Academics Overview

All students must be enrolled in Physical Education each semester they are enrolled in day school.

    Exceptions:

1.  Students enrolled in Health in lieu of one semester of sophomore Physical Education
2.  Students enrolled in Driver Education 

Students may apply for an approved exemption from Physical Education if they meet one of the following requirements:

1. Enrollment in Marching Band program for credit;

2. Enrollment in Reserve Officer's Training Corps (ROTC) program sponsored by the District;

3. Ongoing participation in an interscholastic athletic program (student must be in the 11th or 12th grade);

4. Enrollment in academic classes that are required for admission to an institution of higher learning (student must be in the 11th or 12th grade);

5. Enrollment in academic classes that are required for graduation from high school, provided that failure to take such classes will result in the pupil being unable to graduate (student must be in the 11th or 12th grade).

The semester grade will be determined by averaging the eighteen week grading period with the final exam.

Students receiving an "I" have two (2) weeks in which to complete the work. It is the student’s responsibility to contact the teacher with regard to completion of course requirements. If the requirements are not completed within two weeks, the grade becomes an automatic "F."

Students withdrawing from a class AFTER the first nine weeks of a semester, will receive a "WP" if passing the class at the time of withdrawing and an "F" if failing at the time of withdrawal. Student permanent records reflect semester grades only.

Grade Point Average (GPA) - All courses will count in determining a student’s grade point average. Courses are designed as either weighted or unweighted. A weighted grade system is used at J.T.H.S to compute Grade Point Average (G.P.A.). Weighted grades take into account both student achievement and course difficulty. A grade weight is given to each course based upon its relative difficulty.

The following two-tiered weighting system will be used to compute Grade Point Average (G.P.A.).

Academic Recognition
J.T.H.S. has adopted a system of Cum Laude recognition based on the following G.P.A.:

3.5  - 3.74 = Cum Laude
3.75 - 3.99 = Magna Cum Laude
4.0 = Summa Cum Laude

Campus Parent
We strongly encourage all parents to monitor progress on a regular basis through Campus Parent. Campus Parent is accessible over the internet and provides current information regarding students such as attendance, class work, discipline, interim progress, notes, registration, report card, schedule and transcript to students and their parents/guardians. Also, links are provided throughout for contacting each student’s teachers and counselor by email.

Campus Parent is available at https://jolietil.infinitecampus.org/campus/portal/joliet.jsp or you can use the dropdown “Quick Links” option available in the upper right hand corner of our website at www.jths.org. For assistance, students can go to their main office and parents/guardians can either contact the Computer Services helpdesk by emailing helpdesk@jths.org or by calling 815-774-7800.

Progress Reports - Progress reports will occur after six and twelve weeks.

Students planning to enter a four-year university or who plan to enroll in a community college transfer degree program should complete the following recommended course of study:

Each college has its own entrance requirements, it is essential that parents and students carefully review the specific requirements for admission to the colleges being considered.

1. Students will receive registration information during the first semester so that parents will have the opportunity to discuss with their students the career academy options and course selections.
2. Each student will meet with the counselor to complete scheduling.  Students will be given a copy of their course selections to take home to their parents.
3. Any questions regarding the course selections should be addressed to the counselor.
4. All requests for schedule changes must be received by the designated deadline.

All students are required to enroll and pass a semester class in health education, as part of the graduation requirements for JTHS. 

Health education is a comprehensive course taught at the 10^th grade level, that includes the following units of instruction:
Unit 1 Diseases and Body Systems
Unit 2 Health and Wellness
Unit 3 Mental and Emotional Health
Unit 4 Nutrition
Unit 5 Drugs of Use, Misuse, and Abuse
Unit 6 Responsible Sexuality

Each unit of instruction is aligned to the National Health Standards, Illinois State Standards, and/or National Sex Education Standards. 

The Unit on Responsible Sexuality includes the following topics:
Male Reproductive System
Female Reproductive System
Menstrual Cycle
Birth Control/Contraception
Sexually Transmitted Infections/Diseases
HIV/AIDS
Safe Haven Law
Relationships
Resources
Sexting
Sexual Assault, Sexual Violence, Sexual Harassment, and Domestic Violence
Sex Trafficking
Sexual Consent
Gender Identity/Expression and Sexual Orientation/Identity
View Unit 6: Sexual Responsibility

Families and students can request to opt out of topics in the health class due to religious or personal conviction using the opt out form provided by the health teacher or through a direct conversation with the teacher.  An alternative work/study plan will be development for that student. 
Health Education Opt Out Form

Additional questions can be directed to Angel Hauert, Coordinator Central Campus ahauert@jths.org 815-727-6823 or Mike Kuziel, Coordinator West Campus mkuziel@jths.org 815-774-1674.

Welcome Message from Dr. Alexander

Greetings JTHS Staff, Families, and Community,

My name is Dr. Sharon Alexander and I am excited to be the new English Curriculum Director at Joliet Township High School. The move back to Joliet has been an amazing journey as I started as an English Night School, Summer School, and English teacher and part-time Public Relations Director from 1995-1998.  Since that time, I have served as an Assistant Principal, Principal, Assistant Director, and Director in various school districts in Illinois. Although my career has spanned mostly in Middle School and High Schools, I also have served most recently as the Director of Advanced Learning in the Madison Metropolitan School District in Madison, Wisconsin. I am so grateful to be back in Illinois and specifically working in the school district I graduated from in 1990 and taught for in the late 1990s.  

Philosophically and educationally, I believe strongly in servant leadership and hope to demonstrate this by supporting classroom teachers and schools and their impact on our students. Working collaboratively with our students and families, we are working to eliminate academic disproportionality in access to rigor, performance, and instruction. This relationship is the catalyst for real change in education.

As I look at our beliefs as a district, our mission to honor our “historically rich, inclusive, and innovative learning community that values and embraces diversity, is to maximize every student’s potential to positively impact our community and thrive in a global society by providing an equitable, personalized, and rigorous education” I believe I have a deep understanding of this work and will use each day to focus on making this a reality for seen in all classrooms, all schools, and throughout the Joliet community.