As a school in the Secondary School System of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, the academic policy of Monsignor Bonner and Archbishop Prendergast Catholic High School is derived from the requirements stipulated by the System as stated in its Policies and Procedures manual and the regulations of the Department of Education of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Each student is required to earn twenty-four (24) credits to graduate from Monsignor Bonner and Archbishop Prendergast Catholic High School. Therefore, students are required to earn at least six (6) credits per year. The following are the requirements and electives for each year. Exceptions to this progression must be approved by the Assistant Principal for Academic Affairs.
FRESHMEN
Required Elective
Theology Latin I (Accelerated Program)English Fine Arts
Math (Algebra 1)
Science
Social Studies (World History I)
Fine Arts (1/2 credit)
Technical Explorations 1 (1/2 credit)
SOPHOMORES
Required Elective
Theology Language
English Latin II (Accelerated Program)
Math (Geometry) Fine Arts
Science (Biology)
Social Studies (World History II)
Health (1/2 credit)
Physical Education (1/2 credit)
JUNIORS
Required Elective
Theology Business
English Fine Arts
Math (Algebra 2) Language
Science
Social Studies (U.S. History)
SENIORS
Required Elective
Theology Business
English Fine Arts
Language
Math
Science
Social Studies
At a minimum, all students must complete Fine Arts, Technical Explorations I and Health/Physical Education. Two years of a modern language are required by most colleges. Drexel Program Students will complete the Fine Arts/Technical Explorations 1 requirement in Sophomore year and the Health/Phys Ed requirement in the Junior year.
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Advanced Placement Program
Advanced Placement is a college level curriculum that gives students the opportunity to earn advanced standing or college credit for courses taken in high school. Courses are available for students who qualify for participation in this program. Advanced Placement courses are currently offered in United States History, European History, Political Science, AB Calculus, Biology, Physics, Chemistry, Environmental Science, English Literature and Composition, English Language and Composition, Psychology, and Computer Science.
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Diocesan Scholar Program
Application to the Diocesan Scholar Program is offered to Juniors ranked in the top 20 of the class at the end of the first semester in the Junior year. After the application process is completed, the selected students are allowed to enroll in two college courses per semester during their senior year at a local Catholic college with no tuition. The Diocesan Scholars are given a schedule of courses at Bonner which blends with the courses taken at the college. Students are responsible for providing their own transportation. Students must remain enrolled at an Archdiocesan high school in order to remain eligible. Bonner students have a higher than average success with this program.
The following are colleges which Bonner students have attended through the Diocesan Scholar Program:
Cabrini College
Neumann College
Rosemont College
Saint Joseph’s University
Villanova University
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The Drexel Program of Learning Strategies
Under the auspices of the Department of Special Education of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, the Drexel Program of Learning Strategies is a further development of the programs conducted in some elementary schools for students diagnosed with a specific learning disability. The goal of the program is to have students recognize and accept their disability, and, with the aid of the skills learned in the program, meet the challenges and opportunities of the future successfully. To learn more about the Drexel Program, follow the link to their Department page.
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Accelerated Program
The Accelerated Program is designed for the above average incoming freshman student who is selected based on his previous record and standardized test scores. Students admitted to this program are required to take Honors courses in Theology, English, Math, Chemistry (Freshman year only), History and Latin during Freshmen and Sophomore years. A student must maintain academic excellence in order to remain in this program into his sophomore year.
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Vocational-Technical (Vo-Tech) Program
Students attending Vo-Tech take three classes at Bonner and three classes at the Vo-Tech school. Bus transportation is provided to the Vo-Tech school. Admission to the Vo-Tech Program is dependent upon the student’s qualifying examination score, his general academic effort and disciplinary record, his Vo-Tech course choice and the number of openings available in his public school district. Vo-Tech course offerings vary from year to year. For the 2005-2006 academic year, students will be attending AM Vo-Tech only. Students enrolled in the Drexel Program are not eligible for this program.
