High School Academics

The academic program at Bellevue Christian High School is more than "just courses to take." We are hoping to help students build a four-year program that will equip them for the college or university of their choice and more importantly, learn how to think for a life of Godly service.

HS Course Overviews:

Bible -

We believe that Christ is supreme over all creation (see Colossians 1:15-20), scripture is central to all of life and learning (see Romans 12:1-2 and 2 Timothy 3:15-17), and that real knowledge is evidenced by doing (see James 2:17, Philippians 2:1-11, and Ephesians 2:8-10). We believe this to be true not only in bible class but across the curriculum, so although we believe every class is a bible class and every teacher is a bible teacher, we have specific, intentional courses in both junior and senior high that provide scriptural content and application. Just as in elementary school we teach handwriting and reading with the expectation that students will use these skills throughout the rest of their schooling, so too with bible we set aside time in specific courses to teach bible content. Our goal is that students will infuse the knowledge and skills they acquire in these bible courses into the entire curriculum, as well as the rest of life.

English -

Humanity’s Great Conversation started before Moses and continues in this morning’s New York Times. Our goal is to teach our students that they have a Christian responsibility to write, read, and communicate with discernment, clarity, and purpose, so they can engage productively in this conversation.

Math -

Mathematics education at BCS strives to help students better understand the world in which they live by uncovering the essence of math through observing patterns, analyzing data, and finding relationships.     Students experience this daily as they work together to investigate real world situations, synthesize information, and formulate concrete mathematical concepts.  Along the way, symbol manipulation skills and understanding are developed.  The strands of algebra, geometry, trigonometry, functions, and data analysis are interwoven throughout the curriculum.

Science -

The BCS Science Department strives to encourage all of our students to think critically, ethically, and patiently. We intentionally structure our courses to build competence in reasoning, oral and written communication, reading comprehension, and experimental lab skills. Course offerings include a balance of life, physical, and earth sciences to provide a solid foundation for college and career pursuits and to enable students to be able to critically consider their world. By experiencing a range of learning models over their junior high and high school years, students are equipped to continue learning both as members of teams and individually. God has created us and the world around us; science is a critical method of exploring and appreciating that Creation. May it lead to our glorifying the Creator.

Social Studies -

The purpose of the Social Studies Department is to prepare students for a better understanding of the Lord’s sovereignty and the working out of his redemptive plan for man and all of creation through the events that have taken place throughout recorded history.

Spanish - 

In the Spanish department we share the beauty of the Spanish language, its people, and culture. We hope our students will understand the importance and advantages of learning another language in order to communicate with other Spanish speakers. As their language skills grow and develop, we would encourage them to travel, see other countries, and experience various cultures first hand.  Several experiences for service travel and cultural discovery are available through Bellevue Christian School.

Fine Arts -

The goal of the Fine Arts Department is to teach students to express glory and praise to God, their Creator, through the creative use of art and music and to use their gifts as a service to those around them.

Physical Education -

The purpose of the Physical Education Department is to instruct students in the concepts of physical fitness, fundamental movement skills, and basic strategies of team sports. Particular emphasis is placed on endurance, strength, flexibility, balance, and agility. The department attempts to foster proper stewardship of leisure time by introducing students to a variety of lifetime individual, dual and recreational competitive team sports. The department seeks to honor God by expecting students to display proper conduct and sportsmanship as they practice Christian living through physical education activities.

Requirement, Graduation, and Credits -

• Students will be expected to carry a full academic load for eight semesters. Early graduation is not normally permitted.
• The minimum requirements for graduation are not the normal expectation at BCS. Minimum requirements are rarely sufficient for admission to typical four-year colleges and universities, and won't fully equip students to serve God in any ministry or vocation.
• Students are expected to register for at least one course in Biblical studies each year. For details, see the Bible course descriptions.
• If you transfer from another school, you may find that some courses on your transcript do not meet BCS requirements, even though the course titles may be identical to ours.
• Students will be expected to show minimum competence in basic math and English.
• Credits earned outside the regular school day do not reduce the regular class load.

