Course Catalog

No other school offers as many exciting and unique educational opportunities as Norwich Free Academy. Our curriculum offers you many options that enable you to direct your academic learning toward areas of concentration while exploring diverse areas of study and interest. We offer more than 230 courses, including many advanced placement courses and college credit courses. We offer more than 40 visual and performing arts classes and six world languages. Opportunities await!

Our programs and courses are designed to provide you with the resources and skills to be successful after high school and on whatever path you choose. Take the time needed to review our course offerings. Discuss options with your family and your teachers. Use this resource as a tool to select courses that provide you with the opportunities to succeed – both at the Academy and beyond.

Course Catalog

Important Information

Graduation Requirements

Humanities	(9) Total Credits
English	4
Social Studies Must include 1 US History and .5 in Civics	3
Additional Humanities Courses	2

STEM Science, Technology, Engineering, Math	(9) Total Credits
Math	3
Science	3
Additional STEM Courses	3

Other Areas	(7) Total Credits
World Language	1
Wellness Must include: (1) Physical Education (1) Health and Safety	2
Additional Courses	3
Mastery Based Diploma Assessment*	1

TOTAL

Credits Required

"*The Mastery Based Diploma Credit is described by the CT State Department of Education as (1) credit “toward meeting the high school graduation requirements upon the successful demonstration of mastery of the subject matter content described in this section achieved through educational experiences and opportunities that provide flexible and multiple pathways to learning, including cross-curricular graduation requirements, career and technical education, virtual learning, work-based learning, service learning, dual enrollment and early college, course taken in middle school, internships and student-designed independent studies, provided such demonstration of mastery is in accordance with such state-wide subject matter content standards.”

Grading & Credit

Norwich Free Academy’s Grade Scale is as follows:

A = Superior Achievement

B = Above-Average Achievement

C = Average Achievement

D = Below-Average Achievement

F = Failure (no credit)

I = Incomplete (student will be allowed
to make up work for credit)

W = Withdrawn from Class

S = Satisfactory

U = Unsatisfactory

P = Pass

Minus (-) and plus (+) symbols are used to distinguish quality; however, there are no A+, F+ or F- grades. Full year courses are granted credit at the end of the school year and half year courses are granted credit at the end of the semester.

Classroom teachers are in the best position to assess a student’s progress and achievement. The teacher-student relationship makes possible an accurate appraisal of a student’s progress. Teacher assessment may be based upon student achievement, effort, classroom participation, satisfaction of course requirements, and attendance. Teachers distribute a grading policy at the beginning of each course and post it on their class group space accessible to students at MyNFA>Students. A semester grade of D- or better is required to earn course credit.

No credit will be granted for a repeated course if credit was previously earned unless otherwise stated in the course description.

Students with excessive absences or class cuts do not earn course credit.

To participate in NFA’s graduation, in their senior year, students must earn a minimum of four credits, for the school year, and carry a minimum of five classes each semester.

Grading System

Grades on transcripts and report cards are by letter, based upon a 4.0 GPA (Grade-point average) system

A = 4.0000 B- = 2.6667 D+ = 1.3333

A- = 3.6667 C+ = 2.3333 D = 1.0000

B+ = 3.3333 C = 2.0000 D- = 0.6667

B = 3.0000 C- = 1.6667 F = 0.0000

Advanced Placement and Dual Enrollment courses increase GPA by a weighted multiplier of a 1.2 and Honors courses increase GPA by a weighted multiplier of a 1.1.

Honor Roll

Honor roll designations are based upon marking period GPA as follows:

Honors 3.33 – 3.49 GPA
High honors 3.50-3.65 GPA
Highest honors 3.66 GPA and above

To be eligible for the honor roll, students must carry a minimum of five credits and have no grade lower than a C-. The marking period GPA calculation considers all courses taken for credit that receive a letter grade.

Please note: marking period GPA and cumulative GPA differ in how the potential credit of a course is considered in the calculation. Marking period GPA considers potential credit of each course as equal, while cumulative GPA considers the actual potential credit of each course in the calculation.

Diplomas

Norwich Free Academy awards a Standard Diploma and three Honors Diplomas based upon total earned credits and cumulative grade-point average (GPA), grades 9 through 12.

Standard Diploma

Below 3.3332 GPA

Honors

(Cum Laude) Diploma - 3.3333 – 3.4999 GPA

High Honors
(Magna Cum Laude) Diploma - 3.5000 – 3.6665 GPA

Highest Honors
(Summa Cum Laude) Diploma - 3.6666 & higher GPA

Yearly Credits Earned

To be on track to graduate, students should earn the following credits each year. Students who fail a course should discuss opportunities for credit recovery with their school counselor as soon as possible.

Recommended Minimum Credits Earned

9th to 10th Grade (Lower) 6.5 credits

10th to 11th Grade (Upper) 13 credits

11th to 12th Grade (Senior) 19 credits

Regardless of credit status, all 12th-grade students are required to take five credits.

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Course Catalog

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