POLICIES FOR FULL-TIME/DIPLOMA STUDENTS

These policies and disclosures are specific to our full-time diploma students and act as a supplement to the policies available here.  

1.0 Full-Time/Diploma Students: School Calendar

The dates for each semester are as follows:

• Fall Semester – Sep 1 to Jan 14
• Spring Semester – Jan 15 to May 31
• Summer Semester – Jun 1 to Aug 31

2.0 Full-Time/Diploma Students: Graduation Eligibility Policy

Consistent with requirements of the Nevada Department of Education, in order to graduate and receive a diploma from Silicon Valley High School, students must complete a minimum of 230 credits.

To be eligible to graduate from and receive a diploma from SVHS, the student must complete at least 25% of the credits required for graduation with SVHS, and must have been continuously enrolled as a full-time student for at least two full semesters. 

All students must at minimum complete the following courses:

• 4 years of English
• 3 years of Math, including at least 1 Algebra 1 & Geometry (or Integrated Math 1 & 2) or higher
• 3 years of Science, including a life science and a physical science
• 1 year of World History
• 1 year of US History
• 1 semester of Government
• 1 semester of Economics
• 1 Semester of Health
• 2 years of PE
• 1 year of either: VAPA: Visual Performing Arts, LOTE: Language Other Than English, or CTE: Career Technical Education, or Humanities
• Computers & Information Technology
• Money Math
• Additional Electives

3.0 Full-Time/Diploma Students: Continuous Enrollment Policy/Requirement

Full-time students must take at least 5 courses each semester, passing at least 3 courses and earning at least 15 credits each semester (“Minimum Requirement”). Please refer to the Academic Probation Policy for the consequences if the Minimum Requirement is not met. The maximum number of courses a student is able to enroll in at the beginning of a semester is 6 courses. However, if the student completes these 6 courses before the semester-end, the student is eligible to request enrollment in up to two additional courses in that semester. For avoidance of doubt, a student must enroll in either 5 or 6 courses each semester and successfully pass at least 3 of those courses during that semester. Students may complete a maximum of 8 courses (40 credits) per semester. Within this limit, students may take no more than 2 Math courses and 2 LOTE courses per semester, for a total of 10 Math credits and 10 LOTE credits (equivalent to one full year of each subject). (See 2.5.1 Enrollment Restrictions & Credit Limits).

Unlike high school students, who are legally required to take a minimum number of courses each academic semester, adult students are not subject to this requirement. Those enrolled in the adult diploma program at SVHS may work with academic advising staff to develop a personalized course completion plan.

4.0 Full-Time/Diploma Students: Attendance Policy

A student is considered absentee when the student fails to log in and make progress with his/her courses for a period of one week during a semester in which the student is required to be continuously enrolled.

Repeated, unremedied, unexcused absentee behavior will result in the student being declared truant, dismissed and disenrolled from the school. Refunds are not available to students that have been disenrolled as a result of truancy.

Before declaring a student truant and disenrolling the student from the school, the student will be provided with reasonable time to remedy the truancy and SVHS will undertake the following actions:

• SVHS will send absentee notices to the student and parent/guardian.

Valid excuses for absentee behavior include illness of the student, an appearance in court and attendance at a funeral service of an immediate family member.

The student and parent/guardian have the right to appeal the truancy and dismissal. Such appeal will be considered by the SVHS CEO.

5.0 Full Time Student Attendance: Missed Meeting Policy

Silicon Valley High School students who are absent from four mandatory school meetings with a Supervising Teacher within the same school year will be dropped from the school and will require the Administrator’s approval to re-enroll. Please note that the missed meetings within one school year do not have to be consecutive. Any meeting for which a student is more than 10 minutes late will be considered a missed meeting.

First Missed Meeting

Supervising Teacher will send an email notifying student and parent of the missed meeting and notify of the makeup meeting date and time.

