When should I repeat a course?

If a student receives a “D” in a course that requires a “C” or better as a prerequisite to advance to the next level (e.g. “C” or better in CCIM1), the semesters must be repeated in our district credit recovery or A-G recovery program, or during the school year, or in an approved concurrent program. Since a "C-" is the minimum grade acceptable in college preparatory courses IF going directly to a four-year university, a “D” grade in any such course must be repeated in our district Credit recovery program, during the school year, or in an approved concurrent program. Also, if any required graduation courses are failed (F grade), they MUST be retaken. Options for most are available through Credit Recovery. The other option is to repeat on-campus at GBHS.

Turning Problems into Opportunities

“Each problem has hidden in it an opportunity so powerful that it literally dwarfs the problem. The greatest success stories were created by people who recognized a problem and turned it into an opportunity.” - Joseph Bainbridge

My child is having difficulties in his / her classes, what should I do?

1. The first step is to talk to your child. Ask him / her what they think the problem is. Have they been completing and turning in their homework? Is your child understanding the material? What are their test scores like? Have they been attending class? What is their behavior in class?

Sometimes asking these simple questions can help put the “problem into perspective”

2. The next step is to contact the teacher and if necessary arrange for a meeting.
 

My child’s grades are poor. Who should I talk to?

1. Talk to your child. Has he/she been turning in their work? Did they do poorly on a test?

2. Talk to the Teacher. Has the teacher noticed a trend (i.e. "Johnny turns in his homework, but does not complete it").
 

What does a "weighted GPA" mean?

All of our honors (minus H English 10) and AP (Advanced Placement) and IB (International Baccalaureate) classes, with a grade of a "C-" or better, are weighted in the high school grade point average. This means an extra point is added in computing the average. *Honors, AP, and **IB A's receive 5 grade points, B's receive 4, while C's receive 3. D's and F's are not given any extra grade points. The UC/CSU systems do limit the number of weighted grades taken in 9th and 10th grade that they will count in the college GPA. See the UC/CSU A-G List for details.

*Please note that Honors English 10 is an exception as this course is not weighted.
**Please note that although GBHS weights all of our IB courses into the GBHS GPA, the UC/CSU system does not weight all of them when they apply for admissions. For more information on the exceptions, refer to the Course Catalog (available on the GBHS website).

I heard 9th grade classes and grades do not count. Is this true?

All classes and grades count in high school. All grades are computed into the student’s cumulative grade point average (GPA). The 9-12, overall GPA is used for scholarship qualifying and by many private colleges and universities. Most UC's and CSU's universities begin calculating a college GPA in 10th grade, which has led to confusion on this topic. It is important to note that even if a college chooses to begin the college GPA in the 10th-grade year, they still look carefully at the 9th-grade year to ensure that students received a minimum of a "C" grade in any college prep. courses taken in that year. An insufficient grade in a college prep. course in the 9th-grade year (that is not re-taken and passed with a "C-" or better) may disqualify a student in attaining admission to a four-year university.

What does UC/CSU approved classes mean?

The California public university system has designated which of our classes they will accept as satisfying their "subject requirements" for admission. These subject requirements demonstrate that the student is prepared for the rigors of college work at the UC/CSU campuses.

Can I take an English elective to replace a regular English course?

No, all students must take English 9, 10(or Honors English 10), 11(or AP Language/Composition or IB English), and 12 (or AP Literature/Composition or IB English) to satisfy English graduation requirements.