Skip to main content
The Philidelphia Inquirer - Philly Favorites - 2024 Gold Winner
Academic Affairs Policies » Academic Probation

Academic Probation

Academic Probation is a warning that a student has fallen into academic difficulty and that he needs to improve his grades to reach “Good Standing” status. Students who earn below a 70% quarter average or earn one or more failures in a quarter or semester will have their academic standing reviewed and be placed on academic probation by the Assistant Principal of Academic Affairs. Academic probation signifies that a student’s enrollment at Father Judge and graduation from FJ is in jeopardy.

A student may be placed on academic probation at any time during his academic career. Academic probation contracts are sent home for the parent/guardian and student to review and sign. As part of the contract, students will participate in an action plan for success. This plan will include academics, attendance, conduct, tutoring, additional guidance interventions and supports, and limits on participation in sports and activities for a designated period. Students placed on academic probation for consecutive semesters or more than twice during their high school career may be reviewed for dismissal.

A student with one or two failures at the close of the 4th marking period is automatically on academic probation for the next school year. If he has one or two failures at the end of the 4th marking period the following year, he may be dismissed. If he has one failure at the close of the 4th marking period the following year, he will remain on probation.

Students with three or more failures at the end of the first semester must appear before the Administrative Council with their parents or may be dismissed. Any ninth-grade student with four or more failures at the end of the first semester may be dismissed. Tenth, eleventh, and twelfth-grade students with four or more failures at the end of the first semester may be dismissed.
Academic dismissal occurs after all avenues for remediation and assistance have been exhausted or when it is deemed by the Assistant Principal for Academic Affairs that the student cannot succeed at FJ. Academic dismissal will occur when the student does not complete a plan for making up failed courses, or if a student has accumulated three or more failing final course grades. A student on academic probation who receives three or more failures at the end of the first semester may be dismissed. Any student who receives up to two failures at the end of the school year may be dismissed. Students with four or more academic failures are dismissed.
Students must receive a final grade of 70% in all subjects to be promoted. Students who fail a subject for the year must remove the failure by attending the Diocesan Summer School. Seniors who would be dismissed under the probation policy will be permitted to attend summer school to remove the failures and be able to receive a diploma after receiving a passing grade in summer school. Students must make up any failed course during the summer through our approved online credit recovery school (Educere) for continued admittance at FJ. Students are responsible for the additional costs of credit recovery. Students who do not complete summer credit recovery will automatically be dismissed from Father Judge. A student may only remediate 3 total classes to remain enrolled at Father Judge. These three classes included Conduct and Attendance Summer School.
Attendance is as much a part of a student’s grade as any test, project, or homework assignment. Students who have 22 or more absences from any class (due to absences, lateness, early dismissal, or any combination) may receive a failing grade for the course, even if the student has a passing grade. Excessive absence cases will be reviewed by the Assistant Principal for Academic Affairs, the Assistant Principal for Student Services, and the Principal.
On the day report cards are issued, students who have failed one academic subject for the quarter or in the case of semester courses, the semester, will be suspended from participation in all activities and sports, including practices, for a minimum period of ten school days. Moderators, coaches, the Athletic Director, and the Assistant Principal for Student Affairs will receive a list of ineligible students from the Academics Office the day report cards are issued.

At the conclusion of the ten school-day suspension, the student must submit a request for an academic review from the Assistant Principal of Academic Affairs. Students passing all classes at the time of the review will be issued a letter of eligibility indicating permission to return to their sports and activities. Eligibility letters will not be issued if the student has below 70% in any course at the time of review. This is the only time for re-evaluation. If the evaluation is satisfactory, the student will receive written notice to present to his coach or moderator to resume participating in meetings and practices. If unsatisfactory, the student may not participate for another five school days. This process repeats until the student is eligible again.

On the day report cards are issued, students with 2 or more failures for the quarter or in the case of semester courses, the semester, will not be able to participate in any activity for the remainder of the quarter. For example, if a student fails 2 classes for the 1st quarter, they will be unable to participate for the remainder of the 2nd quarter. Students failing one or more subjects for the second semester will be suspended the following fall season for ten school days.

The suspension from sports and activities will not prevent students from trying out for a team. Students may try out and will then be placed on suspension for the ten schooldays should they make the team.