Academic Program
WCEA-WASC
report
WCEA-WASC
Self Study (Part I)
WCEA-WASC Self Study (Part
II)
Contracts
Good Shepherd Catholic School has contracted with you for the education of your children for the current school year. These contracts or tuition agreements are renewable annually. Unless you are otherwise notified, you can expect to receive the renewal contract sometime in March.
If students do not perform well academically or if their social and/or emotional development is a concern, the enrollment agreement may be held until appropriate action has been taken or until it becomes clear what the best situation for the child will be.
Delinquent tuition is also a cause for withholding the enrollment agreement.
Learning Climate
Good Shepherd Catholic School supports a policy of total education for its students with the Catholic religion as its center and foundation. As a Catholic school, we are committed to the formation of Christian values as well as academic excellence. This commitment challenges students and parents to participate in the formation of a positive and moral learning environment. Throughout the year, students will organize and participate in various liturgical events and activities. Parents are also welcome to attend liturgical celebrations. Service to others is another goal for each student and community service activities are promoted at every grade level.
Homeroom, Curriculum and Scheduling
Each student at Good Shepherd is assigned to a homeroom. In grades K-5, students have the homeroom teacher for a majority of their subjects and spend the greater part of their day in that classroom. Grades 6-8 have homeroom time every day, but are departmentalized, and change teachers and rooms on a regular basis. Teachers follow the curriculum guidelines of the Diocese of Monterey, which in turn is based on California State Frameworks.
The curriculum for Grades K-8 includes literature or reading, language arts, math, science, social studies, religion, Spanish, computer and P.E. Students in K-6 also receive regular instruction in art and music while these classes form part of the Fine Arts program in the junior high.
In order to graduate from Good Shepherd, a student must successfully complete all of the courses in the prescribed curriculum, as well as pass proficiency exams (Gr. 8) in English and math.
Books and Materials
The student registration fee covers all required classroom texts and supplementary materials. Students are expected to take good care of their books; parents will be billed for lost, stolen or damaged texts. Textbooks should be covered (but not with contact paper) and should not be written in.
Homework
Homework is assigned daily in Grades 1 through 8. Long-range projects and assignments may be given from time to time as well. The purpose of homework is to reinforce and expand upon lessons taught in the classroom. In addition, it is designed to help develop responsibility, organizational skills and good study habits.
The amount of homework given nightly varies from grade to grade but general guidelines are as follows:
| Grades 1-2 |
30-60 minutes |
| Grades 3-5 |
60-90 minutes |
| Grades 6-8 |
90-120 minutes |
Written assignments, while comprising the bulk of homework, are not the only criteria for nightly study and it is important to help students remember the following:
- Reading is essential to academic progress and helps achievement in all subjects. Students should be sure to do some extra reading each day;
- Review is important. Older students should review class notes as part of the homework assignment. Doing so on a regular basis decreases "test anxiety;"
- Planning ahead for long-range assignments is integral to the homework process. Organizing tasks in advance, or one at a time, keeps a student from feeling overwhelmed as the due date for the project draws closer.
Parents are asked to help with homework in the following ways:
- see that a regular study time is set aside;
- provide a space that is conducive to study and free of distractions (no TV, phone etc.);
- check to see that assignments are completed and neatly done;
- aid your children in budgeting their time between extracurricular activities and school assignments. Do not allow them to become overtired or "stretched too thin;"
- be reasonable in your expectations of your child. The fast-track pace of life today has its effect on all of us and children feel the stresses associated with that reality as well as adults do;
- in case of absence contact the school office by 9 a.m. to request your child's homework assignments. It is the student's responsibility to inquire about making up work missed during absences.
With few exceptions, homework assignments are not given on weekends or during vacation periods. Teachers may suggest that such times be used for review, work on long-range projects or general reading, but they will allow extra time on either end to facilitate student performance and allow for family vacation plans.
Cheating and Plagiarism
Cheating and plagiarism are forms of academic dishonesty and are considered serious offenses. Cheating includes the copying of other students' homework, the submission of others work as a student's own, and the taking of information from an outside source during a test or quiz. Plagiarism is the direct copying of material from source books, previously used or published materials, and the Internet.
Students who are caught cheating or plagiarizing will receive a grade of F on the homework, quiz, exam or project. In addition, a disciplinary referral will be sent home to inform parents of the action taken.
Grading
Students in Grades 1-3 receive numerical marks
(1, 2, 3) according to their performance on a skill-based continuum. These marks are not comparable to "letter" grades, but are designed to reflect whether or not a child is developmentally ready, able or willing to complete the task described.
