Student/Parent Handbook & Policies

Student/Parent Handbook 2020-2021: Grading Information

GRADING SCALE

The following 4-point “A” scale is used at Alleman to compute grades:

  • A+    99-100 = 4.33

  • A    95-98    = 4.00   

  • A-    93-94    = 3.66       

  • B+    91-92    = 3.33   

  •    87-90    = 3.00       

  • B-    85-86    = 2.66       

  • C+    83-84 = 2.33

  • C    79-82 = 2.00

  • C-    77-78 = 1.66

  • D+    75-76 = 1.33

  •    72-74 = 1.00

  • D-    70-71 = 0.66

  •    0-69   = 0.00

I = Incomplete
Q = Audit   
X = Medical Excuse from Participation

INCOMPLETE GRADE
An incomplete grade is used when the student is prevented by illness or some other emergency from completing the assigned work before the end of the grading period. A student who receives a grade of “I” has ten (10) school days from the end of the marking period to remove the incomplete. At the end of the ten day period the ” I ” automatically changes to the earned grade with the missing work counting as a ”zero”. Any exceptions to this must be approved by the Assistant Principal in writing prior to the end of the grace period. If a student receives an “I” for a quarter or semester grade, he/she is automatically left off the Honor Roll.

HONOR COURSES WEIGHTING*
All students enrolled in Honor Courses are graded on a 5-point “A” scale. Each letter grade is weighted one (1) point higher than grades computed on the 4-point scale. (D-121: AR-1)

*Beginning with the Class of 2024, Honors courses are not weighted until Junior or Senior year. 

CHEATING AND PLAGIARISM
Cheating is the unauthorized use of outside help to complete an assignment or test. Plagiarism is using another’s ideas or work and passing it off as one’s own. To aid in the above mentioned is also considered cheating. Cheating and plagiarism are serious academic and moral offenses. The work associated with cheating or plagiarism cannot be counted. Besides zero credit, students may face disciplinary action as a consequence for cheating.

HONOR ROLL REQUIREMENTS
There are three Honor Rolls for full time students at Alleman:

  1. PRINCIPAL’S LIST - Minimum requirements:

    1. Current quarter G.P.A. of 3.6 and above

    2. No grade with the value of less than 2.0 in regular courses

    3. No grade with the value of less than 3.0 in honor courses

  1. HONORS LIST - Minimum requirements:

    1. Current quarter G.P.A. of 3.2 to 3.59

    2. No grade with the value of less than 2.0 in regular courses

    3. No grade with the value of less than 3.0 in honor courses

  1. REV. JOHN F. O’CONNOR SCHOLARS - Minimum requirements:

    1. Current semester GPA of 3.2 or above

    2. No grade with the value of less than 2.0 in regular courses

    3. No grade with the value of less than 3.0 in honor courses.

All courses are computed for the Honor Roll except Physical Ed. and Driver’s Ed.

If a student receives an ”I” (incomplete) for a quarter grade in any subject, he/she is automatically left off the Honor Roll.

SEMESTER EXAMS
All students are expected to complete the final exam in a course in order to receive credit. Only in special circumstances will the principal approve a student earning credit without taking his/her final exam.

In the event of medical waivers or exclusions, Alleman High School requires documentation from a licensed Doctor/Psychologist/Psychiatrist for medical issues, which also includes anxiety disorders or concussions. The documentation must include why the student is unable to complete a final exam in a conventional manner. When such documents are provided, Alleman High School, through the administration/special services may provide additional time to complete the exam, or may allow the student to complete the exam alone (with a proctor present) or if necessary, allow an alternative assessment to demonstrate that the student has attained the required level of subject mastery. The administration reserves the right to make any determinations on a case by case situation, as needed.

DETERMINATION OF SEMESTER GRADE
The semester grade for any class is computed using the following guideline: Each quarter is 45% of the semester grade, the semester test is the remaining 10%. In order to fail a course for the semester the student should either have failed 60% of the semester or more and/or have a semester average of less than 70%.

PROGRESS REPORTS
Near the middle of the grading period, but not limited to that time, Midterm grades are posted online via ParentsWeb. Midterm grades will be mailed home at parental request.

GRADE REPORT
Parents are mailed grade reports at the end of each quarter. At the end of the first and third quarters, parents may pick up the report cards and talk with teachers at conferences. If you are unable to attend conferences, the report card will be mailed home the day after conferences are held. Current GPA listed on any report card is for the most recent quarter completed. Physical Education and Driver’s Education are not included in calculating the GPA. All students will be ranked at the end of each semester. This ranking is cumulative. The Valedictorian and Salutatorian will be named after eight (8) semesters. No student enrolling at Alleman High School in his/her senior year can be Valedictorian or Salutatorian of the class.

PARENT/TEACHER COMMUNICATION
Alleman High School mails quarterly grade reports to parents and provides 24/7 website access to student progress via Family Portal. Parents who desire additional information about their student’s progress should feel free to call the school during the school day to leave a message for any teacher, counselor, or administrator. Teachers, counselors and administrators will make every effort to contact parents promptly by telephone.  If unable to do so they will attempt to make contact in some other way. All staff email addresses are posted on our website.

EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITY ELIGIBILITY
The Student shall be doing passing work in at least twenty-five hours (five academic classes) per week in order to participate in any extra-curricular activity or sport. Driver’s Education is not part of the twenty- five hours. Eligibility will be evaluated weekly. A student must be passing the course in order for a teacher to mark him/her eligible. Grades are cumulative. A student who is academically ineligible is not allowed to participate for seven (7) days beginning the day immediately after the coach is officially notified. A student must be in attendance by 10:00 A.M. and remain in attendance for the rest of the school day in order to practice and/or participate. Any variance must be granted by the Assistant Principal in consultation with the Administration.

