Nothing contained herein
is intended to, or shall be construed to, create any contractual obligations, expressed
or implied, on the part of the Archdiocese of
The Archdiocesan
Secondary School System and Bishop McDevitt High School reserve the right at
anytime to amend or add to the policies, rules and regulations contained in
this handbook, and to make such changes applicable to current and new students
when the situation dictates.
The present 21-acre site was
purchased in May 1954, however, because of a lengthy battle over zoning, which
finally received a favorable decision by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania,
ground breaking did not take place until
The first Commencement Exercises
were held in June 1961 at
As years passed, the school
experienced a continual increase in enrollment, which necessitated the
establishment of an annex at St. David’s in
From its beginning, McDevitt
offered a comprehensive and challenging academic program along with
complementing co-curricular and extracurricular activities which grew in number
to accommodate the expanding enrollment.
By September of 1968, McDevitt had 2,090 students.
In 1970, McDevitt became
co-educational, one of the first Archdiocesan secondary schools to do so. In 1988 the Middle States Association of
Colleges and Secondary Schools accredited the school. In 1993, the Open Enrollment Policy of the
Archdiocese contributed to changes in the makeup of the student body. Instead of students coming from fifteen local
“feeder” parishes, the school population now draws from 45 city and suburban
parishes in three counties representing 14 public school districts. The student body is diverse with regard to
racial, religious, and ethnic background.
Alma
Mater
The challenge of a marching world
We meet with accent bold
While cherishing a standard
Ever new, as ever old.
We bear our banner gold and white
Our sign of royalty
And glory in our Queen’s delight
Of flow’ring purity
Refrain
All hail, all hail to Bishop McDevitt High
We pledge our loyalty to you
May we prove the trust our patron ever lived
With ideals inspired by love.
Hail to you, our Alma Mater
Hail to you, our Alma Mater
May faith and courage be our guide
God our final goal.
May Mary hover near with help
Our motto is our plea
That we our vantage may sustain
While gaining victory.
At dusk, at dawning may we see
Amid the heavens fair
Our lovely Star of morn and sea
Whose symbol bright we bear.
RELIGIOUS
PROGRAM
Catholic education necessarily
places an emphasis on prayer and moral living.
The Office of School Ministry strives to provide opportunities through
which students may grow in relationship to an understanding of themselves, God,
and Church.
Chapel
The Chapel is located on the
third floor in the center of the building.
The Blessed Sacrament is revered there throughout the school year. The Chapel is open for student use during the
day. Gatherings for prayer services with
teams and clubs occur from time to time, as well as Penance Services that are
scheduled throughout the school year.
Each morning the Celebration of the Eucharist takes place at
Liturgies
The Celebration of the Eucharist
occurs several times in the course of the school year. While the purpose or nature of the occasion
determines the size of the gathering, all students are expected to attend and
participate in the Masses that are celebrated in the community. In addition to the Celebration of the
Eucharist, a variety of paraliturgical and devotional services take place
during the year where students’ attendance and participation are not only
expected, but are also welcomed.
Rite of
Reconciliation
Each Catholic student is offered
the opportunity to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation within the context
of the regularly scheduled Penance Services.
The School Minister is also available during a student’s lunch or study
period if that is a more convenient time.
Annual
Retreats
It is an Archdiocesan policy that
each student enrolled in a diocesan high school attends an annual retreat as a
requirement for promotion and/or graduation.
Retreats will be scheduled for the students by grade throughout the
school year. This year, in the fall and
spring, we will introduce two Kairos retreats for some of our seniors.
Vocations
The School Minister serves as
vocation coordinator for both boys and girls.
Special focus is given to vocation awareness in cooperation with the
Archdiocesan Offices for Vocations. The
School Minister is also available for informal talks concerning the student’s
spiritual life and choice of vocations.
Student
Concerns
The School Minister is available
to every student to discuss any matter relative to family concerns. The School Minister should be contacted to
arrange for visits to the sick at home or in the hospital. The School Minister attends wakes and Funeral
Masses or other services of deceased members of the Bishop McDevitt community
and their immediate family members.
ACADEMIC
AFFAIRS
The Assistant Principal for
Academic Affairs arranges academic offerings consistent with policies
determined by the Department of Education of the
The Academic Assistant Principal,
in conjunction with guidance counselors, department chairpersons, and teachers,
assists students in their selection of courses.
A Course Description Book is published annually and distributed to all
students early in the second semester.
