Honors English Program Guide-- Grades 6-8

Purpose:   Saint Agnes School wants every child to achieve his/her best by offering a range of classes that address the needs and abilities of each individual.  As a result of this philosophy we have decided to implement an Honors English Program for Saint Agnes Middle School grades 6-8.

Description: The goal of  Honors English is to increase the literacy and writing ability of the enrolled students.  By design it follows a rigorous curriculum and provides students with greater depth and complexity of study.  Students will follow  the Philadelphia Archdiocesan Curriculum for all ELA classes; however, the pace in honors will be quicker.  The reading material will be at a higher level of difficulty, and the students will engage in more writing in relation to what is read as well as writing pieces that span across the curriculum.  Learning is the focus, but expectations and the responsibility of the student are important.  Attendance and active participation are necessary for success in the program.  This course requires students to produce their highest  quality of work.

Student Eligibility: When selecting students for  Honors English, the following criteria will be considered.

• Cumulative report card grade for ELA (reading and writing)
• Previous year report card grades in all subject areas
• Terra Nova CSI (Cognitive Skills Index)-- 
• Reading/Language Terra Nova Percentiles-- 
• Teacher recommendation

Students must maintain the following criteria to remain in the Honors English Program at Saint Agnes School: 

• A Terra Nova score of 88 or above in Reading Comprehension and Language.
• Final cumulative report card average in reading and writing  must be 90 or above.
• Above average grades should be reflected across all curriculum areas,  and a student must exhibit a positive behavioral record. 
• A strong work ethic, academic honesty as well as integrity are essential and expected.
• Attendance as well as active participation are necessary for success in the program.