The Academic Program

This Program of Studies describes the courses which will be offered in the High School during the 2007-08 academic year. These selections represent an ongoing refinement of a curriculum which has been the subject of constant revision since it was first introduced by John Dewey in 1901. We think it represents excellence today as older versions did before.

The selection of the courses you will take in high school is a critical one and should be discussed with your parents, teachers, advisor, (freshmen and sophomores), your college counselor (juniors and seniors), and your class counselor, if necessary. It is important for you to have a four-year plan, even if you revise it several times. Course selections you make as a freshman or sophomore carry with them important implications for what you will be taking as a junior and senior. With this in mind, please read the following sections carefully.

In selecting courses, please also bear in mind the limitations imposed by the mechanics of scheduling and class size. Every effort will be made to accommodate the preferred schedule of each student, but it is important to have alternative choices in mind. This is particularly true for juniors and seniors who may be choosing among courses where only a single section is possible. The more single-section courses you select, the higher the probability that two or more of them will be in conflict with each other.

We also ask that you commit yourself to the schedule you submit, particularly in the area of electives. Budgeting decisions are made based on the number of students who assert that they will enroll in a course if it is offered. Once the school has committed its resources based on this assurance, you are obligated to take the elective courses you have selected.

Course selection should not be based on the projected personal "chemistry" between a student and teacher. It is school policy that requests for section changes will be considered only if the schedule results in a second consecutive year with the same teacher.

Juniors and seniors in particular will want to consider the unique opportunity they have to take courses at the University of Chicago. If interested, you should consult with the school's liaison to the University.

Planning Your Course of Studies

Before registering for courses each year, students should consult with their parents, teachers, advisors and counselors. A typical load in the high school ranges from four to seven classes per term. The recommended maximum load is seven classes, and the maximum allowable is eight. It is a requirement that every student be enrolled in a minimum of four classes at all times. Students should plan carefully in order to distribute their academic commitments evenly over four years, not overloading the first three years nor postponing many requirements to the senior year. Balancing all aspects of the high school program's academic classes, athletics, and extra-curricular activities leads to a more rewarding high school experience.

The following are three representative examples of four-year programs. Each student will want to plan his/her own program in relationship to earlier preparation, special interests, and academic goals. Courses and requirements are listed by department. A course will be offered only if there is sufficient enrollment.

Examples of Four-year Programs

Example 1: A well-balanced program that meets graduation requirements and satisfies the admission requirements of most colleges:

Example 2: Strong Humanities Emphasis:

Example 3: Strong Math/Science Emphasis

* AP classes are offered and often recommended for intensive study in these subject areas.

Summer School and Other Academic Credits

Some courses taken during the University High Summer School may be included in the graduation requirement of 21 credits. In planning a four-year program, however, it is difficult to predict which courses may be offered during any summer session. Course offerings are based on student interest and faculty availability.

Courses taken by University High School students at other academic institutions may sometimes be included in the total count toward graduation credits, although it is exceptional and happens only under special circumstances. Exceptions may be granted only after prior approval of the course and its contents with the specific department and the Principal. Courses taken at other schools are neither included in high school grade point averages, nor listed on the school's transcript. However, students may request that a copy of the transcript be attached to the University High School transcript for college admission purposes. Students requesting credit toward graduation are responsible for securing an official transcript from that school and filing it with the Registrar and the Learning and Counseling offices.

University of Chicago Courses

University High School students may take up to six free University of Chicago undergraduate courses. Priority for enrollment in college classes is given to University students; enrollment for University High School students depends on available space and the consent of the college professor. Furthermore, all University prerequisites for any particular course must be satisfied. Therefore, students should still plan a full University High School schedule until University registration is complete. The liaison to the University will attempt to resolve any schedule conflicts. The Counseling Office has forms for students to complete regarding University of Chicago courses.

Registration materials and course schedules are available from the liaison. Students should select courses not available at University High School. Registration for these classes must be done with the permission of the appropriate University High School department chair. Careful planning is essential for students wanting college level courses because of differing class schedules. College courses may be taken for college credit, but they are neither included in high school grade point averages nor applied to high school graduation credit. A student may file an official copy of the University of Chicago transcript with the Lab Schools Registrar and the Learning and Counseling office. Some colleges will accept these courses for credit or give advanced course placement; consult individual colleges for details.

