Agua Fria High School 's counselors are assigned to assist students throughout their high school career.  Career and college counseling opportunities are available through counseling appointments. Students who need in-depth personal/social counseling will be provided information regarding outside agencies.

Counselors are available before and after school and at lunchtime on a walk-in basis.  Appointments with counselors are available during the day.  Please make these appointments before or after school or during your lunch period. Counselors will arrange parent/student/teacher meetings before or after school.

Planning a High School Program of Studies

Making a four-year plan requires gathering information as well as consulting with teachers, parents, and counselors.  The student needs to have a goal or idea of what he/she wants to do when high school is completed.  Having a plan is most important even though students and their parents may decide to make some changes as they progress. A copy of a student's four-year plan will be kept with their counselor.  Each year a student should review it with their counselor and make necessary changes.

E-Mail Communication

Agua Fria welcomes email communication from our students and parents. While most questions can be answered through email correspondence, appointments are still suggested if the question or concern can't be addressed.

Alternative Educational Programs 

All course work taken through alternative programs and classes taken in summer school at a site other than Agua Fria must have prior approval by a Agua Fria Counselor and Administrator in order to be counted toward Agua Fria diploma. It is the responsibility of the student to finish course work in time for the grades to be posted before graduation. If grades are not received in time to be posted by graduation day, students will not be allowed to receive a diploma or participate in graduation ceremonies.

Options include:

Estrella Mountain Community College :   Students typically take courses such as Writing, Math, and Language to earn additonal credit. In most cases, students choose to take these courses to complete university entrance requirements, in addition to high school graduation requirements. Please see your counselor for more details. You must apply for Estrella Mountain online at http://www.maricopa.edu/. Pick up an application packet from your counselor.

Credit Recovery: This a program allows students to earn additional credits during the school year.  Credit is earned through completing coursework on the computer using the A+ Program. All high school students who are behind on credits are eligible to participate.   The fee is $65.00 per credit course. Typical course offerings include English, World History, US History, and Physical Education. Classes meet from 2:30-3:30 on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays only. Referral from your counselor is a requirement.

Schedule Changes

Schedule changes must be made before the end of the first week of a semester class (in both cases this means all paperwork completed and approved) and will only occur if the new class is available.  

Agua Fria High School does not make schedule changes for the following reasons:

• The student would prefer a different lunch
• The student would prefer a different teacher
• The student would prefer a class with a friend
• The student would prefer classes in a different order

Good reasons for schedule changes include:

• The student has already received credit for the same course
• The student has completed a correspondence course or Summer School course
• The student has failed a class required for graduation
• The student did not complete appropriate prerequisite class(es)

Instructional Problem-Solving Procedure

It is expected that students and parents will contact and work the teacher and Agua Fria High School counselors when encountering difficulties.  It is not an acceptable practice for students and/or parents to request a schedule change first. It is a rare occasion when a schedule change is completed after the first ten days, and is only considered when it is determined that:

• The student is making a sincere effort to do the work in the class.
• The student is regularly making contact with the teacher in the classroom and during Conference Periods in order to ask questions and seek support.
• The students and parents have worked with the teacher to understand the scope and the nature of the problems causing the difficulties.
• The student and parents have consulted with the counselor, so that the counselor can offer general support and can talk to the teacher with the student.

Grade Reports

Agua Fria will issue grade reports every 4½ weeks. The Grade Report will include attendance and a grade for each class. In addition, the report may include comments from individual teachers informing the student and parent of progress. The Mid-Quarter Grade Report is an instrument to communicate to the student and parent progress being made in each class. Final grades (recorded on transcripts) are issued at the end of each semester.

A student may be passing a class when the 4½ Week Grade Report is issued, and find himself/herself in danger of failing a class due to not completing a final project, failing a test, or other reasons. Should this occur, the teacher will notify the parents before a failing grade is issued.

A student who has been seriously ill or has a family emergency may not be able to complete all work at the end of the grading period. The teacher may record an Incomplete on the student's grade report. The student must complete all work during the first two weeks of the next grading period unless prior arrangements have been made with the teacher and approved by the site administrator.

Otherwise, the Incomplete will be changed to an F (Failure) or N (No Grade - No Credit) depending on the circumstances. A student who wishes to participate in an interscholastic activity must pass all classes. A student who received an F or an N is ineligible to participate in any interscholastic activity for the next grading period. A student who receives an I (Incomplete) is ineligible until the work is completed and the teacher awards a passing grade. 

Grade of:
A: highest grade indicates outstanding performance
B: above average indicates achievement above average
C: average indicates average achievement
D: below average indicates completion of minimum requirements 
F: failure indicates did not complete minimum requirements 
I: incomplete indicates deficiency in completion of assignment 
P: credit-no grade indicates credit but no grade recorded 
N: no credit-no grade used only with administrative approval 

The parents of students who are having difficulty in a class may choose to track their student's progress on a weekly basis. Students pick up a "Grade Check" form, give it to each of their teachers at the beginning of class on Friday, and bring it home to their parents at the conclusion of classes. If parents wish to discuss grade reports with teachers, they should make an appointment by calling or emailing the teacher.  Teacher telephone numbers and e-mail addresses are available on the Agua Fria Home Page.

Grade Point Average (GPA) and Class Rank

A student's grade point average (GPA) and rank in class are based on all classes that the student takes for high school credit. If a student fails a course and subsequently completes the course satisfactorily, the passing grade is used to compute the GPA; the failing grade is not. High school credit earned in Algebra, Spanish, or English in the eighth grade will be used toward graduation. Grades earned in these classes will be used in computing the cumulative GPA.

Cumulative GPA is computed by giving equal value to grades earned in all full credit courses. A = 4, B = 3, C = 2, D = 1, F = 0. Advanced Placement grades of A, B, C, and D are weighted one additional grade point.  Agua Fria students are ranked at the end of each semester using weighted grades. Transcripts are updated each semester, and copies of the official transcript will be sent to colleges and employers upon student request. The final transcript becomes part of the student's permanent record and is the official certification of graduation.

Students should request transcripts from Mrs. Elsa Cruz in the Guidance Office. Students can get an unofficial transcript printed by requesting one from their counselor or the attendance office.