School
Founded in 1894 by the religious order of the Brothers of the Sacred Heart, Catholic High School continues today as an independent, Catholic, all-male college preparatory high school accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.  As indicated in its mission statement, CHS strives to teach gospel values in an environment of academic excellence according to Catholic tradition and the spirit of the Brothers of the Sacred Heart.  Designated as a "National School of Excellence" in 1989, 1993, 1998 and 2003 by the U.S. Department of Education, the school celebrates 119 years of operation with a current population of 1,033 students in grades 8-12.  The senior class of 2013 numbers 235  The faculty consists of 87 members: 33 bachelor's, 47 master's and 7 doctoral degrees.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
Academic Program: Minimum Total 26-1/2
Religion - 4 credits    
Foreign Language - 2 credits    
Social Studies - 3 credits
Computer Education - 1/2 credit    
Health and Physical Education - 2 credits    
General Electives - 3 credits
English - 4 credits    
Mathematics - 4 credits
Fine Arts - 1 credit    
Science - 3 credits

Honors Program: Minimum Total 26-1/2
Completion of at least 12 honors courses with a cumulative grade-point average of 3.5 or higher.  No semester grade lower than C in any course.

The following courses are designated as Honors and/or AP courses
English
English II, III (Honors)
English IV (Honors/AP)
Foreign Language
French III, IV, V (Honors)
Latin III, IV, V (Honors)
Spanish III, IV, V (Honors)
Mathematics
Geometry (Honors)
Algebra II (Honors)
Pre-Calculus (Honors)
Calculus (Honors/AP)
Science
Biology I (Honors)
Chemistry I, II (Honors)
Physics (Honors)
Biology II (AP)
Social Studies
American History (Honors/AP)
World History (Honors/AP)

A student must meet departmental guidelines and have approval from the departmental chairperson to enroll in these courses.

GRADING
Report cards are issued four times a year.  Each division of the school year is referred to as a quarter.  The first two quarters make up the first semester; the third and fourth quarters make up the second semester.  The first- and third- quarter grades are determined strictly on the basis of daily work; the second- and fourth- quarter grades are determined by a combination of daily work and a semester examination.  The semester grades are the average of the two quarter grades (either 1st and 2nd/ 3rd and 4th).  The grading scale varies by department; the letter system used is as follows:
A. 4 Quality Points B. 3 Quality Points C. 2 Quality Points D. 1 Quality Point F. 0 Quality Points

The cumulative grade-point average is determined by semester grades.  In determining the cumulative grade-point average, all semester grades are included.  The cumulative grade-point average is unweighted. 

RANK DETERMINATION
Catholic High School will report a student's exact rank.  The class ranking system involves a "weighted cumulative grade-point average."  This WCGPA is used for the exclusive purpose of determining class rank and will not be reported in any form. The following formula is used to determine the WCGPA:

WCGPA= Unweighted grade-point average + (Number of honors program core curriculum semesters completed with grades of A, B or C x .02)

TEST DATA
ACT                            
                                  Average                    Middle 50%  
Class of 2006 ................24.6..........................22-27
Class of 2007 ................25.1..........................22-28
Class of 2008 ................24.9..........................22-28
Class of 2009 ................25.3..........................23-28
Class of 2010.................25.7..........................23-29
Class of 2011.................25.8..........................
Class of 2012.................26.0........................

SAT
                                  Average                        Middle 50%  
Class of 2006.................1901............................1750-2090
Class of 2007.................1871............................1720-2000
Class of 2008.................1775............................1480-2000
Class of 2009.................1814............................1570-1990
Class of 2010.................1948............................1780-2130
Class of 2011.................1908............................
Class of 2012.................1990............

ADVANCED PLACEMENT
              Total Students   % Receiving      % Receiving    Total Exams                
              Taking Exams     "3" or Higher   "4" or "5"     Taken
Class of 2006............29.......88%..................68%...................78
Class of 2007............31.......89%..................51%...................93
Class of 2008............35.......95%..................67%...................96
Class of 2009............28.......88%..................69%...................84
Class of 2010............30.......92%..................75%...................84

NATIONAL MERIT, NATIONAL HISPANIC SCHOLARS, AND NATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT PROGRAM RECOGNITION

Class of 2002
11 semifinalists
11 finalists
6 commended

Class of 2003
15 semifinalists
14 finalists
5 commended
2 national achievement semifinalists
2 national achievement finalists

Class of 2004
10 semifinalists
8 finalists
16 commended
2 national achievement semifinalists
2 national achievement finalists
1 national Hispanic scholar
1 national Hispanic scholar honorable mention

Class of 2005
13 semifinalists
13 finalists
12 commended

Class of 2006
4 semifinalists
4 finalists
10 commended
1 national Hispanic scholar

Class of 2007
8 semifinalists
8 finalists
1 National Achievement

Class of 2008
5 semifinalists
4 finalists
4 commended

Class of 2009
3 semifinalists
3 finalists

Class of 2010
10 semifinalists 
10 finalists
2 commended

Class of 2011
8 semifinalists 
7 finalists
7 commended
2 National Achievement Finalists

Class of 2012
11 semifinalists
11 finalists
6 commended
1 National Achievement Finalist
1 National Achievement Semifinalist

 

           

CURRICULUM
FRESHMAN YEAR       7 credits
Religion I   
English I  
Mathematics
Biology
Civics/H & PE I
Fine Arts Elective
Language Elective

Elective Choices: Art, Band, Chorus, Fine Arts Survey, Reading, Speech, Foreign Language     

SOPHOMORE YEAR       7 credits
Religion II   
Computer Applications/ H & PE I
English II
Mathematics
Chemistry
Elective
Elective 

Elective Choices: Accounting, Speech, Fine Arts, Foreign Language 

JUNIOR YEAR         6 or 7 credits
Religion III/ H & PE II  
English III 
Mathematics  
Science 
American History
Elective
Elective 

Elective Choices:  Advanced
Science, Speech, Publications,
Fine Arts, Business, Computer 
Education, Foreign Language   

SENIOR YEAR        6 or 7 credits
Religion IV
English IV
Mathematics
Free Enterprise/H & PE II
World History
Elective
Elective

Elective Choices:  Advanced
Science,  Speech, Publications,
Computer Education, Foreign
Language, Business, Fine Arts

SEQUENCE OF COURSES

Business
Accounting I,II
Business Law/Word Processing
Personal and Family Finance

Computer Education
Computer Applications I
Computer Science I, II
Computer Architecture

English
English I, II, III, IV
Reading
Speech I
Publications I

Fine Arts
Architectural Drafting
Advanced Technical Drafting
Art I, II, III, IV
Fine Arts Survey
Music Theory
Beginning Band
Intermediate Band
Advanced Band
Beginning Percussion
Percussion Ensemble
Wind Ensemble
Brass Ensemble
Beginning Men?s Choir
Intermediate Men?s Choir
Intermediate Mixed Choir
Advanced Chorus I (Mixed Ensemble)
Advanced Chorus II (Schola Cantorum)

Foreign Language
French I, II, III, IV, V
Latin I, II, III, IV, V
Spanish I, II, III, IV, V

Health & Physical Education
Health & Physical Education I, II

Mathematics
Algebra I
Geometry
Algebra II
Advanced Math I, II
Advanced Math/Trigonometry
Pre-Calculus
Calculus

Religion
Religion I, II, III, IV

Science
Biology I, II
Physical Science
Chemistry I, II
Environmental Science
Physics

Social Studies
Civics
American History
World History
Free Enterprise