Students of Madonna High School are offered subjects which cover the traditional course offerings of college preparatory, general curriculum, fine arts, and selected business and vocational areas. These courses are geared to accommodate individual differences and ability levels and to give a truly balanced education in terms of theology, sciences, mathematics, languages, and the humanities. Madonna partners with West Virginia Northern Community College and the John D. Rockefeller Career Center to provide more opportunities for our students.

Developing and nurturing a Christian atmosphere and faith is our top priority. Obedient to Christ and the Magisterium of the Catholic Church and called forth in ministry to our youth, the primary purpose of Madonna High School is to proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

Liturgies are celebrated for the entire student body and faculty each week. Under the guidance and supervision of the religion department faculty, students assume an integral role in the planning and preparation of school liturgies.

The Sacrament of Reconciliation, school-wide prayer services and class retreats form another part of the students’ faith life.

Service hours are a requirement to graduate and receive a diploma. A minimum of 20 hours of service is required of all seniors and juniors, 15 hours of service is required of all sophomores and freshmen, and 10 hours of service is required of all 7th and 8th graders.

Students must complete annual requirements by the end of the third quarter of each academic year. A written evaluation of the student’s service is required from the supervisor of the service, listing the experience and time spent performing each individual service.

The religion requirements may not be waived for non-Catholic students. The concept of a Catholic school is to transmit Christian Doctrine. All students at Madonna will take the required religion courses for graduation.

Protecting God’s Children – An Overview of the Touching Safety Program

Teaching-Boundaries-and-Safety-Guide

Tutoring, at no additional cost to the parents, is provided by members of National Honor Society.

Honors Program

Based upon grades and faculty recommendation the students of Madonna High School may take honors courses to further enhance their education.  These courses are designed by the faculty to provide an in-depth analysis and study of additional topics within the curriculum.  Students that successfully complete 14 honors courses may be eligible to graduate with honors. Students that successfully complete 19 honors courses may be eligible to graduate with distinguished honors.   The student’s diploma and transcript will note that the student did complete the requirements of the honors program.  In addition, at Commencement, the student will wear a gold honor hood with  the Madonna cap and gown.

 

Criteria to Obtain an Honors Credit

  • Students must have a grade of “A” or “B in the regular coursework to be eligible for an honors class
  • Students must complete all honors assignments in a timely fashion and according to the criteria established by the faculty.
  • Students must maintain a grade of “A” or “B” in the honors portion of the course. 
  • If the student does not meet the above criteria, the course will be listed as “honors” on their transcript, but will not count toward the total number needed to graduate “With Honors”. 

Criteria to Graduate with Honors

  • Students must have an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher in all courses. 
  • Students must have earned 14 honors credits.  If the student earns a grade of “C” or lower in an honors course, that course will not count toward the total needed to graduate “With Honors”.
  • Transfer students may transfer a maximum of 3 honors courses to Madonna, at the discretion of the administration. 
  • All college-level courses at Madonna High School will be counted as an honors-level class towards graduation with honors.

Criteria to Graduate with Distinguished Honors

  • Students must have an overall GPA of  4.0 or higher in all courses 
  • Students must have earned  a minimum of 19 honors credits with no grade below a “B” to be considered for “Distinguished Honors”. 
  • “Distinguished Honors” students will be recognized at graduation by wearing a gold hood with 2 stars.

Please see the Curriculum Guide for more information.

COLLEGE GUIDANCE SERVICES

The college guidance program provides various services to Madonna High School. Information and skills-training are made available to assist students, as well as their parents, the faculty, and staff, in developing self-understanding for religious, academic, emotional, and social growth. This establishes a foundation for the student to make realistic educational, career, and personal decisions. College guidance services are available for every student in the school. Help with home, school, and/or social problems or other concerns is available through the School Based Health office.

The College Guidance Department assists with:

  1. Educational and career planning
  2. Brief individual and group sessions with students, their families and/or faculty
  3. Prevention and intervention strategies and referrals
  4. Conferences with administrators, teachers, parents, community resource personnel, and college personnel
  5. Planned assessments and result interpretation to aid in determining academic strengths and weaknesses along with student interests and needs
  6. Administration and interpretation of standardized tests
  7. Career exploration
  8. Assistance with college admissions, scholarships and financial aid

Students, in addition to parents, faculty, and staff, are encouraged to utilize the guidance department. Student visits should be scheduled during but can also be scheduled before or after school. If a student wishes to visit the college guidance office, he/she must obtain written permission from his/her teacher during that time. Parents are asked to call and schedule an appointment.

