At
Rabun Gap, we encourage students to have the desire for excellence, the energy
to try, the willingness to take risks, the resilience to learn from defeat, the
capacity to be tolerant, and the spirit to serve. It is in this spirit that we teach our students:
According to our
Judeo-Christian Tradition-
·
To acquire a well-organized, and easily accessible body of
knowledge.
Fostering a strong
work ethic-
Joining in harmony
with our natural environment-
Valuing the individual
and the needs of the community-
Introduction
As a college preparatory school,
We know that a student’s total
education is far more than what is learned in the classroom; however, the
formal aspects of the classroom compose the core from which a student’s
education develops at
Our program includes core subjects,
many of which have an honors section, and several elective courses for special
interests. We also offer Advanced Placement (AP) courses for sophomores,
juniors and seniors. Most colleges and universities grant credit for AP course
work, depending on the examination grade.
The academic year at
The academic year also includes an
Intersession, a weeklong course during which students, by grade level, engage
in an intensive, hands-on learning experience. Recent Intersession programs
include the
Honesty and integrity are expected of
all
We expect our students to behave in ways
that are conducive to learning. Students may not sleep during classes. Students
may have bottled water in class. We
do not allow food, chewing gum, beverages (with the exception of bottled
water), or portable listening or communication devices in classroom
buildings.
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*English |
4 Credits
(I, II, 2 credits of Junior/Senior Electives) |
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*Mathematics |
4 Credits |
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*Science |
3 Credits
(entering 9th graders will take Concepts of Physics, Biology, and
1 credit from either Chemistry or Physics) |
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*History |
3 Credits
(entering 9th graders will take Ancient & Medieval World
History, Modern World History, and United States History) |
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*World
Language |
3 credits
(the same language) |
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Physical
Education/Health |
1 credit
(or 0.5 credit Health and participation in 2 seasons of competitive team
sports) |
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Fine Arts |
2 credits
(for the four-year student, or 0.5 credit per year of attendance) |
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Bible |
1 credit |
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Symposium
Project |
0.5
credit |
*For
To receive a diploma from
When a student
is admitted to RGNS, transfer credits will be accepted without further
validation if an institution accredited by a regional or state accrediting
agency has granted credit. A student
who wishes to take courses during the summer must obtain prior approval from
the Assistant Headmaster for Academic Affairs. As a rule, core requirements
must be completed at
2.
Enroll in a minimum of six courses, and no more than two
in a single department, per year.
A student will
be allowed to participate in graduation if he/she has passed all but one class
in his/her senior year.
4.
Demonstrate satisfactory participation, for each year of
enrollment, in the Afternoon Activity/Work Program.
5. Must
successfully fulfill the athletic requirement for each year of enrollment. The athletic requirement can be met by successful
participation on an interscholastic team, One Act play, Cirque, outdoor
program, farm, or equestrian program.
The Office of Student Affairs must approve any exceptions. (PE/Sports
requirement may only be met by participation in 2 seasons of competitive
team sports.)
6. Must have met
all financial obligations, including Library fines.
Returning students pre-register for
their courses, and new students are contacted prior to their arrival to
determine their registration needs. The Drop/Add period is during the first two
weeks of the term. Students enrolled in Advanced Placement courses will have
until the end of the first marking period. Class or section changes can be made
only with the approval of the faculty involved, the Registrar, the College
Counselor, and the Assistant Headmaster for Academic Affairs. If a withdrawal occurs after the specified
time, the student's permanent record will reflect a WP (Withdrawn Passing) or
WF (Withdrawn Failing) mark. The student’s
advisor notifies parents before any course/section change is put into effect.
Seniors, in particular, are discouraged from changing
courses, especially in the second semester. Any course changes for seniors must
be reported to their colleges. Second semester senior course change requests
must be requested by the parent of the senior, either by writing or e-mail, to
the Assistant Headmaster for Academic Affairs, before being considered for
approval.