The book provides information on all courses and programs of study along
with an update of academic policies/procedures.
Admissions
Admission of students to Bishop
McDevitt is based on open enrollment with the following priorities: students
who attend Catholic parish elementary schools or Catholic academies will be
admitted first. Catholic and
non-Catholic graduates of public or private elementary schools will be
admitted, if there is room to accommodate them and if the student’s records
(both academic and disciplinary) are satisfactory. A non-refundable
registration fee is due at the time of registration.
ACADEMIC
REQUIREMENTS
The academic program at Bishop
McDevitt works to develop the abilities, talents, and needs of all
students. Bishop McDevitt offers a
four-year comprehensive program of studies.
The student is able to select college preparatory courses, business
courses, vocational-technical courses, or a combination of the three
programs. Advanced Placement courses are
offered to academically talented students.
The following are the minimum requirements for graduation from
Religion 4.0 credits
English 4.0 credits
Social Studies 3.0 credits
Mathematics 3.0 credits
Science 3.0 credits
Health/Physical
Education 1.0 credit
Computer
Applications .5 credit
Electives 5.5 credits
Total 24.0
credits
Most Bishop McDevitt students graduate with at least 25 credits.
All freshmen are rostered for
seven major subjects. Physical Science
or Honors Biology, Religion, English, World History, Algebra 1, Business
Technology, World Language. When
appropriate, Remedial Reading and Remedial Math will replace the World Language
requirement.
All students follow an academic roster for the first two years, after which they may decide to continue in the college-preparatory program or to follow an academic/business program or an academic/vocational-technical program. All programs will provide the student with sufficient academic credits for college admission.
Although world language is not
required for graduation, a minimum two (2) years of a language is strongly
recommended for college bound students.
Any student who elects a first year language is usually required to take
the second year of that language.
Exceptions to this policy are made only in exceptional cases by the
Administration.
A four-year Art program and a
two-year Business Technology program are also available to all students. Students in the eleventh or twelfth grades
may choose to attend the
Each year Juniors and Seniors
have the opportunity to select courses for Dual-Credit. This program sponsored by Alvernia College
permits students to take courses at Bishop McDevitt during the normal school
day and receive college credit for those courses. Students also will receive a grade from
Bishop McDevitt for the courses. Credits
accepted by
Courses offered by
Course
Changes
For a fee the School permits limited roster changes
Before August 1st
there is no fee.
After August 1st
the fee is $30.00.
The following procedure will determine the roster change:
A
written request, accompanied by the fee, must be made to the Academic Affairs
Office.
The
Assistant Principal will review the request and determine the feasibility after
reviewing all aspects.
Normally, rosters will not be
changed after the first full week of school.
Requests for change in roster because of a serious problem during the
school year must be presented to the Assistant Principal for Academic Affairs,
who will consult with the department chairperson and the teacher involved. A solution will be developed at the
discretion of the Administration.
Student
Tracking
Ability grouping is the means
used for meeting the instructional needs of a student. Because the range of achievement is so broad,
grouping by ability and achievement narrows the range to maximize student
achievement. Ability grouping makes
possible the adjustment of the curriculum to the individual’s intellectual
ability, interest, and achievement.
Incoming freshmen are tracked according to their 2nd report of the
eighth grade, the eighth grade teacher’s recommendation, and their performance
on standardized tests.
In considering ability, past and
present scholastic achievement is reviewed.
Ability grouping in each subject is a good means to meet individual
instructional needs of students.
Students and parents should know strong and weak subject areas. They should be realistic in their goals,
choose courses which enable students to achieve their objectives, make use of
vocational and college brochures to acquaint themselves with qualifications
demanded by institutions of employment and higher education and discuss these
goals with appropriate counselors.
ACADEMIC
STATUS
Grading
Report cards are distributed
quarterly. Tentative distribution dates
appear on the school calendar. The highest
report card grade that may be given is 100; the lowest passing grade is 70; the
lowest failing grade is 60.
90 - 100 Excellent (A) 70 - 72
Passing (D)
80 - 89 Above Average (B)
Below 70 Failing (F)
73 - 79 Average (C)
The quarter grade reflects the progress that a student has made during
that marking period. This grade reflects
achievement on major tests and quizzes, a quarterly assessment, completion of
homework assignments, and classroom participation. These are major components in determining the
quarter grade. Major projects, term
papers, and the quarterly assessment, which are reasonably spaced over the
quarter, are also used. Semester grading
will be 2/5 first quarter grade, 2/5 second quarter grade, and 1/5 semester
assessment grade.
