Recommended Course of Study & Awards

Recommended Course of Study (“Recommended Track”)

Kolbe Academy’s recommended course of study (recommended track) is based on our vision of an authentically classical and Catholic education. This course of study is designed as a college preparatory track with the goal of meeting the admissions requirements of most four-year universities. It offers a high level of flexibility, and students may opt to follow the Kolbe curriculum as closely as they desire, including, but not limited to, seeking the Kolbe Honors (H) or Kolbe Core (K) designation in all coursework. Students following this course of study exceed our graduation requirements.

Graduation Requirements for Class of 2030 or earlier

To graduate from Kolbe Academy with a high school diploma, students must meet or exceed our graduation requirements. Please be aware that these requirements may not meet the admissions requirements of many colleges and universities, however, they do exceed the minimum requirements to graduate in the state of California. Students may opt to follow the Kolbe curriculum as closely as they desire, including, but not limited to, seeking the Kolbe Honors (H) or Kolbe Core (K) designation in all coursework. These graduations requirements are in effect through the graduating Class of 2030.

Graduation Requirements for Class of 2031 and beyond

To graduate from Kolbe Academy with a high school diploma, students must meet or exceed our graduation requirements. Please be aware that these requirements may not meet the admissions requirements of many colleges and universities, however, they do exceed the minimum requirements to graduate in the state of California. Students may opt to follow the Kolbe curriculum as closely as they desire, including, but not limited to, seeking the Kolbe Honors (H) or Kolbe Core (K) designation in all coursework. These graduations requirements are in effect for the graduating Class of 2031 and beyond.

Kolbe Academic Awards

Kolbe Academy offers several awards to recognize student achievement in the breadth and depth of their studies. The St. Maximilian Kolbe and St. Ignatius awards are based on a completion of a comprehensive and rigorous course of study across multiple subject areas while the St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Albertus Magnus, and St. John Paul II awards are based on mastery within the fields of the humanities, math and science, and foreign language, respectively.

St. Maximilian Kolbe Award

The St. Maximilian Kolbe Award is the highest of our awards, given for the completion of a rigorous, four-year course of study that includes our core classical sequence in theology, literature, and history, as well as four years of math and science, and the completion of Latin 2. The course of study for this award is outlined below, along with the following requirements:

• Only credits earned in grades 9–12 count toward the requirements for this award. If a student completes Latin, Algebra 1, or IPC before 9th grade, those credits must be replaced with additional academic electives in the same subject area.

• All academic courses must receive the C, K, H, or AP® designation with Kolbe.

• Students must maintain a cumulative weighted GPA of 3.5 or above.

St. Ignatius Award

The St. Ignatius Award recognizes the completion of a rigorous and comprehensive course of study across multiple disciplines. The specific course of study for this award is flexible but must adhere to the following requirements:

• Students must complete the entirety of Kolbe Academy’s recommended graduation course of study using only academic courses with the C, K, H, or AP® designations with Kolbe.

• A minimum of 24 Kolbe academic credits must be earned using the C, K, H, or AP® designations.

• Courses taken prior to the 9^th grade do not count toward this award.

• Students must maintain a minimum weighted GPA of 3.3. or above.

St. Catherine of Siena Award

The St. Catherine of Siena award is available to transfer high school students for the completion of a rigorous course of study for each semester enrolled at Kolbe that includes our core classical sequence in theology, literature, and history, as well as math and science in each year, and completion of Latin 2. This award is available to the graduating Class of 2027 and beyond.

The course of study for this award is outlined below, along with the following requirements:

• Only credits earned in grades 9–12 count toward the requirements for this award. If a student completes Latin, Algebra 1, or IPC before 9th grade, those credits must be replaced with additional academic electives in the same subject area.

• Transfer courses completed during years prior to Kolbe enrollment may be accepted towards the graduation requirements.

• All academic courses required by Kolbe’s recommended graduation track must receive the K, H, or AP® designations with Kolbe while the student is enrolled at Kolbe.

• Students must maintain a cumulative weighted GPA of 3.5 or above.

• Students must meet the requirements of Kolbe Academy’s recommended graduation course of study in all subject areas.

St. Thomas Aquinas Humanities Award

In honor of St. Thomas Aquinas, one of the greatest Doctors of the Church, the St. Thomas Aquinas Award is awarded for excellence in the humanities. It requires completion of our core humanities courses in theology, literature, and history, at least half of which must be done at the Honors or AP® level. The course of study for this award is outlined below, along with the following requirements:

• Courses taken prior to the 9^th grade do not count toward this award.

• All courses must earn the K, H, or AP® designation with Kolbe, with at least 6 courses earning the H or AP® designation.

• Students must maintain a weighted GPA of 3.7 or above in these courses.

St. Albertus Magnus Math and Science Award

In honor of St. Thomas’ famous teacher, who was renowned for his work in the natural sciences, the St. Albertus Magnus Award is awarded for excellence in math and science. It requires completion of four years each of math and science, up through at least calculus in math, and including biology, chemistry and physics, all with labs, as well as an additional upper-level science elective. The course of study for this award is outlined below, along with the following requirements:

• Courses taken prior to the 9^th grade do not count toward this award.

• At least half of the credits must earn the H or AP® designation with Kolbe.

• Students must complete at least Biology, Chemistry and Physics with labs, and Calculus.

• Transfer and upper-level dual credit courses may be permitted with written preapproval, but may not be substituted for courses offered through Kolbe at the H or AP® level.

• Students must maintain a weighted GPA of 3.7 or above in these courses.

St. John Paul II Foreign Language Award

In honor of Pope St. John Paul II, famous for his fluency in at least eight languages, the St. John Paul II Award is awarded for excellence in the study of foreign languages, requiring a completion of 4 levels of one language and 2 levels of a second language. One of these two languages must be Latin. The course of study for this award is outlined below, along with the following requirements:

• Students must complete 4 levels of 1 language and 2 levels of a different language, with one of the languages being Latin.

• No more that 2 custom or transfer courses will be accepted towards these requirements, all other courses must earn the K, H, or AP® designation with Kolbe.

• Students must maintain a weighted GPA of 3.7 or above in these courses.

National Honors Society (NHS) Membership Qualifications

The National Honor Society elevates a school’s commitment to the values of scholarship, service, leadership, and character. Chapter membership not only recognizes students for their accomplishments but challenges them to develop further through active involvement in school activities and community service. NHS students are seen as leaders within the school and recognized as top candidates for admissions to colleges and universities.

Kolbe’s chapter of NHS has established the following minimum requirements for students to qualify to apply for NHS membership:

• Rising sophomore, junior, or senior enrolled full-time at Kolbe Academy

• Must have been enrolled full-time with Kolbe for at least a full semester.

• Candidate must be enrolled in four Kolbe courses in the academic high school year prior to applying and should continue to be enrolled in at least four Kolbe courses in subsequent years to maintain eligibility. Dual enrollment courses at Kolbe’s college partners are allowed to count toward the four courses needed. (i.e., CIU, FUS)

• Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale based on Kolbe courses only.

Students meeting these minimum requirements will receive an invitation to apply via email prior to the new school year. The application process will require recommendation letters, essays, and previous service and leadership. New member induction is held in the early fall. Students with homeschool courses should have all previous years’ course materials sent in by the end of June to make sure they are included when Kolbe runs a report for students who qualify.