Assessment for Academic Placement

Evergreen Academy assesses incoming students to determine their readiness for academy-level coursework. Assessment areas include: listening comprehension, grammar, vocabulary, and reading skills. The results of this testing is used to identify students’ strengths and weaknesses, to assist in the advisement process for course selection, and to ensure that students possess or are helped to develop skills for academic success at the academy.

Unit of Credit

No units of credit are assigned to courses taken in the certificate programs.

Academic Year

The academic year for certificate programs is comprised of the Fall, Spring and Summer sessions. Sessions vary from 4 to approximately 16 weeks in duration for all certificate programs. The Schedule of Classes will be published prior to the start of each session and specifically define the start and end dates for each session. All certificate programs are sequentially scheduled for certificate-seeking students so that consecutive session attendance can be achieved.

Residency Requirement

All students are required to complete a minimum of 800 hours in-residence at Evergreen Academy in order to receive a certificate. These hours must represent their final hours of study in their chosen program. ESL courses cannot be transferred to other programs to satisfy the certificate requirements of those programs.

Attendance policy

Regular attendance in classes is essential. Punctuality is just as important as the skills you bring to the workplace. Students should be present and on time for all classes. If a certificate seeking students exceeds greater than 80% absences of scheduled classroom hours, they may be withdrawn from the class with a grade of “F” or “W”. If the student misses three consecutive classes within a session without any subsequent make-up hours, the student may be withdrawn from the class with a grade of “F” or “W”. The School Director may readily excuse the absence if presented with the proper documentation of the following circumstances:

• Jury Duty or Court Proceedings
• Military Duty
• Illness/Death of an Immediate Family Member
• Other special mitigating circumstances must be evaluated by the Director of the School

Students who are withdrawn from one or more courses due to attendance violations but are not withdrawn from the academy will not receive an adjustment to any financial aid awards that have been disbursed prior to such withdrawal. Any student who violates the attendance requirements may be withdrawn from an active student status. The academy will withdraw any student who has not been in attendance for seven consecutive instructional days due to an unexcused absence.

Tardiness is defined as arriving to class 15 minutes after the commencement of the scheduled class start time. Unless prior arrangements have been made and the instructor and/or an administrative official contacted, each tardy shall be recorded as unexcused. Four unexcused tardies in a session are counted as one unexcused absence.

International Student Attendance Requirements

Students who have missed more than 20% of their course hours during a session will receive a warning (either written or verbal) from the academy. Additional absences that exceed the above percentage for these students will result in the students being placed on probation or terminated (if F1 nonimmigrant students). While under probation, students can continue to attend their classes. Students will be released from probation once their attendance meets the school criteria for program attendance. Terminated students can request reinstatement through the USCIS. Once their reinstatement is approved, these students may resume their academy attendance.

Make-up Policy

Students are required to make-up all assignments and class work missed as a result of an absence (excused or unexcused) before the end of the following week (7 calendar days). Make-up work must be assigned and approved by the professor or instructor. Arrangements to take tests or examinations that may have been missed due to an absence must be made with the professor or instructor and in accordance with the course syllabus.

Course Registration

Students must maintain continuous registration every session in which they are actively enrolled. Students are required to register for classes not less than 14 calendar days (2 weeks) prior to the start of new sessions to ensure that they are slotted in the courses in which they desire to enroll. Therefore, a Class Enrollment Request Form must be submitted to the Admissions Office prior to the start of classes. Once enrolled, a student will only receive a refund for their paid tuition if the course(s) is dropped within the timeframe defined in the Schedule of Classes. The student must use the Course Drop/Withdrawal Form that can be obtained from the Admissions Office, to initiate the drop process. This form must be submitted and approved by the Admissions Office in order for the course to be officially dropped. Refunds for dropped courses will be credited back to students based on the academy’s Refund Policy as defined in this Catalog.

