HIGH SCHOOL
At Denton Calvary Academy, students in grades 9 – 12 attend classes on campus Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. On Tuesday and Thursday they work at home (the satellite classroom) following teacher constructed assignments. Students are responsible for completing the out-of-class assignments on their own time, with the counsel and supervision of parents. Because this structure encourages the development of good time-management and self-discipline, it provides excellent preparation for college.
CURRICULUM
By the time students reach grades 11 – 12, they are fairly independent and may choose to incorporate dual credit classes. At DCA, we partner with Dallas Baptist University’s Honors Scholars Academy and LeTourneau University to provide several dual credit classes both on campus as well as online options. This gives students the ability to acquire credit for their high school diploma and get a head start on college core classwork. Certainly, adjusting to a university-style schedule while in high school greatly reduces the time it takes to adjust to the schedule and academic rigor of college.
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The DCA diploma plans generally require the following credits:
English – 4 credits
Math – 4 credits
Science – 4 credits
Social Studies – 3 credits
Government – .5 credit
Economics – .5 credit
Foreign Language – 2 credits in same language
Fine Arts – 1 credit
Bible – 2 credits
Physical Education/Athletics – 1 credit
Electives
Click to view the recommended sequence of courses.
Available electives include: Worship Band, Choir, Art, Home Economics, College Test Prep, Nutrition, Financial Peace, Entrepreneurship, Robotics, Computer Coding, Yearbook, Photography, and other courses as approved by administration.
Regarding Curriculum…
When choosing a textbook, DCA’s goal is to put the very best resource into our students’ hands. We select Christian textbooks when they meet the highest academic standards. However, if a secular textbook does a better job of meeting the rigorous content requirements of a specific course, it may be our choice. Because textbooks are tools in teaching, they do not make up the entirety of the course. Our instructors are the key to much of our Biblical integration. They daily model their Love of God and His word and naturally impart this when teaching their subject matter. At DCA, students are challenged and equipped to think Biblically and critically throughout every academic discipline.
STUDENT LIFE
Student activities provide opportunities for DCA scholars to practice leadership skills, explore talents, and develop deeper friendships. Your educational experience at DCA is enriched and more fully developed through extra-curricular opportunities.
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Athletics – With high school teams in 10 different sports, DCA students have ample opportunities to benefit from participation in athletic competition.
Fine Arts – Our robust Fine Arts program offers students the opportunity to explore and develop their talents under the tutelage of instructors that are gifted in their own right.
The House System – The purpose of the House system is to provide a means of building unity, loyalty, and tradition over an extended period of time. It is designed to encourage and increase competition among students, and to create a supportive environment. It also provides leadership and mentoring opportunities. Where Student Council provides horizontal leadership and class unity, the House System provides vertical leadership and school unity.
The House System originated in British boarding schools where students actually lived in “house” units. DCA’s Houses are named after some of King David’s Mighty Men. The DCA high school and middle school student body is divided into eight mixed-gender, mixed grade-level groups. All members of the same family are placed in the same house. The Houses do not replace grouping students by grade level for Pep Rallies and other traditional events.
Student Council – The DCA Student Council provides students with the opportunity to participate in a representative governing body at an appropriate level for students. Student Council members represent their classes while providing input, organizing, and implementing plans for special events throughout the year.
High School Retreat – A thoughtfully planned time for our high school students to build relationships and have some fun, including special breakouts for our seniors.
Drama Club – Students who have a passion for the stage or interest in behind-the-scenes work with lights, sound, sets and props are invited to join. The group competes in the TAPPS One-Act Play competition each fall and produces a full length play or musical each Spring.
National Honor Society – Academic organization that recognizes students who reflect outstanding accomplishments in the areas of scholarship, character, leadership, and service.
Drumline – High school students are invited to participate. Prior drumming experience is preferred, but not required.
TAPPS Art, Music, Academic & Speech Competitions – Calvary students in grades 9 -12 have the opportunity to compete against their peers from other Texas private schools in art, academics and speaking events.
