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YORK HOUSE POLICIES ­ REGARDING COURSE PLANNING

1. Students in Grades 8-10 must take time tabled courses in all eight blocks for the duration of the school year.
2. Students in Grade 11 must take timetabled courses in all eight blocks for the duration of the school year, unless the student is enrolled in a year-long, ‘for credit’ York House School course that is offered outside the timetable. These students may choose to have a study block included in their timetable. Other Grade 11 students may have a study block included in their timetable if they are taking three Grade 12 academic courses or some combination of Grade 12 Provincially Examinable and AP courses. Finally, special circumstances may warrant that study blocks are included in students’ schedules for other reasons, but these decisions are made by the Director of the Senior School.
3. Students in Grade 12 must take at least six timetabled courses for the duration of the school year. Exceptional circumstances may warrant a reduced load but this can only be authorized by the Head of School.
4. Teaching Assistantships and Independent Study opportunities exist for students in Grades 11 and 12 and are considered timetabled courses. Students are provided these opportunities on the joint recommendation of a sponsor teacher in consultation with the Director of University Admissions. Please refer to the course descriptions for more information.
5. Beginning in 2007-08, the B.C. Ministry of Education requires all students in Grades 8-12 to have a total of eight courses to receive the government subsidy. This includes courses students take outside the timetable as well as Planning 10, Graduation Transitions 12.
6. Students enrolled in Advanced Placement (AP) courses must write the AP Subject Exam in May in order to receive AP Credit on their York House School and Ministry transcripts.
7. A minimum number of students must be enrolled in a senior course in order for it to run. The Head of School determines the minimum number of students required.
8. Course changes: Students may, with the permission of subject teachers, the Director of University Admissions and their parents, make changes to their timetable. The process of changing courses will be explained to the students at the beginning of the school year. Students are not permitted to drop a course once the Drop/Add deadline (usually the third week of September) has passed.
9. Summer School: Students are not encouraged to enroll in summer school courses when they can otherwise be enrolled in the same timetabled course at York House School. Some exceptional cases warrant exceptions to this policy, and students intending to enroll in summer school must first consult the Director of University Admissions if they wish to enroll in a summer school.
10. Remedial and Preview Summer School Courses: Some students may be required by York House to enroll in remedial academic courses at summer school when the student does not attain a minimal level of mastery in any given subject. Other students may benefit by taking a preview course in a subject they intend to take at York House in September. In some instances students will be recommended by their subject teachers for this course of study, while in other instances the student may elect to enroll in a summer school preview course on her own. Students do not receive credit or grades for successfully completing a preview course. More information about summer school can be found at the Vancouver School Board (VSB) website: http://www.vsb.bc.ca

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