Academic Policies

Grading Policy

The final course-end evaluation shall constitute thirty per cent (30%) of the final grade for each credit course. Course work such as written assignments, tests and quizzes, independent study unit, major essay, formal presentations, etc., shall account for seventy percent (70%). All forms of course work and evaluation must assess and evaluate students’ achievement of the curriculum expectations of each course.

Homework, Assignments & Essays

Homework is to be completed by the student himself/herself. It should never be completed or copied in whole or in part from another person, student or source. While it may be permissible to discuss homework assignments with other students, such discussion is a preliminary stage only, which must be followed carefully at all times by individual effort, research, and answering. Homework must be completed by the student himself/herself independently.

Assignments prepared out of class, including essays, term papers, thesis, lab reports, written responses, creative work, homework, and take-home tests or components of tests, must be completed by the student and be the student’s own work; they should never be in part or in whole copied from another person, student or source. The student should never present the words, research, or ideas of another person, student or source without proper acknowledgement. The student is expected to follow the instructions for preparing and submitting the assignment, and adhere to the practices for academic honesty outlined in the Student Handbook.

Essays must be completed by the student and be the student’s own work. It should never be in part or in whole copied from another person, student or source, and should never be presenting the words, research or ideas of another person or source without proper acknowledgement. The student is expected to follow carefully instructions for preparing and submitting the essay.

Tests and Quizzes

A student must write a quiz, test or examination from his own knowledge and ability. The possession and/or use of unauthorized aids, texts, or notes of any kind during the writing of a quiz, test, or examination is cheating. A student who gives unauthorized aid to another student in a quiz, test or examination will be considered a party to the offense against academic honesty.

Class Demonstrations and Lab Practice

Any work the student has prepared out of class for presentation in class is presumed to be entirely his own, unless he has made proper acknowledgement of help from another person, student, or source.

Unless specifically directed or permitted by the teacher, collaboration with another student in any academic work, including assignments, lab reports, essays, take-home tests or components of tests, is to be avoided at all times. The School encourages students to discuss and debate their ideas, for discussion and debate are basic to the educational experience. But in an academic assignment of any sort, discussion is a preliminary and limited stage only, a means of stimulating one’s own approach and thinking, and must be followed by individual and unaided research, thinking, and writing. Pooling ideas, sharing or assigning sections of writing, and incorporating another student’s ideas and writing into one’s own, are examples of unacceptable collaboration. Unacknowledged collaboration or collaboration which has not been permitted by the teacher is cheating and students whose academic work shows collaboration will be considered to have committed an offence against academic honesty.