Advanced Placement Programs and
Pre-Advanced Placement Programs

Advanced Placement Programs (AP)

High School

The Advanced Placement Program is designed to provide motivated high school students with post-secondary-level academic courses. This rigorous academic program offers students a head start in successfully navigating academic challenges they will encounter at post-secondary schools. Based on their performance on AP examinations, students can earn credit, advanced placement, or both, for university and college courses. Students' achievements in AP courses are celebrated with course credit, College Board awards, and scholarships from most universities including the University of Alberta.

The AP program provides:

• A selection of academic courses at the post-secondary level taken in high school.
• A focused learning environment
• Academic skill development in writing, research, problem solving, independent thinking, critical thinking and responsible scholarship
• Increased confidence and readiness for post-secondary studies
• Active, high-level learning that allows students to develop the skills, habits of mind, and concepts needed to succeed in post-secondary institutions
• The opportunity to take courses in specific areas of student interest and ability
• Credit for many university and college first year courses
• The chance to challenge AP exams in languages other than English to receive advanced placement and admission grades for university and college

AP Students are:

• Motivated to learn in a challenging academic setting
• Eager to engage in independent research
• Willing to challenge their thinking
• Inclined to look at the world through a global perspective
• Aspiring to academic excellence
• Prepared to engage in deep and detailed study of specific subjects

Schools Offering AP:

• Archbishop O'Leary High School (10-12)
• Archbishop Oscar Romero High School (10-12)
• Austin O'Brien High School (10-12)
• J.H. Picard Elementary/Junior High/High School (10-12)
• Mother Margaret Mary High School (9-12)
• St. Francis Xavier High School (10-12)

Pre-Advanced Placement Programs (Pre-AP)

Junior High School

The Pre-AP Program prepares students for high intellectual engagement by starting the development of skills and acquisition of knowledge as early as possible. The junior high years can provide a powerful opportunity for students to acquire the skills, habits of mind and concepts they need to engage in higher levels of learning. The Pre-AP program prepares students for an advanced academic program and a future in university or college.

Students who will be successful in this program can perform at rigorous academic levels and enjoy being challenged to expand their knowledge and skills.

The Pre-AP program will:

1. Extend curriculum and enrich Alberta Education's specific learner outcomes in Language Arts, Mathematics, and Social Studies
2. Provide an engaging and challenging learning environment that utilizes inquiry-based and problem-solving learning strategies
3. Incorporate a faith-based global perspective that focuses on the Catholic vocation to social justice
4. Engage students in exercises that challenge them to think critically, see things from different perspectives, respond creatively to universal questions, and acquire knowledge from interesting and unique sources

Pre-AP students are:

1. Eager to be challenged
2. Able to complete tasks in a timely manner
3. Highly self-directed
4. Curious about many things and interested in learning about them
5. Analytical about their own education and open to personal growth as a learner
6. Prepared to work collegially with their peers
7. Willing to develop public speaking and presentation skills

Schools Offering Pre-AP:

• Archbishop Joseph MacNeil Elementary/Junior High School (7-9)
• Cardinal Léger Juior High School (7-9)
• H.E. Beriault Junior High School (7-9)
• Holy Family Elementary/Junior High School (7-8) Program Expansion September 2012
• Sir John Thompson Junior High School (7-9)
• St. Elizabeth Seton Elementary/Junior High School (7-9)
• St. Hilda Junior High School (7-9)