Academics

LAS conducts placement tests for English, ELA (English Language Acquisition), Mathematics, and Modern Foreign Language to assign new students to appropriate classes. These tests are managed by Admissions during orientation and may be repeated.

Students may request a schedule change for non-AP and non-IB classes within the first two weeks, subject to availability. If approved, the dropped course will not appear on the transcript.

After the change period, the dropped course will show a "W" for withdrawal, with no credit. After the first semester, grades will be included, and second-semester changes can only be requested within the first week. Exceptions may be made by the Academic Dean’s Office based on performance.

Schedule change requests must be submitted by the end of the third week, subject to course availability and recommendations from teachers and advisors. If approved, the dropped course will not appear on the transcript, and students must catch up on missed material. After this period, changes are only made by the Academic Dean’s Office based on academic performance.

After the first semester, the course, grade, and credits will appear on the transcript. Second-semester changes must be requested within the first week. New students joining in January may request changes until the end of the third quarter. Grade 12 students should consult advisors for changes due to university applications.

IB Schedule Changes: Grade 11 students can request changes by the third week, with advisor consultation. Grade 12 changes are only allowed in exceptional circumstances due to IB and university application requirements.

After the change period, dropped courses will show a “W” with no credit.

LAS will offer courses based on enrollment and faculty availability. The school may cancel courses, rearrange sequences, or adjust schedules to balance class sizes.

Students must arrive on time. Two tardies equal one absence, and being over 15 minutes late counts as an absence. The Academic Office reviews tardiness and may take action for habitual lateness.

Medical appointments during school hours require Health Center approval. Students must submit requests through Orah to excuse off-campus visits.

Ill students must report to the Health Center at least 15 minutes before school starts.

The Academic Office reviews attendance weekly. Two absences, three tardies, or one absence and two tardies result in removal from the Commendation List. Discrepancies must be reported within a week.

Students must notify teachers about missed work on the day they return. Each syllabus outlines make-up policies, including deadlines and penalties for late work.

At LAS, assessment measures learning and guides improvement through feedback. It includes sharing goals, reviewing success models, and using feedback and self-assessment.

Students are graded on:

• Academic: 1-7 scale, based on performance.

Learning Behavior: 1-4 scale, reflecting progress in independent learning skills, separate from academic grades.

At LAS, assessment supports inclusion, challenge, and success. Our strategies include:

• Challenging Tasks: Open-ended tasks for deeper thinking.
• Inclusive Approaches: Multiple ways to demonstrate understanding.
• Success-Focused: Clear criteria, feedback, and resubmission opportunities.

Feedback is provided through:

• Common criteria for consistency.
• Peer- and self-assessment for reflection.
• Opportunities for students to reflect on work and processes.

Students demonstrate understanding through real-world applications and the six facets of understanding: explain, interpret, apply, empathy, perspective, and self-knowledge.

We foster independent learning through self-assessment and goal-setting. Assessment activities are fair, aligned with the curriculum, and manageable. Achievement is separated from non-academic factors to reflect true performance.

This policy focuses on grading, not marking, and aims to clarify student achievement to enhance learning.

Summative assessments determine final grades. Formative assessments do not. Only high-quality assessments count.

Grades reflect individual achievement, not behavior or group work. Extra credit improves achievement only.

Grades are based on evidence from assessments and teacher judgment, with recent achievement weighted more.

Academic Grading

LAS uses a 1-7 grading scale, aligned with IB practices and Bloom's taxonomy.

In grades 11 and 12, most students work toward the IB Diploma. LAS uses a 1-7 scale similar to the IB system to assess key knowledge and thinking skills. Predicted grades inform progress for students and parents.

What is Standards-Based Grading?

Standards-based grading provides more precise feedback than traditional grading by assessing specific school-wide standards. It involves rubrics that track student progress on key skills throughout the year.

Key Skills
Each department identifies key skills students develop at LAS:

• English: Understanding, analyzing, organizing, and presenting ideas.
• ELA (English Language Acquisition): Receptive and productive skills in listening and speaking.
• Modern Languages: Receptive, productive, and interactive language skills.
• Social Studies: Knowledge, application, evaluation, and skill selection.
• Science: Identifying problems, researching, analyzing, evaluating, and communicating.
• Mathematics: Problem-solving, reasoning, communication, and using tools strategically.
• Arts: Analyzing, developing skills, thinking creatively, and responding to artistic experiences.

Physical Education: Knowledge, planning, performance, and reflection.

