Honors Criteria

Grade 7 Math Accelerated (From Grade 6) (5 out of 6) 

• Grade 6 math average 85% or above
• Grade 6 readiness assessment 85% or above
• i-Ready scaled score 500 and above
• Completed 40 plus i-Ready MyPath lessons
• Mid or above grade level on domains of Algebra and Algebraic Thinking
• 10 or fewer unexcused absences from school 

Regents Algebra (From Math 7) (7 out of 8)

• 85% Common Assessment Average or above at the end of Q3

• Grade 7 math average 85%
• i-Ready scaled score 500 and above
• Mid or above grade level on domain of Algebra and Algebraic Thinking
• Completed 40 plus i-Ready MyPath lessons
• NYS Math 6 Assessment level of a 3 or 4
• Math 7 Teacher recommendation
• 10 or fewer unexcused absences from school 

Regents Algebra (From Math 7A) (6 out of 7)

• 85% Common Assessment Average or above at the end of Q3

• Grade 7 math average 85%
• i-Ready scaled score 500 and above
• Mid or above grade level on domain of Algebra and Algebraic Thinking
• Completed 40 plus i-Ready MyPath lessons
• Math 7 Teacher recommendation
• 10 or fewer unexcused absences from school 

Regents Earth Science (must meet 3 out of 4) 

• i-Ready scaled score in math 500 and above

• 85% Common Assessment Average or above in Science 7
• 85% or above course average in science 7
• 10 or fewer unexcused absences from school 

For Biology (must meet 3 out of 4)

• i-ready scaled score in reading 615 and above
• 85% Common Assessment Average or above in Science 7
• 85% or above course average in science 7
• 10 or fewer unexcused absences from school 

Studio in Art (must meet 3 out of 3) 

• Report card Average of 85% or greater in General Art 

• Teacher Recommendation  
• Guidance Recommendation 

Voice 1A (must meet 3 out of 3) 

• Report card Average of 85% or greater in General Music 

• Teacher Recommendation  
• Guidance Recommendation 

These courses are self-selected. Students who are ready to challenge themselves with increased rigor for reading, writing, speaking, presentation, and technology assignments, projects and activities can enroll.

• 85% Common Assessment Average or Overall Course Average  
• Teacher Recommendation  
• 85% Regents Exam or Final Exam if Regents was not given in prior related content course

*Note: If the Regents score is 2 points or fewer below the Honors requirement, a committee consisting of District and Building Administration, School Counselor, and Teacher of the student will meet to discuss and make a final decision. Additional adjustments may be made if new information is updated.

• 85% Common Assessment Average  
• 85% Regents Exam or Final Exam if Regents was not given in prior related content course
• Teacher Recommendation 

• Approval by District Administrator  

In an Honors class, a student will develop the skills to:

• Be more self-motivated
• Learn time management skills
• Gain college readiness skills
• Prepare for the types of writing pieces they will need to add to their college portfolio

Students will self-select during the annual schedule-planning process with their School Counselor.  Students and parents will sign an acknowledgement of Honors expectations at this time. 

No, the only classes affected at this time are Global Studies 9/10 and ELA 9/10 Honors. 

• Students earn credit upon successful completion of a course. Students must earn 22 credits to graduate. Both Regents and Honors-level English and Global Studies courses are worth one credit each upon completion.
• Weighting does not affect course credit; it applies to a student's final GPA (grade point average) and class rank. A course’s weighted average is scaled based on the difficulty level of a course, with more challenging courses allocating a higher percentage towards a student’s average. This means that a student who chooses more challenging (weighted) courses have a greater impact on a student’s GPA, class rank, and Honor Roll ranking.  This does not impact a student’s grade on the report card. 
• Students need to consider how a class average of less than 80% will impact their overall GPA and high school transcript.

Honors classes are designed for students to become deeper critical thinkers who can navigate their workload independently.  Students should expect to read and write outside of the scheduled class time.  For example, if the class is doing a project or writing a paper, students might have more to do outside of class that week. 

Will adjustments be made for student athletes that have practices/games and can't commit to staying after school? 

Any student who chooses to challenge themselves is accepting the responsibility to complete the work required for an Honors level course. Students will have assignments that need to be completed outside of class. Students might have study halls where work can be completed. In addition, all students have an activity period during 9^th period where they can stay with their teachers to work on assignments. The only time student athletes would not have access to 9^th period would be for away games. 