Quality
Points
To compensate for the degree of
work demanded in each track, a system of quality points has been devised by the
diocesan secondary school system. For
each grade a student receives, a corresponding number of quality points, based
on the track level of the subject is given.
Current and cumulative rank in class is determined by these quality
points.
Quality
Point Table
GRADE TRACK GRADE TRACK
AP H
2 3 4 AP H
2 3 4
100 54 48
44 40 36 79 33
27 23 19
15
99 53
47 43 39
35 78 32
26 22 18
14
98 52
46 42 38
34 77 31
25 21 17
13
97 51
45 41 37
33 76 30
24 20 16
12
96 50
44 40 36
32 75 29
23 19 15
11
95 49
43 39 35
31 74 28
22 18 14
10
94 48
42 38 34
30 73 27
21 17 13 9
93 47
41 37 33
29 72 26
20 16 12 8
92 46
40 36 32
28 71 25
19 15 11 7
91 45
39 35 31
27 70 24
18 14 10 6
90 44
38 34 30
26 69 23 17
13 9 5
89 43
37 33 29
25 68 22
16 12 8 4
88 42
36 32 28
24 67 21
15 11 7 3
87 41
35 31 27
23 66 20 14
10 6 2
86 40
34 30 26
22 65 19 13
9 5 1
85 39
33 29 25
21 64 18
12 8 4 0
84 38
32 28 24
20 63 17
11 7 3 0
83 37
31 27 23
19 62 16
10 6 2
0
82 36
30 26 22
18 61 15
9 5 1 0
81 35
29 25 21
17 60 14
8 4 0 0
80 34
28 24 20
16
Rank in
Class
A student’s rank in class is
determined by the quality points earned according to the grades achieved at the
first semester and final marking periods.
The rank in class is computed for each current year and also
cumulatively for all four high school years.
Rank is printed at each report period.
Academic
Honors
Honors are computed at the end of
the first three marking periods and for the final grade of the year. To attain First Honors, a student must have a general grade average of 90 or
above, with no single grade below 85. To
attain Second Honors, a student must
have a general grade average of 85 or above with no single grade below 80.
To receive an Academic Letter, a student must have first or second honors for six marking
periods, be involved in a co-curricular activity and have a good conduct grade.
To receive a Distinguished Letter, a
student must have first or second honors for twelve marking periods, be
involved in a co-curricular activity and have a good conduct grade.
GRADUATION
POLICIES
Participation in Commencement
Exercises, which includes both Baccalaureate Liturgy and Graduation, is a
privilege not a right. Students who have
completed all requirements for a diploma and are in good standing may
participate in the Commencement Exercises.
Students will be excluded from participation in these exercises
for: a scholastic failure in any
subject; failure to complete the community service requirement, a discipline
failure, excessive demerits, and any serious violation of the discipline code;
a failure to fulfill financial requirements (tuition, school fees, graduation
fees, etc.); and excessive absences. All
students awarded a diploma regardless of participation in Commencement
Exercises must pay the Graduation Fee in full.
Since the Baccalaureate Liturgy and
Graduation constitute the Commencement Exercises for Bishop McDevitt, any
student absent from the Baccalaureate Liturgy will not be permitted to
participate in the Graduation Exercises.
Homework
The Administration and faculty view
homework as a vital part of the complete educational process. Students are expected to devote approximately
three hours each school night on homework.
Homework includes reading assignments, written assignments and long-term
projects. It is considered an integral
part of the subject grade.
Testing
Schedule
To allow students to prepare
adequately for tests and to avoid multiple tests on the same day,
DAY SUBJECTS
1 Language Business Mathematics
2 Art English Religion
3 Science Social Studies Computer
4 Language Business Mathematics
5 Art English Religion
6 Science Social Studies Computer
Quarterly Assessments are scheduled by the Academic
Affairs Office for the last week of each quarter. The mark is included within the quarterly
grade.
ADVANCED PLACEMENT: All students in Advanced Placement courses are
required to take the Advanced Placement Examinations in May. The College Board determines the fee for the
Advanced Placement Examination.
Failure
Warnings & Progress Reports
When a student is not performing
at a satisfactory level or is in danger of failing for the quarter, semester or
the entire school year, notification will be sent to the parents/guardians at
least twenty school days before the close of the marking period. Approximate dates are noted on the school
calendar. A notice of unsatisfactory
work may be issued later in the marking period if the student’s academic
performance changes dramatically.