Academics
DHS Academic Programs
- Traditional High School
- Career-Technical Education (SWWC)
- International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
- Personal Curriculum
- Dexter Early Middle College
- Alternative Education
- Early College Alliance
- Dual Enrollment
- AP (Advanced Placement)
- Virtual Learning
Traditional High School
Beyond building a strong foundation in the basics, DHS students have the opportunity to explore a variety of interests through our wide range of elective classes.
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Perform live music with our award-winning Band, Orchestra, and Choir programs.
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Create jewelry and beautiful photographs in Art.
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Delve deep into Humanities in this two-hour block class.
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Travel the world and host a student from across the ocean through our French exchange program.
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Design and furnish a virtual house in Interior Design.
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Explore careers in science in Zoology or Forensics.
Through these classes and many more, Dexter High School students take learning beyond the classroom.
Career-Technical Education (SWWC)
The South & West Washtenaw Consortium provides Career and Technical Education to the Chelsea, Dexter, Lincoln, Manchester, Milan, and Saline. Open primarily to 11th and 12th grade students, all CTE courses are designed to equip students with entry level skills needed to gain employment, as well as prepare them for post-secondary training and education. Many courses offer certifications that will enable the student to enter the job market at an elevated pay scale. Many CTE classes offer advanced placement college credit and articulate with local community colleges.
CTE courses are designed to prepare students with entry level and transferable skills and knowledge needed to obtain employment. The student's selection of a career and technical education course in no way would prevent him or her from furthering their education beyond high school. Additional program materials are available in the guidance office or from instructors.
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
IB Programme Description
IB CURRICULUM
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Theory of knowledge, in which students reflect on the nature of knowledge and on how we know what we claim to know.
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The extended essay, which is an independent, self-directed piece of research, finishing with a 4,000-word paper.
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Creativity, action, service, in which students complete a project related to those three concepts.
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Studies in language and literature
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Language acquisition
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Individuals and societies
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Sciences
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Mathematics
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The arts
Students will take some subjects at higher level (HL) and some at standard level (SL). HL and SL courses differ in scope but are measured according to the same grade descriptors, with students expected to demonstrate a greater body of knowledge, understanding and skills at the higher level. Each student takes at least three (but not more than four) subjects at higher level, and the remaining at standard level. Standard level subjects take up 150 teaching hours. Higher level comprises 240 teaching hours.
IB ASSESSMENT
Diploma Programme assessment procedures measure the extent to which students have mastered advanced academic skills in fulfilling these goals, for example:
- analyzing and presenting information
- evaluating and constructing arguments
- solving problems creatively.
Basic skills are also assessed, including:
- retaining knowledge
- understanding key concepts
- applying standard methods.
In addition to academic skills, DP assessment encourages an international outlook and intercultural skills, wherever appropriate. Student results are determined by performance against set standards, not by each student's position in the overall rank order. The IB uses both external and internal assessment in the DP.
External Assessment
Examinations form the basis of the assessment for most courses. This is because of their high levels of objectivity and reliability. They include:
- essays
- structured problems
- short-response questions
- data-response questions
- text-response questions
- case-study questions
- multiple-choice questions – though these are rarely used.
Internal assessment
Teacher assessment is also used for most courses. This includes:
- oral work in languages
- fieldwork in geography
- laboratory work in the sciences
- investigations in mathematics
- artistic performances.
Read more about this topic: Understanding DP Assessment
Personal Curriculum
The Michigan Legislature has provided an opportunity for students to slightly modify the State of Michigan graduation requirements. This modification is called a Personal Curriculum (PC). A student and his/her parent or guardian may request a Personal Curriculum for one of four reasons:
- Students who are interested in earning additional credits in math, science, English language arts, or foreign languages.
- Students who demonstrate a need to reduce the Algebra II requirement in the Michigan Merit Curriculum.
- Students transferring from out-of-state or non-public schools after completing two years of high school.
- Students with an Individualized Educational Program (IEP).
While a PC can be requested at any time during a student’s high school experience, with the exception of social studies and math, it should be used in limited circumstances after students have had the opportunity to succeed in the Michigan Merit Curriculum. If you are interested in looking further into the possibility of requesting a PC for your student, please contact a school counselor or administrator.
Dexter Early Middle College
Head of School
Alternative Education
Dexter Alt Ed8100 Shield Road
Dexter, MI 48130 (734) 424-4240 ext. 1705
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Program Hours
T, W, Th 8:30am - 2:30pm M, F virtual or by appt.
