Online Course Selection Instructions

All students, in all grades, are to be scheduled in seven classes per semester. Requests for an exception will be examined on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration what the student’s parent, school counselor and building principal believe is in the student’s best educational interest.
A college preparatory curriculum consists of a MINIMUM of four ACADEMIC courses (English, mathematics, social studies, science, and/or foreign language) each of the four high school years. The more selective the college one has in mind, the more rigorous the academic load should be, both in course difficulty and in the number of classes taken.

In choosing their programs, students should work closely with their school counselors, parents, teachers and special services liaisons. Parents who have questions about a program or course selections are urged to call the School Counseling Office to schedule a conference. Every effort will be made by school personnel to see that program requirements are met, but the final responsibility for meeting these requirements for promotion and graduation rests with the student and his/her/their parent(s) or guardian(s).

Once the school opens in the fall, it is expected that each student will continue with the schedule that has been developed during the course selection process. Any minor adjustments need to take place during the first two weeks of school, via communication with the school counselors. A good education depends on a full 90 day (semester) or 180 day (full year) presence in a class. Course changes requested after the two-week add/drop period are strongly discouraged. School counselor, department leader, teacher and possibly assistant principal input will be required to affect such a change. Nantucket High School does not accept course change based on personal incompatibility between a student and teacher. A student moving from an advanced section of the same course (honors or Advanced Placement) to a different section (honors or College Prep) will have until October 1
st to make said change without affecting his/her/their transcript. It is important to note that there is not a drop/add period at the semester change.

Any student who withdraws from a course after the established deadlines will receive a grade of withdraw/W, withdraw pass/WP or withdraw failing/WF. If a senior drops or withdraws from a class after transcripts have been sent out to colleges, Nantucket High School will notify all colleges of the change in the student’s schedule

Advanced Placement (AP)

These courses represent the most challenging curriculum we offer—college-level coursework. Based on the guidelines from the College Board, each course culminates in a nationally standardized exam. Students who receive a high score on the exam may earn college credit or be exempted from particular courses. Teachers maintain an aggressive pace in order to cover the necessary content. Significant out of class time is demanded from these courses, including mandatory Saturday Sessions.

Honors (H)

Most departments offer honors courses for advanced students. These courses are highly demanding in both class work and out of class responsibilities and preparation. Honors courses provide enrichment experiences and accelerated instruction for those college preparatory
students who exhibit both exceptional ability and motivation in a particular subject area.

College Prep (CP)

These challenging courses provide students with the instruction and experience(s) they will need to successfully manage post-secondary education.

Honors vs. College Prep: Students in Honors classes are expected to demonstrate a higher level of responsibility, independence, and motivation. Additional reading and writing assignments may be assigned and completed outside of class. Honors classes have more rigorous grading and assessments of all assignments. 

Essentials (E)

These courses provide an introductory view of various elective offerings. Essentials academic courses provide basic instruction while emphasizing study skills. In this case the courses are designed for those students who would benefit from accommodations in the way information is presented, or in the way knowledge is demonstrated, that do not substantially alter the nature of the task or the learning standard being addressed.

Essentials courses may not be recognized by all colleges/universities for credit. Please confer with your school counselor about these courses and your post-secondary education plans.

Basic (B)

These courses emphasize fundamental skills and enrollment through the Special Services
Department is required.