GRADING SYSTEM & ACADEMIC RECOGNITION

Grade Scale

Letter Grade Definition
A=Excellent
B=Good
C=Average
D=Poor
F=Failure
I=Incomplete
P=Pass (Credits issued but no points earned)
WF=Withdraw Fail
AU=Audit (Course retaken to improve skills but no credits or points figured into GPA. Grade will show on transcript.)

GPA and class rank for graduating seniors will be based on the classes completed by the last day of that school year.

Academic Weighted Courses The following classes have been determined to be significantly more difficult than the traditional high school courses. Because of the challenging nature of these classes, students may not earn as high a semester grade as normal. To encourage students to challenge themselves, these courses will receive an extra point in figuring the GPA and class rank.


Fine Arts

  • AP Music Theory and Composition

 

Language Arts

  • AP English Language and Composition

  • AP English Literature and Composition

  • W131 Elementary Composition (IU ACP)

  • L202 Literary Interpretation (IU ACP)

  • COMM 101 Fundamentals of Public Speaking (Ivy Tech)

 

Mathematics

  • AP Calculus AB

  • AP Calculus BC

  • M211 Calculus I (IU ACP)

  • M212 Calculus II (IU ACP)

  • M118 Finite Mathematics (IU ACP)

 

Science

  • AP Biology

  • AP Environmental Science

  • AP Physics 1

  • C105/125 & C106/126 Chemistry I & II (IU ACP)

 

Social Studies

  • AP United States History

  • AP World History

  • AP Macroeconomics

  • AP European History

  • AP U.S. Government

  • H105 & H106 American History I & II (IU ACP)

  • SOCI 111 Introduction to Sociology (Ivy Tech)

  • PSYC 101 Introduction to Psychology (Ivy Tech)

 

World Language

  • AP French Language

  • AP Japanese Language

  • AP Latin - Vergil

  • AP Spanish Language

  • FREN 201 & 202 (Ivy Tech)

 

Business

  • AP Computer Science A

  • AP Computer Science Principles


Semester Grades
Each 9 weeks grade is counted as 40% of the semester grade. The semester exam will be counted as 20% of the semester grade.

All grades transferred to Shelbyville High School will be recorded on the regular grading scale.

Classes taken in summer school prior to entering the 9th grade will be recorded on the regular grading scale.

Transfer Grades
All grades transferred to Shelbyville High School will be recorded on the regular index grading scale. High school classes taken in summer school for high school credit prior to entering the 9th grade will be recorded on the regular index grading scale. The credit will be added to the first semester grades in figuring GPA and class rank.

Compensation For Seven Classes
One point is added to the total grade points for a seventh class each semester before the Grade Point Average is computed. This will compensate students who wish to take a class in lieu of a study hall. The class must be taken at SHS during the semester that it is to be counted.

Home School and Non-Public School Credits
Shelbyville Central School has established a policy regarding the accepting of credits from home school and other nonpublic school programs. A summary of the policy is listed here.

For credits to be accepted for courses taken in a nonpublic school, there must be verification that:

  • the course was taught by a certified teacher, and/or the student passes the comprehensive final exam given to all other Shelbyville students;

  • the course met the time requirements established by the State of Indiana;

  • course content is comparable to Corporation-established courses of study.

Recognition of credits from a nonpublic/home school shall be granted when the above stated criteria are met and upon satisfactory completion of any achievement tests given by the administration. Although credits from nonpublic school/home schools may be granted and placed on a student's transcript, no grades will be entered on the transcript or considered for class ranking. Only grades awarded for courses taken at the Corporation or from a school accredited by the Indiana Department of Education or such departments in other states shall be considered in class ranking and for entering on the transcript. 

SCHOLARSHIPS AND AWARDS
Many awards and scholarships are offered by school and community organizations on an annual basis. Students are encouraged to make themselves aware of these awards and scholarships by consulting with their counselors and reviewing the scholarship list on the school website.

HONOR ROLL
At the end of each nine weeks grading period and at the end of each semester, students who meet the following requirements are placed on one of the following Honor Rolls:
1. Superior Honor Roll = No grade lower than an A- for the grading period
2. Honor Roll = No grade lower than a B- for the grading period A grade of B or C in a weighted course is equivalent to an A or B in determining the honor roll.