Second Missed Meeting

Supervising Teacher will send an email notifying student and parent of the missed meeting and include the Academic Advisor.  Supervising Teacher will notify parent and student of the makeup meeting date and time.

Third Missed Meeting

Supervising Teacher will send an email notifying student and parent of the missed meeting and include the Chief Academic Officer/Academic Advisor.  Supervising Teacher will notify parent and student of the next month’s meeting date and time.

Fourth Missed Meeting

Supervising Teacher will send an email to the Academic Advisor notifying Chief Academic Officer/Academic Advisor of the fourth missed meeting.  Chief Academic Officer/Academic Advisor will send an email to student and parent notifying them of their dismissal from SVHS.

A full time student dismissed from SVHS may continue to take classes through the part-time program, but will not be considered for re-enrollment in the full time program within the same school year.  Student must reapply for re-enrollment consideration.

6.0 Full-Time/Diploma Students: Incoming Credit Transfer Policy

SVHS will consider acceptance of credits earned from other accredited institutions. Students must submit official transcripts upon enrollment with SVHS from all other previous institutions attended for credit transfer evaluation.

SVHS students may participate in concurrent enrollment with their local community college. Credits will be evaluated for transfer upon submission of official transcripts at the completion of a college course. Students taking concurrent enrollment courses will still need to follow the continuous enrollment policy and may take up to 2 college courses per semester.

7.0 Repeat Courses Policy

Students who have taken courses with other schools, can take a course on the same topic with SVHS.  When a course has been repeated, the original course and grade stay on the transcript, but the credits for that course are indicated to be zero and the original grade for that course is excluded from the GPA calculation. The credits earned from the repeated course were assigned to that course and that grade factored into the GPA calculation. Students are not able to retake an SVHS course. (See 2.6.2 Repeat Courses Policy).

8.0 Full-Time/Diploma Students: Recommended Course of Study

The following recommended course of study is meant to provide guidance for a student towards successful completion of the requirements for graduation with a Diploma from SVHS:

Grade 9

• English 9
• Algebra 1 or Integrated Math 1
• Astronomy (or other science or elective course)
• Physical Education
• Spanish 1 (or other elective)

Grade 10

• English 10
• Geometry or Integrated Math 2
• Biology (or other science or elective course)
• World History
• Physical Education
• Spanish 2 (or other elective)

Grade 11

• English 11
• Algebra 2 or Integrated Math 3
• Chemistry (or other science or elective course)
• US History
• Computers & Information Technology
• Intro to Programming (or other elective)

Grade 12

• English 12
• Money Math
• American Government
• Economics
• College and Career Exploration (or other elective)
• Health
• Environmental Science (or other elective)

9.0 Full-Time/Diploma Students: Academic Probation Policy

If you fail to meet the Minimum Requirement, or are not demonstrating adequate progress in your courses, you will be placed on Academic Probation. If you fail to complete at least 80% of your assigned work, according to the pacing guide set with your supervising teacher following two progress checks, you will be placed on Academic Probation for the remainder of the school year.

When you are on Academic Probation, you will be required to do the following:

• Attend regular bi-weekly videoconference meetings with your supervising teacher.
• Stay on track with assigned pacing with a minimum 80% completion rate at each progress check.
• Undertake additional tutoring with SVHS tutoring teachers, as prescribed by your supervising teacher. This will be charged at the regular tutoring rates as published on the SVHS tutoring web page.
• Limit your enrollment to 25 credits (5 courses) while you are under Academic Probation.  Note: this may delay graduation plans.
• Complete and pass at least 80% of the courses you are enrolled in by the end of each semester. “Completed” means all coursework, including the final exams, must have been completed and a final passing grade issued by SVHS.
• Any courses not completed during the semester must be Completed before the end of the following term.

You will be withdrawn from the school if you are placed on Academic Probation and you fail to comply with these requirements.

10.0 Full-Time/Diploma Students: Minimum Age

The minimum age for admission to our diploma program is 13 years of age.

