Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart is a Catholic, Independent school for girls grades PreK-12 Academic Advising

Academic Advising

Academic Advising in the Upper School begins in the Spring of a student’s 8th-grade year with a discussion surrounding high school coursework in Grade 9 and beyond. Each year, students and families will meet with their respective academic advisors to determine the best path to take for success.

In Grade 9, students will meet with their academic advisor during the first semester to assist with acclimation to the Upper School’s academic life and again in the second semester to discuss coursework for the following school year. In the second semester, Grade 10 students and families meet with the 11th and 12th grade Academic Advisor to discuss coursework for the Junior and Senior year. The conversation includes course progression from the 10th through the 12th grade, standardized testing, and graduation requirements.

While meeting graduation requirements is always a key component in the creation of a schedule, the choice of coursework to fulfill these requirements is an individual one. At Carrollton, students have the option of entering into full International Baccalaureate coursework, Advanced Placement or Advanced Topics coursework, or a blended curriculum that maximizes the individual student’s academic potential and interests.

Academic Programs

The academic program at Carrollton is personalized to each student. Students have the option to pursue a wide variety of coursework across many types of offerings, including Advanced Placement, Advanced Topics, and International Baccalaureate courses.

Advanced courses develop skills to facilitate independence, collaboration, clear communication, responsibility, and perseverance in all content areas. AP and IB courses follow the curriculum set by the College Board or International Baccalaureate Organization, and students are expected to sit for the concomitant exam for the course at the end of the school year. Advanced Topics courses are taught at a level that meets or exceeds that of traditional prescriptive curriculums like the International Baccalaureate and Advanced Placement Programs. Some of these courses will allow students to sit for an AP exam, but they are not confined only to the content required by the College Board. All advanced courses at Carrollton encourage students to think critically and search for creative solutions to problems while completing college level coursework.

As early as Grades 9 and 10, students have access to advanced coursework, and by Grade 11 students may choose to pursue an IB Diploma or create a blended course of study that includes courses of all three types. By combining different curricular approaches, students are able to construct schedules that highlight their interests and abilities. Crafting the right path for each student is a process that involves students, parents, subject area teachers and the Grades 9 and 10 and 11 and 12 academic counselors.

International Baccalaureate Diploma Program FAQ

Graduation Requirements

Carrollton graduates require a minimum of 26 credits. Electives beyond the graduation requirement may be chosen from any discipline.

The typical course load for students is seven courses comprising six core (religion, English, mathematics, history, science, and world language) and an elective until the graduation requirement for each discipline is met. After graduation requirements have been met, students are encouraged to enroll in six core courses to meet college and university expectations. Elective courses beyond graduation requirements can be selected from any discipline of interest to the student.

List of 9 items.

Religious Studies
4 credits
- Canonical Narratives (9), Christology (10), Morality*/World Religion (11) and Catholic Social Teaching* (12)
- IB Diploma candidates must take Morality and Theory of Knowledge in Grade 11 and Catholic Social Teaching and Theory of Knowledge in Grade 12
- An additional Religious Studies course is selected in Grade 12 to complete the four year requirement
*Morality, World Religions and Catholic Social Teaching and Catholic Social Teaching/TOK are semester courses
English
4 credits
- Honors English I (9), Honors English II (10)
- Honors American Literature or IB Literature I HL (11)
- Two Advanced Topics semester courses or IB Literature II HL (12)
Mathematics
3 credits
- Completion of progression through Precalculus
- Placement is determined by the department
- 4 credits strongly recommended
Social Science
3 credits
- Honors Modern World History (9)
- Honors American History or AP U.S. History (10)
- Choice of additional coursework within the department (11 and/or 12)
Science
3 credits
- Biology (9), Chemistry (10)
- Additional lab science (11 and/or 12 Grade)
- Placement is determined by the department
World Languages
2 credits
- Two consecutive years of the same language are required.
- Three consecutive years of the same language and progression through the fourth level is strongly recommended.
- A second world language may be taken beginning in Grade 10
Performing/Visual Arts
1 credit
- One-half credit must be fulfilled with a visual or performing art
- One-half credit may be fulfilled with a practical art (ie. Computer science, Engineering or Debate)
- Credit requirements must be completed in Grades 9 and 10
Physical Education
1 credit
- May be satisfied with a JV or varsity sport, Dance or Lifetime Fitness.
- Students wishing to apply outside activities to this credit should consult with their academic counselor and complete the PE Waiver Form
Electives
5 credits
- Students may fulfill this requirement with courses from all disciplines beyond those required for graduation.