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Honor Courses

EARLY HIGH SCHOOL REGENTS CREDIT

FOR ADVANCED STUDIES STUDENTS

Students selected for honor courses demonstrate high order thinking ability, motivation, and skill in the subject(s) for which they are eligible.

Grades, standardized test scores, the student’s daily class performance, participation, study habits, communication skills, character, and teacher recommendations are among the many variables considered in electing students for honor courses.

Honor courses will include a fast paced but comfortable instruction rate, exciting problems to solve, high interest projects, and opportunity to earn advanced New York State Board of Regents high school credit or proficiency certification, where applicable. Honor courses and Honor Student status will be noted on report cards.

Honor level achievement must be maintained throughout each marking period to remain in an honor course.

HONORS MATH

Students qualify by report card grades in mathematics, achievement test scores in math and teacher recommendation. The student must show readiness to take on intellectually challenging problems and the perseverance to sustain personal effort. Students must achieve at least an 85 average each marking period to maintain their Honors Math standing.
Honors Math students may take NYS Board of Regents courses in Algebra and Geometry; study will focus on select skills and concepts within these courses designed for the advanced student. Regents tests will be given by the close of eighth grade, or earlier.

HONORS SCIENCE

Students qualify by report card grades in science, achievement test scores in science and teacher recommendation. The student must show readiness to take on intellectually challenging problems, the ability to productively work in cooperative study groups, and the perseverance to sustain personal effort.

Eligibility for advanced studies in science requires on- or above-grade level reading and writing skills. Students must achieve at least an 85 average each marking period to maintain their Honors Science standing.

Students will take a three semester course in Living Environments (Biology) beginning in sixth grade. Students then study Earth Science and the essentials of Chemistry. Study will focus on select skills and concepts within these courses that have been designed for the advanced student.

The Living Environment and Earth Science Regents Tests will be given at the close of each of these courses.

HONORS ENGLISH & LANGUAGE ARTS

Students qualify by report card grades in ELA, achievement test scores in ELA and teacher recommendation. The student must show readiness to take on intellectually challenging problems, the ability to productively work in cooperative study groups, and the perseverance to sustain personal effort.

Eligibility for advanced studies in ELA requires above-grade level reading comprehension and the skill to write clearly and creatively with a minimum of mechanical errors (spelling, grammar, punctuation, etc.). Students must achieve at least an 85 average each marking period to maintain their Honors ELA standing.

Honors level ELA will include through high school level primary reading sources; advanced literary criticism; enhanced Writer’s Workshop for craft and style; publishing; and journalism. Students will assemble portfolios of their written work; study authors and literary genres; and submit stories, poems or research for publication or entry into recognized student writing competitions.

HONORS FRENCH

Students qualify by report card grades in French, test scores in French and teacher recommendation. The student must show perseverance to sustain personal effort. Eligibility for advanced studies in French requires above-grade level reading, speaking and writing in French. Students must achieve at least an 85 average each marking period to maintain their Honors French standing.

Honors French students in the eighth grade will be eligible for a French Proficiency Test. A passing score on this measure qualifies the student for Level 2 French in New York – ordinarily, a ninth or tenth grade level course.

School Open House

               

 

 

LHS is a recognized New York State private school, located in Suffolk County, Long Island.

 

 


 

 

Parent Bravos

Here is a small sample of some of the  beautiful comments from our Parents

From a 6th Grade Parent:

Dear Mr and Mrs Stark,
And all our wonderful LHS teachers! We want to support all parents in sending our deepest gratitude for giving our kids some sense of normalcy during these very challenging times.
It’s very important for us to know that while my husband, as many other ICU doctors and nurses, are fighting every day with this vicious disease, our children can still follow their routine, learn, and communicate with their teachers and friends. It helps us, parents, and it definitely helps kids to continue their growth as individuals.
I see excitement in (our daughter’s) eyes when she is getting ready for school in the morning, when she is running to the printer to get an assignment, or just talking to her friends during breaks.
Thank you so much to every single one of you!
 
 

From a 3YR Old Parent:

“We wanted to say thank you for accommodating the preschool families with the tuition suspension during this time.
We are also amazed (and truly grateful) that the zoom on- line learning format is continuing despite the circumstances.
I know this is not an easy time for businesses, organizations etc. If there is anything at all we can do to help the school during this time or once we return, please let us know. Maybe a fundraiser or maybe there is something we can do for our individual teachers. Just brainstorming…
Finally, some thoughts as we’ve entered week 3 of zoom/on-line learning. It’s been such a wonderful experience participating in our kids’ learning! Yes managing working from home and helping with homeschool can be exciting… but I’ve enjoyed seeing firsthand how dedicated our teachers are to not only teaching and providing additional resources to enhance learning, but also doing it with such great enthusiasm.
 There’s a great sense of community and collaboration between administration, teachers and parents, and it is evident that our main goal is how to make this experience the best it can possibly be.
How lucky are we to have such amazingly dedicated teachers in our kids’ lives! How blessed are we to be part of the
Laurel Hill family!
In the midst of chaos you have given us a sense of normalcy and we are genuinely appreciative of all your efforts.
 
 

 

 
 
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As Charles Dickens famously observed…
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times . . .
it was the season of darkness,
it was the spring of hope . . .
We at Laurel Hill live “the best of times” every day because we are blessed by the beauty, by the serene innocence, and by the precocity of our boys and girls.
We at Laurel Hill live “the best of times” every day for the blessing of totally dedicated teachers and support staff who clearly know why they selected to do what they do in career and in life and give, and give, and give tirelessly to fulfill their greatest ambitions for their children’s growth and well being.
We at Laurel Hill live “the best of times” because we are blessed to have families joined with us to support and to build – partners in turning great ideas into great accomplishments, partners ready to share their skills and to help in the work that needs to be done.
 
IN THEIR OWN WORDS
 
FROM A TEACHER….
Ms. Bond’s Zoom Classroom
Never in my teaching career would I have thought that I would need to teach elementary class via online classes. Yet, here we are in uncertain times, teaching in a media platform that is geared towards the children of this generation.
As apprehensive as I was before the first day of Zoom (I woke up a number of times during the night like it was my first day of school!), I now feel energized and excited about what we are able to do with the Zoom program. I’ve found that I’ve been able to keep most of my teaching the same as when it is a live class! In Reading, we’ve done an author study and vocabulary work in just three days! I am so proud of how much hard work my students continue to do while they are at home!
FROM A PARENT…..
I hope this email finds you well and safe. I have been thinking about you & Mr. Stark often and must first apologize for the time lapse in reaching out to express my deepest gratitude. I can’t believe that we have just completed 3 weeks of successful and engaging remote learning. Your steadfast leadership at the onset of this crisis was inspiring. As this crisis turned into a nationwide tragic pandemic, your engaging and detailed remote learning program did not waiver. In fact, it strengthened! Our children were the lucky ones to maintain a sense of normalcy with their routine schedule and engaging “live” classes with all of their treasured teachers and classmate friends.