Appendix D: Selected Academic Policies

Note: These policies will be reviewed before the 2023-24 school year and are subject to modification To access the full list of policies, please reference the Upper School Handbook and Academic Policies document on CREEKnet.

Academic Advising

Students are paired with an academic advisor whose responsibility it is to know and support each of their advisees and families on their ICS academic journey. Advisors are the first point of contact for students and families, and the first layer in the School’s student support network. Academic advisors partner with teachers, deans, college counselors, and administrators at school and with parents/guardians at home in supporting their advisees.

Add/Drop Policy

Students wishing to add or drop a course once the semester has started should reach out to their academic advisor for guidance in making the change. The deadline for dropping semester courses is the end of the first quarter interim, and yearlong courses is the end of the first quarter/mid-semester mark. A course dropped after the deadline will result in a “withdrew” on the student’s transcript. Global Online Academy and BLinc courses may be dropped within one week of beginning without penalty; otherwise, families will be responsible for the course fee.

Course Cancellation

A course may not run if it does not reach the minimum enrollment requirement. ICS intentionally offers more courses in the Curriculum Guide than can be offered so as to develop a course offering based on student interest. When courses are not offered, students are placed in one of the alternate courses indicated on their course selection worksheet.

Course Length and Credit

Unless noted as a semester course, all courses run the length of the academic year. Yearlong courses are awarded one academic credit and semester courses are awarded a half of an academic credit.

Course Load

Students are required to take a minimum of five courses each semester. Students may take up to six courses during the academic blocks. Students who take five courses are assigned “GTD: Get Things Done” time for their sixth block in the schedule, which is equivalent to a study hall or free period. Permission to take fewer than five courses in a semester needs to be approved by the Upper School Principal, as does permission to take more than six academic courses. Students also can receive course credit for certain courses that meet outside the academic blocks such as Chorus, Band, Strings, Fitness & Wellness, participation on an athletics team, in the play, and/or in the musical. Occasionally, students may wish to take an Independent Study, BLinc, or Global Online Academy elective as a seventh course, which is recommended only under specific circumstances and requires Principal approval. Students who enroll in the Learning Support Tier 3 program, which meets 4-5 times per week, should take five ‘block’ courses at a time so as to have room in their schedule for individual coaching.

GTD: Get Things Done: Students who take 5 classes have GTD time most days, and students who take 6 classes can choose to have GTD time during X Blocks. Students use GTD time for whatever they need: a snack, time in the Academic Resource Center getting homework done, a workout in the fitness center if it’s open, meeting with their college counselor, time with a Learning Lab support coach developing study strategies, meeting with a teacher, math lab, writing lab, etc. Grade 9 and 10 students are assigned to the Vos Center for their GTD time and may sign out with the teacher on duty to go elsewhere. Students in Grades 11 and 12 manage their time on their own.

Course Materials

The Upper School uses CREEKnet as its Learning Management System, and each course has its own page. Many course materials and resources are shared digitally through CREEKnet. In addition, many courses have a required textbook or other required learning materials such as a software subscription, online text, or third-party assessment fee. Upper School students and families are responsible for purchasing course materials; some are purchased through online textbooks retailers, and others through the School and charged to the family’s account through the business office. A complete list of required course materials is published annually online.

Course Selection & Prerequisites

Students partner with their academic advisors, grade-level dean, and college counseling team to determine the appropriate course of study. Students are advised to sign up for the most challenging course load in which they can achieve success and balance Course selection informational meetings with students and parents/guardians take place in early spring, and selection requests are due before spring break. Students receive their schedule for the following year in early June. All student schedules are reviewed and approved by the grade level dean and the Upper School Principal to confirm students are on track to meet graduation requirements and that students have chosen an individually appropriate course load Certain courses in Upper School have prerequisites and/or require instructor approval to guarantee that students enter the class with the necessary knowledge and skills to succeed. In general, Advanced Placement classes require a grade of B- or above in their prerequisite courses. The Upper

School Principal may, in consultation with a teacher or grade level dean, approve or deny course requests, in particular for AP courses. See the curriculum guide for course-specific information.

Marking Periods

The academic year is divided into two semesters. Students receive academic feedback at the end of each quarter, and final grades at the end of the first and second semesters.

First Quarter – report card with teacher comments and skills checklist; teacher/parent conferences

Second Quarter – report card with skills checklist and final grades for Semester 1

Third Quarter – report card with teacher comments and skills checklist; teacher/parent conference

Fourth Quarter – report card with skills checklist and final grades for Semester 2

Appendix E: NCAA Approved Courses

These courses are NCAA approved in the department listed. Please consult College Counseling for additional information.

These courses are NCAA approved for English credit.