Academics

All students must complete the new Future Ready Core Curriculum program of study in order to receive a high school diploma.  

This program of studies is required of all North Carolina graduates.  

College courses may only be taken and dropped with approval by the school counselor, community college liaison and the principal.  College classes and materials are provided free to students.  Students completing college classes at an acceptable level will receive both high school and college credit.  All Early College students are expected to complete college courses as part of their graduation requirements.  

Students enter the Early College after completing their 8th grade.

In order to progress to the next grade level, a student must earn units as stipulated below:

Tenth Grade Student must have earned 6 credits

Eleventh Grade Student must have earned 12 credits

Twelfth Grade Student must have earned 20 credits

Thirteenth Grade Student must have earned 28 credits

In accordance with North Carolina House Bill 769, all students who have a driving permit/license issued under the Graduated Driver’s License guidelines must maintain adequate academic progress in order to keep their permit/license.  Failure to maintain academic progress constitutes failing 25% or more of the classes at the semester level or dropping out of school.

 The legislation requires that a student’s driving permit or license be revoked if a student is unable to maintain adequate progress or drops out of school.  Adequate progress is defined as passing 75% of all courses and is determined by first semester grades and second semester grades for school on block scheduling.  

 In rare instances, there may be circumstances beyond the control of the student or parent that qualify as a hardship.  If a hardship exists, the student may request a waiver.  If the waiver is granted, the student would not be affected by the legislation.

DISCIPLINARY ACTION
Disciplinary action includes an expulsion, a suspension for more than 10 consecutive days, or an assignment to an alternative educational setting for more than 10 consecutive days. (§ 20-11(n1))

Under the Lose Control/Lose License guidelines, the Driving Eligibility Certificate is revoked for one year. Unlike the Dropout Prevention guidelines that end when a student turns age 18, the revocation of a Driving Eligibility Certificate for disciplinary action can extend beyond age 18 if the disciplinary action took place during the time the student was age 17. 

NOT MAKING ADEQUATE ACADEMIC PROGRESS
At the end of each semester, students not passing 70% of the maximum possible courses are identified. Parents are notified that the student is not making adequate academic progress and have the option of submitting a hardship request to the principal or principal's designee to maintain the student's Driving Eligibility status.

Students enrolled at the Early College are allowed to participate in sports at the high school in their attendance zone.  Students must have passed 80% of their classes the preceding semester and been in attendance at least 85% of the semester. Students must meet promotion requirements at the end of spring semester to be eligible for participation during the next fall semester.  

The principal or a teacher may request a conference at any time with the parent/guardian to discuss the progress or concerns of the student.  Conferences are highly recommended, because they are beneficial to the student, parent/guardian, and teacher. 

Parents may call the school to schedule a conference with a teacher at any time during the school year.  The teacher will consult with the student’s remaining high school teachers and schedule a time that is convenient for the teachers and parent/guardian. 

Conferences with all of a student’s high school teachers/administration may be made by contacting the school counselor at 252-738-3611, extension 4007.    

Concerns relating to a student’s college course(s) should be directed to the college liaison at 252-738-3611.

The student’s academic day begins at 8:10 and ends at 2:45.  Students should not be dropped off before 7:30 am unless they are in a supervised situation approved by a teacher or administration.  School office hours will be between the hours of 7:30 and 4:00.  

We cannot guarantee supervision outside of that time frame.  Students will be outside after 2:45 p.m. after school to wait for parent pickup unless there is inclement weather.