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Academic Requirements for Academy Students

Being an Academy student is a privilege and with that privilege comes certain academic requirements.  
  • Academy students are required to take honors level courses in English, Math, Social Studies, and Science.  Students may choose to take AP level courses when available.  
  • All three strands have honors level courses within the strands that are requirements for completion. 
  • Education strand students are required to take AP psychology.  
  • ALL Academy students will be required to take at least one AP math and one AP science course during their 4 years at Southern. 
  • Students who are unable to complete their strand requirements due to failing classes will be removed from the academy and be required to return to their home school. 
  • Students who do not wish to complete their strand requirements will be removed from the Academy and be required to return to their home school. 
  • Students who do not complete the academic requirements will not receive their Academy endorsement.

Expectations of Academy Students

  • Academy students are expected to be role models within the student body and their behavior should reflect this expectation.
  • Academy students are here to benefit from the programs offered and therefore should be focused on maintaining good grades. 
  • Academy students who have below a C in a class are expected to go to after-school tutoring or learning hub.  
  • Academy students understand that academics take priority over extracurricular activities. 
Failure to follow the expectations of the academy could result in the removal of academy status, and the student would have to return to their home school the following year. 

Criteria for Acceptance

Southern Guilford Academy is a direct offer school.  This means that students are not randomly selected.  This is a competitive process with each application being reviewed thoroughly using a rubric. Students are evaluated based on their short answer to the question on the application, 2 teacher recommendations, grades in 7th and 8th grade, as well as their 7th grade EOG scores.  We also take into consideration whether they have taken or are currently taking Math 1.
Students are selected for the strand they apply for, so please make sure to choose carefully on the application. 
The rubric used is here applicant rubric