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

All students must maintain satisfactory academic progress in order to remain enrolled at the academy. Satisfactory academic progress is determined by assessing the courses passed with a grade of at least a “P” and the student’s rate of progress toward completion of the academic program in which they are enrolled. To earn a certificate upon successful completion of the course of study at the Evergreen Academy, students must finish the entire program of study having successfully passed all courses attempted. In addition, students must maintain a satisfactory record of attendance as outlined in the academy’s attendance policy. Finally, students must meet the financial requirements set by the academy.

Rate of Progress Toward Completion Requirements

In addition to successfully passing the required courses within their specific certificate program, a student must successfully complete at least 67% of all courses attempted to date to be considered to making satisfactory academic progress. Courses attempted are defined as those courses for which students are enrolled in and have incurred a financial obligation. As with the determination of success rate of passing the courses attempted, the completion requirements will be reviewed at the end of each session after grades have been posted to determine if the student is progressing satisfactorily.

Maximum Time in Which to Compete

The requirements for rate of progress are to assure that students are progressing at a rate which they will complete their programs within the maximum time frame. Students must progress through the program at a pace that will ensure successful completion within 1.5 times the program length as measured in session clock hours attempted. If a student cannot complete the program within the maximum time frame, the student will be dismissed.

Grading System

Grade reports will be mailed to students or will be made available online at the completion of each session. Grades are based on the quality of work as reflected by written tests, laboratory work, research assignments, and projects as indicated in each course’s syllabus.
The grading system used by the Evergreen Academy conforms to recognized educational standards as follows:

Letter Code	Description	Numerical Equivalent
P	Pass	60 & above
F	Fail	59 & below
I	Incomplete
R	Repeat
W	Withdrawn
L	Leave of Absence

Application of Grades and Credits

The above chart describes the impact of each grade on a student’s academic progress. A “W” will not be awarded after 80% of the scheduled session classes have passed. Withdrawals after this time will result in a grade of “F”. Students are required to repeat any required courses in which a grade of “F” or “W” is received. Both original and repeated courses will be counted as attempted credits in rate of progress calculations.

To receive a grade of incomplete “I”, the student must formally petition the Registrar by the end of the session. The student must be passing the course at the time of petition. The maximum time frame for the extension for completion of all work is 14 calendar days from the last day of the session in question. If the work is not completed by the 14th calendar day, the grade will be converted to an “F”. Evergreen Academy reserves the right to extend the time needed to fulfill the incomplete grade. The extension must be approved by the School Director.

Conditions for Leave of Absence (LOA)

The following conditions may be considered:

• Medical (including pregnancy)
• Family Care (childcare issues, loss of family member or unexpected medical care of family)
• Military Duty
• Jury Duty

A LOA request must be submitted in writing with appropriate supporting documentation within 35 days of the student’s last date of attendance. The total time-off requested must not exceed 180 days (cumulative) in a calendar period.

In order to maintain F1/M1 visa status, international students must maintain the validity of the reason for the leave of absence. In other words, if students request leave due to a family emergency in his/her home country, that student must be physically in his/her home country for the session in which the leave has been granted. Remaining in the U.S. without attending school is a violation of the F1/M1 status requirements and will result in the student being terminated by the academy and reported to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Procedures for Requesting a Leave of Absence

Step One: If you are currently enrolled for the session, you must withdraw from all classes, using the Program Drop Form and the Request for Refund Form. Both forms should be stamped by the Registrar. The amount to be refunded (if applicable) will be calculated in accordance with the academy’s Refund Policy.

Step Two: Complete a Leave of Absence Request Form, describing the reason for the leave and its duration. Students may obtain this form from the Registrar. Normally, the LOA period is limited to a single session, that is, 4 weeks (one session) however, the maximum leave that will be permitted is 16 weeks.

Step Three: Make an appointment with the Registrar or School Director. Present the completed LOA Request Form along with any supporting documentation. Your request will be reviewed and a recommendation will be noted on the appropriate section of the LOA Form by a school official. The decision of this official will be made as soon as possible after the meeting between the student and the Registrar or Director.