Students in Grades 4 though 8 are graded according to the scale used by the Diocese of Monterey:
| Letter Grade |
Numerical Grade |
| A |
97-100% |
| A- |
94-96% |
| B+ |
90-93% |
| B |
86-89% |
| B- |
83-85% |
| C+ |
79-82% |
| C |
74-78% |
| C- |
70-73% |
| D+ |
68-69% |
| D |
65-67% |
| D- |
63-64% |
| F |
62% or below |
| Non-Academic Marking Code: |
| 1 |
Outstanding |
| 2 |
Good |
| 3 |
Satisfactory |
| 4 |
Improvement Needed |
| 5 |
Unsatisfactory |
Progress Reports
Progress reports are sent home midway through each trimester for students in Gr. 4-8. Parents are encouraged to review the contents of the progress report with the student and to contact the teacher as necessary. Students in Gr. 5-8 who receive poor progress reports render themselves "ineligible" to participate in sports or extra-curricular activities until they complete/make-up the work necessary to bring their grade up to a C level and have the requisite form signed off by the principal.
Report Cards
Kindergarten children are evaluated twice a year: in January and in June. Students in grades 1-8 receive evaluations three times a year: in November, February/March and June. Report card data includes academic progress, effort, homework, conduct and absence/tardy information. Parents must sign the report card immediately and return it to the homeroom teacher within three days. A $5 fee will be charged for lost or damaged report cards.
Honor Roll
During grading periods one and two, students in Grades 4-8 who distinguish themselves academically will be considered for inclusion on the
Trimester Honor Roll. Specific Criteria are as follows:
- minimum B average in academic subjects, with no grade lower than a C;
- no grade of 3 or lower in non-academic classes and/or conduct, effort or homework;
- no "incomplete" grades;
- no more than 7 absences or 10 tardies per trimester;
- no grade of 3 or lower in non-academic classes and conduct, effort or homework
- no more than one disciplinary referral during that trimester.
At the conclusion of the third trimester, students in Grades 4-8 are considered for inclusion on the
Annual Honor Roll based upon their overall grade-point average throughout the course of the entire school year and the above-listed criteria.
First Honors will be awarded to students with an A-/A average;
Second Honors will be awarded to students with a B/B+ average.
Parent Conferences
Parent conferences are scheduled through the school office. Formal conferences for K - 5 parents take place in October. Formal conferences for Grades 6 - 8 will be held at the request of teaching staff for students of concern. Parents or teachers of students in Grades 6
to 8 may request a
parent/student/teacher(s) conference at this time should the need arise. Because the
Middle School staff teaches approximately 75 students each, it is not possible time wise to schedule conferences with each family. We appreciate your understanding in this regard.
The purpose of these conferences is both to review academic progress and to discuss social, spiritual and emotional development. On some occasions, parents, teachers or administrators may request an interim meeting should concerns arise or extra support seem necessary. Should parents wish to set up an interim conference, they may also do so by contacting the teacher directly. On some occasions, teachers or parents may request that the student be present as well.
Academic Probation
While the school recognizes that each student has varying interests and abilities, it is our expectation that all students accepted into the program will successfully complete it. Any student in grade 4-8 whose trimester grade point average falls below
2.0 (C) is therefore placed on academic probation for the following trimester. Probation generally means that a student may not engage in extra-curricular activities (sports, dances, yearbook, etc.) nor run for or remain on Student Council until the probation has been lifted. This procedure is not meant to be punitive but to assist students in improving studies. Outside tutoring or other support services may also be recommended or required during this time. Students will remain on probation until the next report card is issued.
Promotion and Graduation Requirements
- Students in Kindergarten through Grade 8 are expected to make satisfactory progress in their studies and be promoted to the next grade each year. In some instances, a student's social or academic development may make tutoring or repetition of a grade necessary.
- Every student in Grades 4 - 7 must complete what their teachers determine to be a satisfactory level of class work and homework. Year-end failure in any two academic subjects can be reason for dismissal. The school can require tutoring or summer school before the student is issued an enrollment agreement for the next grade.
- A student in Grade 8 who fails any required course, or does not pass the required Math and English proficiency exams, is not eligible for a diploma. However, a failure of this nature may be made up during the summer and students will receive their diploma upon successful completion of the required make-up work.
No student may re-enroll or graduate until all financial obligations to the school have been met.
© 2005 Good Shepherd Catholic School