11.0 Work Permits for Full-Time/Diploma Students

SVHS does not issue work permits. Students may contact their local school district for information on obtaining a work permit.

12.0 Full-Time/Diploma Students: Graduation Ceremonies

As an online school with students in disperse geographical locations, it is not practical for SVHS to hold graduation ceremonies.  There are some aspects of the traditional high school experience that cannot be replicated online. SVHS can’t offer graduation ceremonies and suggest students hold their own events to celebrate graduation.

13.0 Full-Time/Diploma Students: Registration Process

14.0 Full-Time/Diploma Students: Graduation Process

Students will be assigned a grade level based on credit completion:

• 9th grade 0-40 credits
• 10th grade Minimum of 40 credits completed
• 11th grade Minimum of 90 credits completed
• 12th grade Minimum of 140 credits completed

Students’ progress towards graduation will be monitored by the academic advisor at SHVS. Students will have access to a Progress Towards Graduation report with suggested course of study. Students are welcome and encouraged to meet with the academic advisor throughout their enrollment at SVHS to monitor progress towards graduation and for post high school planning purposes.

Upon completion of all required courses, the academic advisor will conduct a final transcript review and send to the Head of School for graduation confirmation. Upon confirmation of graduation, students will be sent 1 copy of their official transcript and a SVHS diploma.

15.0 Full-Time/Diploma Students: Full-Time Enrollment Policy

There are strict rules from the state and federal legislature requiring students to engage in full-time education.  Hence, if you fail to meet the Minimum Requirement, you will be unable to enroll in a new semester as a full-time student with SVHS.

16.0 Full-Time/Diploma Students: Sequential Courses

We recommend, when taking sequential courses, such as Algebra 1 Part 1 and Algebra 1 Part 2, that you complete the first course before you take the subsequent course. Prerequisites for each course are noted in the course catalog and course syllabi. You should always check with your school counselor prior to enrolling in a course to ensure that prerequisites have been satisfied prior to enrolling in an SVHS course. (See 15.0 Full-Time/Diploma Students: Full-Time Enrollment Policy)

17.0 Promotional Policy Disclosure 

By enrolling in SVHS, the student and parent/guardian authorize the school to include the student’s name, likeness, and academic/extracurricular achievements in the school’s Hall of Fame, which may be used for SVHS promotional purposes. This authorization extends beyond the student’s enrollment period and includes the right to use such information after the student has graduated or left the school. This provision applies equally to all students, including those who may become public figures or achieve notoriety in their athletic, academic, or professional careers. The school reserves the right to continue using authorized information for promotional purposes regardless of a student’s future public status or fame.

Definitions

If you are unsure of any of the terms used to describe our programs, please contact us. We will be happy to clarify.
“$”—Unless otherwise stated, all prices are in US dollars.
“Credit”—refers to an SVHS academic unit. The credits for a course are calculated by estimating the number of hours of self-paced study.
“Academic Dishonesty”—refers to any immoral way of achieving a goal associated with an SVHS course or program. Examples of academic dishonesty include: Plagiarism: The adoption or reproduction of original creations of another author (person, collective, organization, community or other type of author, including anonymous authors) without due acknowledgment; Fabrication: The falsification of data, information, or citations in any formal academic exercise; Deception: Providing false information to an instructor concerning a formal academic exercise—e.g., giving a false excuse for missing a deadline or falsely claiming to have submitted work; Cheating: Any attempt to give or obtain assistance in a formal academic exercise (like an examination) without due acknowledgment; Bribery: or paid services; Giving assignment answers or test answers for money; Sabotage: Acting to prevent others from completing their work; Professorial misconduct: Professorial acts that are academically fraudulent equate to academic fraud and/or grade fraud; Impersonation: assuming a student’s identity with intent to provide an advantage for the student.
“Education records”—refers to records directly related to a student maintained by SVHS or by a party acting for SVHS.

Questions

If you have any questions on these policies, please contact us.