Graduation Requirements
STUDENTS MUST COMPLETE ALL REQUIREMENTS FOR A DIPLOMA, INCLUDING SERVICE HOURS, TO PARTICIPATE IN ALL GRADUATION CEREMONIES. EXCEPTIONS TO THIS REQUIREMENT WILL BE AT THE DISCRETION OF THE RECTOR WITH CONSULTATION FROM THE PRINCIPAL.
1 year = 10 units; ½ year (1 semester) = 5 units;
Students must remediate, in summer school, all grades of “F” earned in a current school year prior to the beginning of the following school year.
A minimum of 280 units to graduate plus sixty (60) hours Community Service.
Subject Area Required Courses:
· 4 years of Theology
· 4 years of English
· 3 years of Social Studies
· 3 years of Math (minimum of Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II)
· 3 years of Science
· 2 years of the same Foreign Language
· 2 years of Physical Education
· 1 year of Visual & Performing Art (V.P.A)
· ½ year of Health Education
· ½ year of Computer Competency
Note: The remaining units needed to reach the 280 unit minimum are courses chosen by the student in consultation with the assigned counselor.
Requirements for a Diploma AND PARTICIPATION IN GRADUATION CEREMONIES
· To receive a Garces Memorial diploma and participate in graduation ceremonies a student must successfully complete (a grade of “D-” or better) the following:
a) All Subject Area Required Courses;
b) 280 credit units;
c) the sixty (60) hour service requirement. All Community Service hours for graduating seniors are to be completed and documented with the Community Service Hours coordinator by the last day of Senior Final Exams.
· To receive a Garces Memorial diploma a student must attend Garces both semesters of his/her senior year. Garces expects that any student who desires a diploma will successfully complete a total of four years in high school. Students who apply as transfers to Garces and wish to receive a Garces Memorial diploma having attended high school for LESS THAN FOUR YEARS will be advised to enroll at another high school or complete the requirements for a graduation/diploma certificate available through the State of California.
· A senior who receives a second semester grade of “F” in ANY course will not receive a diploma until such course is successfully completed and will not be allowed to participate in graduation ceremonies.
· Should a student not complete the above requirements by the scheduled graduation date, the student must obtain approval from the Assistant Principal for Academic Affairs to complete the required work/units. Once the work is completed and submitted to Garces Memorial for posting on the student’s transcript, the student may receive his/her diploma.
· A senior who is denied credit in ANY course due to excessive absenteeism (See Attendance Policies and Procedures) will not be allowed to participate in graduation ceremonies and will not receive a diploma until such course is successfully completed.
· Students must complete all additional course requirements as established by the school administration.
Sixty (60) Hour Service Requirement Guidelines
All Garces students are expected to give back to the community in the form of service to others. In addition to the subject area requirements, students must complete sixty (60) hours of community service to receive a Garces Memorial diploma. A student who transfers to Garces Memorial will be required to complete seven and one half (7.5) hours for each semester in attendance.
Students must complete their sixty (60) hours in the following areas:
20 Hours for Garces Memorial High School
Hours must serve the Garces community not just one person. Events such as diving meets, academic decathlon, Gala, Christmas on Campus, etc. are acceptable.
20 Hours for a Parish/Church
Students are to be serving in a meaningful way that assists the parish or church community. Serving as a CCD aid, assisting in a church fundraiser, assisting with a parish service project are all acceptable hours. Service which occurs while fulfilling a student’s Sunday Obligation (Altar Serving, Choir, Eucharistic Minister) will be prorated at a ratio of 2:1 (one hour of service equates to thirty minutes of Parish Community Service). Working with a Parish School (OLPH, OLG, St. Francis, etc.) will count for Parish Hours.
20 Hours for a Community non-profit organization approved by the Service Hour Coordinator
Non-Profit Community service may only be completed through organizations approved by Garces Memorial High School. Please see the Service Hour Coordinator for an updated list of approved organizations. Service projects are made available and approved by the Service Hour Coordinator.
Each individual Service project will not be considered complete until all paper work (available from the Service Hour Coordinator) has been submitted. The evaluation form must be properly completed and signed by the supervisor of the service project.
All service hours must be fulfilled outside of school hours. Service hour forms must be properly submitted to the service Hours Coordinator by June 15th, of the school year in which they were served or they will be invalidated.The completed evaluation form will be retained in the student's Community Service folder for the duration of his/her schooling at Garces Memorial.
Students must complete and properly submit a minimum of fifteen (15) service hours, 5 hours in each category by June 15th of each year. Any student who has not completed the required hours will be ineligible for extracurricular school activities for the next academic year until the required hours are submitted. These students will be contacted by the Service Hours Coordinator.
The acceptance of any monetary award for performing the service will invalidate the hours earned.
Hours applied towards the California Scholarship Federation, gold seal requirements will NOT be counted for the Garces Memorial Community Service graduation requirement.
The student will not be covered by the school's liability insurance when completing service hours in locations other than the Garces Memorial campus.
Hours may be earned during the summer vacation; these hours must be submitted at the beginning of the subsequent academic year.
Service Hours Evaluation Form