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High School—Program of Studies

Cover of the high school program of studies featuring four images of students engaged in the classroom

Dear Students & Families: 

We are very excited to share the 2026-2027 Program of Studies! This interactive document has been prepared to assist you in planning your comprehensive educational high school plan. It is our primary goal that upon graduation all Pine-Richland students are college, career and community ready! Our Program of Studies will help guide you to important information detailing curricular offerings, course selection and scheduling. 

The format of the Program of Studies places emphasis on careful planning and decision-making in relationship to your interests, goals and aspirations. In order to facilitate planning your high school schedule, the Program of Studies includes a Graduation Plan on page 8 and a Time Management Planner on page 9. High School Course Pathways for core departments are included to help support student and family understanding of courses that may be taken over your high school career. We believe high school course selections have a significant impact on student success. All Pine-Richland High School students will have the opportunity to meet one-on-one with their school counselor to plan and discuss course selections. We have also included Career Cluster information to help students understand the connection between high school courses and future careers. 

Pine-Richland High School cultivates student growth and achievement by providing both support and challenges for all students. Academic and personal growth is a longitudinal and often non-linear process which is built upon a range of social, environmental and cultural factors that inform the student experience within multiple frames and contexts. We cannot always control the challenges that students face; however, we can provide the opportunity to improve necessary skills to thrive amidst those challenges. It can also help you develop a growth mindset, which allows you to view challenges as opportunities for learning and personal growth. It is our hope that through purposeful learning experiences students will begin to identify their personal values, develop leadership skills, improve mental wellness and develop the ability to navigate higher education and increase their capacity to become lifelong learners.

We encourage families to carefully review the course descriptions and prerequisites, as well as our scheduling timeline (on p. 33). Our high school staff will work cooperatively with each student and family through the scheduling process. As students make their scheduling decisions, it is important to recognize the requirements for college admission and/or career placement. A close working relationship among students, families, teachers, counselors and administrators will help to result in appropriate course selections.

Our teachers work collaboratively with students and our counselors to make course recommendations prior to scheduling. Students also complete elective course requests based on individual interests and goals. The Program of Studies is a vital resource and will provide detailed information concerning specific courses and programs. Students are encouraged to discuss any concerns with their teachers, counselors and families. Careful planning and creation of a Graduation Plan are crucial to developing a schedule each year to support the student and be focused on learning. The interactive format provides an opportunity to view video segments highlighting various course offerings. The Pine-Richland High School staff looks forward to working collaboratively throughout the scheduling process to support each student.

Dr. Frank A. Hernandez, Principal
Dr. Michael Barlak, Assistant Principal
Mr. Jacob Cawley, Assistant Principal       
Mrs. Tracy Kuchnicki, Assistant Principal

Graduation Planning and Grades

Preparing for College & Career

College Admission

To help students prepare for and complete the college admissions process, students and parents are provided access to a software program called Naviance Student. Naviance Student makes it easier for students to answer questions that will shape their future: Who am I? What do I want to be? How will I get there? The new design delivers the power of Naviance to students’ fingertips with familiar and intuitive tools that personalize and simplify the college and career planning process. In addition, Naviance Student is used by the School Counseling Office and high school teachers to electronically send most transcripts and teacher letters of recommendation.

This software program allows students to:

  • Get involved in the planning and advising process – Build a resume, complete online surveys and manage timelines and deadlines for making decisions about colleges and careers;
  • Research colleges – Compare GPA, standardized test scores and other statistics to actual historical data from students who have already applied;
  • Sign up for college and career visits – Find out which colleges are visiting our school and sign up to attend those sessions (sophomore, junior and senior students);
  • Research scholarship and enrichment opportunities;
  • Add parents as Parent Partners

Naviance Student also lets the School Counseling Office share information with parents and students about upcoming meetings and events, local scholarship opportunities and other Web resources for college and career information. Students receive information and instruction about Naviance Student at school. The Director of College and Career Counseling is available to answer any questions about Naviance Student or to register interested parents.

Click here to view the Naviance Student tutorial.

