Academics
Curriculum and Instruction
Approximately 2,200 high school students are served each day at Anderson High School and Turpin High School. Students are able to enroll in College Preparatory, Honors, Advanced Placement or academic courses of study, as well as pursue specialized study through Credit Flexibility (internships, study abroad, etc.), College Credit Plus and career technical programs Great Oaks Career Campuses.
Advanced Placement (AP) courses are taught on the college level. Students in AP classes are expected to take the Advanced Placement Examination in May. Honors/Pre-AP courses are taught at a faster pace and topics are studied in greater depth; content may be equivalent to college-level work. College Preparatory (CP) courses are designed for the student wishing to acquire a strong background for college entrance. Academic courses provide on-grade level instruction aligned with Ohio’s Learning Standards.
FHSD is committed to working with parents and students to create a high school experience that matches the individual interests and skills of each student. Every program focuses on college and career readiness to engage students in learning and empower them to excel on their chosen path.
Students who plan on attending a four-year college or university should complete, at a minimum, an algebra II/math III class, two consecutive years of world language and one elective in the fine arts. These courses must be taken if the student is to be unconditionally accepted by a state university in Ohio. Students who do not take these courses may be accepted on the condition that the deficient course work will be made up in college.
Courses of Study
Forest Hills School District regularly revisits the core instructional subjects to review and modify the educational approach in classrooms. Teams of professional, dedicated and knowledgeable K-12 educators develop a framework for the different subjects, defining things like areas of focus, program philosophy and goals, instructional practices and more. All courses of study are created following careful review of current learning standards set by the State of Ohio, in addition to current learning theory and best professional practices.
Click here for a current list of the Forest Hills Courses of Study
Credit Flexibility
Credit Flexibility is intended to motivate and increase student learning by providing:
- Access to more learning resources, especially real-world experiences
- Customization around individual student needs
- Use of multiple measures of learning, especially those where students demonstrate what they know and can do, apply their learning or document performance
Students may earn credit by pursuing one or more of the following educational options:
- Completing coursework
- Testing out of or demonstrating mastery of course content
- Pursuing one or more educational options (online/distance learning dual credit, educational travel, independent study, internships, music, arts, after-school programs, community service or other individualized projects)
College Credit Plus
High school students may participate in the College Credit Plus (CCP) program, Ohio’s dual enrollment program. Through this educational option, students can take high school courses for both high school and college credit. There is no cost for the student to participate in CCP when the student is enrolled in a public college or university. Interested students and parents should contact a school counselor for additional information.
Grading
Forest Hills utilizes a 4.0 grade point average (GPA) calculation. Semester grades in all courses earning letter grades are used to determine a student’s cumulative GPA. Weighted GPA is calculated with an additional 1.0 for AP/CCP courses (for a potential 5.0) and an additional 0.5 for Honors/Pre-AP courses (for a potential 4.5). Cumulative GPA is factored at the end of each semester. Quarter GPA is not weighted and is used only to determine athletic eligibility, honor roll and Anderson Achievers (AHS only). The grades of students who are new to the Forest Hills School District will be converted to this system.
- A+ (97-100% / 4.0)
- A (93-96% / 4.0)
- A- (90-92% / 3.7)
- B+ (87-89% / 3.3)
- B (83-86% / 3.0)
- B- (80-82% / 2.7)
- C+ (77-79% / 2.3)
- C (73-76% / 2.0)
- C- (70-72% / 1.7)
- D+ (67-69% / 1.3)
- D (65-66% / 1.0)
- F (0-64% / 0)
Graduation Requirements
Click here for more information on graduation requirements for the class of 2023 and beyond.
Note: If a student is not on track to graduate, parents will be contacted by the student’s counselor.
Ohio Department of Education "Earning an Ohio High School Diploma" information sheet
For more information on curriculum and instruction for grades 9-12, see the 9-12 Course Guide.
Assessments
Assessments are a very important aspect of learning as they assist in progress monitoring, evaluation of instruction, and engaging students in their own academic and personal learning. Essentially, assessments enhance student, parent and teacher understanding of student learning; show evidence of progress; identify students who may need additional enrichment or intervention supports; and guide instruction toward course material mastery and personal growth.
Forest Hills believes in a balanced assessment approach that blends assessments from local, state and national perspectives and:
- begins with establishing clear goals and monitoring progress toward those goals along the way
- guides student learning and maximizes achievement for all students
- provides data with the intent of improving, measuring, and maximizing student growth
- identifies what students already know and what they need to learn