The Advanced Placement Program,
sponsored by the College Board, gives students the chance to try college-level
work while in high school and to gain valuable skills and study habits for
college. If the student obtains a
“qualifying” grade on the AP Exam, many colleges will give credit or advanced
standing. Other benefits of taking AP
courses include studying a subject in greater depth, increased academic
challenge, and enhancing the chance of getting into a competitive college. Capable students are encouraged to consider
taking one or more AP courses at Rabun Gap.
Expectations for AP students are
greater than those for regular level course work. Teachers expect AP students to demonstrate a high level of
interest in the subject and a willingness to work hard in the course. AP students can expect to have 4-6 hours of
homework each week, including weekends.
Students should weigh their extra curricular commitments when considering
taking AP courses.
Students must receive departmental
approval for enrollment in an AP course.
Selection may be based upon the student’s academic achievement,
standardized test scores, teacher recommendations, and extra curricular
commitments. The Assistant Head for
Academic Affairs may also be involved in enrollment decisions, as needed. Students desiring to take more than four AP
courses in one academic year must gain permission from the Assistant Head for
Academic Affairs.
A student electing to enroll in an
AP course is expected to maintain a high level of achievement (a grade of C or
better), to complete the course, and to take the AP exam in the spring.
Students receive grades for academic
performance and for effort. Teachers assess students’ classroom work through a
number of activities. These include homework, class discussion, projects,
presentations, papers, laboratory work, portfolios, quizzes, major tests, and
final exams.
At the beginning of study in every
course, each teacher provides the student with a detailed course syllabus,
which includes an explanation of the various assessments and how the grades are
determined. In order to help their students plan and organize their work,
teachers provide assignments sheets, which describe in detail the work to be
completed. You may find this information
on the individual course web pages at the RGNS website at http://rabungap.org, and go to “Upper School
or Middle School.”
It must be noted that in yearlong
courses, a student must pass the second semester and have a passing average for
the year in order to receive credit in the course. If a student receives credit
in a sequential course, for example in math or world languages, with a grade of
D and/or fails the final exam, he/she may not advance to the next level without
special arrangement of the department. This arrangement may include successful
completion of additional work in summer school, or working with a tutor and
then passing a qualifying exam for the appropriate level. Failure to finish
this work successfully may delay the student’s year of graduation.
In the event that a student fails a
final exam to such a degree that the student's understanding of the course is
gravely in question, the faculty member may, in consultation with the
Department Chair and the Assistant Head for Academic Affairs, turn in a failure
(F) for the semester's final grade, regardless of the student's average for the
course. In such cases the final exam grade will be recorded as an F-. In order
for the student to receive credit in the course, the following conditions must
be met: 1) The student carries at least a C- average into the exam, and 2) the
student retakes the exam. If the student achieves a grade C or higher, the
grade on the retake exam will be recorded as a C and the grade for the semester
and year will then be calculated.
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Grade |
Point Value |
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A+ |
97-100 |
Excellent work |
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A |
94-96 |
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A- |
90-93 |
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B+ |
87-89 |
Very Good Achievement |
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B |
84-86 |
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B- |
80-83 |
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C+ |
77-79 |
Satisfactory Achievement |
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C |
74-76 |
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C- |
70-73 |
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D |
65-69 |
Passing but unsatisfactory |
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F |
0-64 |
Failing; no credit awarded |
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INC |
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Incomplete work |
Report cards show academic and effort grades.
Report cards are sent to parents four times per year: at the end of the first
and third marking periods and at the end of each semester. Comments are written at the end of each
marking period for those students who are working below their potential or who
have exhibited substantial improvement.
At the end of semester 1, comments will also be written for students in
semester-long courses. At the end of
the school year, comments will be written for all students in grades 6 through
11 for all courses.
Progress reports show the current grade and effort grade
and will include a written comment concerning the academic progress of the
student. These reports are completed on all students in all courses midway
through the first marking period. At
the midpoints of the remaining marking periods, progress reports are written on
those students who are working below their potential or who have exhibited
substantial improvement.
