Introduction to Ashworth High School

Transcription

1 Introduction to Ashworth High School E d u c a t i n g M i n d s. C h a n g i n g L i v e s.

2 Copyright 2009 by ASHWORTH HIGH SCHOOL Professional Career Development Institute, LLC. 430 Technology Parkway Norcross, Georgia Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Accredited by the Commission on International and Trans-Regional Accreditation. Accredited by the Accrediting Commission of the Distance Education and Training Council. au.1 IMPORTANT NOTICE Policies and procedures described herein are subject to change without notice.

3 CONTACTING ASHWORTH HIGH SCHOOL ONLINE Education Services Student Advisor Technical Support Teacher MAIL Norcross, GA Given in course Ashworth High School P.O. Box FAX PHONE BUSINESS HOURS Monday-Friday 9a.m. to 10p.m. EST Remember to provide your student number with all communications.

4 TABLE OF CONTENTS WHY AN EDUCATION IS WORTH THE EFFORT... 1 ABOUT ASHWORTH HIGH SCHOOL ONLINE... 2 ADMISSIONS... 4 JOINT ENROLLMENT... 5 DIPLOMA PROGRAMS... 6 GETTING STARTED TRANSCRIPTS INTERNATIONAL STUDENT GUIDELINES EXAMS AND GRADING COURSE ACCESS TUITION PAYMENTS AHS, THE MILITARY, AND OTHER AGENCIES GRADUATION RELEASE OF STUDENT RECORDS COLLEGE ADMISSIONS STUDENT REMOVAL CANCELLATION POLICIES COURSES AND PACE CHARTS FORMS... 34

5 ASWORTH HIGH SCHOOL WHY EDUCATION IS WORTH THE EFFORT What made you decide to earn a diploma at this moment in your life? Each person has his or her own personal reason. Whatever your reason, you know that education is important and worth the time and effort required to earn a diploma. In this information and technology-dominated society, education is a ticket to getting ahead, at least for most people. You ve set your mind on gaining the knowledge you ll need to succeed. Congratulations! You ve taken the first step on the road to achieving your personal and professional goals. The next step is to make sure that you continue to move steadily toward your goal a high school diploma. Certainly you ve heard and maybe even said yourself What s a diploma, anyway? It s just a piece of paper. Although that s true, a diploma is also an important symbol. It represents the tremendous effort you put into your achievement. It s a source of self-esteem and confidence that graduates use to succeed in a highly competitive world. Just a piece of paper? Hardly! A high school degree is a symbol of the tremendous effort you put into your studies and the confidence you earned to prepare for success in a highly competitive world Therefore, let Ashworth High School Online help you reach this extremely important goal of earning a high school diploma. To support your learning, we have prepared this handbook. It answers many of the questions that will arise about your Ashworth High School Online program. Get to know it well, and after you have read it completely, let us know if you have any questions! 1

6 ABOUT ASHWORTH HIGH SCHOOL ONLINE MISSION STATEMENT Ashworth High School Online (AHS) provides a nationally and regionally accredited education to distance learners that uses proven Web and computer technologies to deliver an exciting, academically challenging curriculum online, preparing graduates for post-secondary education and careers of the future. Our mission is to offer comprehensive, superior quality courses that are enriched with the boundless visual, aural and interactive capabilities of the Internet. Unhindered by classroom walls, students are encouraged to enhance their knowledge and approach learning as a positive, lifelong activity. The flexibility of self-paced study motivates students to develop self-discipline and responsibility. Guided one-on-one by our caring, expert faculty, students of Ashworth High School Online are given the freedom to achieve their true scholastic potential. HISTORY AND ACCREDITATION STATUS In 1996, James Madison High School, now known as ASHWORTH HIGH SCHOOL, was established to aid those who need a flexible approach to a high school education. AHS provides correspondence courses needed for students to complete from one to four years of high school course work leading to a high school diploma. Students from all over the world are enrolled in the AHS program. In 2004, the staff of AHS began the development of a new online program, launched in Ashworth High School Online provides a college-preparatory diploma program, general diploma program, and single courses from both programs for high school students in a virtual setting. Ashworth High School Online is accredited by: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) Commission on International and Trans-Regional Accreditation (CITA) Distance Education and Training Council (DETC) 2