The College Guidance Department also prepares students for or administers the following annual tests:

7th Grade           NWEA, ARK (Assessment of Religious Knowledge)
8th Grade             NWEA, PSAT 8/9, ARK
Freshmen             NWEA, PSAT 8/9, ARK
Sophomores         NWEA, PSAT/NMSQT, ARK
Juniors                  PSAT/NMSQT, ARK, ACT District Testing, SAT School Day
Seniors                   ACT and/or SAT, ARK

Juniors and Seniors who are college-bound are highly encouraged to take the ACT and/or the SAT.  These tests are often required for admission into most colleges or universities and for merit-based aid.  These tests are administered by the high school one time each in the Junior year under the titles, SAT School Day and ACT District Testing (Seniors may also take ACT District Testing).  It is the student’s responsibility to contact ACT (www.act.org) or SAT (www.collegeboard.org) to register for the tests offered on Saturdays at locations off the Madonna campus.

If you have any questions, please contact the College Guidance office at 304-723-0545

See below for further information on preparing for college:

Click below for more information on the WV PROMISE Scholarship:

WEST VIRGINIA PROMISE SCHOLARSHIP

Click here for additional scholarships.

Helpful Links:

MYFUTURE.COM

WV EDUCATION PLANNER

GOING 2 COLLEGE

BIG FUTURE BY THE COLLEGE BOARD

OCCUPATIONAL OUTLOOK HANDBOOK

SCHOOLS THE U.S.A. CAREER SEARCH

STUDENTS.NET

 COLLEGE FOUNDATION OF WEST VIRGINIA

Grading System

The following is the Madonna High School Grading System:

A=4 B=3 C=2 D=1 F=0

A –  93-100

B – 85-92

C – 77-84

D- 69-76

F- 68 and Below

Honors: 

A=4.5 B=3.5 C=2.5 D=1.5 F=0

A – 93-100

B – 85-92

C – 77-84 

D – 69-76

F – 68 and Below

AP/College:

A=5 B=4 C=3 D=2 F=0

A – 90-100

B – 80-89

C – 70-79

D – 60-69

F – 59 and Below

Crediting

A successfully completed:

  • Eighteen-week course receives a 1/2 unit
  • Thirty-six week course receives 2 half units

A passing grade must be received in both semesters of a 36-week course. Students who see they are in danger of failing the first semester should contact their teacher no later than one month before the end of the semester. Letter grades will be used for all subjects taken as requirements to meet graduation needs. Any incomplete work not made up within 3 weeks after an extended absence results in an “F”. Courses may be dropped or added within the first 5 days of school.

Each teacher is required to calculate grades according to percentages or a point system which converts to percentages. This assures the students accurate results on grading procedures. All college level courses taught at Madonna High School on the Madonna campus will use the Madonna grading scale.

Progress Reports

Progress reports are used to provide students with a warning regarding inadequate academic performance and attendance performance. They permit the students and parents to be aware of this performance and attendance performance. They permit the students and parents to be aware of this performance and the fact that failure in the subject is possible. Progress reports encourage students to take suggested means toward improvement. They also help to keep parents and students informed of the specific progress of a student in a particular subject area.

Progress Reports are completed after 4 1/2 weeks into the marking period. A Progress Report is completed on any student who is failing a subject, any student who has a grade of “D” and is not working to their best ability, or if a substantial difference exists between demonstrated performance and actual achievement. Students are re-evaluated after 6 weeks into the marking period. At the request of the administration, a student may be placed on academic and/or disciplinary probation.

Graduation Requirements:  2023-2024

Language Arts: 4 Credits

Mathematics: MINIMUM 4 credits & 1 Math class yearly

Science: 4 Credits

Social Studies: 4 Credits

Religion/Service*: 4 Credits

Physical Education: 1 Credit

Health: 1 Credit

Fine Arts: 1 Credit

Electives: 5 Credits

TOTAL FOR GRADUATION:     28 Credits

*The Religion requirements may not be waived for non-Catholic students.  The concept of a Catholic school is to foster Christian Doctrine.  All students at Madonna will take the required Religion courses for graduation.

Calculation of Semester Grades*

A student in grades nine through twelve semester grade consists of three components.  The first semester grade is 40% of the 1st quarter grade, 40% of the 2nd quarter grade, and 20% of the midterm exam grade.  The second semester grade would then be 40% of the 3rd quarter grade, 40% of the 4th quarter grade, and 20% of the final exam grade.   For example, if a student obtained a 93% the 1st quarter, a 95% the 2nd quarter, and an 85% on the exam, one would calculate the semester grade as follows:

93 x 0.40  =     37.2

95 x 0.40  =     38

85 x 0.20  =     17

37.2  +  38  +  17  =  92.2 %  B

Percentages ending in .5 or greater are rounded up.  Anything below a .5 is not.

* Seventh and Eighth grade students do not take semester exams (except those students who are enrolled in a high school math or language course).

MOOCs (Juniors and Seniors only…online, independently)

Massive Open Online Courses. The site is MOOC.org

Below are several options that have proven successful. However, students are welcome to explore the site and upon approval of the Administration take an alternative, approved course.

The course, upon approval and successful completion will be placed on the student’s transcript, however it will not factor into a student’s GPA.

