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 2024-2025 Heritage Academy Laveen Course 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.

Please note, students earning a letter grade of a “D” will receive no credit for that class.  Therefore classes required for graduation must be repeated even if a “D” was earned.

Percentage Letter Grade Grade Quality
Point Value
97 & Above A+ 4.33
93 – 96 A 4.00
90 – 92 A- 3.67
87 – 89 B+ 3.33
83 – 86 B 3.00
80 – 82 B- 2.67
77 – 79 C+ 2.33
73 – 76 C 2.00
70 – 72 C- 1.67
67 – 69 D+ 0.00
63 – 66 D 0.00
60 – 62 D- 0.00

7th and 8th Grade Education Program

Junior High courses at Heritage Academy are designed to assist the scholars in meeting and exceeding the basic requirements in English, History, Math and Science before progressing on to the high school curriculum. We encourage all of our scholars to strive for excellence, so that the foundation that is laid in junior high becomes a stepping stone to further success. In order to assist our scholars in this pursuit, we offer classes in classical languages, reading, and writing to supplement the basic course work.Click Here to see Class times.


7th Grade

1st Semester 2nd Semester
English English
Math Math
History History
Science Science
Classic Languages Classic Languages
Writing/Reading Skills Writing/Reading Skills
Choir, Band, Orchestra Choir, Band, Orchestra
Martial Arts, Dance, Fitness or Sports Drama, Art, Sports

8th Grade

1st Semester 2nd Semester
English English
Math Math
Science Science
History History
Classic Languages Classic Languages
Writing/Reading Skills Writing/Reading Skills
Art, Choir, Band, Orchestra Art, Choir, Band, Orchestra
Computers, Drama, Sports Martial Arts, Dance, Fitness or Sports

Classical Languages

Latin I

All junior high scholars will be enrolled in a Latin course in which they will be introduced to the great classical language of Latin. Scholars will learn why so much emphasis was placed on this language by the Founding Fathers. They will learn how Latin can improve their knowledge of English, improve SAT scores, and act as a springboard into the learning of other Foreign Languages (especially French and Spanish), Math, Science, Medicine, Literature and many other subjects. Scholars will learn the alphabet, vocabulary, roots and other components of this language. This course will prepare scholars to read, write and understand this great language.

Latin II: A brief review of Latin I and then second-year skills such as translating stories, poems and passages will be added

Mathematics

Each student is placed in a math class based on the score of their entrance placement exam.  On the first day of class, another assessment is given to help determine if the placement is the right place for the student.  If a change is recommended, scholars and parents are contacted and schedules are changed.  We do our best to place the scholars in the math class that is most appropriate to their individual skill level.  If parents or scholars feel the placement is not a good fit, feel free to contact the teacher.  Jr. High level math courses are as follows:

General Math

This is the 7th grade math class.  The curriculum is based on the AZ state 7th grade math standards found at https://www.azed.gov/azccrs/mathstandards/ . The course includes a study of various graphic displays including stem and leaf plots and scatterplots, linear functions, solving multi-step equations, geometry and integers. For sample questions and tutorials, please visit McDougal Littell’s website at www.classzone.com.

Requirements:  Scientific calculator    

Pre-Algebra

This course is for 7th and 8th grade scholars.  The curriculum is based on the AZ state math standards for both 7th and 8th grade.  These can be found at

https://www.azed.gov/azccrs/mathstandards/ . The course includes a study of various graphic displays including box and whisker plots and scatterplots, linear functions, solving multi-step equations, geometry and integers. For sample questions and tutorials, please visit McDougal Littell’s website at www.classzone.com.

Requirements:  Scientific calculator  

Textbook:  McDougal Littell, Pre-Algebra

Reading and Writing

All 7th grade scholars who do not pass the reading/writing Heritage Academy placement test will be enrolled in a Reading/Writing Skills Class, unless they have demonstrated proficiency in a Heritage Academy reading/writing summer school class.  All 7th and 8th graders will be enrolled in yearly English classes.

7th and 8th grade English classes offer challenging curriculums focused on literature, grammar, speaking, and writing skills. The studies of classic literature from a variety of genres include critical thinking and follow up writing experiences.  The composition program emphasizes writing as a process: prewriting, rough drafts, revising, editing, and publishing of final copies.

Scholars will write friendly and business letters, five-paragraph expository essays, literary analysis essays, personal narrative essays, creative narrative essays, and persuasive essays.  Writing is scored according to a rubric based on traits of good writing, and scholars will learn how to critique their own writing.  Scholars will also write responses to literature, nonfiction and poetry, and will write their own poetry.  The focus in grammar is on parts of speech, spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and sentence structure.