7 Ashworth College, the parent company, offers more than 45 certificate programs, the Ashworth High School program, the Ashworth High School Online program, and Associate, Bachelors and Masters Degree programs. COURSE ACCESS You can access your course(s) by going to this URL: This webpage has many options. Be sure to click onto each one to see the features that are available. You will be able to do many things without having to call for assistance. We hope that you will use these features for a faster response to your needs. If you encounter any problems, please contact techsupport@ashworthcollege.edu for assistance. 3

8 ADMISSIONS Enrollment Age International Students Special Education Students Basic high school skills in reading, writing, and understanding English Must be at least 14 years of age.* Students who have graduated from a school outside the United states must take a minimum of eight classes, or a two year program, in order to graduate Ashworth High School does not accept students who have previously taken special education courses for a learning disability. No entrance or exit exam Students under the age of 18 must provide verification of passing the 8 th grade and/or promotion to 9 th grade Must be able to read, write, and understand English If a student was placed in special education for nonacademic reasons (i.e. health, behavioral issues), appropriate documentation (i.e. IEP, examination results) MUST be mailed directly from the previous school to AUHS. *In addition to the minimum age requirement, it is a parent and/or guardian s responsibility to comply with the compulsory school attendance laws of the state in which they reside. Each state has its own rules and regulations for applying credit earned by correspondence to a resident school 4

9 diploma. If a student should decide to return to a resident school after having completed work at ASHWORTH HIGH SCHOOL, AHS will upon request send a transcript of the student s work and information concerning its program to the resident school. JOINT ENROLLMENT HIGH SCHOOL If a student is enrolled in another high school, he or she may take single courses concurrently from AHS. Students usually do this for getting ahead in their classes, credit recovery from a failed class, summer school courses, and other reasons. It is the policy of Ashworth High School not to allow students to be enrolled in another high school while still enrolled in the AHS diploma program. A student who is still enrolled in a public or private high school must first withdraw from that school if he or she plans to continue studying with AHS. If a student wishes to enroll in a local high school, the AHS diploma account must be cancelled and all obligations must be fulfilled before AHS will release a transcript. If a student decides to cancel his or her enrollment in the AHS diploma program to continue studying in another high school program, he or she should call to cancel. Please Note: ASHWORTH HIGH SCHOOL students are allowed to attend their local high school for drivers education, music, or art. However, AHS will not be able to grant credit for these courses. If a student would like to show a college that these courses have been taken, he or she should mail separate documentation of the courses, as well as an AHS transcript to the admissions department. COLLEGE There are some circumstances when students may need to take a course that AHS does not offer. Depending on the situation, we may grant a student permission to take courses at a college or university while still enrolled with AHS. Usually students take advantage of this opportunity when they need an advanced level course, such as Advanced Physics or Calculus, to gain admittance to a particular post-secondary educational institution. Students who feel that they may need to enroll at a local college while still maintaining their status with AHS should contact the AHS Student Advisor. These students will need to get the joint enrollment documents from the college registrar in order to qualify. 5

10 DIPLOMA PROGRAMS COLLEGE PREPARATORY PROGRAM The College Prep Diploma Program, 22 credits, is for students planning to continue their education at a postsecondary institution. The courses offer more challenges, demand more of the high school student, and have written assignments, research projects, and more problem solving assignments than a non-college prep program. 22 credits must be earned by taking or having previous credit for the 24 courses required by AHS. Every student will be required to take a minimum of 6 courses. Each student is allowed 12 months from the start of a course to finish. In extenuating circumstances, a student may apply for a three-month extension beyond the 12 months to complete a course. Approval is at the discretion of the Principal of Ashworth High School Online. A fee is charged for the extension. A minimum of six courses, or the one-year program, is required of all students to graduate from Ashworth High School Online. The minimum completion time for receiving an Ashworth High School Online diploma is six months, regardless of transfer credit or how soon the student completes his or her work. 6

