Earning Credits

Students at Santana High earn academic credit by participating in classroom activities, completing assignments, both at school and away from school, and receiving passing grades on the required tests/examinations. The earning of credit is not based on hours spent in the classroom but on the content that has been learned. In some exceptional cases, a student may earn credit by examination. A student can therefore earn credit more quickly or slowly depending on his or her existing skills and the level of effort made. Students must complete a minimum total of 25 credits per semester in order to remain in good standing. No more than 40 credits may be earned in one semester without special approval from the Principal and Assistant Superintendent. In addition to credits from classes taught at Santana, students may earn credits by the following means.

Exploratory Work Experience or Internships for credit - Students are given the opportunity to earn credit while performing unpaid services in the community in a setting that allows him/her to learn pre-employment skills or to do career investigation.

Work Experience Education (WEE) - Students may earn elective or vocational credits for on-the-job training. The school coordinates supervision with the workplace. If interested, contact Paulo Duran, Santana’s Counselor.

Community Activity Requirement (CAR) - Students may volunteer at a local elementary school, hospital, library, senior citizen home, service club or other non-profit community organization to complete the community activity requirement hours required for graduation. These are not academic credits but required activity hours. Students must obtain the CAR hours log form from their counselor. Hours served must be verified by the volunteer supervisor where the work was performed.

ADULT SCHOOL (Concurrent enrollment) – Seniors within range of graduation may enroll at the Adult School concurrently (attending both Santana and Adult School) to make up required credits. Adult school classes are taken after the normal school hours. Classes are held on the Nogales, and Rowland High School campuses and on the Adult School campus beginning at 3:30 PM, Tuesday through Thursdays only. To add an Adult school class, the student and a parent must first meet with a member of the Santana counseling staff and complete the appropriate paperwork. The student then registers at the Rowland Adult and Community Education (RACE) Center. The student will then be officially scheduled to report to class.

MT. SAN ANTONIO COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM – Students may enroll concurrently at the Mt. Sac High School Program to make up credits. See your counselor, Paulo Duran, for details.

REGIONAL OCCUPATIONAL PROGRAM (ROP) - The purpose of ROP is to provide entry level job skills, preparation for advanced occupational training and, when necessary, job re-training. Classes are taught at the Santana campus, on comprehensive high school campuses at the ROP Center and in various other locations in the community. Upon completion of a class, credits may be issued and applied towards high school graduation requirements. For more information, please contact the counseling staff. ROP classes may be required to complete Career Pathway or Career Certification requirements.

COMMUNITY COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY (Concurrent Enrollment) - Students may earn credits by concurrently enrolling at Mt. San Antonio or other community college as an Early Starter or After School College student. After School College classes are offered on the Santana High School campus. Students taking these classes may receive credit in both college classes and Santana classes for graduation requirements. See the counseling staff for details.