May be written at any time for exemplary performance or for
problems experienced in class. Interim reports are sent to the parent, advisor,
residential faculty, and are kept on file by the appropriate class dean. Interim reports are mailed on Tuesday &
Friday of each week.
A student who receives an
"INC" at a marking period because of illness, or other circumstances
beyond the student’s control, has two weeks to complete the work upon returning
to school. The responsibility of completing the work rests with the student.
Failure to do so will result in an "F," which will be recorded for
the work missed and which will be included in calculation of the grade for the
marking period. Except in the
above-mentioned special situations, all work for the semester must be completed
by the last class day of the semester. If not, the work will be recorded as an
"F."
Make-Up Work
§
A
student who has an excused absence must contact his/her teachers within one day
of returning to class to get missed assignments. The work missed must be completed within the same number of days
that were missed. Work not completed
during the time allowed results in a failing grade for the assignment.
§
A
student who has missed a class for a field trip, athletic event, school
activity, or other approved event (prior approval) must return to class with
all assignments prepared. Assignments
that are not complete result in a failing grade for the assignment.
§
A
student who has an unexcused absence is expected to return to class with all
assignments prepared. He/she cannot
receive a grade greater than 75% on any of the work. A student who misses a test or major paper because of an
unexcused absence cannot receive a grade greater than 75% on the test or
paper. Assignments that are not
completed result in a failing grade for the assignment.
§
A
student who is sent home because of behavioral probation or final warning is
responsible for obtaining all assignments with the assistance of his/her advisor
and is expected to return to class with all assignments completed. Assignments that are not completed result in
a failing grade for that assignment.
Effort
Ratings
In
addition to academic grades, effort ratings are given each marking period for
all courses.
Excellent – Always prepared for class,
quizzes and tests. Has a positive attitude and is always cooperative and well
behaved in class. Participates fully in class and puts forth effort beyond that
required to do an adequate job.
Satisfactory – Nearly always prepared for class,
quizzes and tests. Has a positive attitude most of the time, usually
participates in class, and is usually cooperative and well behaved.
Fair – Sometimes prepared for class,
quizzes and tests. Effort, attitude, participation, cooperation, and behavior
are erratic.
Poor – Makes little or no effort to
prepare for class. Attitude, participation, cooperation, and behavior are
unsatisfactory and need improvement.
Recognition for Academic Achievement
Headmaster's High Honors recognizes students who have an average not
lower than A-, with no grade below B, and with no effort rating below
satisfactory.
Headmaster's
Honors Recognizes students who have an average not lower than B, with no grade
below C and with no effort rating below satisfactory.
Students
with an average less than a C-, or one failing mark, or three "poor" effort ratings.
Students with an average less than D, or two or more
failing marks.
A student on Academic Probation for
two consecutive semesters may be dismissed from school. At the end of each
semester, the student must undergo a formal review of academic progress.
1) Students participating in One Act
and fast-pitch softball will follow the GHSA guidelines.
Georgia High School Association
rules: a student is required to pass five Carnegie unit subjects toward
graduation with a grade of C or higher during the semester immediately
preceding participation. Students who
are ruled ineligible for academic reasons may not regain eligibility until the
first day of the subsequent semester.
No student may practice or try out for a team unless they are
academically eligible. Students must
also be "on track" for graduation at all times to be eligible to
participate.
2) Students participating in all other
competitive sports must pass marking period one, semester one, marking period
three, and the final mark for the year with a minimum of five C’s to be
eligible.
Students
are required to take examinations in all courses, regardless of their grades
prior to the exam. All financial obligations must be satisfied before the exams
may be graded.
• For 6th, 7th, and 8th
grade courses, final exams are designed for one hour, with a half-hour extra
time allowed for completion. The exam grade counts ten percent (10%) of the
semester grade.
• For 9th and 10th grade courses,
final exams are designed for one and one-half hours, with a half hour extra
time. The exam grade counts twenty percent (20%) of the semester grade.