11 AHS COLLEGE PREPARATORY CURRICULUM Code Credit AUV01 Introduction to Online Learning 1 SSV09 World History 1 SCV09 Biology 1 ENV09 Survey of Literature 1 BUV01 Introduction to Computers and Applications 1 MAV09 Algebra I 1 HEV09 Health and Life Management 1 ENV10 World Literature 1 SCV10 Marine Science 1 MAV10 Geometry 1 LAV11 Spanish I 1 ENV11 American Literature 1 SSV11 American History 1 LAV12 Spanish II 1 SCV11 Chemistry 1 MAV11 Algebra II 1 BUV11 Business Systems Technology 1 ENV12 British Literature 1 MAV12 Pre-Calculus 1 SCV12 Physics 1 SSV12 American Government.5 SSV13 Economics.5 ENV13 Journalism 1 TOTAL CREDITS 22 7

12 GENERAL DIPLOMA PROGRAM The General Diploma Program is 16 credits. The courses are not as rigorous as in the college preparatory program. 16 credits must be earned by taking or having previous credit for the 16 courses required by AHS. Every student will be required to take a minimum of 4 courses. The program can be completed in less than four years if a steady work pace is set. A pace of one to two units per week is good. Each student is allowed 12 months from the start of a course to finish. In extenuating circumstances, a student may apply for a three-month extension beyond the 12 months to complete a course. Approval is at the discretion of the Academic Principal of Ashworth High School Online. A fee is charged for the extension. A minimum of four courses, or the one-year program, is required of all students to graduate from Ashworth High School Online. The minimum completion time for receiving an Ashworth High School Online diploma is six months, regardless of transfer credit or how soon the student completes his or her work. See table on the next page. 8

13 AHS GENERAL DIPLOMA CURRICULUM Code Credit AUV01 Introduction to Online Learning 1 SSG01 World History 1 BUG01 Introduction to Computers 1 ENG01 Introduction to Composition 1 HEG01 Health, Fitness, and Nutrition 1 SCG01 Physical Science 1 MAG01 Explorations in Mathematics 1 SSG02 United States History 1 ENG02 Everyday Language and Literature 1 SCG02 Basics of Biology 1 MAG02 Consumer Math 1 SSG03 American Government and Economics 1 ENG03 American Literature and Language 1 SCG03 Environmental Science 1 MAG03 Fundamentals of Algebra 1 ENG04 World Literature and Language 1 TOTAL CREDITS 16 9

14 GETTING STARTED WELCOME You will receive a Welcome soon after you enroll. As a student of AHS, you will then begin to receive communications by from the school. Many have instructions for processes you must follow. Please read each carefully. COMPLETING THE ADMISSION PROCESS One of the s will give instructions for completing your admission process. Please be sure that you follow these carefully. Complete your admission process with Ashworth High School Online by sending the necessary information to the appropriate persons. Forms can be downloaded from our website, You may not need to send every form. Please read carefully to determine what forms you need. Your program of study will not be set up and you will not have access to a second course until the forms are completed, your account is current, and we have all of your records. The forms are described below. They can be downloaded from PREVIOUS SCHOOL OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT REQUEST FORM You need to send this form to your previous school(s) immediately to request that an official transcript be sent to Ashworth High School Online. Completely fill it out, including your maiden name, if your name has changed since you graduated. Your previous school(s) may charge a fee for having your transcript sent to Ashworth High School Online. Please send any fees along with the Transcript Request Form directly to your previous school(s) and not to Ashworth High School Online. COMPUTER REQUIREMENTS For best performance we recommend the following minimum hardware and software specifications: Windows 98 or Higher Microsoft Office 2000, XP, MB RAM 20GB hard drive or larger 56.6 kps modem, or DSL, or cable modem Super VGA (800 x 600 or higher resolution) video adapter and monitor 10