Bellevue Christian School believes that students should be encouraged to develop their talents within the widest possible scope of academic disciplines. Therefore, we have set minimum requirements for graduation that are higher than those required by Washington State Law.

Advanced Placement

Advanced Placement (AP) courses are offered in U.S. History, Physics B, Calculus AB, Calculus BC, English literature and Spanish. Accelerated mathematics and science programs are also offered and begin in junior high school.

No additional value is placed on AP grades at BCS. However, some colleges and universities see successful completion of AP courses on the transcript as a predictor of a higher college GPA.

Modified Programs

We realize that in some cases students will be better served by a Modified Program. At times students may learn more and develop their God-given talents more effectively by taking a course of study that is different than the one required for most students. A Modified Program might include an altered sequence; a faster or slower pace; a modified grade; the modification, substitution or waiver of an individual course; or a modified schedule.

This process may be initiated by contacting the counseling office or the SAS Director. A Modified Program which is approved by the Principal on the recommendation of the Academic Affairs Committee, the counselor, and/or the Student Academic Services director will qualify for a BCS diploma.

Credit for Courses Taken at Other Schools

Because of the emphasis at BCS on a Christian perspective in learning, you are expected to meet your graduation requirements through BCS courses. While enrolled at BCS, you may earn credit for courses taken at other schools only with prior written approval of the Academic Affairs Committee. Permission will be granted only if:

1. The course is not offered at BCS, or
2. The course cannot be taken at BCS because of scheduling conflicts, or
3. The course is part of an approved Modified Program

Specific permission is not required from the Academic Affairs Committee for courses offered through the vocational education program, NEVAC, described in this course handbook.

Graduation

To graduate with a BCS diploma, you must earn at least ten of your last twelve credits at Bellevue Christian School

Requests for early graduation are not normally granted. Students who feel that they are ready for college are encouraged to apply for early admission to their college of choice. Such programs normally provide for issuance of a high school diploma upon successful completion of two years of college.

All exceptions to the stated graduation requirements must be approved by the Academic Affairs Committee: NOTE: The State of Washington minimum course requirement for graduation (38 specific credits) cannot be waived under any circumstances.

Minimum Requirements for Graduation*

To graduate from Bellevue Christian High School a student must earn a minimum of 45 semester credits. At Bellevue Christian High School the normal class load is six classes per semester. The following minimum requirements must be met in specific subject areas in grades 9 through 12.

• Bible: 4 credits, including Philosophy of Education, Introduction to Ethics, Relationships and one Bible elective
• English: 8 credits, including 2 each in freshman, sophomore, junior and senior years
• Social Studies: 6 credits, including 2 sophomore year (World History; the first semester of World History focuses on Western civilization, and the second semester focuses on non-western civilizations), 2 junior year (U.S. History) and 2 senior year (Politics and Government and Modern World History). The state requirement for Washington State History is met by the 8th grade course at BCS.
• Mathematics: 6 credits, including 2 in 9th grade. The 6 credits may include one credit of computer programming and one credit of Technical Drawing.
• Occupational Education: 2 credits (must be two different courses). One of these must be a computer course unless competency is demonstrated.
• Science: 4 credits, including 2 physical sciences (physical science, chemistry, physics)
• Health: 1 credit
• Physical Education: 4 credits, including at least 2 different in-class P.E. courses which must be taken in 9th or 10th grade. The remaining 2 P.E. classes may be taken in 11th or 12th grade. (9th or 10th grade participation in BCS sports may be counted in place of the third and/or fourth P.E. credits.)
• Fine/Visual/Performing Arts: 2 credits including any elective in art, drama, music, photography or speech.

*A course which meets a state high school requirement does not necessarily meet the entrance requirement of every college (e.g. speech is counted for English but not for performing arts by some colleges).