Registration Process

Returning students sign up for the next year’s classes in April of the year before. It is important that they take the time to think through their schedule as changes to the schedule may not be possible later on due to classes being full or other reasons.

Number of Courses Per Semester

SBS has 8 academic periods (A-H period). Students are recommended to take six courses each semester, with their final two periods being either study halls or free periods.

The minimum number of classes is 5 per semester, though students will be assigned at least one study hall if they take only five classes.

Students may take up to 7 classes per semester provided the 7th course is a low-homework course* or a graduation requirement such as Health & Human Flourishing.

No student may take 8 academic courses at any time. AP and College-Level Science labs do not count toward the course total, as they only meet at most once per week. No student may take more than one AP and College-Level Science course in a given year.

All low-homework courses are designated with [LH] next to them in this catalog. This designation means there is an average of less than 15 minutes of homework assigned per class meeting. These classes may still have tests or projects.

Please note that students with a GPA below a 3.2 may not take more than 1 AP course or 3 honors courses in a year. Students who score below a 3.5 may not take more than 3 AP courses without permission from the Academic Office.

Placement

For new students only, initial placement in Math and in some cases, World Language, is determined by a skills test and/or transcript evaluation. Placement in Science courses is determined by transcript evaluation. English, History, and Bible courses are determined by grade level, with exceptions made for students who have already completed an equivalent course at another institution.

Prerequisites

Prerequisites are listed in each course description. The Registration and Advising Team will consult with the faculty and advisors to determine the conduciveness of a student’s total course load to his or her academic success and overall flourishing. The team reserves the right to deny access to a course for which that student has met the prerequisite and has received a teacher recommendation, in order to serve the best interest of the student.

Additionally, students may be required to repeat a class that is part of a sequence if they score below a C as a 9-12th grader or below a B as a 7-8th grader. For example, a 9th grader who scores a C- in Spanish I may be required to repeat Spanish I. A 7th grader in Algebra I who earns a B- may be required to repeat Algebra I in 8th grade.