Grades and Grade Point Averages

Letter grades of A, B, C, D, and F (plus and minus are also given) are given for all courses listed in the Program of Studies.

Grades of "Incomplete" (I) are sometimes assigned to students who do not meet obligations for a class. These obligations must be resolved during the first four weeks of the following quarter, or within a time specified by the teacher. Failure to resolve the incomplete will result in a grade of F unless other arrangements have been made with the teacher.

Grade point averages are based on all of the student's courses taken at University High School (including any University High School summer school courses) in which letter grades are given. It is a 4.0 system, with neither honors points nor weighted grades. Beginning with the class of 2009, pluses and minuses will be factored into the grade point average.

Cumulative Grade Point Averages are computed at the end of the junior year, the end of fall quarter of the senior year, and the end of the senior year. Class rank is neither calculated nor presented to colleges.

Students who do not complete two full units in Physical Education during any quarter will receive an R (Registered) or an M (Medically Excused) and will be given a grade and credit upon completion of the missing unit(s).

Withdrawing From Classes

Students who withdraw from year-long classes prior to the end of the fifth week of fall quarter will have no notation of that class on the permanent record. Students who drop these classes at any other time during the academic year will be assigned either a mark of WP (Withdrawn Passing), WF (Withdrawn Failing) or WA (Withdrawn Attendance), and will receive no credit. Quarter-long courses dropped prior to the end of the fifth week of any quarter will similarly not be recorded. After this time a grade of either WP, WF, or WA will be recorded. Courses may not be dropped during the last two weeks of any quarter.

Standardized Testing Program

University High School administers a variety of standardized tests to students. Test results can provide an opportunity for students to learn more about their aptitudes and achievements. All results are available to students and parents through the student's counselor, but are not listed on a student's official transcript.

All sophomores and juniors are required to take the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT) in October. This test serves as a practice test for the SAT. In the junior year, it establishes eligibility for scholarships awarded through the National Merit Scholarship Corporation: the National Merit, Achievement and Hispanic Scholarship programs. During November, sophomores take the PLAN test, which is a practice test for the American College Test (ACT). It is designed for and compared to sophomores exclusively.

The SAT, SAT Subject and ACT examinations are offered throughout the year at sites across the United States. The exams are not given at University High School, but are often given on the University of Chicago campus, as well as at other sites around the city. Typically, juniors take the tests in the spring and may repeat them as seniors in the fall. Students should register on-line at www.collegeboard.org and www.act.org, although paper forms are available in the U-High Counseling office.

If your child has a documented disability and a psycho-educational evaluation completed within the last three years, you may choose to apply for accommodations for standardized testing (College Board SAT/ACT). Contact the High School's learning consultant to apply for testing accommodation. Please note that the testing agencies, not the Laboratory Schools, make the final decision regarding accommodations. Approval may take up to seven weeks.

Advanced Placement Courses And Examinations

Several Advanced Placement (AP) classes are taught in the high school and provide in-depth study in a number of subjects. AP examinations are administered at University High School during the month of May. These tests are national exams offered by the College Board. Some courses for which AP examinations are available are not offered at University High School. However, this does not prohibit students from registering for and taking AP exams of their choice. Students should check with the counselors for the full range of AP examination opportunities.

The examinations are scored on a scale of one to five, with five being the highest score. Upon entering college, many students who performed well on the Advanced Placement exams receive college credit or advanced placement in their college course work. Each college determines its own Advanced Placement policy and will specify the score on each exam necessary for credit or advanced standing. Generally, a score of at least 3 is required, but standards vary by both school and subject.

At highly selective colleges and universities, admissions personnel will consider the rigor of an applicant's high school program. It is a very important factor in evaluating candidates for admission. Advanced Placement course work is, therefore, desirable for students planning to apply to these institutions. University High School students who register for an Advanced Placement class are strongly encouraged to take the Advanced Placement examination in May. However, this is not a requirement.

A specific Advanced Placement class is not always appropriate for every student. Students should always consult with their teachers, advisors, and counselors as they make decisions regarding Advanced Placement classes. Each student should consider his or her likelihood of success in an accelerated, college-level curriculum. This judgment should be based upon previous preparation in an academic area, interest, ability, and overall class and extracurricular load. Students interested in an AP class should determine their eligibility by checking the departmental prerequisites. Students who fail to meet these stated prerequisites after spring registration will be withdrawn from the class.

