Programs

About Bishop Amat's Inclusion Program

The Mission of the Bishop Amat Inclusion Program is to support the learning of all students by appropriately addressing the unique learning needs of students with special needs.  Special needs students are identified through special comprehensive testing provided by the student’s neighborhood public school or private testing providers.

 As a Catholic school every attempt is made to serve students whose parents desire a Catholic education. Although a full range of services may not be available to every student, the school will strive to include students with varied learning needs. All educators in Catholic schools follow “Directions for the Inclusion Process in Catholic Schools: Support Team Education Plan Process (STEP) and Minor Adjustment Plan Process (MAP)”. Parents or guardians who feel that their student may need a minor adjustment to enable him/her to participate in the general education curriculum of the school should talk to the student’s teacher and principal to implement the STEP or MAP process. Parents or guardians who need a structure for resolution of complaints arising out of a student’s disability may request the “Disability Discrimination Complaint Review Process” from the principal.

 The Inclusion program seeks to work with parents, students, and teachers to create an educational program appropriate for the special needs student.  The program puts in place appropriate minor adjustments to facilitate learning in the school’s college preparatory environment.  Minor educational adjustments are based upon the student’s special needs testing.  A doctor’s note does not fulfill this requirement.  Special needs testing must include a battery of tests completed by a licensed practitioner. 

The Inclusion Program at Bishop Amat, in accordance with the philosophy of the school, regards the parent as the primary educator.  Parents are asked to keep in mind that they are expected to follow through at home by checking their student’s progress via the Parent Portal, checking for homework completion at home, providing a quiet study area, and keeping in contact with both the Learning Specialist and their child’s teacher.  A student’s potential success in the Inclusion Program requires  parent and student commitment.

Learning Resource Center

The Inclusion Program is based in the Learning Resource Center located in the Faculty House.  The LRC provides an environment for distraction free and untimed testing as educational support.  The LRC is staffed with a Learning Specialist who facilitates the program and checks in regularly with all students in the program to monitor their success.  The Learning Specialist is a resource for parents, students, and teachers who have questions regarding educational testing or special needs in general.

The goal of the Inclusion Program is to build self-esteem and self-advocacy skills in the student as well as foster academic success in the school’s college preparatory environment.

Bishop Amat High School has an extensive Advanced Placement Program.  This program is a cooperative educational endeavor between secondary schools and colleges and universities.  It allows high school students to undertake college-level academic learning.  Students can receive advanced placement, college credits or both from thousands of colleges and universities that participate in the Advanced Placement Program. 

Bishop Amat students enrolled in these courses are required to take the Advanced Placement exam in May.  A fee is charged for this exam.  Students who wish to "challenge" a World Language exam (e.g. AP Spanish Language, AP Chinese Language & Culture, etc.) without enrolling in an Advanced Placement course must make their intentions known to the AP Testing Coordinator no later than October 15 of the fall semester.  Other "challenge" requests will not be considered.

Most four-year colleges and universities in the United States—as well as many institutions in more than 100 other countries—grant students’ credit, placement, or both for qualifying AP Exam scores. Search AP policy database https://apstudents.collegeboard.org/getting-credit-placement/search-policies

Bishop Amat offers the following 18 Advanced Placement (AP) courses:

AP Art History		AP Human Geography
AP Biology		AP Macroeconomics
AP Calculus AB		AP Physics 1
AP Calculus BC		AP Psychology
AP Chemistry		AP Spanish Language
AP Computer Science Principles		AP Statistics
AP English Language		AP Studio Art
AP English Literature		AP U.S. Government & Politics
AP European History		AP U.S. History

 

AP Overview

There is an exam fee for each AP exam. Students who drop an AP class after exams have been ordered will be required to pay the exam fee plus an unused exam fee of which is charged to the school by College Board. If a student commences an AP course in the second semester and decides to drop the course, they will be responsible for the exam fee plus the unused exam fee of if the course is dropped after March 15. Students who do not show up for their AP exam who do not have an excuse approved by the College Board are responsible for the exam fee and the unused exam fee. Students who advise the school of a serious illness will be required to produce a doctor’s note in order to sit for a late AP exam.

Students requesting consideration for a fee reduction per exam must provide the school’s AP Coordinator with a copy of the parent/guardian 2021 income tax return, page 1, showing total household adjusted gross income. Approval for consideration must be made by October 15.

Students at International Baccalaureate® (IB) World Schools are given a unique education.

They will:

• be encouraged to think independently and drive their own learning
• take part in programs of education that can lead them to some of the highest-ranking universities around the world
• become more culturally aware, through the development of a second language
• be able to engage with people in an increasingly globalized, rapidly changing world.

IB STUDENTS OFTEN PERFORM BETTER

IB World School students develop strong academic, social, and emotional characteristics. They are also likely to perform well academically – often better than students on other programs.

Students on the IB Diploma Programme (DP) are likely to enroll at top universities.

Bishop Amat offers the following 10 IB Diploma Programme (IB) courses:

IB Economics

IB History of the Americas

IB Sports, Exercise and Health Science

IB English

IB Latin

IB Mathematics

IB Theory of Knowledge

IB French

IB Spanish

IB Visual Arts

CSF is a prestigious organization that seeks to recognize academically high achieving students that also serve
their community. You are likely eligible to join CSF if you regularly earn mostly A’s and B’s in “core” classes
such as Math, English, Science, Foreign Language, and Social Studies. Physical education and dance are
ineligible classes. There is an application process every semester that requires your previous semesters report
card to determine if you meet the minimum 10 CSF point* requirement. You need 4 active semesters of
membership to be considered a Lifetime member and earn a diploma seal, pin, and cords at graduation.

For active membership, every semester you must:

1. Complete an application with qualifying grades* from the previous semester. You must do this at the start of each semester.
2. Submit $5 dues.
3. Complete two tutoring sessions each semester
4. (One of the semesters must be in the Senior year from a Senior year report card.)
5. *CSF points are different from GPA points and they are explained on the application.

Library tutoring schedule:
Mon-Thurs after school from 2:45pm-3:45pm
Tues-Thurs before school from 7:05am-8:05am

Library tutoring will be recorded on the sign-in form on the librarian’s desk. Upon arrival you must sign in and
upon leaving you must notify the librarian you are leaving and sign out. The librarian will initial to verify your
attendance.

You must be on the CSF Google Classroom to get the link to schedule your tutoring assignment. There is no
canceling or switching your tutoring time slots. If you miss one scheduled hour, you can make it up any time
before the end of the semester. Simply show up at the library and record the time and date of the hour served.
You cannot miss more than one hour or it will not count as an active semester.

Additional information:

• CSF applications are available at the start of each semester. Applications must be turned in by the
• announced due date.
  • Not open to Freshmen
  • Sophomores can apply in the second semester
  • Open to juniors and seniors
• During the application period, there will be scheduled days when students can get help from CSF
• officers to fill out their applications (if needed).
• If you have any questions, please see/contact Mr. Rebudal in Room 101 or any of the CSF officers.