Course Selection

This course selection guide includes information about the courses that will be available to Canandaigua Academy students who will be in grades 9 through 12 in 2026-2027. Course selection should be an exciting process for students and parents but also a process that involves careful planning. Students are encouraged to take advantage of the many academic opportunities available at Canandaigua.

• Consider your course selection carefully. Choose courses to fulfill graduation requirements but remember to take advantage of the many opportunities available.

• Colleges often consider the academic strength of a student’s program. Admissions representatives like to see students who have taken challenging courses and exceeded the minimum number of credits in math, science, and world language.

• While it is important to have a challenging schedule, it is equally important to do well in your classes. Do not select more than you can handle. Earning a mastery grade (85 or higher) is a goal that students should use when selecting course levels.

• There are multiple options for students exploring vocational pathways.

• Look into the vast elective program that is offered. There are electives in technology, art, music, business, science, and social studies.

• Senior year should be used to continue to take advantage of academic opportunities. Included with a student’s college application is a listing of senior year courses. Colleges require that we submit your mid-year grades which include quarter 1 and 2 grades of your senior year. These can impact admission decisions.

Scheduling Information & Timeline

Since course selection is such an important process, every year a significant amount of time and effort is invested. Course offerings, staffing, and budget for the high school are developed as a result of the course selection process outlined below. The offering of non-required courses is contingent on enrollment.

• Information Gathering: The scheduling process begins in January 2026. Teachers will begin to talk to you about your course options. Counselors will be in English classrooms presenting to students about their course options. Additionally, a High School Counselor will be at the Middle School presenting to all 8th grade students about their options for their freshman year.

• Recommendations: Teachers will submit course recommendations for each student by January 23rd.

• Curriculum Night: There will be a Curriculum Night on January 21st at the Academy for parents to come and learn about academic options at CA.

• Individual Student Meetings with Your School Counselor: February – March – School counselors meet individually with each student to finalize course selections.

• Parent / Guardian Communication: Parents/guardians receive a list of student course selections on March 25th and can make changes by April 6th.

Late Arrival / Early Dismissal

Late arrival and early dismissal are privileges for 11th and 12th grade students.

• Early Dismissal: Students are to leave the building immediately if they are not staying with a teacher.

• Late Arrival: Students will report to the lower atrium area upon arrival at school. Students will not be allowed to loiter in the hallways.

• If a student receives below a 70 on a 5-week progress report or 10-week report card in a course required for graduation, or is found to be loitering in the hallways, or is externally suspended or suspended to Off-Site Suspension, late arrival and early dismissal privileges may be revoked.

• Seniors may have a total of two periods of early dismissal and/or late arrival, and juniors may have one.

• All requests require administrative, counselor, and parent/guardian approval.

• This is only provided if your schedule allows for it. We will not create a schedule around this.

Dropping/Adding Classes

Every student must be registered for 6 classes plus PE each semester. If you are registered for two or more AP, IB, or college-level courses, you may be permitted to take 5 classes plus PE.

When Schedules Are Released in August

Immediate changes will be considered for the following reasons:

• Requesting to add a class

• Requesting to move to a more rigorous class

• Missing a graduation requirement

• Not at the minimum 6.5 credits per year

Changes cannot be accommodated to obtain a certain class period, including PE, lunch, and/or study hall.

Once the school year has begun, there is a 5-day drop/add period in which students may make changes to their schedules.

Transcript/GPA Procedures Regarding Withdrawals

• An approved withdrawal from a course before the first ten weeks will not be recorded on the transcript.

• An approved withdrawal after ten weeks will be recorded on the transcript as a WP if the student is passing at the time of withdrawal, or a WF if the student is failing at the time of withdrawal.

Changing Levels of a Course

• When a student has an approved change in the level of a course, the grade will follow the student to the new class. There will be a one-week time period allowed for the schedule change to be finalized, if necessary.

• There will be no changes in course levels after the first semester.

Impact on Post-Secondary Plans

When a student applies to college, their Courses in Progress are communicated to the Admissions Office. Therefore, if a student has a change in their program, the Counseling Office is required to share that information with the college(s).

Graduation Requirements

To graduate from High School in New York State, students must meet course, credit, and assessment requirements outlined below.

Diploma Types and Course/Credit Requirements

Regents Diploma

• English: 4 credits

• Social Studies: 4 credits

• Math: 3 credits

• Science: 3 credits

• World Language: 1 credit**

• Art/Music: 1 credit

• Health: ½ credit

• PE: 2 credits

• Electives: 3.5 credits

MINIMUM CREDITS: 22 credits

Regents w/ Advanced Designation Diploma

• English: 4 credits

• Social Studies: 4 credits

• Math: 3 credits

• Science: 3 credits

• World Language: 3 credits**

• Art/Music: 1 credit

• Health: ½ credit

• PE: 2 credits

• Electives: 1.5 credits

MINIMUM CREDITS: 22 credits

** All students must obtain one high school credit in a World Language, which is typically earned in 8th grade. Students who fail the course or the exam in 8th grade must repeat the course in high school.

** For the Regents with Advanced Designation diploma, students can earn 3 credits of World Language or they can replace this requirement with a 5 credit bypass in Art, Music, or Career and Technical Education classes such as Business, Technology, or FLTCC (Finger Lakes Technical and Career Center).

Exam Requirements

Regents Diploma

5 Exams or “4+1” pathway option

• 1 Math

• 1 Science

• English

• 1 Social Studies

• 1 Additional Regents Exam

1 Local Exam

• World Language Checkpoint A

Regents w/ Advanced Designation Diploma

9 Exams

• 3 Math (Alg, Geo, Alg2)

• 2 Science (Biology, 1 Physical)

• English

• 1 Social Studies

• 1 Additional Regents Exam

1 Local Exam

• World Language Checkpoint B

“4+CDOS” Pathway Option

The CDOS credential may be used as a pathway option. Students eligible for this must have also passed four required Regents exams in English, mathematics, science, and social studies.

