Academics.
While teaching the academic disciplines, Heritage Academy is dedicated to instilling into the minds and hearts of today’s youth a knowledge of and respect for the ideals and values of the great men and women of history, including those who founded the American nation.
See the course catalog for Heritage Academy Gateway campus. CLICK HERE FOR THE 2024-2025 CATALOG
Grades and Credits
All courses taught for credit receive a letter grade or a pass/fail option. Grade point and the percentage used are listed below. Dual Enrollment classes are weighted on a 5.0 scale.
Please note, students earning a letter grade of a “D” in an academic course will not received credit in that class and will need to repeat the course.
| Percentage | Letter Grade |
| 90 & Above | A |
| 80-89 | B |
| 70-79 | C |
| 60-69 | D |
| 59 & below | F |
High School Curriculum Requirements/Recommendations
Heritage Academy offers one scholastic diploma; all scholars are required to earn 26 credits and meet the requirements listed below for graduation. Additionally, scholars are encouraged to achieve excellence beyond the requirements for graduation. Those who go beyond the requirements for graduation may enroll in one or more honors classes. Scholars who plan on attending a 4-year college or university should pay particular attention to the requirements below. Those attending a junior college will also need to satisfy all the entrance requirements of the Arizona universities, either in high school or at the junior college level before advancing.
| Heritage Academy Curriculum | General Graduation Requirements | Dual Enrollment Courses | In-State University / College Competencies | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENGLISH | 4 credits | 1 | 4 credits
(composition and literature based) |
|
| MATH | 4 credits | 1 | 4 credits
1 year each of: Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, and an advanced class where Algebra II is prerequisite |
|
| SCIENCE | 4 credits
Must complete 1 credit each of 3 different sciences. (Bio, Chemistry, Physics, Anatomy & Physiology) |
3 | 4 credits
1 credit each of 3 different lab sciences selected from the following: Chemistry, Physics, or Biology, Earth Science |
|
| HISTORY | 3 credits | 3 | 2 credits
Am. Hist. and 1 other |
|
| FOREIGN LANG. | 2 credits | 1 | 2 credits
2 years of same language |
|
| FINE ARTS | 1 credit | 1 credit | ||
| PE | 1 credit | |||
| REQUIRED CORE COURSES | 21 credits
Class of 2020 and beyond 20 credits |
16 | ||
| ELECTIVE COURSES | 7 credits
Class of 2020 and beyond 6 credits |
1 | 4 | |
| TOTAL REQUIRED | 26 credits | 20 |
All high school scholars are encouraged to expand and improve their talents. We encourage scholars to take an interest in and involve themselves in music, art, and sports. All scholars wishing to join the orchestra or choir will audition and be placed according to skill level. Classes are available from beginning to advanced levels.Scholars are also encouraged to develop their physical abilities. Team sports will compete in the Charter Athletic Association. (CAA) For course descriptions please see descriptions as listed in the High School Curriculum guide below.
High School Course Electives
| Yearbook | Kenpo 1 |
| Beginning Band | Kenpo 2 |
| Beginning Orchestra | Kenpo 3 |
| Concert Band *min. 1 yr. experience | Pilates |
| Concert Orchestra *min. 1 yr. experience | Cross Country |
| Chamber Orchestra *Audition Required | Track and Field |
| Jazz Band
*Audition Required |
Organization & Leadership
*Special education teacher recommendation required |
| Gateway Singers *Audition Required | Release Time |
| Concert Choir | PE |
| Spanish I | Weight Training |
| Spanish II | Co-ed Soccer |
| American Sign Language I | Baseball |
| Dance I | Football |
| Dance II *Audition Required | Swimming |
| Dance III *Audition Required | Girls’ Volleyball |
| Ballroom Dance | Girls’ Basketball |
| Ballroom Dance II | Girls’ Softball |
| Drama I | Math Lab (no credit course) |
| Drama II
*Audition or Teacher Permission Required |
Student Government
*Elected Position |
| Stagecraft | Advanced Computers (CIS 105) |
| Sr. Art | Teacher Aides |
| Financial Applications *11th & 12th only | Survey of Music History (MHL 140) |
| Basketball | Music & Media Production |
Required Courses for Graduation
Listed below are the courses required of all scholars graduating from Heritage Academy. In addition to these required courses, scholars may take additional courses described in each department to achieve greater mastery and earn a certificate of distinction.
| Subject | Grade Course is Taken | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| History – (3 Credits Required) *Class of 2026 need 4 | ||
| World History (Dual Enrollment Option) | 9th | 1 |
| American History (Dual Enrollment Option) | 10th | 1 |
| History Elective (for class of 2026 & beyond) | 9th-12th | 1 |
| American Government (Dual Enrollment Option/Economics (Dual Enrollment Option) | 12th | 0.5/0.5 |
| English – (4 Credits Required) | ||
| 9th Grade English | 9th | 1 |
| 10th Grade English | 10th | 1 |
| British Literature/World Literature | 11th and/or 12th | 1 |
| ENG 101/ENG 102 (Dual Enrollment Option) | 11th and/or 12th | 1 |
| ENG 110/ENG 111 (Dual Enrollment Option) | 12th | 1 |
| Mathematics – (4 Credits Required) | ||
| Algebra I | 8th or 9th | 1 |
| Geometry | 9th or 10th | 1 |
| Algebra II | 10th or 11th | 1 |
| Pre-Calculus (Dual Enrollment option) or College Algebra (Dual Enrollment option) | 11th or 12th | 1 |
| Calculus (Dual Enrollment option) | 12th | 1 |
| Science – (4 Credits Required) | ||
| Earth Science | 9th | 1 |
| Biology | 9th or 10th | 1 |
| Chemistry (Dual Enrollment option) | 10th or 11th | 1 |
| Physics (Dual Enrollment option) | 11th or 12th | 1 |
| Anatomy & Physiology (Dual Enrollment option) | 11th or12th | 1 |
| Foreign Language – (2 Credits Required) | 9th-12th | 2 |
| **Must have 2 credits in the same language** | ||
| Fine Arts – (1 Credit Required) | 9th-12th | 1 |
| P.E./Health – (1 Credit Required) | 9th-12th | 1 |
| General Electives – (7 Credits Required) | 9th-12th | 7 |
Recommended High School Course Sequence
| 9th Grade | 10th Grade | 11th Grade | 12th Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9th Grade English | 10th Grade English | ENG 101/102 (Dual Enrollment) or British Lit. | ENG 110/ENH 111 (Dual Enrollment) or World Lit. |
| Algebra I or Geometry | Geometry or Algebra II | Pre-Calculus (Dual Enrollment) | Calculus (Dual Enrollment) |
| Earth Science or Biology | Biology or Chemistry (DE) | Chemistry (DE), A & P, or Physics (DE) | Physics (DE) or A & P |
| World History (Dual Enrollment) | American History (Dual Enrollment) | History Elective | Government (DE) & Economics (DE) |
| 1st Year Foreign Language | 2nd Year Foreign Language |