Accommodations For Students With Learning Differences

The Laboratory Schools do not have a comprehensive program oriented solely toward educating students with learning differences but we strive to be supportive of the academic and personal needs of each student. We are committed to helping those with special learning needs become full participants in the life of the school. The Laboratory Schools accomodate students with approved documented disabilities. The procedure is as follows:

1. All requests for special academic accommodations must be based upon a current educational and psychological evaluation completed by a licensed/certified examiner. Requests should be submitted as soon as possible after notice of admission to the Schools is received.
2. Requests for accommodations, including any supporting materials, should be submitted to the learning consultant of the High School.
3. All requests and evaluations are reviewed by the U-High learning team (the principal, learning consultant and the appropriate counselor) and an outside consultant. The learning team and principal will determine any appropriate and reasonable strategies and accommodations.
4. Recommended strategies and accommodations will be discussed with the student (as appropriate) and his/her parents as well as with any faculty and staff involved.

May Project

A long-established tradition at U-High, May Project enables seniors to research, develop, and carry out a significant project outside the classroom during the month of May. It is designed to be a "capstone" experience that calls on the skills and maturity seniors have developed during their time at the Laboratory Schools. In many ways, May Project is also a bridge between the worlds of high school and college.

Seniors who want to participate in May Project must go through a rigorous process involving idea development, preliminary research, finding a sponsor and/or advisor, and writing a detailed proposal. A Reader's Committee composed of Lab Schools faculty and administrators reads and evaluates the proposals, providing feedback and final approval. Once a senior's project is approved, he or she uses the month of May for the project, free from the need to attend class (with certain exceptions for AP courses and credit requirements). At the end of the month, seniors do a presentation in a Lab Schools classroom and set up an exhibit for the entire school to demonstrate what they have learned. If a senior is doing a May Project, its successful completion is required for graduation.

A May Project can take one of several forms:

1. Asking and answering a significant question
2. Forming and testing a hypothesis
3. Creating a significant work or works of cultural expression
4. Preparing and performing a musical or dramatic piece
5. Investigating/interning in a possible career field
6. A combination of any of the above
7. Other

Over the years U-High seniors have created May Projects such as: working for political campaigns, documenting a Chicago neighborhood through photographs, researching and writing ethnic cookbooks, shadowing surgeons, and interning at law firms and newspapers. During May, they meet with their faculty advisors at least once a week and keep journals of their experience. Whatever the project, our concern is as much with the process as the product: "Success" is determined by whether seniors have fully immersed themselves in the project and learned from the experience. Often, seniors whose projects have not turned out as they expected have learned more than they might have otherwise. The process, in a sense, is the product.

Seniors may also devise May Service Projects. They research community-based organizations (including Habitat for Humanity) and work with them for the month. The Community Learning Coordinator helps seniors develop May Service Projects.

Advisory: Freshmen and Sophomores

The Academic Advisory system is designed to support each student's academic and personal well-being at University High School. Ninth and tenth graders meet in Advisory twice weekly. These meetings bring together a small group of students and one teacher in an informal setting. The system is based on the premise that students benefit from an additional committed adult advocate, links to resources within the school, and a supportive peer group. Advisory also provides a forum for students to pursue developmentally appropriate topics and questions that are not part of the regular curriculum. The school's counselors often facilitate these discussions. The advisor is a teacher, not a counselor, but works closely with the Learning and Counseling Department. During the freshman year, Advisory focuses on making a smooth transition to the high school and provides supervised quiet study. For sophomores, Advisory continues support from both the advisor and the group, helps coordinate the Community Service Program, and participates in the Peer Leader Program. In both grades, the advisor is responsible for monitoring the scholastic progress and assisting in the registration choices of his/her advisees. To ensure continuity, the four ninth grade advisors stay with their groups through tenth grade.

College Planning and Counseling Seminars: Juniors and Seniors

Juniors and seniors are assigned one period per week for college planning workshops. Counselors may also distribute important information about Open House, the PSAT, retreats, May Project or course registration as needed.

JUNIOR PROGRAM: The junior program during the Fall Quarter includes topic-centered workshops with the class counselors in a small group setting. At times the school's Student Assistance Coordinator may lead these groups. Students cover these issues with the counselors: decision-making, career education, stress management and understanding depression. During the Winter and Spring quarters, the college counselors meet with juniors in small groups to lead them through general information and appropriate steps in the college search and preparation process. These sessions supplement the individual and family college planning meetings scheduled during junior and senior years.