Diploma Endorsements

Honors Diploma

Students earning a Regents Diploma or a Regents with Advanced Designation Diploma may receive an additional recognition, “With Honors.” To earn Honors, a student must receive an average of 90% on all Regents exams required for the diploma; no rounding up is allowed.

Annotation of Mastery in Math or Science

Students who complete all requirements for a Regents with Advanced Designation Diploma, and score 85 or higher on all three commencement level Regents examinations in math and/or science will receive an annotation of Mastery on their diploma.

Seal of Biliteracy

Students who successfully complete all requirements for a NYS Regents diploma may earn this seal by demonstrating proficiency in English and at least one other World Language. Students must earn a total of three points in English and three points in a chosen World Language. Points are earned through coursework, assessments, and a culminating project. Students can speak to their World Language teacher to learn more.

Seal of Civic Readiness

Students who successfully complete all requirements for a NYS Regents diploma may earn this seal by earning six points in the areas of Civic Knowledge and Civic Participation. At least two points must be earned in each category.

Points can be earned through passing of Regents Exams, completing civic knowledge research projects, participating in civic activities, completing a capstone project, or demonstrating civic skills. Students can speak to their Social Studies teacher to learn more.

Career Development and Occupational Studies (CDOS) Commencement Credential

There are two ways students may earn the CDOS:

• Students are awarded this credential when they demonstrate attainment of the commencement level Career Development and Occupational Studies (CDOS) learning standards in the area of career exploration and development, integrated learning, and universal foundation skills. Students must satisfactorily complete the equivalent of 2 units of study (216 hours) in Career and Technical Education coursework and Work Based Learning (WBL), including at least 54 hours of WBL and have at least one completed employability profile.

• Students are awarded this credential by passing a NYSED-approved work readiness assessment, such as the Precision Exams 21st Century Success Skills assessment at FLTCC.

Technical Endorsement

Students enrolled in an approved Career and Technical Education (CTE) program who successfully complete all requirements earn a Technical Endorsement to be affixed to their high school diploma.

Requirements leading to the Technical Endorsement include:

• Completion of a minimum of 22 credits

• Pass 5 required Regents examinations or approved alternatives

• Successful completion of a technical assessment

• Completion of Work-Based Learning (WBL) experiences

• Completion of a work-skills employability profile

Advanced Placement (AP) Courses

AP course registration takes place in October and culminates with an AP Exam in May. There is a fee associated with AP Exams ($99). Students who qualify for free/reduced lunch are eligible for a fee reduction.

English

• AP Language and Composition

• AP Literature and Composition

Math

• AP Calculus AB

• AP Calculus BC

• AP Statistics

Science

• AP Biology

• AP Chemistry

• AP Physics I

• AP Physics 2

• AP Environmental Science

Social Studies

• AP US History

• AP World History

• AP Government and Politics

• AP Macro Economics

Dual Credit Courses

Dual enrollment programs offer students the opportunity to enroll in a course that will earn both high school and college credit at the same time. Dual enrollment is a cost-efficient route to a post-secondary diploma. In preparing for college, cost is always a factor. Students have the option of taking these courses for free!

Gemini Program (FLCC)

The Gemini Program through Finger Lakes Community College (FLCC) affords our students the opportunity to earn college credit while still in high school. The courses are taught by Canandaigua faculty and are available to students who have met the prerequisites outlined for each course.

All courses earn three college credits through FLCC with the exception of Accounting, which awards four credits, and AP Biology and IB History of Americas, which award 3 credits per semester for a total of 6 credits per course.

All courses taken through FLCC are transferable to all SUNY colleges and many private institutions. Students who choose not to attend FLCC directly out of high school must request their FLCC transcript be sent to the college of their choice. Each college and university has its own rules on accepting transfer credit.

FLCC Gemini Program

FLCC Gemini Courses Offered at CA

• College Psychology (PSY 100)

• College Intro to Business (BUS 120)

• College Sociology (SOC 100)

• College Principles of Financial Accounting (ACC 101)

• College French 201/202/203/204 (FRN 201...)

• College Spanish 201/202/203/204 (SPN 201...)

• College Pre-Calculus (MAT 152)

• IB Environmental Systems (CON 103)

• College Personal Money Management (BUS 131)

• AP Biology (BIO 121 & 122)

• College Dynamics of Leadership (BUS 240)

• College English 101/102/103 (ENG 101, 102, 103)

• IB History of Americas (HIS 110 & 111)

• College Health (HPE 212)

• College Digital Photography (ART 110)

• College Mathematics of Money (MAT 110)

• College Study Strategies (GST 116)

• College Intro to Programming and Computational Thinking (CSC 115)

• College Object-Oriented Software

Early College Scholars Program

FLCC's Early College Scholars program invites high school students to complete college courses on campus or online. A scholarship covers a portion of your tuition, lowering the cost of your college education. Start earning the benefits of a college education while in high school.

With the Early College Scholars program, you take college courses online or at one of the FLCC locations in Canandaigua, Victor, Newark, or Geneva. You'll learn from college instructors, get a taste of college life, and become acclimated to a campus setting.

Benefits of the Early College Scholars Program

• Supplement your high school course work with college-level classes

• Complete a college degree in less time after graduation

• Earn transfer credits to use at a college or university of your choice

To learn more, you can check out the FLCC website. Be sure to let your counselor know if you are interested so they can assist with the planning of your schedule.

There will be an information session at the Academy this spring for any family that is interested.