Extra-Curricular activities are defined as:

  • All athletics/Cheerleading/Emeralds

  • Drama Productions

  • Field Trips

  • Dances

HOMEWORK
All Alleman students should expect to have studying or work to do outside of school hours.  This does not necessarily have to be written work that will be submitted for a grade.

MAKE-UP WORK/TESTS DUE TO ABSENCE
Since students are ultimately responsible for their own learning the following regulations are established:

  1. Students are responsible to keep current in study/reading assignments. This may involve contacting fellow classmates for missed assignments (notes, readings, etc.) when absent.

  2. Pre-announced tests are taken on the assigned date. Absence the day prior to the test does not excuse the student from taking this test.

  3. In cases of extended absence (more than one (1) day) students will be allowed one day of make-up test time for each day’s absence. All homework assignments follow the same time span.

  4. Students can check on the Internet for assignments at www.allemanhighschool.org and then click on Login to RenWeb in the bottom right hand corner. Once in RenWeb, you will be able to check assignments for each of your classes.

  5. If a student is absent for three (3) or more consecutive days, a doctor’s note is needed and you may contact the Counseling Office to see if additional work that is not on the web site can be gathered for your student. We try to give our teachers a 24 hour notice to have work prepared for the student; however, if you call by 8:30 a.m., most teachers will try to have work available for pick-up by the end of the day.

CREDIT FROM OTHER SITES
Pre-approved courses:
Under certain circumstances, a student may receive credit toward graduation from a site other than Alleman. This credit will be accepted only with written approval in advance from the administration as necessary to meet the requirements for receiving an Alleman diploma. The school granting the credit should be an accredited school. Approval will not be given for students who have dropped out of school.

Enrichment courses & others: There are many ways in which a student may choose to improve his/her academic profile. Enrichment courses and any other such courses which are successfully completed may be placed with the individual’s permanent record, but will not be averaged into the GPA.

TUTORING FOR CREDIT
Ordinarily credit for courses shall be obtained only through teacher/student contact in Alleman classrooms. With written approval of the school principal, and for serious reasons, credit may be granted for course work completed under the direction of a tutor. Tutoring needed for an extended absence will be arranged with the public school system in which the student resides. The following regulations govern the issuing of credit for tutored courses:

  1. The student shall need the course requested in order to: continue the sequence of his/her education in the department; meet State and/or school requirements for extra-curricular activities and/or graduation.

  2. A qualified tutor shall be approved by the school principal and obtained by the student and his/her parents for tutoring the course.

  3. Course material taught shall be approved by the administration of the school.

  4. The State requirement for 60 contact teaching hours per one-half credit must be met.

  5. Major test papers (at least quarter and semester-final tests) shall be presented to the principal along with quarter and final grades.

  6. The tutor shall be satisfied with the cooperative and serious attitude toward studying and homework demonstrated by the student.

  7. A fee of $10 shall be paid Alleman High school for clerical work necessary to register and make credit changes to the student’s office and counseling department records.

  8. The cost of tutoring shall be entirely negotiated between the student, his/her parents and the tutor. Alleman High School shall not be responsible in any way for the financial arrangements of tutoring.

  9. Signatures requested will indicate that the school administration has approved the course and the tutor; that the tutor, student, and parents of the student have read and agree with these requirements for credit at the completion of a tutored course.

STUDENT RECORDS
The student’s school records, both permanent and temporary, are kept at Alleman. These records are maintained in accordance with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974.

Parents and guardians have the right to control access to and release of student records. No student record may be released unless authorized by the parent or guardian. This special release is not necessary for the transfer of records to another school within the system or out of the district if the student is transferring to that school, nor is it necessary for college transcripts. It is assumed that in these cases, the parents will review the records if they feel there is a need sometime during the year before the transcript is sent out. If a parent desires to inspect a student record, an appointment must be made with the school official having charge of the particular record to be reviewed.

Alleman High School voluntarily complies with the provisions of the Buckley Amendment. Non-custodial parents will be given access to unofficial copies of student records and staff will be available to discuss the student’s records, unless a court order providing otherwise is filed with the school. If there is a court order specifying that there is no information to be given, it is the custodial parent’s responsibility to provide the school with a certified copy of the court order.

Permanent Record

  1. Permanent student records contain basic identifying information (name of student and parents, address, birth date, gender), academic information (subjects taken, semester grades, attendance information and grade point average), test information (standardized achievement and aptitude tests, college entrance exams), and lists of activities, honors and transcript requests. All of the above information constitutes a “transcript.”  Class ranking is included for classes of 2023, 2022 and 2021.

  2. Health records which contain the entering freshman physical examination report and the immunization records are retained after graduation as a part of the permanent record.

  3. In any case where a current or former student has been reported as a missing person by the Illinois State Police, the record request will be kept on file and the request will be granted as required by State law. 

The “transcript” is considered to be a whole record. A Parent may not request that only part of it be sent or sections concealed. To do so would constitute falsifying documents. Parents may not request that the record be altered in any way, unless a legitimate error has occurred and can be corrected. Health records will be sent along with the academic transcript to colleges or universities only unless a request is made by the student/ parent to include this information with other transcript requests.

Temporary Records

  1. The Counseling Department keeps a copy of the above mentioned test results plus any psychological reports if applicable for four years beyond graduation from Alleman. These records are stored for four years after the student graduates and are then destroyed.

  2. Disciplinary records are maintained by the Assistant Principal. These records include school infractions and subsequent disciplinary actions, and attendance records. These records are stored for four years after the student graduates and are then destroyed.

“Directory Information” which consists of the identifying information in the permanent record, academic awards or honors, information regarding school activities, and athletics, may be released to the general public unless the parent requests in writing that any or all such information should not be released for his/her child.