Save the Summer With Make-Up (and Original) Credit Courses

April 17...Do You Know Why?

Tutor Spotlight

Let's go back a few months. Your family is planning the perfect summer vacation. Perhaps you're traveling south or across the country. Or maybe a serene beach house along the water's edge is more of what you had in mind. Regardless of your destination, you've picked the date, the airline and hotel are booked, and all of you are anxious to bask in the sun.

Jump forward to May. Your child brings home his interim report for the fourth quarter. You're a little nervous because he has struggled with a particular subject all year. He insisted that he understood more and more, but the end result was the same each time: barely or not passing. A letter accompanies the report stating that your child will be required to attend summer school and must receive a passing grade. He will not be promoted to his senior year in high school unless these requirements are met. Summer school will be held from June 20-July 28. No more than 2 absences will be allowed. If this amount is exceeded, your child will be retained regardless of his grade. Then all of a sudden it hits you. "Oh no! Our vacation is June 25- July 8. All that planning and now it looks like we can't go."

Not necessarily. One thing is certain. Education must be the first priority. Your child's future depends on it. It is possible, however, to have your cake and eat it, too. At Back to Basics, we offer a great alternative to summer school called State-approved Make-Up Credit. The school will normally give a minimum number of hours that must be completed for credit to be given and also a completion date, usually in August. Once completed satisfactorily, a report will be sent to school including, but not limited to, the number of hours, material covered, and a final grade. As long as the required time is completed by the specified date, the manner in which they are completed is totally flexible. Vacation plans? No problem! You can add a session or two the week before and/or the week after your vacation to make sure your student completes the course. Original credit courses are offered in the same manner. These are courses not that a student has failed but is taking for the first time. This can be done to enhance transcripts and to move the student further along in the course schedule. A student may also take a course that is usually taken between two others or required to be taken by school. For example, Algebra I was completed the current school year and the student wants to take Algebra II in the fall. Geometry needs to be completed in between so the student can take it as an original credit course in the summer.

To find out more about summer courses for credit and all of our course offerings and tutoring for all grades, visit our website by clicking the link below.

It's hard to believe there are only about two months left in the school year! Hopefully, it has been a good one for you and your child(ren). If your student has struggled or been inconsistent with a subject throughout the year, now is the time to start preparing for finals. Divide subject matter into small pieces to facilitate and retain material in a manageable way. By doing this you avoid "cramming" and exams can be taken with less stress and anxiety. If you are notified that your child needs to attend summer school, be aware that there are options. Refer to the article on the left to see how we can ease your scheduling for the summertime.

Quote of the month: "A teacher is one who made two ideas grow where only one grew before."
Elbert Hubbard