Enrollment and Course Period Policy

A full-time student is enrolled for 10 months; yearlong academic courses are designed to be completed within that time. Your teachers will provide teacher services during the 10-month period from the date of enrollment. At the end of 10 months, students may arrange a 1-month grace period with their teachers if needed to complete unfinished work.

For one-semester enrollments, the enrollment period is for 5 months with the possibility of a 2-week grace period, if needed.

Full-Time Student Status Policy

Full-time students must carry at least 40 credits per year, in addition to the Laureate Symposium and the Laureate Project, with 30 of those in core courses. Semester students must carry at least 20 credits per semester, in addition to the Laureate Symposium and the Laureate Project, with 15 of those in core courses. The remaining credits may be earned in electives.

Attendance Policy

The Academy provides intensive support in time management to all its students to support the student's rigorous academic and personal schedule. Academy students are allowed to be behind in a total of 6 lessons in their courses. If a student is 7 lessons or more behind, the student may be put on academic probation. While students may make special arrangements with their teacher, students who have made no progress in a course for 60 days without prior arrangement may be withdrawn from that course by the Academy.

Extension Program Policy

When do I need an extension?
A student requires an extension if they have not completed their coursework by the end date of their enrollment period. Students are only eligible for an extension when they have completed at least 12 lessons of a semester course or 24 lessons of a full-year course. If they have not completed the required lessons, they must re-enroll in the course; however, they will be allowed to start where they left off in the course upon re-enrolling.

The Academy grants only one extension per course. If work is not completed during the extension period, a student must re-enroll and pay tuition for the semester being completed. All fees are due at the time of extension. Please contact the Academy office at (800) 377-5890 to request an extension, if a student has not completed course work before the enrollment period is over.

When would I have to re-enroll in a course instead of getting an extension?
If a student has more than 12 incomplete lessons (per full-year course) once the 10-month enrollment has expired, he or she will need to re-enroll for the semester that needs to be completed. For a semester course, if the student has more than six incomplete lessons (per course) once the 5-month enrollment has expired, he or she will have to re-enroll in the course.

Please contact the Academy office to request an extension or re-enrollment.

High School Graduation Policy

 A total of 240 units are required to graduate from the Academy. Students are expected to enroll full-time in the Academy. On a case-by-case basis, after Academy approval, a student maybe asked to take one course at an approved college or higher learning institution.

The following are the Academy graduation requirements.

Core Course Requirements by grade:

9th Grade:

• A minimum of 2 Honors courses
• Laureate Symposium
• Laureate Project

10th Grade:

• A minimum of 3 Honors courses
• Laureate Symposium
• Laureate Project

11th Grade:

• A minimum of 3 Honors courses and/or AP course
• Laureate Symposium
• Laureate Project

12th Grade:

• A minimum of 3 Honors courses and/or AP course
• Laureate Symposium
• Laureate Project

Course Requirements for Graduation

• Students must complete all required courses in their chosen course of study in order to remain eligible for graduation
• Students must enroll in all courses prior to registering for graduation
• All courses must be complete prior to December 31 of the graduating year

Unit Requirements

• Full Year - minimum of 40 units taken at Laurel Springs Academy for the Gifted and Talented in addition to the Laureate Symposium and the Laureate Project.
  • 30 units of core courses
  • 10 units of electives
• Semester - minimum of 20 units taken at Laurel Springs Academy for the Gifted and Talented in addition to the Laureate Symposium and the Laureate Project. 
  15 units of core courses
  5 units of electives prior to enrollment

Prior to Enrollment

In order for the Academy to be able to transfer prior high school credits, official transcripts must be received from the schools at which they were obtained.

Plagiarism Policy and Agreement

The staff and Teachers of the Academy believe that enrollment is a gift and a privilege. We support and encourage our students to do the very best work they possibly can. We are a mastery-based program. This means we want to see students master the materials they are studying. Our teachers are caring, supportive, and will help students find answers while clearly understanding their lessons. Our teachers and staff do not, however, support copying or plagiarizing the writings of others. Students who plagiarize the work of others will be required to redo their work.

As a student at the Academy, it is expected that you agree to and practice the following habits of mind and heart:

Respect:
At the Academy, a positive and trusting relationship between teacher and student is at the core of our work together. At all times, student and teacher should address each other in a spirit of respect.

Honesty:
All Academy students are expected to live by the principles of honesty and mutual trust. This applies to the manner in which we relate to ourselves, our peers, our teachers, our parents, our society, and our planet.

Academic Integrity:

As an aspect of honesty, academic integrity refers to the practice of not cheating.

Cheating may include:

• Copying someone else’s work, homework, quizzes, other graded work or tests, or knowingly giving one’s own work to someone else to copy/use
• Plagiarizing: stealing and passing off the ideas and words of another as one’s own, or using the work of another without crediting the source
• Using unauthorized testing aids, including answer keys
• Asking, receiving, or giving information about the contents of an online exam to another student
• Allowing others to post answers to assignments and tests using your name and password
• Submitting work that is not your own

Commitment to Learning:

Academy students are expected to engage in their studies in a spirit of openness and inquiry, making an honest effort to understand, and a consistent effort to work to the best of their abilities.

Disclaimer: Parents and students agree that they are fully responsible for independently confirming with third parties the appropriateness of any Laurel Springs Academy for the Gifted and Talented program or course for the purpose intended by the parents or students. Laurel Springs Academy for the Gifted and Talented does not warranty the appropriateness of its curriculum, program, courses or services for any particular purpose and examples of student success stories may not be typical.