Intro to Business

This course is designed to prepare students who are interested in the business field in college. The courses are online. All the classes have a cost (Approx.. $100-$250) to obtain the certificates which are mandatory in order to be placed on the student’s transcript

Intro to Engineering

 This course is designed to prepare students who are interested in the field of engineering in college.  The courses are online.   All the classes have a cost (Approx. $100-$250) to obtain the certificates which are mandatory in order to be placed on the student’s transcript.

Intro to Healthcare

This course is designed to prepare students who may be interested in the healthcare field in college. The courses are online.  All the classes have a cost (Approx. $100-$250) to obtain the certificates which are mandatory in order to be placed on the student’s transcript.. 

Intro to Pre-Law

This course is designed to prepare students who are interested in the pre-law field in college. The courses are online. All the classes have a cost (Approx. $100-$250) to obtain the certificates which are mandatory in order to be placed on the student’s transcript. 

Prefect System

The Madonna Senior Prefect system is designed to recognize those who put forth extra effort with greater responsibilities.  As Jesus says: “Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities” (Matthew 25:21). Prefects will assist with school tours, tutoring, graduations, etc. Prefects who are not members  of Student Council or Senior Class Officers will assist in planning social and/or educational activities (example: May Day, Guest Speakers, or events approved by Administrations)  Additionally, Senior Prefects will be recognized at graduation by wearing a blue Prefect cord.

Prefect selection is based on: completion of application fulfilling the following:

Class of 2023:

  • Member in good standing of National Honor Society
  • GPA > 3.75
  • Lettered in a sport or participated in the school play
  • Active member of Pep Club or additional sport/or play participation
  • Actively participate in one additional club with letter of recommendation from sponsor on significant contribution toward the club
  • Essay on topic selected by Administration (Benefits of a Catholic Education)
  • Less than ten (10) absences in a school year 
  • At least 75 service hours by application
  • Attend ProLife March with school or other Madonna approved event
  • Take 1 AP Class with an “A” in the class

Class of 2024 and following

  • All of the above
  • At least 100 service hours by application
  • Take at least 2 AP Classes with an  “A” in the class or a score of 3 or higher on AP exam

NOTE: 

Service Hours must be approved by Madonna High School Administration to be considered toward valid count of necessary Prefect hours.  Determination of candidates for Prefect recognition, based upon above requirements, will be made by Madonna High School Administration.

Madonna High School partners with the Rockefeller Career Center to provide two-year, career-based courses in the following areas:

  • Auto Collision Repair Technology
  • Electronics Systems Technician
  • Diesel Equipment Technology
  • Therapeutic Services
  • Human Services Cluster
  • Welding

Students may begin taking classes their Junior year, but Seniors can attain partial completion of the program as well.

John D. Rockefeller Career Center Website

Madonna High School offers the following testing programs that help with individual student evaluation and also school evaluation and curriculum development.
The PSAT is administered to all freshmen, sophomores, and juniors in the fall. This test serves as a practice test for the SAT that may be taken for college entrance. Also, the PSAT is used nationally to determine qualification for NMSQT or National Merit Scholarship Program, which is a very prestigious scholarship award. Qualification can lead to scholarship offers for students.
The NWEA is administered to all freshmen and sophomores in the fall.  The NWEA test assesses student achievement in reading, mathematics, science, social studies, vocabulary, and spelling.  Results from this test are used for curriculum development.
The ARK (Assessment of Religious Knowledge) Test is administered to all classes in the spring to assess development in Religious Education.
ACT/SAT – The ACT (American College Testing) and SAT, both college entrance assessments, are necessary for college admittance in most cases.
For more information on the ACT go to www.act.org
For more information on the SAT go to www.collegeboard.org

All male students who attain the age of 18 are required to register with the Selective Service.

Click here for more information regarding the Selective Service Requirements

West Virginia Northern Community College Classes

These courses are dual credit, meaning the student will receive college credit at WVNCC and high school credit at Madonna. If a senior chooses to take the in-person classes at WVNCC they must take two classes in the fall and two classes in the spring.

Requirements to register for the Early Entrance Program at WVNCC as a rising Madonna Senior:

A or B in all English and Math Courses Freshman, Sophomore, and Junior years.

OR these minimum scores on the ACT/SAT:

  • ACT:  Reading – minimum 17, English – minimum 18, Math – minimum 19
  • SAT:  EBRW (Evidence-Based Reading & Writing) – minimum 480, Math – minimum 530

ENG 101 – College Composition I           3 Credit(s)

ENG 102 – College Composition II           3 Credit(s)

HIST 110 – The United States to 1865         3 Credit(s)      

HIST 111 – The United States Since 1865      3 Credit(s)

POLS 102 – American National Government and Politics     3 Credit(s)

PSYC 105 – Introduction to Psychology      3 Credit(s)

SOC 125 – Introduction to Sociology        3 Credit(s)