15 Sound card with speakers CD ROM (CD-RW recommended for saving large files) Internet service provider (ISP) account A current anti-virus application (Norton Antivirus preferred) Microsoft Internet Explorer Version 5.0 or later (free download from Java 2 Runtime Environment (free download from Flash Player 6 (free download at Adobe Acrobat Reader (free download at The required office applications that each student and teacher will need are: Microsoft Office which includes Microsoft Word (Not WordPerfect), Microsoft PowerPoint and Microsoft Excel Adobe Acrobat Reader (free download at Java 2 Runtime Environment (free download from Flash Player 6 (free download at ASHWORTH HIGH SCHOOL ONLINE STUDENT HANDBOOK Please read this handbook very carefully. Keep it handy so that you can refer to it when you have questions. You are responsible for and will be held accountable for all rules and regulations. Please be sure you follow the rules. FIRST COURSE Every Ashworth High School Online student must successfully complete the first course, Introduction to Computer Applications for the College Preparatory program or Introduction to Online Learning for the General Program. No transfer credits will be allowed for these courses. You will have access to your course soon after your enrollment. ETIQUETTE There are basic rules and common courtesies that students and teachers should follow when sending . Please remember to review the student handbook on appropriate language. Any inappropriate behavior will be reviewed by the Principal. Listed below are examples of proper etiquette. Make sure the address you use to correspond with your teachers and your school is appropriate. If your address is inappropriate or offensive you may be asked to change it or use a different address. Do not type in all CAPS. This can be perceived as yelling or screaming. Do not leave the subject field blank. It is very important that the subject line states a brief description that is relevant to the . 11

16 Please do not forward chain letters to teachers or students. Do not use offensive or racist language. If you use offensive language you will be contacted and given a warning. If it continues, your continued enrollment will be at the discretion of the Principal. Do not overuse delivery or read receipts. Use correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Be concise and to the point. Do not overuse punctuation marks such as exclamation marks!!! Don t flame people by using abusive messages. Do not use abbreviations and emoticons. For example; BTW (by the way) and LOL (laugh out loud), and. Read the before you send it. Respond swiftly. Be polite. Be careful with formatting and use a font color and background color that is easy to read. If your teacher s rules vary from this, please follow his or her rules. CURRENT ACCOUNT You must be current with your payments. Your monthly tuition payment is still due, whether or not we have evaluated your transcript, and regardless of whether you have started your course. Please call Education Services at for questions regarding your account. If you do not have any records to send to Ashworth High School Online, please call for assistance. Under special circumstances, some students may be able to qualify for admission. If you have been homeschooled, see the section in this handbook regarding Transfer Credit for Homeschooled Students. 12

17 TRANSCRIPTS HINTS FOR LOCATING YOUR TRANSCRIPT(S) YOUR SCHOOL NO LONGER EXISTS If the school has been changed to another school, contact the new school and ask them where the records were transferred. If they do not know, or if the school no longer exists, contact the Board of Education in the county or state. Be sure to provide them with your name as it was when you were in school, your date of birth, the name of the school you attended, and the dates you attended. YOU DON T HAVE ANY HIGH SCHOOL CREDITS If you did not attend high school, contact your middle school for a copy of your records. If you only attended a few days of 9 th grade, have the school send this information with your middle school records. It is important for AHS to have your school records. Please include any education records such as GED, grade school, or testing information. If you are 18 years or older, completion of the 8 th grade is not mandatory. However, we do need to review your most recent educational records, regardless of the year. YOU HAVE AN INTERNATIONAL TRANSCRIPT Even though schools in other countries have different standards, we will still need a transcript from the one you attended in order to review the courses you took. If you have an international transcript, please see the section for international students in this handbook. YOU HAVE BEEN HOMESCHOOLED If you were homeschooled, please read the homeschool information in this handbook. You may also call for assistance. YOU OWE A FEE TO YOUR PREVIOUS SCHOOL You need to settle your account with your previous school so that they will send your official transcript. If we receive notice that you owe fees, we will send you a letter informing you of this. AHS respects the right of your previous school to collect any owed fees. AHS will not evaluate your transcript until notified by your previous school that your account is settled and/or your official records are received. If you tried these suggestions and were unsuccessful, please call for assistance. 13

