Academic Policies

Welcome to KCAPA’s Academics main page. Each subject department is responsible for curriculum, testing, teacher professional development, and projects that are taught in the corresponding classes. Below are the different subject departments at KCAPA, as well as, the requirements for student promotion and graduation.

Subject9th Grade10th Grade11th Grade12th Grade
EnglishEnglish 1English 2English 3English 4
Social StudiesWorld HistoryAfrican American HistoryUS HIstorySocial Science Elective
MathAlgebra 1GeometryAlgebra 2Statistics/Pre-Calc/Calculus
SciencePhysical ScienceBiologyChemistryPhysics
Health & Physical EducationHealth & Physical EducationHealth & Physical EducationHealth & Physical EducationHealth & Physical Education
Foreign LanguageFrench 1
French 2
Spanish 1
Spanish 2
French 1
French 2
Spanish 1
Spanish 2
French 1
French 2
Spanish 1
Spanish 2
French 1
French 2
Spanish 1
Spanish 2
HumanitiesDance
Ensemble Choir
Fine Art
Instrumental Music
Theater		Dance
Ensemble Choir
Fine Art
Instrumental Music
Theater		Dance
Ensemble Choir
Fine Art
Instrumental Music
Theater		Dance
Ensemble Choir
Fine Art
Instrumental Music
Theater
Career & Technical EducationIntro to Design
Intro to Film		Digital Media Production 1Digital Media Production 2Digital Media Production 3
STEMAP Computer Science Principles
AP Computer Science A		AP Computer Science Principles
AP Computer Science A		AP Computer Science Principles
AP Computer Science A		AP Computer Science Principles
AP Computer Science A

Graduation Policy
A 12th grade student shall graduate if he/she/they:

  • Successfully completes a Multidisciplinary Project or a Service Learning Project
    • As a requirement for graduation, all students must complete a Senior Project, which consists of the following components: twenty hours of field work (community service), a research paper, interview, power point, or video presentation, and an oral presentation. This project is to be completed by June 1st of their senior year.  Students will receive information packets in fall of their senior year or upon request, which contain the details for completion of this requirement. Failure to complete a Senior Project will result in failure to graduate and receive a high school diploma.
  • Earns a total of 23.5 credits, which include:
    • 4 in English
    •  3 in Mathematics
    • 3 in Science
    • 3 in Social Studies
    • 1 in African American History
    • 2 in World Language
    • 2 in Arts and Humanities
    • 1 in Physical Education
    • 0.5 in Health
    • 4 in electives: One elective must be a college preparatory Mathematics or Science course, an IB course, an AP course, or a terminal CTE course.
  • Completion of 20 hours of Community Service
  • Full payment of Senior Dues
    • Senior dues include items such as the cap and gown, yearbook, senior luncheon, senior pins, diploma covers and diploma, and the actual cost of the graduation ceremony.
  • Students who have not completed the graduation requirements by June 1 may not walk at graduation. All credits must be attained, projects completed, community service hours earned, and senior dues paid in full.

Promotion Policy
Promotion from grade to grade is based on credits earned:

  • Promotion from 9th to 10th grade – 5 credits
  • Promotion from 10th to 11th grade – 11 credits
  • Promotion from 11th to 12th grade – 17.5 credits

Honor Roll

Honor Roll at Kensington CAPA High School consists of two categories: 1st Honors and 2nd Honors. To be eligible for 1st Honors, a student must have all A’s and one B on their report card with no 3’s in behavior.  To be eligible for 2nd Honors a student must have a combination of all A’s and B’s or all B’s, and no 3’s in behavior on their report card.

Course Selection

All students in ninth grade are in the Ninth Grade Academy. After ninth grade, students must choose an academic focus through an academy. The academies are:

Visual and Performing Arts

Drawing, Painting, Photography, Chorus, Music Tech, Jazz Band, Drum Line, Drama, and Dance

CTE (Career Technical Education)

Radio Television Film, Commercial and Graphics Art

Credit Recovery

Students who are behind 1-3 credits due to having previously failed courses are eligible for credit recovery.  Students can earn missing credits in order to get back on track for on-time graduation.  Students are expected to complete their high school career in four years.

Grade Values

A    =   90-100

B    =   80-89

C    =   70-79

D    =   60-69

F     =   59 & Below

Homework Policy

Homework is an important part of every student’s instructional program.  Through homework, classroom instruction is reinforced, high expectations are supported, students are encouraged to be self-directed, and the relationship between the school and the home is strengthened.  The completion of assignments is very important, not only in terms of its effect on a student’s grade, but also as a reflection of a student’s works habits and self-discipline.  As such, it is the responsibility of a student to complete all assignments within the specified time allotted and in a manner that represents the student’s best effort.  Additionally, it is a student’s responsibility to notify his/her teacher, as soon as possible, when he/she is unable to complete a required assignment and the reason(s) for not being able to do so.

Academic Support

Students who encounter difficulty in any subject are encouraged to seek help as soon as they detect a problem in a subject by speaking to their teacher, administrator, dean, or counselor. Students in need of extra help in a subject can get the following assistance:

After-School Enrichment Program
Credit Recovery
Response to Instruction and Intervention
Mentoring Program
College Access/Gear Up Center
Peer Tutoring
Peer Mediation

Parent Conferences

Parents/guardians are encouraged to contact the school to make an appointment with the teacher, counselor or   administrator with whom they wish to see.  However, to minimize classroom disruptions, conferences are not permitted when a teacher is scheduled to teach a class.

Report Card Conferences

Report card conferences will be held as follows:

From 5:30 P.M. – 7:30 P.M. on the evening following the distribution of the second report card.
All other report card conferences will be scheduled by the school district and can be seen on the calendar.

See the important dates section for more detailed information.

Student Records

The school has the need to collect and maintain certain information related to the health, education and welfare of its students.  This information is vital to the continuity of the school’s educational program.  Federal and state laws provide safeguards to the privacy of such records and guarantee access to these records by parents or guardians and students.  Parents/Guardians have the right to inspect and review the educational records of the student. A written request for such inspection is to be submitted to the counselor or in the main office.  A parent or guardian who wishes to review the records of a student for whom he/she is responsible should contact the student’s counselor for an appointment or present a written request to the counselor for such an inspection.  Such requests will be granted as soon as possible, but not later than 14 days from the date of the request.  Students under eighteen (18) years of age must have written permission from their parent or guardian prior to viewing their educational record.