PARENT ROLE
Your role as a UMS secondary parent is extremely important! Although your children are nearing adulthood, they are not yet adults, and you should not give them total responsibility for their education. You must stay involved, continue to invest in your children and their education, and hold your children accountable. Keep in mind, this will take time. Don’t underestimate the crucial role you play.
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There are several roles you will fulfill as parents of 9th through 12th grade students. These include being:
A guide for dependent study
A guide for independent study
Course monitor
A project assistant
As a guide for dependent study:
You are to make certain that your son or daughter keeps up with the course material assigned and communicate to the instructor if difficulties should arise. In some cases, private tutoring might be necessary. Students are at a dependent age where disciplined study habits must be developed through positive encouragement and through the students’ growing awareness of personal consequences. It is expected that parents make the effort to know their children and understand their abilities. This is critical so that you will know how to help and what supervision to offer. Parents should help students to understand what it means for them to study independently. Review their assignment sheet with them. Make sure they understand what is expected and ask if there are any questions; allow them to attempt the assignment on their own. If help is needed, be available to assist. It is important to closely monitor their completion of assignments and their comprehension and progress in the class throughout this time to determine if more supervision and assistance is needed. Do not give too much independence.
As a guide for independent study:
You will have the opportunity to monitor the independent schoolwork performed by your child by providing additional guidance as needed. By 11th and 12th grade, independent study skills and disciplined planning for completing homework assignments is increasingly necessary. Courses offered will mimic that of a Jr. College program where independent study, research skills, time-management, a strong work ethic, and self-discipline are essential. This is the time when your children should hold primary responsibility for their schoolwork to facilitate ease of transition into college.
As a course monitor:
You will track the progress of your son or daughter and monitor how well they are doing in courses that involve equipment or expertise which necessitates that teaching be done in the classroom. Examples of these courses would be science labs, computer, foreign language, and extra-curricular activities. Of course, this role will require the least amount of time by the parent, but its importance cannot be understated. Parents need to show an interest and express this to their child. Are they becoming discouraged? Are they enjoying the class? What are the activities being done each day in class? What are they learning?
As a project assistant:
The primary responsibility of the parent is to track the progress of their son or daughter and to monitor how well they are doing. It is important that they have a sincere interest in their children’s class activities and express that interest to their children. Furthermore, help at home might be needed occasionally in support of a particular project. Parents should be available to offer this assistance which might include driving your children to the library, helping them gather materials for a project, assisting your children in finding resources, etc. Make sure your children are taking the primary responsibility and ownership in the project while you supervise and assist, so that your children are learning through the experience.
SPIRITUAL LIFE
The first, Life of Christ, is typically taken by freshman students. This Bible course will present the life of Christ beginning with His existence prior to Creation and His prophesied coming in the Old Testament; proceeding to His birth, His three-year ministry, death and resurrection; and finally extending to His current work in the world, second coming and eventual heavenly rule. The goal of the course is to establish foundational Christ-like character as students incorporate the teachings of Christ into their lives.
Seniors take Worldview. This class will offer a systematic comparison of various religions, sects, cults, and world views. Students will compare varying beliefs to those of Christianity in fundamental areas from theology and philosophy to law, politics, and history. The goal of this course is to equip students to maintain their Christian faith in the often hostile college environment and to engage critically and effectively with non-Christian ideologies.
ACADEMIC ADVISING
The desire of the Academic Advising office is for all DCA graduates to be spiritually and academically prepared for success in college. In partnership with students and parents, DCA’s Academic Advising office provides support services, including academic advising and college & career planning, that help students achieve their personal and academic goals. We work to help students understand the importance of establishing habits today that can help lay the groundwork for college success. Our office assists students to devise an academic plan that may include course selection, career exploration, enrichment opportunities, and college selection. Additionally, the DCA Academic Advising office maintains all of the academic records such as report cards and transcripts, and also monitors academic standing and applies the policies as stated in the DCA Handbook. Lastly, standardized testing programs such as PSAT, SAT, ACT, and AP Exams are administered through the Academic Advising Office.
