WHAT ARE CP's, and How Do I Fix Them?
CP stands for "Credit Pending" in a given course. This is not a new concept to SHS. You might remember it being called an NG for "No Grade". We simply didn't like the misnomer that a student hasn't earned a grade. The grade is simply pending until a student fixes their attendance in the following semester. Therefore, we changed the name to more appropriately identify that the credit is pending (CP). The grade will be changed from a CP to whatever they earned as soon as they have bettered attendance in that class period in a following semester. A student can have CP's in all or in only one or two classes, as it is based on the attendance to each class individually.
How Do I Fix It?
Below, you can see the policy on how to fix a CP, as it is stated in the SHS Student Handbook:
7) CORRECTING CREDIT PENDINGS “CP's”
A student may receive an CP on his or her report card for excessive unexcused or excused absences. To correct the CP’s the student and parent/guardian may sign an attendance contract, agreeing to improve attendance in the future. If the contract terms are met by the student the grades will be changed back to the grade earned. Students may also complete detentions or community service to cover the time out of class in the final semester of their senior year. If a student leaves the district with a CP on his/her transcript the CP may be corrected by having the student’s new school report to SHS that he/she has improved attendance, is progressing well, and should have the CP changed.
Grades in a course will not be reduced per se by absences from the class. However, repeated absences makes it difficult for a student to receive direct instruction or actively participate in work that is essential to learning and not easily accomplished alone or away from the classroom setting. Absenteeism is counterproductive to learning and gaining essential work skills. This is especially true with our Modified Five schedule that includes only four days each week in regular classes. Please be aware that credit may be lost in situations where a student exceeds the state statute maximum of 10% absenteeism per class each semester. The absent student is expected to make up his/her schoolwork as per Item #5 above (Make-up Work). Please note that chronic tardiness may also adversely affect classroom credit.
The Attendance Contract
This contract may be written or verbal, depending on the circumstances. In general, the way a student "fixes" a CP is by having ZERO unexcused absences and no more than 5 excused absences in the same class period they previously had a CP in the following semester. They do not have to be in the same course. They are just showing better attendance for that hour of the day. If a student has CP's in all classes, they'll be required to fix their attendance and meet the above requirements to get their CP's back for each class period individually.
Seniors
As you can see above, there is another way for you to fix CP's the final semester of your senior year. However, we want to caution you against waiting until this point. The community service, detention, and Friday school options won't be available to you until mid-April of that last semester. That gives you only a small amount of time to complete many hours of work if you've earned a lot of CP's over your high school career, and that could keep you from walking with the rest of your class on graduation day. Click here, if you'd like to see more about how this works.