Elective Courses

All 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 7th grade scholars need to be enrolled in a choir or an instrumentals class; all 8th grade scholars need to be enrolled in an art, choir, or an instrumentals class.

Scholars are also encouraged to develop their physical abilities. All junior high scholars are required to take at least one P.E. class each year. Heritage Academy offers P.E. classes and competitive team sports which include after school programs.

Girls’ P.E. classes include: PE, weight training, pilates, swimming (fee required), and golf (fee required).

Girls’ team sports include: volleyball (fee required), basketball (fee required), soccer (fee required), softball (fee required), cross country (fee required), and golf (fee required – non-refundable once semester starts). The team sports will involve league competition in the Charter Athletic Association (CAA) for junior high teams.  High School teams will compete in the Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA).

Boys’ P.E. classes include: PE, weight training, pilates, swimming (fee required), and golf (fee required). Boys’ team sports include: flag football (fee required), basketball (fee required), baseball (fee required), soccer (fee required), cross country (fee required), and golf (fee required). The team sports will involve league competition in the Charter Athletic Association (CAA) for junior high teams.  High School teams will compete in the Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA).

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 Honors Classes Available Dual Enrollment Courses In-State University / College Competencies
ENGLISH 4 Credits 4 4 4 Credits(Composition and literature based)
MATH 4 Credits 2 3 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) 2 3 3 Credits(1 credit each of 3 different lab sciences selected from the following: Chemistry, Physics, or Biology, Earth Science)
HISTORY 4 Credits(World His, US His, Am His II, Economics & Gov.) 1 3 2 Credits(Am. Hist. and 1 other)
FOREIGN LANG. 2 Credits 1 4 2 Credits(2 years of same language)
FINE ARTS 1 Credit Teacher Approval 1 Credit
PE 1 Credit Teacher Approval
REQUIRED CORE COURSES 19 Credits 16
ELECTIVE COURSES 7 Credits 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.

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 – (4 Credits Required)
World History 9th 1
American History (Dual Enrollment Option) 10th or 11th 1
Economics (Dual Enrollment Option) 11th or 12th .50
American Government 12th .50
English – (4 Credits Required)
9th Grade English Comp 9th 1
10th American Literature 10th 1
British Literature/World Literature 11th and/or 12th 1
ENG 101/ENG 102 (Dual Enrollment Option) 11th and/or 12th 1
Mathematics – (4 Credits Required)
Algebra I 9th 1
Geometry 10th 1
Algebra II (Dual Enrollment option) 11th 1
Pre-Calculus (Dual Enrollment option) 12th 1
Science – (4 Credits Required)
Conceptual Science (required) 9th 1
Biology (required) 10th 1
-Recommended Science Courses
Chemistry 11th 1
Physics (Dual Enrollment option) 11th-12th 1
Anatomy (Dual Enrollment option) 11th-12th 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 Composition American Literature I British or World Lit. World or British Lit.
Geometry Algebra II Pre-Calculus Calculus
Conceptual Science Biology Chemistry Physics
World History American History American History Government
1st Year Foreign Language 2nd Year Foreign Language

High School Required Classical Reading

Many of these selections can be read during the summer, in preparation for school. We encourage parents to involve their children in summer reading of some of these books to increase their reading skills, to better prepare for school studies, and to lighten the load during the school year.

Grade School Year Reading
9 Math: Mathematicians are People 2, Vol. 1, (Algebra I, Selections) American Literature I: History: The Law
10 Math: Euclid, Geometry (Selections) American Literature II – The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare, and Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom.
11 Math: Nichomachus, Arithmetic (Algebra II, Selections) French: Le Petit Prince Brit Lit (Eng 11-12) The Time Machine, Pride and Prejudice, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Shakespeare, Ivanhoe, Pygmalion, The Screwtape Letters World Lit (Eng 11-12): The Odyssey, Les Miserables, The Count of Monte Cristo, Shakespeare, Hiroshima, A Doll’s House, Cry the Beloved Country
12 Math: Einstein, Relativity, The Tao of Physics (Pre-Cal/Calculus, Selections) History: Selections from Blackstone, Locke, Montesquieu, Federalist papers Nos. 10, 45, 80 Brit Lit (Eng 11-12) The Time Machine, Pride and Prejudice, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Shakespeare, Ivanhoe, Pygmalion, The Screwtape Letters World Lit (Eng 11-12): The Odyssey, Les Miserables, The Count of Monte Cristo, Shakespeare, Hiroshima, A Doll’s House, , Cry the Beloved Country