Darlington School: Private Boarding School in Georgia Upper School Curriculum Guide 2018-2019
Darlington School: Private Boarding School in Rome, GA
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Upper School Curriculum Guide 2018-2019

Graduation and Honors Requirements

Graduation Requirements Overview

Darlington has one graduation certificate, the diploma, which carries with it the school’s recommendation to college. The program of study leading to graduation requires a minimum of 23 units taken while in the high school. Students entering the Upper School in ninth grade must take six classes grades 9 through 11 and five classes in grade 12.

Students entering after ninth grade will be required to take the same number of courses per year, but the minimum requirement for graduation will be adjusted according to year of entry.

Requirements by department are below:

Department

 Requirements

English

 4 units

Mathematics

 4 units

History

 3 units

World Languages

 3 units

Science

 3 units*

Fine Arts

 1 unit

Information Technology

 optional

Physical Education

1 unit

 

*Students applying to more competitive schools are strongly encouraged to take a fourth year of world languages and science. All students applying to the University System of Georgia will be required to have four units of science for admission.

The minimum mark credited toward graduation is 70 percent. In order to be eligible to graduate, seniors must pass all courses for the year. Darlington does not participate in early graduation programs. All Darlington students must complete four years (ninth through twelfth grade) of formal high school education. Seniors must be in residence for the senior year and must take part in the graduation ceremony to receive a Darlington diploma.
Seniors MUST pass the second semester in each class to pass for the year and be eligible to graduate.

Community Service Graduation Requirements

All students are required to complete 15 hours of community service each year. Students may meet this requirement by participating in school-sponsored servant leadership opportunities after school and on weekends. Students may also accumulate hours of service through non-school-related opportunities as long as they provide documentation from the organization served. Questions about servant leadership and documentation for hours served may be emailed to Kim Bell, Community Service Coordinator.

Graduation Requirements by Department

English Requirements: Students are required to take four English courses in high school. Seniors are given the option of several offerings of English 4. See Course Offerings for details.

Math Requirements: Students are required to take four mathematics courses in high school. The required units include Algebra 1, Algebra 2, Geometry, and another course beyond Geometry. If the Algebra 1 requirement is met in middle school, then two courses beyond Geometry are required. Students without a course beyond Algebra 2 will not be eligible to receive the HOPE Scholarship.  Your last math class must be taken at Darlington.

Science Requirements: Students are required to take three science courses in high school, one of which must be either Chemistry, Physics, or Biology. At least one unit of science must be completed at Darlington.

History Requirements: Students entering their freshman year are required to take Human Geography or AP Human Geography in their freshman year, Modern World History or AP World History in their sophomore year, and U.S. History or AP U.S. History in their junior year in order to complete the three required social studies units. Students who enter Darlington after their freshman year are required to take Modern World History, U.S. History, and a department elective. History electives are subject to approval by the course instructor. 

World Languages Requirements: Three consecutive units in a world language are required for graduation. However, with the approval of the Director of Upper School, the following exceptions may be granted: 

  1. Juniors entering the Upper School with no previous language credit must earn two consecutive units;
  2. New seniors may be exempted from the requirement if they have no previous foreign language study;
  3. International students may be exempted from the language requirement.

Passing the equivalent of the first or second level of world language in the Middle School satisfies the first unit of this requirement. The subsequent two units must be completed in Upper School. All students are encouraged to pursue more units in order to become more proficient and to have greater college options.
 

Class Rank
Students are ranked officially at the beginning of the junior year. Class rank is determined by the academic numerical average of grades in all courses given number grades. Courses given letter grades are not included. Rank is cumulative by semester for the junior and senior years. Grades for students in Honors or Advanced Placement courses are weighted five points for class rank computation purposes. Students should not attach too much importance to class rank as, for most students, it is not a significant factor in college admission.

Honor Graduates
In determination of diplomas with Honors, an academic year-end adjusted numerical average of 90 or better, with no grade below an adjusted 85 for the second semester or year in the senior year, constitutes with Honor; 95 and above adjusted numerical year-end average for the year with no grades below an adjusted 90 for the second semester or year, with High Honor. To be considered for semester/year honor rolls and graduation with honors or high honors, students  must be enrolled in at least four courses in which they receive numerical grades. 

The determination of valedictorian and salutatorian is based upon the four combined eleventh and twelfth grade semester averages at Darlington and is made at the end of the senior year.

The J. Daniel Hanks Sr. '27 Medal is given at Honors Day to that student (senior or underclassman) who has the highest grade point average for the year. For underclassmen, the grades as of May 1 are used in calculation.

Senior Exam Exemptions
Senior exemptions for all courses are only allowed if the student has had a previous semester in the same discipline, has had a grade of 80 or better in each course, has an average of 90 or better for the second semester as determined on the Friday prior to graduation, and has no more than two unexcused absences in the second semester.   Six or more tardies during the spring semester in a class will put senior exemption in jeopardy at the teacher’s discretion. Students are responsible for confirming their exemption with individual teachers.