While the curriculum and standards are similar, Honors classes incorporate a greater breadth and depth of skills within the first year. Students will move through certain concepts and skills faster in an Honors class than in a Regents class.

Students should consider a schedule change to a regent's class if managing the workload of honors classes is causing undue stress. Students are always eligible for honors, advanced placement (AP) or college level classes the following academic year.

Students should reach out to their teacher for guidance about additional resources to support their learning.

Kingston High School has an activity period–9th period–at the end of the day, during which students can receive specialized help through their teacher or peer tutoring.

Honors classes will help students gain the skills to be successful in an AP class faster, but they are not a prerequisite to enter AP courses. Students are always eligible for honors, AP or college-level classes the following academic year, regardless of prior placement.

Core Honors classes will not disrupt a student’s bell schedule, but student/life balance is an important consideration. Students will want to make sure that they can manage balancing their time between homework, studying, and their extracurricular activities.

All students are encouraged and welcomed into ELA and Global Studies 9 and 10.  Sometimes, students have opted for more than they can handle for several reasons. If students need additional time to prepare for the challenges of honors level work, they can always opt into an honors level course for the following year if they decide to.  

According to teachers, an Honors student is:

• Someone willing to work hard and who has foundational skills–even if they are struggling initially.
• Someone who enjoys learning new things and is excited to work with their peers to create a learning community.
• Someone who comes to class with either a skillset or a willingness to gain that skillset. That might mean attending extra help sessions.
• Someone who is intrinsically motivated and responsible.
  • Responsible means regular attendance!
  • Motivated means completing assignments to the best of your ability and on the due date.

• Students will have the flexibility of moving between Honors and Regents classes at the start of the school year.
• Students will need to commit to the class or have their schedule changed:
  • Entering Honors – schedule change no later than October 1,
  • Exit Honors – schedule change no later than the 7^th week of school.

There is no penalty incurred by changing to Regents ELA or Global Studies classes. Students will just need to make their schedule change before the end of the first seven weeks of school.

• The grading, late work, and attendance policies for all core content classes are similar. Students will receive clear guidelines about these policies in their first week of school from their teachers.
• Keep in mind that regular attendance (90%) and handing in work on a daily/weekly basis is an important part of being successful in any class.
  • For any student with irregular attendance patterns, there will be on-going discussion with student/teacher/and or school counselor about meeting expectations.
  • Students with a class average below 70% at the end of 5 weeks will have a progress meeting scheduled with their teachers, school counselor, parents, and grade level administrator to suggest a schedule change to a Regent's level placement for the remainder of the school year.    A schedule change may be recommended due to this meeting.
  • You will be eligible for Honors level work in future grade levels.    

• There will be no required passing average to stay in Honors for these courses. If a student chooses to challenge themselves with an Honors class, they are accepting the responsibility to complete the required work and meet the expectations of an Honors class. Supports are available within the class, as well as peer tutoring, and period 9 Activity Period with their teacher. If a student is having trouble with the assigned work and requirements of the course, conversations will take place with the student, their parent/guardian, along with their school counselor and teacher, regarding the best placement for that student for the remainder of the year.
• Any student failing any one of these classes at the end of Quarter 1 will have a meeting with their teacher, school counselor, grade-level administrator, and parent/guardian to discuss the possibility of a schedule change.  
• Grades below 80% in any class may negatively impact a student's overall GPA and high school transcripts. Students should always consider the next steps after high school to determine the best placement in any course at KHS.

• Students should only need their assigned Chromebooks to complete class assignments.
• Regular use of technology is an integral part of honors level classes. Bringing your Chromebook and Charger to class every day is an expectation of honors level classes.

Much of the reading, including poetry, short stories, novels, plays, and articles, will be centered around the Grade 9 ELA theme, “perseverance.” 

Here are some of the titles a student might see:

• The Odyssey by Homer
• Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare 
• Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson 
• Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi 
• I am Malala by Malala Yousafzai
• The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera 

• The purpose of this course is to help students understand and explain the world around them. The goal is to develop skills to enable students to become successful informed citizens, ready to be successful in Advanced Placement European History in 10^th Grade.
• While the curriculum and standards are similar, Honors classes incorporate a greater breadth and depth of skills within the first year. Honors classes are designed for students to become deeper critical thinkers who can navigate their workload independently. Students should expect to read and write outside of the scheduled class time. For example, if the class is doing a project or writing a paper, students might have more work to do outside of class that week.