Regulation IEB-R: Organization for Instruction

OPEN CAMPUS HIGH SCHOOL

1. Purposes

2. To provide the student who is unable or who chooses not to remain in the regular high school the opportunity to complete requirements for a high school diploma.

3. To offer an alternative secondary school experience in a clearly defined structure in which the student is given the opportunity to assume the adult role of responsibility for educational achievement and behavior.

4. Students Served

5. The student who desires to catch up on semester hours/credits commensurate with the student's age group and/or graduating class.

6. The student who needs flexible scheduling in order to help meet other commitments such as job requirements and family responsibilities.

7. The student who is not comfortable in the regular high school structure.

8. The student who must work and at the same time continue an education.

9. The student who could benefit from a more open and less intense social environment.

10. The student who might work best in a smaller classroom and/or smaller general environment.

11. The student who needs a consistent and clearly defined structure.

12. The student who is in academic trouble midway through the regular school semester and who desires to make up courses during the next mini-semester at Open Campus

13. The student who is having an unsuccessful educational experience, is losing interest in finishing high school, and could benefit from an alternative approach.

14. The older student who decides to finish high school, but feels uncomfortable returning to the regular high school.

15. The student who, having extra school interests and ambitions that are beyond the realm of the regular school extracurricular activities, desires to pursue these interests and, at the same time, continue an education.

16. The student who desires or needs an instructional program that does not include club activities, organized athletics, or other formal extracurricular activities.

17. Day School Procedures

18. Age and resident requirements

19. A student must be at least 16 years old and a junior in high school (have completed 10 units or 150 hours). There is no maximum age limit.

20. A student must be a legal resident of the DeKalb County School District.

21. Registration

22. Registration takes place four times per year. Refer to Open Campus School calendar for registration dates.

23. Each student is to be sponsored by the student's DeKalb home district high school. A Counselor's Checklist must be presented by each new student entering Open Campus from a regular DeKalb high school.

24. Each new student must pay any required book deposits in order to register.

25. A transcript and a standardized test record are needed for each new student.

26. Students New to DeKalb County School System

27. A student new to DeKalb does not need to make any arrangements with the home district high school prior to entering Open Campus. The student should report directly to Open Campus with a transcript, standardized test record, proof of DeKalb County School District residency, and certificate of immunization.

28. Open Campus will determine the sponsoring DeKalb home district high school.

29. Mini-Semester Organization and Classes

30. There are four mini-semesters per year

31. Each mini-semester is nine weeks or forty-five days long.

32. Each class meets for one hour and forty minutes, five days per week.

33. There are four class periods per day.

34. Curriculum

35. The curriculum necessary to meet the requirements of the Georgia Department of Education and standards of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools is provided at Open Campus.

36. Individual student needs are served through specialized programs.

37. The student may also participate in programs at the Occupational Education Centers, engage in independent study projects, enroll in special programs offered by Fernbank Science Center, work in community-based apprenticeship programs, train and participate in a peer counseling program, and take joint enrollment college courses. For students planning to attend college, a college prep curriculum is available.

38. Credits/Semester Hours

39. The student works for completion of the accredited high school diploma awarded by the home school upon completion of necessary requirements.

40. A student can enroll in one, two, three, or four courses per mini-semester.

41. One mini-semester credit (7 1/2 hours = 1/2 unit) can be earned for each class each nine week mini-semester. Example: A student taking four mini-semester courses can earn 30 hours or a combination of 2 units per mini-semester.

42. Graduation

43. The student may graduate at the end of any nine-week mini-semester.

44. Diplomas are ordered upon completion of graduation requirements.

45. The student receives the diploma from the home school.

46. A student can participate in the home school graduation exercise or the Open Campus graduation exercise in the Spring.

47. The student is responsible for making all arrangements for participation in a graduation exercise at either Open Campus or the home school.

48. A student is not required to participate in graduation exercises.

49. Attendance Policy

50. A major ingredient for success at Open Campus is regular classroom attendance. A student who is absent more than five days in a given class is automatically dropped from that class and does not receive credit for the course.

51. Classes begin and end on time. A tardy student will not be allowed to enter the classroom until the break. The student will be marked absent for the time missed.

52. An exception to the attendance policy may be granted by the administration for a hardship case only when all absences have been documented as excused (documentation required).

53. Transportation

54. The Open Campus student provides individual transportation to and from school.

55. Car-pooling is a routine practice of the Open Campus student.

56. MARTA bus transportation is available for the Open Campus student from most locations in