Half Days 8:30am-11:11am
Staff Hours
M-F 8am-3pm
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Graduation Coach: Rob Schwartz Head of School: Abby Holland |
Early College Alliance
The program gives students an opportunity to earn college credits while still in high school and offers strong, academically focused students a chance to enroll in advanced, college-level coursework. It also provides an alternative for students who may not feel connected to their school.
ECA allows students to:
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Graduate from high school with a diploma and up to 60 college credits.
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Attend classes on a university campus with support.
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Learn in a college environment that fosters maturity and academic growth.
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Gain vital skills for college success.
ECA is recognized by the Michigan Department of Education as a Four Plus One program. Students can participate in the program a year past what would have been their graduation year, while not negatively impacting the district’s Adequate Yearly Progress. This is an added benefit to the district and to the student.
Dual Enrollment
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A course that is not offered by the school;
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A course that is offered by the school but not available to the student due to a scheduling conflict;
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A course that is not a hobby, craft, recreational activity or not in the areas of physical education, theology, divinity, or religious education.
AP (Advanced Placement)
DHS has offered Advanced Placement (AP) courses since the 1990s, but starting with the graduating class of 2014, we also offer an International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme (click International Baccalaureate tab on this page for full program description). Both AP and IB classes are part of a criteria some college applications use known as "Most Demanding Program."
DHS counselors are often asked whether they recommend AP or IB courses. It really comes down to what the individual student needs and/or wants. Please review the A.P. and IB considerations in below as you plan your high school courses and think about college applications. The Canvas link below is a dashboard for all things AP and IB: courses, deadlines, calendar, etc.
Program Designations
In terms of college admissions, it often doesn't matter which route students choose. Typically, college applications ask guidance counselors to indicate whether a student's academic program is "Most Demanding," "Very Demanding, "Somewhat Demanding," etc. when compared with what else is offered at the school. These are the standards for students to earn the "Most Demanding" designation at DHS:
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DHS students who've earned credit in six AP courses that DHS currently offers, in addition to four years of a world language, will earn the "Most Demanding" designation.
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Students who complete the full IB Diploma Programme, will also earn the distinction of "Most Demanding."
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Students who take a combination of 6 IB (HL) courses and AP courses, plus the fourth year of a world language, will also earn the "Most Demanding" designation.
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It is important to note that unless a student falls into a special category (recruited athlete, underrepresented minority, VIP, legacy, etc.), often times the students within the "Most Demanding" category are the ones that get serious consideration at the most competitive colleges such as the "Ivy League" schools.
If earning the "Most Demanding" designation is important to you, please check with your high school counselor to make sure that your course selection meets the criteria. In either case, before you commit to either route, be certain that you understand what the complete IB program entails in terms of course selection, time commitment, etc. Your high school counselor or the IB coordinator at DHS can explain how IB works.
University Credit Transfer Policies
Another consideration is the fact that credit transfer policies differ from university to university.
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Some colleges award college credit for IB (HL) courses and IB (SL) courses. However, some colleges only give college credit for IB classes taken at the "Higher Level." IB diploma students take three classes at that level and the rest at the Standard Level ("SL").
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Some colleges give credit only for IB exam scores of 7 (the top); some give credit for lower scores. Again it depends on the individual college.
DHS counselors have this credit transfer information for all Michigan colleges and Big Ten schools. For other out-of-state schools, counselors can assist students with retrieving that information from the college webpages. As more and more high schools are adding an IB program, some colleges (most out-of-state) are offering significant scholarship money to students who complete the full IB Diploma.
The Overall High School Experience
For many AP and IB students, earning college credit is not necessarily a priority. Many students are focusing primarily on having an engaging high school experience and on impressing admission officials in the process. If a student is shooting for the Ivy League schools, and/or other hyper-competitive colleges, generally she isn't necessarily looking to arrive with credits under her belt. Nor does she intend to rush through college in three years (even though it might save Mom and Dad some money).
Scheduling Constraints
Students must also consider which choice of program might affect other options in the school day. For instance, do scheduling constraints mean that IB students may have to drop a desirable elective such as band, orchestra or choir? DHS counselors will do everything possible to help students fit everything in, whether that means a zero hour, on-line coursework, or a Personal Curriculum is necessary.
When students are deciding whether AP or IB is best for them, they need to remember that Dexter High School is fortunate indeed, to offer students a challenging high school experience that will also "look good" at college admission time, whether they opt for AP or IB.
Virtual Learning
- when we don’t offer courses students want
- when there is a scheduling conflict
- when we lack electives to offer to students in a particular hour
- by student choice, according to section 21f if students qualify
- for credit recovery purposes
- for some acceptable personal reasons