Academics

Maranatha Baptist Academy seeks to prepare high school students for both the rigors of college and career readiness. Located on a college campus, MBA is uniquely suited to provide a wide range of learning opportunities that enhance the educational experience. MBA instructors are highly experienced in their fields, and many hold advanced degrees in their areas of expertise.

General Course Schedule

FRESHMANSOPHOMOREJUNIORSENIOR
BibleBibleBibleBible
EnglishEnglishEnglishEnglish
Cultural GeographyWorld HistoryUS HistoryGovernment & Economics
Algebra 1Algebra 2Algebra 3 or GeometryCalculus* or Geometry
Physical ScienceBiologyChemistry*Physics*
PE and Computer ApplicationsSpeech 1Spanish 1Spanish 2* or Speech 2
Band & ChoirBand & ChoirBand & ChoirBand & Choir

*Indicates Honors course with increased GPA weight

In addition to core classes, several elective choices may be offered based on demand and faculty availability.

Graduation Requirements

MBA requires the successful completion of an established academic program. This includes accumulating a minimum of 25 credits for the high school diploma and participating in a school-sponsored senior class trip. Additionally, a student must be enrolled full-time (at least 5 class hours per day, excluding study hall) during the senior year in order to graduate. The following are MBA graduation requirements by subject area:

Bible4 creditsComputer1 credit
English4 creditsSpanish 11 credit
Math3 creditsSpeech 11 credit
Science3 creditsPhysical Education.5 credit
Social Studies3 creditsElectives4.5 credits
Total: 25 credits

Report Cards

Report cards will be sent approximately two weeks after the completion of the semester. Quarter grades are not part of the student’s permanent record but are an indicator of grade status at that time. Report cards are a tool to aid students in the evaluation of academic achievement.

Grading Scale

PercentageLetter GradeStandard GPA WeightHonors GPA Weight
92.5+A4.05.0
89.5+A-3.74.7
86.5+B+3.34.3
82.5+B3.04.0
79.5+B-2.73.7
76.5+C+2.33.3
72.5+C2.03.0
69.5+C-1.72.7
66.5+D+1.32.3
62.5+D1.02.0
59.5+D-0.71.7
Anything lowerF (no credit given)00
IIncomplete (F if not completed)00
WWithdrawn from MBA00

Homework

Homework is an essential part of an Academy education and may be assigned Monday through Friday. After-school study reinforces the day’s learning and emphasizes that the school day should not be the only time when the student’s task is to practice, review or learn.

The Academy recognizes parents as partners in their children’s educational experience and stresses the crucial need for parents to establish and monitor homework time. Older students often receive long-term assignments to help them learn to plan and manage their time.

Project assignments that are known in advance and that fall due during an absence are due on the day the student returns to school.

Make-Up Work

When a student is absent from school, it is his or her responsibility to make up any missed work like tests, quizzes, and homework assignments. For unplanned absences (i.e. sickness, emergency), a student has as many days to make up missing work as he or she was absent from school. For example, if a student is absent for 2 days of school, he or she has 2 days to have all missing assignments turned in without penalty. After that time, the student loses 10% of the points on the assignment for every day the assignment is late. For pre-arranged or planned absences, students are expected to have all work turned in on the first day back to school. After that time, the student loses 10% of the points on the assignment for every day the assignment is late. The student is not penalized more than 50% of the total grade. Incomplete work will result in a student not receiving credits for the course.

The student may be required to stay after school or work during lunchtime to make up missed tests or quizzes as quickly as possible.

Academic Dishonesty

Academic dishonesty is a serious offense, and it can exist in many forms.  The following are examples of academically dishonest activities that would require disciplinary action and possible loss of grades or credit for assignments:

  • Sharing or receiving information regarding the content or answers for a test or quiz.
  • Using a previous student’s old tests or quizzes as a study guide for current tests and quizzes.
  • Representing the words or unique thoughts of another as your own.
  • Cutting/pasting content from an Internet source and representing that content as your own unique content.
  • The use of artificial intelligence resources to produce or rephrase content that did not originate with the student.

Penalties for academic dishonesty range from a grade of F on the particular assignment to a grade of F in the course. The student may also be required to complete the assignment again for a partial grade. A range of disciplinary penalties may apply at the discretion of the school administration.

Bible

MBA uses the King James Version in classes, chapels and Scripture memorization. This ensures consistency in content and wording.

College Courses and Dual Enrollment

Academy students may take advantage of the opportunity to receive credits for college-level courses through Maranatha Baptist University and other institutions with administrative approval. MBA students have the unique opportunity of taking in-person college courses right here on the campus at Maranatha Baptist University.  MBU also offers online college courses through Maranatha Online, and these 8-week courses may also be considered for dual enrollment opportunities.