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All students currently enrolled or entering Calvary as a 9th grader or above must declare their intent regarding graduation. Any student who seeks to graduate from DCA must follow all policies and fulfill all requirements set forth regarding graduation. Students who declare a lack of intent to graduate and change that intent at a later time will not be allowed to graduate unless they have followed graduation policies and fulfilled all requirements. Please note the following stipulations regarding graduating from Calvary: – Students must select a diploma plan from the time of their initial enrollment or entry into high school. – A recommended sequence of classes will be distributed upon selection of diploma plan. This sequence is the basis for the school’s scheduling of classes. Students who choose to diverge from the recommended sequence risk scheduling conflicts, at no fault of the school, which may result in the inability to register for required course work and thus prevent graduation. – All academic core courses (English, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, and Foreign Language) must be taken on campus from the time of the student’s initial enrollment or entry into high school. (Exception: Students may transfer one course from off campus each academic year.) – A minimum of five credits must be completed on campus to earn a diploma from DCA. – Students must submit scores from either the SAT or ACT in order to receive a diploma. – Students must attain a final GPA of 2.00 to graduate. NOTE: All students who wish to transfer credits into Calvary must fulfill all requirements as stated in the handbook. Failure to do so may result in the transfer course not receiving approval and the student not graduating.
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Each spring, the Academic Advising Office meets with students and parents by class to review the possibilities for the next school year. Although students have prepared a four-year plan, adjustments are sometimes necessary to accommodate a newly discovered passion or to capitalize on an area of academic strength. Then, online course requesting is made available beginning in late March. Course requests must be made through Renweb during the designated open course requesting dates. After that, there will be a $75 fee for schedule changes. Please be aware there is a Financial Commitment Policy (see the Parent/Student Handbook). Please do not wait until the last day of course requesting to choose classes, in case there are problems. In order to select your student’s classes follow the instructions below.
Sign into Parent’s Web.
Select “Student Information”.
Select “Course Request”.
Select each of your students individually and put a check by the courses they would like to enroll in for next year.
Most secondary students will be selecting six classes (including study hall) plus any sports in which they want to enroll. Refer to the Tuition & Fees and the Academic Planning Guide links below for more information. (Remember that in high school, most electives are semester classes.) If your student has a gap in his/her schedule and needs a study hall, please register for that at this time. (Remember there are no first or last period study halls) If your student will be arriving after first period or leaving campus during any of the class periods, please select “Off-Campus”. Sports that you are currently enrolled in this year will say “enrolled” beside it. You will need to go ahead and select the sport for next year as current enrollment does not affect next year.
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Students in their junior and senior years and on a track to graduate may request to take two courses by dual credit to be applied toward graduation requirements. Students will be allowed a total of two credits per year – two dual credits or one dual credit/one transfer credit. Students are not allowed to transfer in more than one credit unless one of them is obtained through dual credit. Currently, LeTourneau University and Dallas Baptist University are the only approved institutions for dual credit. Only approved courses will be accepted for dual credit. It is the student’s responsibility to fulfill all prerequisites set forth by LETU and DBU for enrollment (i.e., testing, prior coursework, academic standing, etc.) as well as pays all fees required by the respective college. Courses taken for dual credit will count toward a student’s GPA and appear on the transcript as such. Letter grades will transfer as follows: A – 97, B – 87, C – 77.
PROCESS
The academic advising office will notify students of the registration process through both LETU and DBU during open registration and enrollment times. If a student wishes to take summer classes, please contact the advising office.
