A Successful High School Career

Advanced Placement (AP) classes are specially designated classes taken at the high school in which a student may test for college credit, through the Advanced Placement program, upon completion of the coursework.

The tests are given in May on National AP Test dates. It is to the student’s advantage to take as challenging a course load as can be successfully completed. Students should talk to their parents, school counselor, teachers and other students when selecting their classes.

Students have an opportunity to gain credit for a previously failed course that was taught within a Williamson County School by completing a computer-based program called A+ Credit Recovery. Complete the Credit Recovery Application obtained from the guidance office and contact your child’s school counselor for eligibility information and to apply.

There is a cost of $50 per semester course ($100 for a whole year credit). If the Credit Recovery is not completed in the semester, then the student will have to re-register and pay another $50 per semester course. The fee applies to all students. There are no fee waivers for Credit Recovery. Students must register with their guidance counselor prior to beginning. Payment for credit recovery should be made in the form of cash, check, money order, or cashier’s check made payable to Brentwood High School. All payments are due at the time the forms are returned. Students may only take one class at a time.

Dual Enrollment provides the opportunity for 11th and 12th grade students to earn college credit while still attending high school. See the specific college’s website for details on how to dual enroll at that institute.

Other Important Information

Dual enrollment students are eligible for a grant via the Dual Enrollment Grant Program. Please visit TN Student Assistance Corporation Dual Enrollment Grant for more information about applying for this grant.

*Note: Students must have been a Tennessee resident for one year prior to receipt of the grant. All participating students must maintain a 2.75 GPA in the Dual Enrollment class in order to retain eligibility for the grant. The grant is a “stand alone” program. Hours attempted and grades earned have no impact on the student’s TN HOPE eligibility.

Students taking any Dual Enrollment class should discuss, with a College/University Admissions Counselor, whether or not it will transfer to the College or University they plan to attend in the fall.

Explore the WCS Board Policy: Report Cards and Grading Systems 4.600 for grading scales and how to calculate GPA for high school students.

Explore the WCS Board Policies related to Graduation Requirements 4.605 and Credit Requirements for Graduation 4.6051 for more information on graduating from a WCS high school.

The Tennessee Department of Education has recently announced the launch of the Industry 4.0 Diploma Distinction. This distinction was developed for high school students who are interested in pursuing a career in a high-need, high-skill industry after graduation. Students who earn the Industry 4.0 Diploma Distinction will be more prepared to seamlessly transition into the workforce. To Earn the Industry 4.0 Diploma Distinction, students must:

• Notify their counselor of their intent to pursue the distinction by the end of their sophomore year
• Register with a regional American Job Center or their school counselor
• Enroll in Work Based Learning or dual enrollment courses for their junior year
• Meet with their counselor and/or career coach who meets at least one per month beginning in their junior year
• Enroll in work-based learning or dual enrollment courses for their senior year

For more information, please contact your high school counselor before the end of your sophomore year.

Please carefully read and follow the procedures below to request permission to enroll in online course:

Complete the WCS Request to Enroll in Online Course form and submit it to your counselor. The form can be obtained in the guidance office.  The request should be filled out completely and signed by the student and the parent. The counselor will review the course curriculum to determine the appropriateness of the course and check the accreditation of the vendor. If the counselor agrees that the request is viable, he/she will forward the document to the principal for approval.

If the principal is agreeable to the student’s enrollment in the course, he/she will sign the form. If the student’s request includes a math, science or foreign language course that requires permission of the Assistant Superintendent for Middle and High Schools, the form will be submitted to the central office for that approval.

If the requested vendor is a Virtual School conducted by a Tennessee public school district, the form should be forwarded to the Instructional Technology Coordinator for approval. Enrollment in these Tennessee Virtual Schools will be done through the Office of Instructional Technology in collaboration with the school’s counselor. AP parents should not directly contact a TN Virtual School to enroll a student.

During the academic school year, students will not be allowed to enroll in an online course if the same course is available in the building unless it is impossible to schedule the student in the course and he/she needs the course to graduate. All approved online courses should be courses that appear on the list of courses that have been approved by the State Board of Education.

During the summer months, students may enroll in certain online courses that may be taught in your school during the regular school year, however, students cannot enroll in math, science or foreign language courses without the approval of the Assistant Superintendent of Middle and High Schools.

Valid schedule corrections to update course selections based on summer school credits or to correct a scheduling error made by the school take place the first 10 school days of each semester.  The beginning of the semester is not the time to revise schedules as a result of a student’s change of mind.  The master schedule has already been formed.

Dropping a Course

Full-year courses may not be dropped at the end of the first semester, even if only an elective.  Exceptions to this policy can be made only by appealing to the Principal.  The usual consideration is whether the student has been academically misplaced.  If the exception is granted, the student will be required to take an equally challenging semester course.

Issues in a Course

A student who is experiencing problems in a class will not be removed from the class outside the policies stated above. When problems develop, the following procedures should be followed:

The student should consult the teacher for ways to improve. If the problem still exists, the parent should talk to the teacher.  Conversation can occur over the phone or through email, but the best communication is still person to person. If the problem continues to exist, the parent can request a school meeting that includes the teacher, the student, the parent(s), the appropriate school counselor, and the grade-level assistant principal.  This team will form a plan of action.

To enroll a new student, please:

• First, check your WCS School Zone. You must live in the Brentwood school zone in order to enroll.  Parents with first time students who are to be enrolled in Williamson County Schools are required to have their address verified as the first stop in registering their child for school. The entire registration process takes place at the school. You may reach our transportation department at (615) 472-4950 for additional bus route questions or call Central Office at (615) 472-4200 for additional school zoning questions.
• Call the BHS Counseling Dept at (615) 472-4231 to schedule an enrollment appointment.  At the appointment, students must be accompanied by a natural parent or legal guardian.
• Students must be withdrawn from their previous school before enrolling at Brentwood High.
• Access WCS Enrollment Forms and complete all forms for the current school year.  Bring these completed forms to the enrollment appointment.

WCS would like to recognize any senior at graduation who has completed at least have a minimum of 10 volunteer hours every semester they are in high school. Students are responsible for notifying counselors if they have completed these service hours. Please see your counselor for directions in submitting volunteer hours.  

Please follow these guidelines:

• Students cannot be paid to do volunteer work
• Volunteer work cannot be done for a family member
• The student is responsible for tracking volunteer hours and formally submitting the hours to the guidance department.