Colleges and universities generally consider students for admission by evaluating the following data:

  • College Application: Every college has its own application process. Students must follow the instructions carefully for the colleges of their choice. Students can find college applications under the admissions tab for each college.
  • Scholastic Record: A transcript of the student's academic record, senior class schedule and Pine-Richland High School profile are sent by the school to the student's selected college(s) for evaluation.
  • Admission Tests: ACT, SAT test scores are carefully noted by admission officers. Students must have their scores sent directly to their schools by the testing agency (ie. College Board; ACT).
  • Recommendations: Students gather recommendations from counselors, teachers, coaches, administrators and community members. Most teacher letters of recommendation are sent electronically through Naviance Student.
  • Extracurricular: Students create a resume of their extracurricular experiences and summer enrichment activities to be sent to their selected colleges. Students can use Naviance Student to create and store their resumes.
College Admission Testing

College Admission Testing–Pine-Richland High School CEEB Code: 391512

Throughout the year, college admission tests are administered to college bound students. It is important for students to become familiar with these tests.

Computer-assisted instruction is available through Naviance and on the web by visiting the SAT website, www.collegeboard.org, and/or the ACT website at www.actstudent.org.

PSAT/NMSQT – The Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarships Qualifying Test

  • Duration: Approximately 3 hours; Digital exam given in mid-October during the school day
  • Taken by: High school juniors (required) and sophomores (optional for a fee)
  • Frequency: One time per year (October)
  • Purpose: Measures skills essential for college readiness and establishes eligibility for certain scholarships

ACT – The American College Testing Program

  • Duration: 4 hours
  • Taken by: High school juniors and seniors
  • Frequency: Six times per year
  • Purpose: Used by most colleges for admissions purposes and merit scholarship awards

SAT Test

  • Duration: Approximately 2.5 hours
  • Taken by: High school juniors and seniors
  • Frequency: Seven times per year
  • Purpose: Used by most colleges for admissions purposes and merit scholarship awards

AP Tests – College Board Advanced Placement Tests

  • Duration: 3–4 hours
  • Taken by: Students enrolled in AP courses
  • Frequency: One time per year in May
Gaining College Experience

Pine-Richland High School collaborates with local colleges to allow students to earn college credit upon successful completion of certain upper level college courses offered at the high school and taught by high school teachers.

Students are informed at the start of class if their course is part of the College in High School Program. Interested students must receive approval from their school counselor.

Dual Enrollment programs allow students to be enrolled in two separate academic institutions. Students who participate in dual enrollment programs do not earn PRHS credit and the courses taken do not appear on their PRHS transcript.

Financial Aid

Financial aid may be awarded in several ways including scholarships, grants, loans and work-study programs.

Financial Aid Night is held once a year at the high school to help students and parents understand the financial aid process.

Additional scholarship searches are available in the college career center, in Naviance or through internet search engines such as http://www.fastweb.com.

Making Career Connections

Successful career planning involves incorporating each student’s unique qualities, abilities and goals. The school counseling office helps students explore post-secondary opportunities through college meetings, career institutions and online resources.

Through Naviance Student, Google Applications and each student's cumulative folder, a portfolio of college and career experiences is available to help each student make post-secondary decisions.

Advanced Placement Courses

Pine-Richland High School offers Advanced Placement courses across many subject areas. All students enrolled in AP courses are required to take the end-of-year AP exam.

AP exams are scored on a 1–5 scale. Many colleges award recognition for scores of 3, 4 or 5.

Additional Scheduling Opportunities

PRHS students may apply for career-building opportunities through the Allegheny Intermediate Unit (AIU) Career Connection Program.

Students may also participate in Senior Flex, online learning opportunities, and courses at A.W. Beattie Career Center.

NCAA Requirements

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) provides academic eligibility standards for student athletes.

Students interested in continuing athletics at the collegiate level should register with the NCAA Eligibility Center and meet with their school counselor.

Scheduling Process

Overview of the Scheduling Process

At Pine-Richland High School, we take great pride in helping students and families Choose Wisely by selecting the Right classes for the Right students. In making course recommendations, our staff consider factors such as a student’s career goals and interests, current course grades and in-class performance, student attendance, standardized achievement data, student course projected readiness and success using the Pennsylvania Value Added Assessment System, student input, and teacher knowledge of the skills required for the recommended course.