SENIOR PROGRAM: Seniors meet as a class with the college counselors once weekly during Fall Quarter. They address the general tasks, deadlines, and responsibilities involved in the college application process, high-school-to-college transition issues, and other senior class concerns. The May Project coordinator, the dean of students, or class officers may also use this assigned time for class business. There are occasional meetings of the class called during Winter and Spring Quarters to inform seniors about ongoing May Project procedures and deadlines or graduation and matriculation planning.

While there is no formal classroom-based or small group counseling program for freshman and sophomores, counselors often work within the Advisory Program to address relevant topics or help interpret standardized testing. Sophomores do have weekly meetings with Peer Leaders as part of the Service Learning and Counseling Department. Students and their families are always welcome to call or make an appointment to meet with either the Class Counselors or the College Counselors to address any questions or concerns. They may be reached at 773-702-9445.

Independent Study Policy

In keeping with the Mission Statement for the Laboratory School and in recognition of the diverse needs of our students, the High School of the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools has adopted the following guidelines for Independent Study by our students.

1. Every Independent Study requires a voluntary teacher sponsor.
2. A written proposal describing the project with specific details about the work to be completed must be submitted to the sponsoring teacher at least two weeks before the start of the quarter during which the work is to be done. There must be a final assessment and/or presentation that can be viewed by other members of the appropriate department.
3. A teacher may supervise at most two Independent Study projects, though one project may involve more than one student.
4. Every proposal requires department approval prior to the start of the project.
5. Independent Study serves to supplement regular course offerings. Proposals must center on topics beyond the scope of these courses.
6. In those departments awarding credit, Independent Study will receive 1/3 elective credit for each quarter successfully completed. It cannot be used to fulfill a graduation requirement other than an elective credit.
7. A copy of the approved written proposal must be presented to the cooperating teacher and the high school administration.
8. An Independent Study form must be completed and given to the student's class counselor.

Attendance Policy

The following attendance policy has been adopted for University High School:

• Any student who is absent from 20% of his/her classes in any quarter is dropped from the class and receives a WA (withdrawal attendance). The reason for the absence does not matter; absence is determinative.
• Exceptions to the above (extended illness or family tragedy, for example) can be administered by the Dean of Students or the Principal.
• A tardy is being less than ten minutes late to any class. Three tardies equal a cut.
• A cut is defined as being more than ten minutes late to any class, being unexcused from a class, or an unexcused absence from school for the entire day.
• It is the parent's obligation to notify the school in advance of an excused absence. At the very latest, this notification must take place by 8:00 am on the day of a projected absence in order to excuse a student from school. Notification after the fact does not excuse that absence.
• Three cuts in any course in any quarter result in a WA; the fourth cut of the year in a year-long course results in a WA; in Physical Education, which teaches in six-week units, the second cut of a unit results in a WA.
• The Dean of Students or the Principal can recommend exemptions to the Curriculum Committee, whose decision is final in these matters.

Rowley Library

The library is central to the High School program. It offers a rich supply of resources, both in support of the curriculum and for the personal growth and enrichment of each individual student. The collection includes approximately 50,000 volumes of books and 100 periodical titles in open access; a strong reference collection and valuable resources such as a growing multimedia collection. The collection is continually updated to support the curriculum, and to respond to students' and teachers' requests.

Students have access to the Internet as well as to online resources of the University of Chicago. They can also search our own on-line catalog and various electronic databases, all of which can be accessed from home at library.ucls.uchicago.edu/rowleyhome.html

Rowley library is open on weekdays at 7:30 am until 3:00 pm on Tuesdays and Fridays, and until 4:00 pm the rest of the week. The library encourages teachers to bring in classes for library orientations and instruction in the use of various research materials and in online searching. Seven desktop and thirty laptop computers are available for library research and instruction.

Librarians are available at all times to help and instruct students individually or in groups, with research and recreational reading and to work with teachers to ensure the availability of all necessary resources.

High school students also have access to, and full privileges at, the University of Chicago libraries starting in 10th grade, or with special permission. For material not available in Rowley Library, students are encouraged and assisted by school librarians in using public libraries, special libraries, and museum collections in the city.

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