85

    D– Poor 70 - 77

    F – Failing 0 - 69
     

    Factor marks explain why a pupil received his grade. If there is a question concerning a mark, the student may discuss the mark with the subject teacher. If a parent has a question concerning a mark, he may discuss it with the teacher by arranging an appointment at a mutually acceptable time with that teacher. Parents can contact teachers by calling the high school office (6681901).

    Student averages for the quarter and overall average are determined by multiplying the numerical grade by the number of credits to determine quality points. The total quality points is then divided by the total credits to determine the overall average.

     
     
     

     

    REPORT CARDS/SCHEDULES

    Tamaqua Area High School students receive grade reports four times a year. These reports are given to the students at the end of the day and they are expected to take them home to their parents.

    Report cards do not need to be returned to the school. A parent may always call or come to the school for an extra copy of a student’s report card. Students who lose their schedules or report cards will be charged a $1.00 fee for replacement or photocopies of such documents.

    MIDTERM PROGRESS REPORTS

    Teachers may send home a progress report midway through the quarter, especially if a student is doing poorly. Parents are urged to contact the teacher as soon as possible upon notification of failing work.

    INCOMPLETE

    Students who receive an incomplete grade in a course should immediately see the teacher and make arrangements to complete the missing work as soon as possible. Incompletes must generally be made up within three weeks of the time that report cards are issued. Incomplete grades will generally only be given for unusual reasons such as a long illness.

    HONOR ROLL

    Tamaqua High School has a three-tiered honor roll:

    Highest Honors – an average of 95% or above with no grade below 93% in a major subject (course meeting everyday of the week).

    High Honors – an average of 90% or above with no grade lower than an 86% in a major subject.

    Honors – an average of 86% or above with no grade lower than a 78% in a major subject.

    MAKEUP OF CREDITS

    Students who have failed courses and need to make up credits should see the guidance counselor. Students can make up credits by scheduling extra courses, going to summer school or sometimes through tutoring or correspondence courses. However, there are certain requirements for each option and students should see the guidance counselor first.

    STUDENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

    The student assistance program is designed to help students and families overcome problems which inhibit learning. Several faculty members have received at least a week of training to be part of the student assistance team. The team of faculty members meets weekly with representatives of county agencies to discuss students with problems. After input from various sources, including other faculty members, the team may contact the student and offer assistance and/or contact the parents and offer varied suggestions to help the student.

    Students may be referred to the team by faculty, parents, and students, or themselves. Questions about the student assistance program may be addressed to the assistant principal.
     
    SAP Behavior Checklists
    SAP Permission to Evaluate
    SAP Referral Form       

    PROMOTION POLICY/
    GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

    Students are required to complete 22 credits in order to graduate from Tamaqua High School with specific numbers of credits in certain areas. Exact details are listed in the Program of Studies.

    Students will be assigned to homerooms by grade based on the number of credits earned. However, students will repeat required courses when they have failed, even if promoted to the following grade. Required number of credits to be assigned to a grade are: grade 12 – 16.0; grade 11 – 10.5; grade 10 – 5.3.

    STANDARDIZED TESTING

    Students in grade 11 will be given the Pennsylvania Assessment Tests in Reading, Writing, and Mathematics each spring. An individual report will be given to each student. Testing information for students is available in the guidance office and can be used by students and parents in career planning.

    AP Tests are given to seniors in May for Lit, Calc, Phys, Span and Bio. ASVAB tests are given in November to juniors and seniors. PSAT’s are given to sophomores and juniors.

    SUMMER SCHOOL

    Summer school is available each year through Schuylkill Intermediate Unit. Tamaqua students usually attend summer school at the North Vo-Tech School in Frackville. The minimum qualifying grade to attend summer school is 60% in the course that was failed.

    Information about summer school will be available in the guidance office usually by May of each year. Summer school begins approximately the third week of June. Students may make up one or two failed courses in the major curricular areas (math, science, social studies, English). There is a fee for summer school and transportation is not provided.

     
     
     

     

    TRANSCRIPTS

    Transcripts will be mailed to institutions without charge for pupils who have not graduated but will not be made for personal use. Once a student has graduated, a fee of $1.00 will be charged for each transcript.

     
     
     

     

    TRANSFER OR WITHDRAWAL

    Students who are leaving Tamaqua High to transfer to another high school or withdraw from school are required to get a withdrawal form. This form requires return of books to all of the teachers, a conference with the guidance counselor and then finishing with withdrawal process in the district office.

     
     
     

     

    TUTORING

    Students may be given assistance in their classes daily from 2:30-3:00. Teachers are available for help and students merely need to contact their teachers to make arrangements. Teachers may sometimes require students to attend tutoring during this time period, or students may attend voluntarily.

     
     
     

     

    VO-TECH SCHOOL

     

     

    Tamaqua Area High School students are eligible to attend the Schuylkill County Area Vo-Tech School. There are two vo-tech schools. The Tamaqua students attend the school in Frackville or Marlin. Students who attend the vo-tech school will attend Tamaqua High School for one semester and the vo-tech school for the other semester.

    Students who are interested in applying should contact their counselor and get a vo-tech handbook. There is also information available in the Program of Studies given to each student each year.

Last Modified on October 2, 2024