Great care and collaboration is used to make course recommendations. It is the responsibility of the student and parent to choose a course that is more rigorous than a teacher-recommended course (if desired). Elective courses and additional opportunities are selected by students based on their interests and post-secondary aspirations.

In the second semester of the current school year, course requests are gathered from incoming freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors. It is encouraged that parents and students begin discussions early in this process. During this time, students and families should work closely with their teachers and counselors to ensure the courses requested are closely aligned with the student’s interests, abilities and future goals. Selecting the “right” courses will ensure a smooth transition into the following school year.

 

Timeline for Adding a Course

The best time for adding a course is in accordance with the scheduling timeline below during the course request phase of scheduling. The building of the high school master schedule begins in February. The master schedule assigns teachers and rooms for classes and maximizes the use of district resources.

It is quite difficult to add new courses and extra sections of courses after the master schedule has been built. The ability for a student to add a course once the school year has begun is dependent upon the number of students already scheduled in the class, additional changes to the student's schedule needed to add the course, the amount of time elapsed since the onset of the class and meeting the prerequisites for the course to be added.

Students are never guaranteed that they will be able to make changes to their schedules once the school year has begun. When a student is considering adding a class outside of the scheduling timeline below, their first contact should be to their school counselor.

Special Requests

Students and families may not request specific teachers or lunch periods. If you believe that you or your child may have a special need connected to academic, social, or emotional needs, please contact your child’s School Counselor and Assistant Principal.

To the best of our ability, we will work with you and your family to create a schedule that best supports you. For students that receive special education services, we work to hand schedule the large majority of classes and supports.

As a parent or guardian, you know your child best. We want to be a partner and teammate to best help your child meet their full potential. Requests that are made by March 29 have the best ability to be met.

Pine-Richland High School Scheduling Timeline
  • January 22: Program of Studies released; Principal’s letter sent
  • January 24: Grades 9–11 Scheduling Meeting
  • January 27: 8th Grade Scheduling Meeting
  • January 28: Parent Scheduling Night
  • January 26 – February 2: Core recommendations shared in Sapphire
  • February 3–6: Counselors lock core recommendations
  • February 9: Course waiver window opens
  • February 17: Course request deadline
  • March 6: Waiver deadline
  • March 30: Master Schedule development begins
  • April–August: Limited schedule adjustments
Course Withdrawal / Level Change Timeline

Situations will occur in which a student needs to drop/add/change a course. Schedule changes are made using a Request for Schedule Change Form Days 2–20.

A course may not be dropped on the first day of school. A student may not have more than eight study hall periods per week.

After Day 20, a “W” along with withdrawn passing or withdrawn failing notation (WP or WF) will appear on the transcript but will not be included in GPA calculations.

Students may not level up; this can only be completed through the waiver process.

Placement and Level Changes

Students are recommended for Academic, Honors, College in High School (CHS), and Advanced Placement (AP) courses based on established criteria. A student may NOT request to level change up to a CHS or AP class once the school year begins.

A level change from Academic to Honors will only be considered within the first 10 days of school and requires a completed waiver and administrative approval.

Course Waiver Procedure

A course waiver is a signed document by the student and parent/guardian requesting placement in a non-recommended course. Waiver approval supersedes the teacher’s recommendation.

Students who waive into a course must meet all expectations without modification. Students may not waive prerequisite courses or waive more than one course level.

Waivers are reviewed by a committee including the Assistant Principal, counselor, and department representatives. Final decisions are communicated within 45 days after the waiver window closes.

Appeal Process

If a waiver request is denied, students may appeal by contacting the Building Principal, Dr. Hernandez, to schedule a meeting. Decisions made during this meeting are final.

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Notice

All children with disabilities are entitled to a free appropriate public education (FAPE) designed to meet their unique needs and prepare them for post-secondary education, employment and independent living.

Support services are provided through the Individual Educational Program (IEP) process, with the goal of maximizing participation in the regular education environment.

 

Course Descriptions