Students have the opportunity to receive credit for both face-to-face and online college-level courses according to the following criteria:

  • Students need to secure administrative approval and must show evidence of strong achievement and work ethic in prior high school courses.
  • No financial aid is available until a student earns a high school diploma.
  • Dual enrollment tuition, fees, and course expenses are not covered through MBA tuition, fees, or the Choice Voucher program. Students are responsible for college tuition charges and course expenses (textbook, lab fees, classroom materials, etc.) and for making class arrangements through Maranatha Online or the MBU Registrar’s Office.
  • MBA does not provide services such as proctoring for tests or tutoring for online courses.
  • Juniors and seniors have access to six credits of college courses per school year at a rate of $100.00 per credit hour. These credits may be taken with face-to-face instruction or in an online environment (Maranatha Online). Dual enrollment courses taken during summer sessions are charged the normal rate for high school students.
  • To receive discount pricing, a student must be enrolled as a full-time Academy student (minimum of five classes per day, per semester).
  • College courses are added to the student’s transcript after the close of the semester in which the course is taken. Dual enrollment courses taken through Maranatha Baptist University are given GPA weight. Courses taken outside of MBA/MBU are handled as transfer courses and do not carry GPA weight.
  • If a student is approved to take more than six college credits during the course of one year, the student will then be charged the high school discounted per credit rate of the college.
  • Credits for dual enrollment courses translate as follows: 3 dual-enrollment credits = 1/2 high school credit; 2 dual enrollment credits = .25 high school credits
  • Credits for face-to-face, semester-long college courses taken in residence translate as follows: 3 college credits = 1 high school credit; 2 college credits = .5 high school credits
  • Additional credits or courses beyond those required for high school graduation are not transferred to the transcript.

For college and dual enrollment courses, consideration is given to the curriculum scope of courses, the amount of direct instruction time, and the amount of learning time to ensure a course provides equivalent coverage of content. A full-year high school course may be replaced with a one-semester, face-to-face, residential college course. A student may also take online courses to replace a high school course. A full-year high school course may be replaced by two 8-week online courses through Maranatha Online. Administrative approval for dual enrollment plans should be sought prior to registering for dual enrollment courses. Below are several approved dual enrollment options in keeping with the above criteria.

MBA CourseHigh School Credits to be EarnedEligible Course Combinations for Dual Enrollment (1/2 credit each)Credits to be Added to High School Transcript
US History1US History I + US History II1
Bible 121Old Testament Survey + New Testament Survey1
English 121English Composition I + British Literature Survey I*1
Physics1Concepts in Physics + Concepts in Biochemistry1
Chemistry1Human Biology + Concepts in Biochemistry1
Algebra III1College Algebra + PreCalculus1
Calculus1PreCalculus + Calculus1

*indicates a pre-requisite of English Composition II

Honors Courses

MBA offers several courses in which Honors credit may be granted. These courses are designed to be rigorous and push the student beyond typical high school academic expectations. Honors credits are weighted on a 5.0 scale, allowing a student’s GPA to advance beyond the typical 4.0 scale. A student receiving Honors credits has the potential to distinguish himself or herself by receiving a high GPA and thereby becoming eligible for additional academic awards. Honors credits are given for courses that meet the following criteria: 1) the course is taken above and beyond required courses/credits for graduation, 2) the course is taken for the entire school year, 3) the course is designed from a curriculum standpoint to push the student toward college-level rigor.

Transfer Credits

As an accredited institution, MBA guards its academic credibility closely. This credibility extends to the transfer process when accepting students from other schools or from homeschool backgrounds. To maintain academic credibility, MBA requires transfer students to supply documentation such as official transcripts, course descriptions, course syllabi, and achievement testing reports. Course credits may be transferred through an official school transcript (if transferring from another school) or by supplying MBA with credible course syllabi and course descriptions (from the course and/or curriculum publisher), and homeschool records (if transferring from homeschool). Transfer credits and letter grades may be transferred to a student’s MBA transcript at the discretion of the administration. While outside credits are often accepted, only credits issued by MBA are given GPA weight on the school transcript.

Course Changes

The period for dropping or adding a course is the first week of classes during First and Second Semester. There is a $10 charge for dropping a class after the first week of the semester.

Transcripts

Immediately following Graduation, one copy of a student’s high school transcript may be forwarded to the college of his or her choice at no cost. For additional copies or for copies not following Graduation, a $10.00 service charge per transcript will be assessed, payable before delivery.

WACS, AACS

The students of Maranatha Baptist Academy have the privilege of participating in the WACS (Wisconsin Association of Christian Schools) Fine Arts, Bible, and Academic meet each year. Students have the opportunity to compete in the areas of Speech, Music, Bible, Academics, Bible Quiz, Debate, and other Fine Arts.

MBA is also a member of the American Association of Christian Schools and is eligible to participate in the AACS National Competition held in the spring.