TOP TEN AWARDS
Academic plaques will be presented annually to the ten highest academically ranked students in each of the four classes.

DEPARTMENTAL AWARDS
Each curricular department of the high school will annually award a trophy to the outstanding student in that department.

ACADEMIC LETTER FOR ACADEMIC TEAM MEMBERS
An academic letter will be granted to an Academic Team member who, by the end of the sophomore year (fourth semester), has participated in at least two different squads each year, or, by the end of the junior and/or senior year, has participated in at least one squad each year of high school. If an Academic Team member has received an academic “S” for another reason, a second letter will not be issued. A bar will be granted instead.

ACADEMIC LETTER S
An Academic Letter S will be awarded to those students who earn all A’s for the first semester and all A’s (no B’s) for the first grading period of the second semester. A grade of a B in an AP course is the equivalent of an A on the school’s grading scale. Members of the Academic Team and members of the National Honor Society will also receive this award. The letter S will be presented to the student the first time he/she achieves this honor. The student will receive additional academic pins if he/she achieves a second or third honor.

VALEDICTORY AWARD
The Valedictory Award is presented annually to the senior having the highest four-year grade point average (calculated to the third decimal place) after eight semesters. Shelbyville High School will award multiple Valedictory Awards should more than one student achieve the same grade point average when calculated to the third decimal place. The recognition consists of a scholarship medal and the honor of the recipient’s name being engraved on a plaque, which hangs on a wall near the main entrance of Shelbyville High School.

SALUTATORY AWARD
The Salutatory Award is presented annually to the senior having the second highest four-year grade point average (calculated to the third decimal place) after eight semesters. Shelbyville High School will award multiple Salutatory Awards should more than one student achieve the same grade point average when calculated to the third decimal place. The recognition consists of a scholarship medal and the honor of the recipient’s name being engraved on a plaque, which hangs on a wall near the main entrance of Shelbyville High School.

NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY

The National Honor Society is a highly respected national organization that was established in 1921 and chartered in Shelbyville High School in 1926. Mrs. Arielle Nance is the current adviser. The charter for each NHS chapter requires the members meet certain criteria in the areas of scholarship, leadership, character, and service. Candidates for the National Honor Society will be selected by the following procedure:

  1. The selection process will begin in late spring. Sophomores, and juniors with a 3.5 cumulative GPA (based on 4 semesters and 6 semesters respectively), and who have been students at Shelbyville High School for a minimum of one (1) year will be notified of their academic eligibility.

  2. Each of the eligible candidates will receive a Student Activity Information Form once grades have been confirmed after the spring semester. The candidate will list her/his high school activities and offices held to date to include the summer prior to his/her freshman year. School and community service will also be listed (community service and/or activity will be verified by an adult connected with that activity via a signature and contact phone number). This activity form is vital because the candidate’s service and leadership will be determined by the information listed. Part of the selection process will include returning the form by the deadline listed. Since this will be listed as part of the instructions, it will fulfill the character trait of responsibility. Candidates should understand that these surveys are not applications for membership, and that review of information gathered does not guarantee selection.

  3. Each faculty member will receive a confidential list of all students who are academically eligible. They will be requested to inform the faculty adviser of anyone who they feel does not meet any of the four criteria necessary for becoming a member of the NHS. The faculty member must submit her/her objection to any candidate in writing, and the conduct or behavior which is the basis of this objection must have been documented either by a formal (Student Discipline Form) or informal means (documented grade deduction, detention, telephone call to parents, etc.). If the faculty member cannot demonstrate that she/he has documented the improper behavior or conduct in some manner, the objection will not be considered.

  4. The NHS faculty council will meet in order to evaluate the candidates’ activity forms and any letters submitted by faculty members. Only students who have met all four criteria of scholarship, leadership, character, and service will be selected. Candidates receiving a majority vote of the faculty council will be inducted into the chapter.

  5. All candidates will receive a letter either a) informing them of their selection to the Shelbyville High School National Honor Society or b) informing them of their non-selection at this time. Sophomores not selected will receive suggestions and advice explaining what they may do to be considered next year.

  6. The Induction Ceremony will be conducted the second Wednesday of October unless otherwise posted.

For more information on NHS click here to go to their webpage.