Page 28 - PHS Handbook 2020-21

Outstanding Senior Awards
In April of every school year, faculty members will nominate and decide on one male and one female student to win the Outstanding Seniors award(s) and speak at their classes’ commencement. The recipients receive a plaque which is inscribed accordingly. The process will go as follows:
I. Each of the five core departments (English, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, and Elective) will meet and each nominate two male and two female candidates based on the criteria below for a total of 20 nominated candidates.
II. Senior students will vote on the 20 candidates nominated by the teachers.
III. Class officers tally the ballots and submit the top six to a panel of three teachers chosen by
Student Government. The panel will select one male and one female student to receive the
Outstanding Senior Award and speak at commencement.
IV. The criteria for the award are as follows:Trustworthiness, Dependability, Responsibility, Attitude,
Congeniality, Understanding, Fairness, Maturity, Respect, and Academic
Academic Standards for Activity Participation
Participation in school activities such as, but not limited to, clubs and organizations, theatrical productions, cheerleading, marching band and auxiliary band units, requires the student to basically ​meet thesameacademicandattendancerequirementsthatapplytointerscholasticathletics.​ PIAAand PBSD regulations that apply to the students’ activities and programs begin on page 36.
Students who have been in attendance more than eight semesters beyond the eighth grade may not hold positions as an officer in any school organization, or be a member, such as but not limited to, the cheerleading squad and band auxiliary units, or perform in theatrical productions. This provision may be waived in cases of long confining illness or injury, which necessitates repeating a grade, upon review by the administration, providing all other eligibility requirements are met.
Attending College for One Semester
I. College grades are not averaged with the Plum course grades.
II. In cases where a passing grade is recorded for a Plum course, semester portion, and a failing grade for the college course the student will have the option of either taking a competency-based test to determine if full credit will be given for the mandated high school course, or the student may complete the course at a certified institution upon approval of the principal. Awarding of the high school diploma and participating in the commencement ceremony requires that the school receive a transcript of the student’s coursework, and that the courses were completed with a passing grade.
THE STUDENT WILL NOT BE RECOGNIZED FOR ACADEMIC HONORS.
Class Change/Drop
Course drops and class changes are not permitted during the current school year. In scheduling for classes for the 2020-2021 school year, students may not drop or change classes after Friday, May 29, 2020, and in scheduling for the 2021-2022 school year, the class change/drop deadline is Friday, May 28, 2021. Students with IEPs may make schedule changes through the IEP process. Schedule changes will also be considered for medical reasons or if graduation is in jeopardy.
Schedule Adjustments
Class periods and teachers are randomly assigned. Consideration will be given to teacher request changes on the following basis:
I. Student failed the teacher’s class the previous year for an academic course.
II. Student is related to the teacher.
III. Teacher is an immediate neighbor of the student, or a close personal friend of the family.
NOTE​: Even though the student’s request for a teacher change is valid under the three stipulated reasons, it may be impossible to handle the request because of the student’s particular schedule arrangements or conflicts related to the master schedule.
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Exceptionally Prepared for Success
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