This course catalog is intended to give students and parents a general overview of the courses offered at Diman, and it should be used when selecting a program of studies and/or courses for the 2022 academic year. Diman recognizes that each student is a unique individual who will possess specific strengths, needs, and learning styles. The courses offered at Diman provide all students the opportunity to develop their capabilities in a variety of content areas and at the appropriate levels of learning.  At Diman, the expectation is that exceptional teaching and learning be the focus of all students, educators, administration, and staff.

Purpose of Catalog

This catalog offers the complete list of course offerings at Diman Regional Vocational Technical High School.  As such, it has been designed to help parents and students at Diman Regional Vocational Technical High School make informed decisions regarding course selection and educational programs.  This catalog should be used during the spring course selection process and in conjunction with teacher recommendations.  At Diman RVTHS, faculty, staff, and administration recognize the importance of partnering for student success.  Therefore, all program of studies decisions at Diman RVTHS are made in partnering with students’ guidance counselors.  For more information regarding the course selection process, parents and students are encouraged to contact the Guidance Office. 

Director of Guidance
Diman Regional Vocational Technical High School
(508) 678-2891 x1250

Accreditation

Diman Regional Vocational Technical High School is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), the New England Association of Schools and Colleges and Certificate of Occupational Proficiency (COP), and the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973

Diman Regional Vocational Technical High School complies with all aspects of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. As such, Diman RVTHS is dedicated to providing all students with a free, appropriate public education (FAPE). For further information regarding 504 accommodations, please contact the Guidance Office.

Grade Point Average and Class Rank Calculation

Grade Point Averages (GPA) and class rank are important to students seeking scholarships, financial assistance, and other post-secondary endeavors. GPA and class rank are calculated using a system of levels and credits.  

Each academic and elective course is assigned the appropriate level based on the rigor of the curriculum and the performance expectations: generally Advanced Placement and dual enrollment courses are rated at the highest level, followed by honors courses, college prep courses, and then college and career readiness level three courses. For the purposes of calculating GPA only, each level is assigned a specific weight. It is important to note that levels do not affect the grade published on a student's report card. Levels provide a means of accurately calculating class rank for a diverse population. Levels may also be utilized to adjust for an individual with significant modifications to his/her course expectations. GPA and class rank are calculated by multiplying a student's adjusted class averages by the corresponding credit value and then dividing by the total number of attempted credits.

Curriculum Level/Grade Scale

Diman Regional Vocational Technical High School utilizes a 4.0 curriculum level/100 point grade scale.  The values associated with each course are listed below. 

Honors Courses

Honors courses are an integral part of the total curriculum at Diman Regional Vocational Technical High School. These courses have been developed keeping in mind the Diman mission statement: "to develop the unique potential of each learner". They are designed to accelerate students' learning in classes that have elevated expectations.

Because of the challenging nature of these courses, they carry higher quality points than the courses for the general student population.  It is important to note that Advanced Placement and dual enrollment courses carry a higher weight than all honors sections.

1. Freshmen Honors Placement

Eighth grade students who have been selected to attend Diman will receive notice of a placement exam in the spring of 2021.  During this placement exam, students will be assessed upon their writing, reading, and mathematics skills.  Utilizing placement test scores, MCAS scores (when available), and grades from their sending schools, students will placed in the honors or college preparation sections of history, biology/physics, English language arts, and algebra or geometry. Since placement is limited in many of these honors level courses, other factors such as attendance, discipline record, and guidance counselor recommendations are also considered. To ensure that placement in the honors courses reflect students' abilities, as well as motivation and work ethic, a review of students' progress begins after the first academic cycle. At this time, or later in the semester, teachers may recommend a change in the placement.  All student led changes will take place before October 1st.  All teacher recommended changes will take place before November 1st. 

2. Upperclassmen Honors Placement

Diman Regional Vocational Technical High School offers the following upperclassmen honors and Advanced Placement level courses:

• Honors ELA 10, 11, and 12
• Advanced Placement English Language and Composition
• Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition
• Honors United States History II and Honors World History
• Honors Biology 10, Honors Physics First II, Honors Chemistry I & II, and Honors Applied Physics I & II
• Honors Geometry, Honors Algebra 2, Honors Pre-Calculus, and Honors Calculus
• Advanced Placement Calculus
• Advanced Placement Statistics
• Advanced Placement Biology
• Advanced Placement Chemistry
• Advanced Placement Physics
• Advanced Placement United States Government and Politics
• Advanced Placement Computer Science Principles.

Students in the sophomore, junior, and senior year are placed into honors courses based upon their past academic performances, student selection, placement testing, and teacher recommendation. Honors students should be highly motivated and have a work ethic that will ensure that all assignments are passed in on time and meet the expectations of the honors course. A student, who is not meeting the expectations of the course and does not maintain an 80% average, may be removed from the class or have a written contract drawn up allowing him/her to remain in the class under certain criteria. 

It is important to note that honors selection can only be granted when a student has met all course prerequisites.  Honors placement cannot be granted without meeting all required expectations.  The prerequisite criterion for each course is detailed in the course description section of this catalogue.  

3.     Dual Enrollment

Diman Regional Vocational Technical High School strives to provide all students with a rigorous and competitive education.  Due to the demanding nature of these courses, some Diman students are prepared for college courses at an early age.  Students who are ready to face the challenge that college offers may then enroll in dual enrollment courses.  In accordance with the District’s Dual Enrollment Policy, students who take and pass college courses may be eligible for replacement credit.  For assistance with this course scheduling, students interested in dual enrollment courses should see a guidance counselor prior to registering for college level courses.  

• High Honors is awarded when a student has a 3.75 weighted GPA for the semester with all grades at 83 or higher.
• Honors is awarded when a student has a 3.3 weighted GPA for the semester with all grades at 83 or higher.

Graduation Requirements

In order to receive a diploma from Diman Regional Vocational Technical High School, a student must earn a minimum of 210/240 credits. This can be achieved by passing the courses detailed below.

In alignment with MassCore, Diman students must also satisfy all course criteria detailed in the chart below.  In order to effectively pass the courses detailed below, Diman students must earn a passing grade of at least 65 in each subject listed in the graduation chart.  Additionally, all students must pass the MCAS tests in the subjects required by the state of Massachusetts.

Course Selection

Each student is expected to discuss individual course selection with a parent and guidance counselor. Though the Diman team works to ensure that most students are placed in the courses that they request, it is understood that sometimes certain course requests will not fit within a student’s schedule.  For this reason, the Diman team cannot guarantee that all course requests are met.  It is important to remember that course selections are requests only.  In placing students, the Diman team reviews student selections, previous grades, career/college goals, course prerequisites, and teacher recommendations.