Honors Program

NAZARENE CHRISTAN ACADEMY
A Christ-Centered College Preparatory Academy

HONORS PROGRAM: EXPECTATIONS & REQUIREMENTS

Nazarene Christian Academy desires to prepare students to excel academically, spiritually, and socially as they engage in life after high school. NCA is affiliated with the association of Christian Schools International (ACSI). The school’s overall academic program is fully accredited by the Accreditation Commission of Texas Baptist Schools (ACTABS), which is one of the officially recognized Accrediting Associations of the State of Texas Education Agency.

Currently, three core classes offered in NCA’s high school program have both a “College Preparatory” and an “Honors” version. College Preparatory classes meet the state standards that get students ready for higher education. Honors classes address the same standards but go deeper into the content, at a faster pace, and have higher expectations for both the quality and quantity of student work. In short, the Honors classes are more rigorous and push student learning above and beyond grade-level. They are designed for students who love learning and seek admission to highly selective colleges and universities.

Teachers in the Honors programs are committed to challenging students to adequately prepare them for college-level course work. As Honors level courses are more rigorous than regular courses, classes may require additional reading, research, essays, and projects. Teachers cover curriculum at a faster pace and in greater depth while incorporating more complex analysis and additional sources.

Any high school student who has selected the Scholar’s or Distinguished Graduation Plan must earn Honors and/or Dual Enrollment credits before graduation. Please see your Academic Advisor for details.

IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING HONORS COURSES

Students in Honors courses should exhibit the following characteristics:

• High academic achievement and intellectual ability
• Self-motivation and self-discipline
• Good organizational skills
• Excellent written and spoken expression
• An avid interest in reading different types of text
• An ability to work independently and collaboratively
• An ability to remain on task in class with little to no disruption
• Good citizenship and attendance 

HONORS EXPECTATIONS

Upon acceptance into the Honors program, students are expected to:

• Maintain A/B grades in all Honors courses in both semesters.
• Remain in the course(s) for the duration of the year.
• Maintain high standards of academic integrity.
• Be in class every day. Excessive absences are grounds for removal from the course.
• The student commits to completing any summer work. Summer work may include the reading of books and journals, writing assignments, projects, meeting with the course teacher, etc. All summer work will be available on the teacher’s webpage and the student must check the webpage to ensure he or she is fully aware of all announcements regarding summer work for an Honors course. 

HONORS PROGRAM UNDERSTANDINGS

• The student commits to upholding the school’s Honor Code regarding plagiarism, cheating, submitting work he or she did not complete, etc. If the student is found to have violated the Honor Code in any way, then the student may be dropped from any Honors course without honors credit.
• Student success is the ultimate goal, but students not succeeding in an Honors class will be handled on an individual basis. Students who finish the first semester with a grade lower than a C will be unenrolled in the course and placed in a college prep level class. Students earning a second semester grade of a lower than a C may not move on to the next honors class.
• Students who receive a C may not be invited to join the next honors course at the teacher’s discretion.
• Students who have excessive tardies, absences, or discipline issues will be dropped from the course and placed in the college prep level of the course.

HONORS PLACEMENT POLICY

Students who want the challenge of an Honors course must satisfy the following requirements to earn admission:

1. Previous Grades:Earn an A in both the first and second semesters of the previous class in that subject.
2. Teacher Recommendation: The teacher who taught the student in the College Preparatory subject(s) fully supports the move to the Honors Program as a result of previous grades, conduct, and personal organization.

Students already in an Honors class who earn at least an A in the first and second semesters will be automatically eligible for the next Honors class in that subject the following year.

Students who come close to meeting these requirements and want a challenge may be granted admission if and when space is available.

HONORS GRADING POLICY

• Honors classes are all weighted an additional 10 points if an 80% or higher is earned.
• The above grading policy will also be applied when checking exemption status for Mid-Terms and Final Exams.