Learning Behavior reflects actions that impact learning and is graded on a 1-4 scale, with 4 being self-motivated and independent.

Assessment Areas:

• Engagement: Focus and attitude toward learning.
• Participation: Interaction with peers and contributions.
• Organization: Preparedness and task completion.

Grades are based on these three areas.

Learning behavior grades, reported in PowerSchool, do not impact academic grades and help address individual learning needs.

Learning Behavior reflects actions that impact learning and is graded on a 1-4 scale, with 4 being self-motivated and independent.

Assessment Areas:

• Engagement: Focus and attitude toward learning.
• Participation: Interaction with peers and contributions.
• Organization: Preparedness and task completion.

Grades are based on these three areas.

Learning behavior grades, reported in PowerSchool, do not impact academic grades and help address individual learning needs.

Late Work
Missed assignments will have new deadlines set by the teacher. Late work affects behavior grades and may impact academics. Repeated tardiness requires attending supervised study sessions, possibly leading to suspension from activities.

Process
Study sessions occur on Wednesday mornings. Students submit work and leave afterward. Parents are notified. Failure to attend results in referral and potential consequences.

Plagiarism is using someone else's work or ideas without credit, including:

• Using others' material or ideas without citation.
• Paraphrasing without proper attribution.
• Citing unused sources.
• Copying work.

This is especially important in an international context, where views on intellectual property can vary.

When using AI-generated information, cite the platform, access date, and specific details used. Failure to do so is considered plagiarism. Students must also assess the reliability of AI sources, as they may not always be accurate.

Violations of academic honesty can result in severe consequences like failing a course, academic probation, or expulsion.

Consequences for Violations of Academic Integrity:

• First Offense: Meeting with Associate Dean, assignment earns an INC (incomplete), and must be redone.
• Second Offense: Meeting with Associate Dean, parent communication, redone assignment with penalty, possible dismissal from IB.

Third Offense: Meeting with Associate Dean/Dean of Academics, parent communication, redone assignment with penalty, possible suspension, and dismissal from IB. For IB students, plagiarism on IB work may lead to immediate dismissal from the IB Programme.

IB courses are assessed based on IB criteria, which inform teacher predictions for the final IB grade. Students must complete Internal Assessments (IAs) graded by the teacher and sent for external moderation. IA deadlines are set by the IB Coordinator. LAS semester grades do not impact the final IB grade but may correlate with anticipated grades, which are based on expected exam and IA performance. Predicted grades are reported to universities. The IB Coordinator collects and shares progress, but grades will not be altered upon request from students or parents.

Grades are collected at these points throughout the year:

If concerns arise, the IB Coordinator will contact parents to support student success. Anticipated and predicted grades affect IB standing.

To earn credit, students must complete all course requirements and assessments, including external IB exams.

Advantages of AP 

AP classes allow high school students to earn college credit and demonstrate readiness for rigorous coursework.

IB vs AP Assessments

IB assessments are ongoing and include coursework and essays, while AP exams are held at year-end with multiple-choice and free-response questions.

Each semester has two marking periods. Final grades, issued at the end of the second and fourth marking periods, appear on transcripts and may differ from mid-semester grades due to final exams.

Anticipated/Predicted Grades for University Applications
Anticipated/Predicted Grades forecast student performance in IB or AP courses. These grades are submitted to universities, especially for UK applications via UCAS. They aid admissions decisions, alongside other factors.

Deadline for Anticipated/Predicted Grades:

• First Update: October for early applications.
• Second Update: November/December for other deadlines.

IB Anticipated Grades for Grade 11
Grade 11 students receive anticipated grades at the end of the second semester for internal use and university planning.

Predicted Grades in University Selection
Predicted grades are just one factor in university admissions.

Grades 9-12

LAS awards 0.5 credit per semester. The administration determines credit eligibility for students entering after the first marking period.

No Credit: Students dismissed before the second and fourth marking period do not receive credit for that semester.

Exams: Dismissed students must make up exams in January or December, with a fee for off-campus testing. If no facility is available, they will fail.

Final Grades & Make-Ups: For Semester 2 absences, final grades are decided based on the student’s performance and absence reason. Make-up exams are allowed only for passing grades.

IB and AP classes are open to Diploma and High School Diploma students and require extensive study and major assignments. Missing internal deadlines results in a meeting with the Associate Dean and possible academic action. Repeated issues may lead to removal from the course or program. Meeting deadlines is essential for success.