• For 11th and 12th grade courses,
final exams are designed for two hours, with a half hour extra time. The exam
grade counts thirty percent (30%) of the semester grade.
To ensure that we are providing the best academic
services to our students, it is important to assess their academic progress relative
to national standards. Each year,
students in grades 6 – 9 participate in a standardized testing program through
the Educational Records Bureau (ERB), which is a testing organization
specifically designed to meet the unique needs of independent schools.
Achievement test results can help students, parents, and teachers gain a better
understanding of each student’s academic skills and can be useful in
determining course placement for the following year. Additionally, standardized
testing helps us to assess the effectiveness of our academic program, providing
valuable feedback to ensure that our students will be competitive with their
peers across the nation.
The
Use of the Woodcock-Johnson Psycho-Educational Battery, The
Slossen Full-Range Intelligence Test and the Behavior Assessment System of
Children, or a combination of these tests as appropriate, are used to complete
a screening assessment. The Learning
Center Director may recommend a more complete evaluation for a student as
needed.
Students' records are available only
to authorized faculty and professional staff for school-related purposes.
Student records may be released for off-campus use, usually for college
applications, at the request of the student, parents, or guardian.
Our goal is that every graduate
of
The process of college admission
begins with the registration of our eighth graders as they choose courses for
the ninth grade. The process continues with the assistance of upper school
advisors, class deans, and the guidance of the college counselor. The college counselor helps students
and their parents or guardians with college selection and application, and with
application for financial aid.
The Preliminary Scholastic Assessment Test
(PSAT) and the PLAN test are given each fall in preparation for the Scholastic
Assessment Test (SAT) and the American College Test (ACT). Juniors take the SAT
and ACT in the spring and again in the fall of their senior year.
Library Hours
The Library is open every school day Monday-Thursday, 7:30
am-3:45 pm; 5:00 pm-9:30 pm; Friday, 7:30 am-5:30 pm, and Sundays from 2:00 pm
-5:00 pm and 7:30-9:30 pm. The library is
closed for activities and athletics from 3:45 pm -5:00 Monday-Thursday.
The Library is an integral part of our school’s educational
program providing students with materials for research and pleasure
reading. Included within the two story
spacious facility are a computer lab, a professional library, group study
rooms, and a periodical reading area with comfortable seating and a view of the
surrounding campus. The library has a
computerized catalog and circulation system named Athena, which oversees the
14,045 print and non-print collection of books and videos. The library also houses sixty-five
periodicals and newspapers, and a leasing system of bestseller books from Baker & Taylor Book Publishers.
The Library has ten computers plus a computer lab for
research purposes and e-mail. The
computers are networked to the RGNS
Intranet, the Internet, and also
have online capabilities to the following subscription databases:
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EB Online includes the complete Encyclopedia
Britannica, as well as the Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary.
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EBSCO’s Ultra Online contains full text for more than 500
magazines, 96,600 biographies and 76,000 primary source documents.
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netTrekker provides a way for students to search
the Internet for school projects with high quality, contextual results.
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Grolier Online Reference
Sources: Encyclopedia
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SIRS Researcher-full-text articles exploring
social, scientific, health, historic, economic, business, political, and global
issues.
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SIRS Government Reporter-full-text documents and graphics
concerning health, science, economics, environment, politics, foreign affairs,
workplace issues, business and industry.
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SIRS Renaissance-information on music, literature,
film performing arts, culture, philosophy, religion and visual arts.
RGNS Curriculum at a Glance
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9th Grade |
10th Grade |
11th Grade |
12th Grade |
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English |
English I/I Honors |
English II/II Honors |
2 semester-long electives |
AP English Literature or 2 semester-long electives |
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Creative Writing, Yearbook |
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English as a Second Language |
ESL I, ESL II ESL American History ESL World History ESL World Literature ESL Reading Lab I, II, III, IV |
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Fine Arts |
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