Academic Policies

Advanced Placement (AP) courses are a challenging introduction college-level curriculum. These courses are implemented in order to give students an opportunity to challenge themselves beyond the scope of our regular curriculum and earn potential college credit. Students taking AP classes must take the College Board AP exam for each respective AP course in which they enrolled, and must score a “3” or higher in order to be eligible to receive college credit. A testing fee will be charged by College Board for each exam, which will be added to your Cardinal Gibbons tuition account.

Through a partnership with St. Thomas University in Miami, Cardinal Gibbons is able to offer dual enrollment courses. Our Dual Enrollment Program allows students to participate in postsecondary coursework and simultaneously earn both high school and college credits. These courses are administered by Cardinal Gibbons faculty and are structured in accordance with university curriculum criteria. In order to qualify for the Dual Enrollment Program, students must have a weighted GPA of 3.5 or higher. Students must also receive a final grade of a “B” or higher in each dual enrollment course in order to maintain their dual enrollment eligibility. A $70.00 per credit hour fee, payable to St. Thomas University, is due at the time of registration. Please refer to the Curriculum Guide for a list of classes that are dual enrollment eligible.

Each student must be enrolled in a minimum of six (6) courses per semester. A total of 18 credits are required before a student may begin their senior year.

Students who receive a failing semester grade of an “F” are expected to remediate the course via Spring School or Summer School. All failed courses must be remediated before the student will be eligible to register for courses for the subsequent school year.

Class rank is based on the cumulative weighted Grade Point Average (GPA).

All courses are assigned weights or "Quality Points" according to their challenge and demand.  The cumulative weighted GPA is determined by dividing the total Quality Points by the total credits attempted in grades nine (9) through twelve (12). Quality points do not affect the amount of credit given per course. It is important to note that one‐quarter credit is given for each quarter‐credit course, one‐half credit is granted for each semester course and one full credit is granted for each year course of successful academic work.

The honor roll is announced at the end of every semester. Students with a weighted GPA of 3.75 to 3.99 and no semester grade below a B will receive Second Honors, while students with a weighted GPA of 4.0 and above, along with no grade lower than a B, will receive First Honors.

Cardinal Gibbons offers a free peer tutoring program, called Links to Learning, to all currently enrolled students. Students who require additional help outside of the classroom are encouraged to seek help through the Links to Learning program. Links to Learning tutoring sessions are available in the morning from 7:20-7:50 a.m., in the afternoon from 2:45-3:45 p.m. and during the student’s respective lunch period. All peer tutors have been appointed by members of the Cardinal Gibbons faculty and are members of one or more Honor Societies.

To obtain a peer tutor, please email Dr. Stephen Louy at louy@cghsfl.org and provide the following information: the student’s name, cell phone number, personal email address, and the subject in which the student is seeking help. All students must sign a tutoring contract in order to participate in the program.