Academics
Academic Requirements for Graduation
English 4.5 years
Mathematics 4.5 years
Theology 4 years
Science 4 years
Social Studies 3 years
Foreign Language 2 years
Physical Education 1 year
Computer Science 1 year
Orientation 1 year
Leadership 1 year
Fine Arts 1 year
Health 1 semester
Consumer Econ. 1 semester
Keyboarding 1 semester
Electives 2.5 credits
Students should be aware that the above are minimum requirements and that more units are offered in some areas. Students must complete 30 credits to graduate from Cardinal Ritter.
Credit is given on the basis of one half units for each semester's work in courses that carry one unit of credit for a year's work. Students must make a grade of at least D to acquire credit.
Students are required to make up all failures in required courses to receive credit and graduate.
College entrance requirements vary from school to school. Students should, therefore, consult the counselor to learn entrance requirements for the colleges they are considering.
Honors Courses
Honors courses are offered to students in several areas. They are designed to allow greater depth of study at a faster pace. Admission is determined by GPA, standardized test scores and teacher recommendation. Honors courses are offered in Biology, Chemistry, Geometry, Algebra 2, Types of Literature, American Literature, English Literature, World History and U.S. History.
College Credit Courses
Students may earn college credit through Saint Louis University and the University of Missouri - St. Louis in their junior and senior years. Admission is based on teacher recommendation, past performance and GPA. The Coordinating Board of High Education for the State of Missouri requires students to have a GPA of at least 3.0 to be eligible. The student receives both high school and college credit.
Failures/Incomplete
With the exception of English, Social Studies and Theology, students who fail the first semester of a year-long course can make up the failure by passing the second semester. The F for the first semester becomes a D, but the points are not added to the GPA.
An incomplete in any subject must be made up within two weeks of the end of the grading period. If the work is not made up, the incomplete becomes an F.
Summer School and Academic Probation
Any student attending an accredited summer school will receive credit upon successful completion of courses taken. If the course is a make-up for a previous failure, the grade level will change as follows: Any summer A or B becomes a C; a C or D becomes a D.
Approved courses taken for academic enrichment cannot replace courses offered in the Cardinal Ritter Prep curriculum. Other classes, not offered by Cardinal Ritter Prep, taken for enrichment receive full credit. Students can only take two enrichment classes or 1 credit. Classes are worth one semester of credit.
Summer school grades cannot change a student's eligibility status. Any student who does not successfully complete a course is compelled to attend summer school for that course. If that course is not being offered in summer school, the student must take an appropriate substitute. This will enable the student to repeat the failed course in the next semester without jeopardizing graduation requirements.
Any student who fails three or more courses will find it impossible to make up all those credits as only one full credit can be obtained per summer. Therefore, a student who fails three courses may be asked to withdraw.
It is required that a student maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 with no F's in any subject. When this does not occur, it is necessary to place the student on academic probation. This applies to new students as well as to returning students. In order for a student to enter or continue at Cardinal Ritter Prep, the student an parent must sign an academic probation contract. The contract specifies that the student will raise the quarter GPA to 2.0.