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Students who choose to take a course off campus must follow the procedure for requesting transfer credit detailed in the guidelines to follow. It is the responsibility of the Denton Calvary family to follow these policies and fulfill all requirements. Failure to follow policies, fulfill requirements, or submit complete and accurate documentation to the Academic Advising office will result in the course’s not receiving approval and may cause the student not to graduate. The deadline to request transfer credits: Fall semester: Friday of the first week of school Spring semester: Friday, the last day of quarter 2 Summer semester: Friday, the last day of quarter 4→ Transfer Credit Request/Submission Form
Guidelines for Transfer CreditTransfer Credit Criteria (except Fine Art credits) To meet the school’s criteria, a transfer credit must have a passing final grade and be a credit-bearing class from an accredited high school or online program, which is equivalent in content, level, and rigor to the required Denton Calvary course. The Academic Committee reserves the right to verify that the course content is equivalent to that required at Denton Calvary. Transfer Credit for Fine Arts Requirement A fine art credit may be earned through private instruction or a class as listed above. Students must complete all transfer paperwork and receive approval of the curriculum and course instructor before beginning private instruction. Students requesting transfer credit through private instruction must complete sixteen hours of direct instruction per semester, combined with thirty-two hours per semester of chronicled outside practice/independent work. In lieu of coursework and tests, submission of the following will be required with the Course Approval form:
Log recording hours of instruction (initialed by private instructor)
Log showing practice time (initialed by parent)
Depending on the type of fine art taken by the student, photographs, an audio recording, or a video of the student showing acquired proficiency.
Transfer Credits for High School Students New to DCA Students must submit transcripts or, in the case of home schooled students, a listing of courses taken prior to admittance. All prior course work must be submitted for approval using the method set forth in the Guidelines for Transfer Credit and approved by the Academic Committee before the first day of class. All transferring high school students must fulfill the requirements for all course work as determined by DCA. Any student who does not meet the requirements must fulfill the requirement by completing the appropriate course at Denton Calvary. See current DCA Parent/Student Handbook for more details.
Transfer Credit Fee There is a $500 per semester fee for transfer courses taken while enrolled at Denton Calvary Academy. The fee is due upon the initial request for the transfer course with the related forms. Proctoring Fee Families who require test proctoring for a transfer course may be subject to a $50 fee per proctoring session. This fee is due at the time of the proctoring session. Late FeeStudents who turn in their Course Approval Form and transfer course work/time logs after the stated deadline will be subject to a $50 per month late fee. Additionally, work turned in late may hinder a student from approval to begin the next semester of coursework in the transfer credit process. Procedure for Requesting Transfer Credit
Transfer courses are accepted on a SEMESTER basis. Each semester will be evaluated separately and credit will be given by semester only.
Complete a “Request for Transfer Credit” form. The student and parent must sign the form acknowledging that they understand and agree with the requirements and policies set forth for transfer credits. This form must be turned in for the first semester of a course within the first week of the school year, and within the final week of the second quarter for the second semester. The request must be approved by the Academic Committee before the student may begin the course.
Upon approval, the student may begin the course semester using the approved curriculum from an accredited institution (except fine art credits). Any changes must be approved by the Academic Committee before beginning course work. Failure to gain approval for changes will result in the course’s not receiving credit.
Upon completion of the course semester, student must submit a transcript or official grade report to the Academic Advisor. Students seeking Fine Art credits should also submit proof of proficiency such as, but not limited to, a performance audio or video, and the Instruction/Practice time log.
Approval of the course semester will result in the student receiving one-half transfer credit and allow him/her to proceed to the next course in the sequence, if needed. Failure to follow the guidelines put forth by DCA will result in the denial of credit for the course semester and will require the student to take said course at DCA to fulfill the required credit.
DCA retains the right to require a comprehensive exam to verify mastery of course objectives and content as deemed by DCA. The student may also be required to demonstrate critical thinking skills through a writing assignment.
Fees for courses transferred and for exams proctored will be assessed according to the current DCA Parent/Student Handbook.
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Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
FAFSA – To apply for student financial aid, you will need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This provides the information the financial aid office at your college or university needs to determine your financial need for federal and state programs, including the TEXAS Grant. Apply as soon as possible after October 1st of your senior year; funding is limited.
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TEXAS Grant Program
TEXAS Grant Program: Towards Excellence, Access and Success (TEXAS) Grant Program: A TEXAS Grant may be used to attend any public institution of higher education in Texas. The award amount (including state and institutional funds) is equal to the student’s tuition and required fees. You apply for the TEXAS Grant when you complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)or other application as required by your college’s financial aid office. Funding is limited, so you need to submit your application as soon as possible after January 1 of your senior year. The financial aid office at each college and university will determine if TEXAS Grant is part of the aid package that is offered to you.
Is DCA’s University-Model a good fit for your family?
