Schedules & Academic Requirements

The process of scheduling classes at any school is complex given the many educational needs of its student body. Milken makes every effort to meet student academic needs by beginning the scheduling process in January of each year.

We encourage students to take risks in an effort to create a rigorous academic program; we also want students to recognize those risks and to accept responsibility for their choices. For this reason, we engage the students, advisors, and parents in a conversation about academics and future planning.

Academic grading is based on the "A," "B," "C," "D," and "F" scale. A grade of "INC" (incomplete) indicates that the student has not completed the course work for a particular grading period due to illness or unavoidable emergency. Students receiving this grade in any course may be given two weeks to make up work. Or, in the case of extenuating circumstances, the student may be given additional time at the discretion of the teacher. If the course work is not made up within the arranged time period, the student may automatically receive a grade of "F." For PE, in the case of extended illness, the student will receive no grade.

School-Wide Grading Scale:

93-100 = A
90-92 = A-
87-89 = B+
83-86 = B
80-82 = B-
77-79 = C+
73-76 = C
70-72 = C-
65-69 = D
0-64 =   F (not passing)

Any student who does not receive credit for a class will generally be required to make up the work in summer school. Students will not graduate unless they have received credit in all required academic and non-academic courses. Students who do not pass a required course must make up the course in the summer immediately following that school year or discuss other options with the Assistant Principal or Principal.

Milken Community High School recognizes the grade of "D" as a passing grade. The responsibility for remediating that grade must belong to the student and to the family. While a "D" may be passing, it represents a serious deficiency in learning the subject material. The grade will be posted on the transcript.

Milken Community High School believes that students who enter the Advanced Placement Program are those who exhibit requisite skills in the content area, critical thinking, independence, and motivation, and the recognized degree of excellence as defined by each department. While attempting to meet individual student academic needs, the Advanced Placement Program represents the school's most academically and personally demanding academic endeavors.

A student's grade in an advanced placement (AP) course is completely independent of his/her score on the national AP exam. All students who register for an AP course are required to take the AP exam for that course.

It is much more important to plan the total student program in consultation with the assistant principals, advisors, and college counselors at the school. Students must remember Advanced Placement classes are rigorous and demanding and that the workload in these classes is commensurate with many college level courses.

Each department in the Upper School has crafted an appropriate department policy concerning the admission to the Advanced Placement program. It is important for parents and students to be informed of these policies in advance.

For Art: The Advanced Placement Program in Studio Art is intended for highly motivated students who are seriously interested in the study of art. It involves commitment by the student to achieve in both production and experience of the creative process. Students build a portfolio exploring different media in the area of drawing as well as creating a group of work which develops their own vision and direction. Rigorous national standards are used to evaluate submitted portfolios at the end of the year. The instructional goals of the AP Studio Art Program are the following:

• Encourage creative as well as systematic investigations of formal and conceptual ideas.
• Emphasize making art as an ongoing process that involves the student in critical decision making.
• Develop technical skills and familiarize students with the functions of the visual elements.

• Encourage students to become independent thinkers who will contribute inventively and critically to their culture through the making of art.

Pre-requisites to AP Studio Art:

• 11th or 12th grader
• Drawing 1 and 2
• Painting 1 or an equivalent class taken during the summer
• Portfolio presentation of 4-5 drawings or paintings
• Teacher and Department Chair approval

For English: The Advanced Placement Program in English considers examinations in composition and literature as logical sequences of study and assessment rather than specific or discrete programs. We recommend all students take the AP Language and Composition exam in May of their junior year. Students entering their senior year may elect the AP Literature/High Honors Judaic Thought seminar. The seminar requires dual participation in the two courses. Enrollment in this course is primarily at the discretion of the student. However, all upper division courses will serve to prepare seniors for the AP Literature exam.

For Foreign Languages: The Advanced Placement Program Foreign Language courses help prepare students to demonstrate their level of proficiency in the target language across three communicative modes: Interpersonal [interactive communication], Interpretive [receptive communication], and Presentational [productive communication]), and the five goal areas outlined in the Standards for Foreign Language Learning in the 21st Century (Communication, Cultures, Connections, Comparisons, and Communities). The course is meant to be comparable to fifth and sixth semester (or the equivalent) college and university courses that focus on speaking and writing in the target language at an advanced level.

CRITERIA FOR PLACEMENT IN AP COURSES IN FOREIGN LANGUAGES

• Successful completion of fourth level language
• In Spanish, successful completion of Spanish IV Honors AP Track
• Minimum Grade of B+ in fourth level language
• Minimum of S in Conduct and Work Habits in fourth level language
• Successful performance on a placement test or essay
• Oral interview
• Permission of the AP language teacher

For Math: The Milken Mathematics Department offers Advanced Placement courses in Calculus and Statistics. Required placement exams administered in March allow students to demonstrate proficient mastery of necessary prerequisites and exceptional critical thinking skills. Placement test results are combined with previous mathematics teacher recommendations to determine AP Placement. Students from at-level or honors science courses are eligible for AP mathematics courses.

AP Calculus AB Prerequisites: Pre-Calculus with a test and quiz average of 95%; Pre-Calculus Honors with a grade of A- or better; approval from current teacher and department chair; qualifying score on honors rubric.

AP Calculus BC Prerequisites: Pre-Calculus Honors with a grade of A; approval from current teacher and department chair; qualifying score on honors rubric.

AP Statistics Prerequisites: Completion of AP Calculus AB or BC; approval from current teacher and department chair.

For Music: Advanced Placement Music Theory is a year-long course taught very closely to the level of a first year music theory course at a reputable university. Music theory is a blanket term for several different disciplines that include musicianship skills such as sight singing, listening, dictation, and keyboard, along with basic theory and composition technique (harmonic analysis, voice leading, counterpoint, and form). The skills of music theory cannot be “crammed.” They must be practiced literally every day over the course of the year to show improvement. Students must schedule time each day for practicing musicianship as well as writing assignments.

The pre-requisites for AP Music Theory are:

• The ability to read music fluently in treble and bass clef
• The ability to identify written intervals and triads
• The ability to identify all key signatures
• The ability to transpose a melody at a given interval
• The ability to write a diatonic circle of fifths in all keys
• The ability to play a I-IV-V progression on a keyboard in all keys

For Science: The Advanced Placement Program in Science offers courses in biology, chemistry, and physics. Required placement exams administered in March allow students to demonstrate proficient mastery of necessary prerequisites and adequate critical thinking skills in science and math. Placement tests results are combined with previous science teacher recommendations to determine AP Placement. Students from at-level or honors science courses are eligible for AP science courses.

Students who want to take multiple AP science courses might find it necessary to take summer school classes to meet all of the prerequisites:

AP Biology Prerequisites: Algebra I; Biology; Chemistry; Concepts of Physics and Chemistry; instructor's approval.

AP Chemistry Prerequisites: Pre-Calculus Honors (concurrent); Concepts of Physics and Chemistry; instructor's approval.

AP Physics B Prerequisites: Pre-Calculus Honors (concurrent); Concepts of Physics and Chemistry; instructor's approval.

AP Physics C Prerequisites: AP Calculus (concurrent), AP Physics, instructor's approval.

For Social Sciences: Placement in the Advanced Placement Program in Social Sciences is centered on our evaluation of where the student should be placed to be intellectually challenged and poised for success. This placement is based upon a departmental assessment of student strengths and abilities. In order to receive this recommendation, students must be able to construct a well-written defense of a thesis and exhibit a high level of critical thinking as evidenced through a variety of classroom assessments. We expect students to be highly motivated, independent learners.