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Intermediate Unit
A state agency that coordinates and administers inter-district and shared-time programs for all schools in Delaware County. Bonner students participate in the following programs: remedial reading, remedial mathematics, speech therapy, psychological testing and evaluation, and ESL.
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Grading
Report cards are distributed quarterly. The highest grade available is 100. The quarter grade reflects the progress that a student has made during that period. This grade reflects achievement on major tests and quizzes, completion of homework assignments, and classroom participation. Major projects and papers are also assigned. The semester grade is computed by taking 40% of the first quarter grade, 40% of the second quarter grade, and 20% of the semester assessment grade. Add those three numbers together to determine the semester grade. The final grade is an average of semester grades.
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Rank-in-Class and Honors
A student’s rank in class is determined by a system of quality points. Under this system a student taking a more difficult course on a higher track level earns more quality points than a student receiving the same grade on a lower track level, and a student carrying six subjects earns more points than a student taking only five subjects. Rank in class is based upon the total of all quality points for all courses that a student takes, regardless of the number. Rank in class is computed each semester. Beginning with the Class of 2008, rank in class will be gained by totaling the average of the quality points.
The standards for Honors are as follows:
First Honors: numerical average of 90 or above with no grade below 88.
Second Honors: numerical average of 85 or above with no grade below 83.
Quality Point Table
|
Grade |
AP |
Track 1 |
Track 2 |
Track 3 |
Track 4 |
|
100 |
54 |
48 |
44 |
40 |
36 |
|
99 |
53 |
47 |
43 |
39 |
35 |
|
98 |
52 |
46 |
42 |
38 |
34 |
|
97 |
51 |
45 |
41 |
37 |
33 |
|
96 |
50 |
44 |
40 |
36 |
32 |
|
95 |
49 |
43 |
39 |
35 |
31 |
|
94 |
48 |
42 |
38 |
34 |
30 |
|
93 |
47 |
41 |
37 |
33 |
29 |
|
92 |
46 |
40 |
36 |
32 |
28 |
|
91 |
45 |
39 |
35 |
31 |
27 |
|
90 |
44 |
38 |
34 |
30 |
26 |
|
89 |
43 |
37 |
33 |
29 |
25 |
|
88 |
42 |
36 |
32 |
28 |
24 |
|
87 |
41 |
35 |
31 |
27 |
23 |
|
86 |
40 |
34 |
30 |
26 |
22 |
|
85 |
39 |
33 |
29 |
25 |
21 |
|
84 |
38 |
32 |
28 |
24 |
20 |
|
83 |
37 |
31 |
27 |
23 |
19 |
|
82 |
36 |
30 |
26 |
22 |
18 |
|
81 |
35 |
29 |
25 |
21 |
17 |
|
80 |
34 |
28 |
24 |
20 |
16 |
|
79 |
33 |
27 |
23 |
19 |
15 |
|
78 |
32 |
26 |
22 |
18 |
14 |
|
77 |
31 |
25 |
21 |
17 |
13 |
|
76 |
30 |
24 |
20 |
16 |
12 |
|
75 |
29 |
23 |
19 |
15 |
11 |
|
74 |
28 |
22 |
18 |
14 |
10 |
|
73 |
27 |
21 |
17 |
13 |
9 |
|
72 |
26 |
20 |
16 |
12 |
8 |
|
71 |
25 |
19 |
15 |
11 |
7 |
|
70 |
24 |
18 |
14 |
10 |
6 |
|
69 |
23 |
17 |
13 |
9 |
5 |
|
68 |
22 |
16 |
12 |
8 |
4 |
|
67 |
21 |
15 |
11 |
7 |
3 |
|
66 |
20 |
14 |
10 |
6 |
2 |
|
65 |
19 |
13 |
9 |
5 |
1 |
|
64 |
18 |
12 |
8 |
4 |
0 |
|
63 |
17 |
11 |
7 |
3 |
0 |
|
62 |
16 |
10 |
6 |
2 |
0 |
|
61 |
15 |
9 |
5 |
1 |
0 |
|
60 |
14 |
8 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
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