18 AHS will make every effort to ensure that all students have conducted a thorough search for their transcript(s). Students will not be evaluated and will not continue to receive coursework until documentation of a previous schooling experience has been submitted. RETURN OF STUDENT TRANSCRIPT If you need a transcript for your own records, please request one from your previous school. AHS is unable to provide a copy of the transcript from the previous school. If you are sending unofficial records, please do not send the only existing copies to AHS. Make copies and keep the originals for your records. TRANSFER CREDIT FOR TRADITIONAL STUDENTS For you to be eligible for transfer credit, the Student Advisor at Ashworth High School Online must receive all official transcripts from other schools. An official transcript is one that comes directly from your former school(s) to the Student Advisor s office at Ashworth High School Online. If you cannot get an official transcript, send an unofficial transcript or records with an explanation of why an official transcript is unavailable. Also, have your previous school write a letter explaining why you cannot get an official transcript. These records may include report cards, withdrawal slips, GED scores, or career certificates, or the official school letter. This information may be sufficient for placement in the four year program. Your program at AHS is based on the number of transferable courses you completed at your previous school, not on your grade level. You must have received a passing grade in a course in order to transfer credit. The previous school must have awarded the credit and this must be clearly shown on the transcript. Students may receive transfer credit for courses that directly or closely correspond to those Ashworth High School Online requires for graduation. Combining half, or partial, credits for a full credit is at the discretion of the AHS Student Advisor. Nonacademic courses, such as physical education, fine arts, practical arts, vocational/career courses, etc. are not transferable. No credits will be awarded for GED certificates and programs. 14

19 No credits will be awarded for on-the-job training, including specialized training, certificates received, etc. No credits will be awarded for Job Corp programs. No credits will be awarded for classes taken at a college or university, unless they were taken for high school credit. If you failed an exit, or graduation, exam at your previous school, you will be required to take an appropriate course in that subject area at Ashworth High School Online. TRANSFER CREDIT FOR HOMESCHOOLED STUDENTS Many students who enroll in Ashworth High School Online were educated at home and therefore do not have a traditional transcript. AHS will admit homeschooled students who submit a complete portfolio of their work or proper documentation. A nonrefundable fee of $50 is charged for the evaluation of portfolios for homeschooled students. This fee will need to be paid before the portfolio will be evaluated. Keep in mind that the regulations on transfer credit for traditional students also apply to homeschool students. A complete homeschool portfolio will consist of the following: 1. A photocopy of the front cover of the textbook or software used for instruction. Please provide one for each course. 2. A photocopy of the table of contents, which will document the curriculum of each course. 3. Three representative samples of work per course. Please include a sample of work from the beginning, middle, and end of the course. This is a crucial element in the evaluation process. No credit will be given without work samples. Examples of appropriate work samples include written essays, research projects, laboratory reports, and exams. Please do not submit multiple-choice answers. 4. Payment of $50 for evaluation of the portfolio. 5. Please send all materials and the $50 payment to the attention of the AHS Student Advisor. Do not send originals; we will not be able to return portfolios. Please check twice to verify that the student s name and student number are clearly listed 15

20 on each page of the portfolio. Note: AHS reserves the right to deny credit for coursework if insufficient documentation is provided. In addition to the portfolio, we would like to look at the following documents: 1. Homeschool registration and/or attendance forms (usually filed with your local school board or state education agency). 2. Any documentation you may have from a certified tutor or teacher, including the credentials and/or certificate of the teacher or tutor. 3. Any current testing or evaluation results. If you have further questions pertaining to our admission and evaluation requirements, please send an to studentadvisor@ashworthcollege.edu or call MULTIPLE TRANSCRIPTS If you attended more than one school, we need all of your transcripts. This will enable us to give you a thorough evaluation of your credits. We need all of these before we can properly evaluate the courses you previously completed. Please have all transcripts sent in immediately AFTER EVALUATION After your transcript is evaluated, you will need to log into your account to view your program of study. PROGRAM OF STUDY Your program of study will include the course credits that were transferred to AHS and the list of courses you will need to complete in order to earn a diploma with AHS. Please read the section in this handbook about transfer credit very carefully. It describes what types of courses are transferable to Ashworth High School Online. You may also contact your Student Advisor for assistance. DISPUTE OF EVALUATION 16

