Academic Program & Policies

Academic Coursework

Technology

Archbishop Moeller High School is a model school, both local and nationally, for effective integration of technology into high school curricula. This is the result of years of hard work and refinement on the part of teachers, students, parents, and support staff. In order to stay on the cutting edge, students must dedicate themselves to familiarizing themselves with their computers. Without proficient use of the technology at their fingertips, students run the risk of experiencing academic difficulty at Moeller High School due to the unique nature of our school academic culture. Students will be expected to do all of the following:

-competently use the standard Microsoft Office software, such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint

-take notes using OneNote in place of pen and paper (for those students with Tablets)

-accurately cite sources from online and other electronic resources

-email and submit their work through electronic mediums

-do not plagiarize and copy, which is very accessible in a digital learning environment

-regularly communicate with their teachers and peers through electronic media sources

-be familiar with the principles of digital citizenship and 21st Century Skills

We believe wholeheartedly as a community that such skills are essential for success, and not just survival, in the world of the 21st Century. Thus, we develop our curriculum and classroom methods accordingly.

Communication

As a high school in the Marianist tradition, Archbishop Moeller High School embraces its identity as an open community. The mode of communication at Moeller High School is electronic. Parents, students, teachers, administrator, and all related support personnel must practice digital communication through email, NetCommunity, and telecommunications for our academic endeavors to succeed. Families will receive some communications through the Post Office. But, the majority of all communications will be electronic. The teachers of Moeller High School primarily communicate through this medium, so students and parents must develop regular and consistent habits of communication. Grades, assignments, class notices, and personal messages, both positive and negative, will be communicated through NetCommunity and email. Please be sure that your account is up and available at all times to ensure that students and parents don’t miss any important information. All teacher webpages should be updated at the minimum of once a week regarding grades and assignments.

Course Load

Seniors and juniors take a minimum of six courses each semester. Freshmen and sophomores are to take a full course load and are not eligible for study halls except for special circumstances. Only one study hall per day is permitted. Online courses and M-Block courses do not count toward the requirement of taking six courses each semester. Courses taken outside of Moeller High School during the summer at a college, a tutoring service, or other business cannot be used for original credit unless approved by the Dean of Academics in conjunction with the guidance department PRIOR to the beginning of the course.

Course Credit

Credit for a course is awarded at the completion of the course. No partial credit for a course is awarded. Receiving credit is dependent upon a passing final grade in a course.

Athletic Eligibility

In order to maintain eligibility for all activities, including sports, both OHSAA sanctioned and non-OHSAA sanctioned sports (such as volleyball, rugby, and hockey), clubs, pastoral ministry, and band, a student must be in alignment with OHSAA (Ohio High School Athletic Association) standards. These standards maintain that a student must be passing 5 classes. The only classes that qualify are courses that are worth one year of credit, or the equivalent thereof. Physical Education 1 does NOT qualify as a course that is considered for eligibility purposes. Taking a study hall can put a student’s eligibility in jeopardy and should only be taken under the most careful consideration.

Athletic Participation

In order to participate in athletic activities, both practices and competitions, a student must be present in school the day of the scheduled activity. If a student has an excused absence, due to a field trip or other academic reason, he may still participate as long as he has provided the main office with documentation of the reason. If a student has an unexcused absence, he must arrive at school before 12pm in order to be eligible to participate in his scheduled event.

Graduation

Seniors who fail courses may participate in the Baccalaureate Eucharist and Graduation ceremonies if the credits can be earned by August of the year of graduation. Diplomas will be awarded upon successful completion of course(s) in summer school. All financial obligations must be paid in full and community service requirements completed before a diploma is awarded and/or final transcripts are sent. Students who after their senior year require more courses for graduation than can be completed in summer school immediately following grade 12, may not graduate from Moeller High School. The Valedictorian and Salutatorian are the students who have attended Archbishop Moeller High School for at least three years and have achieved the cumulative weighted first and second rank in their class at the end of the 3rd quarter of their senior year. Student graduation speakers are selected by the Graduation Speaker Committee.

Awards Program

Moeller’s Senior Awards Program is held in May. The underclass Academic Awards Program is held in the fall. Parents will be notified of the date and time.

For end of year awards, the following criteria will be followed: First Honors for the year are presented to students who have received First Honors each quarter. Honors for the year are presented to students who have received Second Honors or a combination of First and Second Honors each quarter.