8.
Christian Service
The three-fold purpose of Catholic education is to teach
the gospel message, to build community, and to foster
service to others. At Brother Rice High School, the
Campus Ministry Office provides concrete opportunities
for all students to build community by serving others as
Jesus did.
Brother Rice requires each student to complete twenty
(20) hours of Christian Service work per school year, three
(3) of which will be earned by participation in the all-school
service day. Freshman may complete another ten (10)
hours through working in-school functions such as the
Open House, the Auction, the Brother’s Brunch, the
Mother-Son Mass, the Leadership Conference, etc. Five
(5) of those in-school hours may be applied from hosting
an eighth grader. Those in-school opportunities are not
mandated. Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors may only
complete up to five (5) of the required hours by working in-
school functions.
Service hours are to be performed working for parishes,
hospitals, nursing homes, charitable organization, etc.
Work with certain non-profit organizations, youth sports
leagues, public schools, animal agencies, etc. do not
qualify. If there is a question, pre-approval can be obtained
from the Campus Ministry Office. Work done for family
members, neighbors or other individuals, although
constituting Christian service, may not be applied toward
the service work requirement. Approved work may be
completed during the summer prior to a given academic
year. Students who work additional hours in an academic
year may not apply those hours toward the next year’s
requirement.
Signed Service Verification forms are due to the student’s
Theology teacher. Students who do not complete their
service hours by the due date will be suspended from
school until the required service hours are completed.
Seniors may not participate in graduation ceremonies
unless all service hours are completed.
9.
Testing Program
During the academic school year, Brother Rice administers
the following standardized tests:
1. Eighth graders interested in attending Brother
Rice High School are given the Scholastic High
School Placement Test in November, December,
February or May.
2. Freshmen take the PSAT 9 which establishes a
baseline for students’ college and career
readiness.
3. Sophomores take the PSAT, which is a pre-SAT
test.
4. Juniors also take the PSAT, which serves as the
National Merit qualifying exam. They are also
advised to take the American College Test (ACT)
and/or the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT I) in the
spring of their junior year. Interest inventories and
career assessments are available at a cost in the
Guidance Department.
5. Seniors may take the ACT and/or SAT I exams in
the spring prior to their senior year or in the fall of
senior year. Certain selective colleges require the
SAT II Subject Tests. Students should check with
the school(s) they hope to attend to determine if
SAT II tests are required. Advanced Placement
Test, which are taken for possible college credit,
are administered in May. Brother Rice is a regional
testing center for the ACT and SAT exams in the
fall and spring each year. Registration materials
are
available
collegeboard.com
10.
online
at
act.org
or
Academic Grades
The following grade scale will be used by all classes at
Brother Rice High School:
Grading
Scale
A+
A
A-
B+
B
B-
C+
C
C-
D+
D
D-
F
Percentage GPA
100-98
97-93
92-90
89-88
87-83
82-80
79-78
77-73
72-70
69-68
67-63
62-60
≤59 4.0
4.0
4.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
1.0
1.0
1.0
0.0
Honors/
AP GPA
4.5
4.5
4.5
3.5
3.5
3.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
1.0
1.0
1.0
0.0
Gradebooks will automatically round up for 0.5 and above.
For example: 83.6% becomes an 84% but a 79.4% will round
down to a 79%.
Quality Points are used to compute the student's grade point
average. Courses designated as Honors or AP will carry an
added one-half (0.5) quality point per course. These extra
quality points, added to the GPA, constitute a “weighted”
GPA. Honor points are not awarded for any grade below a
70%.
Grade point averages (GPA) are computed for each quarter
and will appear along with the current GPA on each report
card. Letter grades earned in courses and the cumulative
GPA, based on the semester grades earned during the four
years at Brother Rice, are recorded on the student’s
transcript.
The GPA is computed according to the following formula:
GPA = Total Quality Points/Total Ranking Credits
For example: Student X has earned the following semester
grades:
English
Math
History
Science
Theology
Foreign Language
90%
73%
88%
67%
75%
92%
0.50 credit
0.50 credit
0.50 credit
0.50 credit
0.50 credit
0.50 credit
3.00 credits
The Quality Points for each grade are multiplied by the credit
for the course:
English
Math
History
Science
Theology
World Language
4.0 x 0.50
2.0 x 0.50
3.0 x 0.50
1.0 x 0.50
2.0 x 0.50
4.0 x 0.50
2.00
1.00
1.50
0.50
1.00
2.00
8.00
Total Quality Points/Total Ranking Credits:
8.00/3.00 = 2.67 GPA
7