21 If you believe that there is an error in the evaluation, please contact your Student Advisor. This must be done within 30 days of the evaluation. We will not be able to do evaluation disputes after 30 days. INTERNATIONAL STUDENT GUIDELINES REQUESTING TRANSCRIPTS Ashworth High School Online expects students to make every attempt to obtain transcripts or records from either the country they are currently residing in or the country in which their previous high school is located. Ministries of Education, similar to the United States Boards of Education, within a country should have the student records. Even during times of social or political turmoil, students have had success retrieving records. Please contact AHS if you are having difficulty obtaining your international transcript. ACCEPTABLE INTERNATIONAL RECORDS ATTESTED DOCUMENTS These are the equivalent of official transcripts in the United States. When transcripts are attested, they have been officially notarized by an education official. These are the preferred documents, so that the original will not be damaged or lost. OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS OR ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS These documents are usually a student s only copy, and, at times, the ONLY copy in existence. These usually arrive on special, delicate paper. If these documents need to be sent back to a student, we will honor this request. AHS will make a copy for the student s file and return the originals to the student. However, we prefer that you make a copy and keep the original. We will evaluate the photocopy. OFFICIALLY TRANSLATED DOCUMENTS It is not necessary for students to have their transcript translated into English. AHS has enough resources to conduct a proper evaluation of the transcript s contents. However, AHS will accept translated documents. INTERNATIONAL EVALUATION GUIDELINES The evaluation process for international transcripts is somewhat different from the evaluation process for transcripts from schools within the United States. Different countries often have different educational systems and require different courses for graduation than those required in the United States. For instance, English courses taken internationally are comparable to English as a Second Language courses taken in the United States. Even if a student has completed four English courses at another high school, at least two English courses will still be required at AHS. Also, students educated 17

22 internationally have probably not completed American History, American Literature, and American Government and Economics, and will need to with AHS. The evaluation process for international transcripts has been established to ensure that a student has earned all of the necessary credits for a United States High School Diploma. Students enrolled in AHS who have earned a diploma or certificate of secondary education will be required to complete 16.5 credits, or the 3-year program, for the College Prep program and a minimum of 8 courses, or the 2-year program, for the General program. Students who have earned a vocational or technical training diploma or certificate, however, will not be given any credit and will be required to complete the 4-year program, unless documentation of the specific courses completed is sent. Even if a list of specific courses completed is provided from the vocational or technical school, there is no assurance that a student will be awarded enough credits to be placed in the 3-year (College prep) or 2-year (General) program. Students who have earned an 11 th grade United States equivalency or less at an international secondary school will receive no credit in the College Prep program and will be required to complete all 22 courses, or the 4-year program, with AHS. General program students will be required to take a minimum of 12 courses, or the 3-year program. The evaluation guidelines for international students are meant to provide a basic understanding of the evaluation process for students who previously attended an international high school. Based on the information a student is able to provide, these guidelines may be adjusted so that AHS can be confident that a student will gain the academic skills necessary for the awarding of a United States High School Diploma. APOSTILLATION Apostillation consists of a notarized document, which is attached to your diploma, and serves the purpose of legalizing and authenticating a diploma. This document states that the attached degree document has been fully earned, approved, and granted. Also, the Apostille will be signed and sealed by the Secretary of State or embassy for the attachment of the Apostille. Students who have earned a high school diploma with AHS and wish to return to their native country either to work or to pursue a post secondary education may need to have their diploma Apostilled. Please contact your Student Advisor for more information concerning Apostillation. A fee of $50 is required for this service. 18