Wolters FAQ's

Wolters Campus is a special program at DPHS that provides accelerated instructional opportunities for Deer Park High School students. Our first priority is to serve 3rd and 4th year students who are at risk of not graduating with their class in the year of their graduation. Students who have an educational need to graduate early are also encouraged to apply.

All students in grades 10-12 are eligible to complete an application for acceptance into the program. Students are placed on a "waiting list" based upon the number of years they have been enrolled in high school, their current age and grade classification, the date their application was received, and their educational need. (See link for "Waiting List Guidelines".)

All seniors and early graduates who meet graduation requirements are allowed and encouraged to participate in prom and graduation activities.

Same diploma & same graduation ceremony. We are one high school with 3 campuses, each designed to meet the unique needs of our students. Every student attending and graduating from Wolters will receive a diploma from Deer Park High School. There is no delineation on the diploma for attending Wolters Campus.

The course curriculum in classes is the same but the instructional timeline has been adjusted to allow for acceleration. Teachers continually evaluate their curriculum to ensure students master the course TEKS and perform satisfactorily on all state assessments. Upon enrollment in the program, students are issued an iPad to access our course content and facilitate their instruction.

Students are expected to work at a guided pace & not self-pace. Students who are not making an effort to progress academically may be removed by campus administration and returned to the main campus. Students must be able to work independently with guided assistance by our teaching staff.

Wolters enrollment is limited to 200 students with most class sizes around 15 students.

Wolters classes are similar to the old "one-room schoolhouse". Students are mixed heterogeneously by subject. For example, one math class may have 15 students enrolled in every math class from Algebra 1 to Pre-Calculus. Our program allows teachers to provide guided assistance for students who have questions and need help, but not 1-1 instruction.

Wolters success is measured by academic pacing. Students will receive a progress report for all classes at the end of each three-week grading period and a report card at the end of each nine weeks. An example course outline states the class should be completed in 60 lessons/school days or 12 weeks of instruction. A student’s potential pacing grade is illustrated below:

• If the course is made up of 12 Units - successful pacing would be for the student to satisfactorily complete one unit/week.
• A student who is exceeding the pacing requirement would receive a grade of E (Excellent).
• A student who is meeting the pacing requirement would receive a grade of S (Satisfactory).
• A student who is slightly behind the pacing requirement would receive a grade of N (Needs Improvement).
• A student who is far behind the pacing requirement would receive a grade of U (Unsatisfactory). For participation in UIL and extracurricular activities, a “U” for Unsatisfactory progress is the equivalent of a grade lower than a 70 on a scale of 100 and the student will be deemed ineligible until the student regains academic eligibility under TEC – Section 33.081.
• Numeric averages are not given to students until all course credit requirements are completed successfully.

Parents who have questions regarding their child’s academic progress are encouraged to contact their child’s teachers throughout the grading period. It is the responsibility of the student to deliver the progress report to the parent or guardian.

Students may not manipulate the waiting list. Because enrollment is limited, Wolters enrollment is conditional each semester based upon academic progress and attendance. Students with excessive absences or poor academic performance are not guaranteed placement nor retention in the program. Students are strongly encouraged to work as hard as they can in their current courses, until such time they receive a letter of acceptance.

Students from South Campus with serious discipline infractions are referred to the DAEP, not the Wolters Campus. Since there are many students waiting for the opportunity to enroll into Wolters who are serious about graduating from high school, students with excessive absences, persistent misbehavior or continued poor academic performance may actually lose their place in the program and be returned to their home (South) campus.

Every student attending Wolters may participate in extra-curricular activities at South Campus as long as they meet UIL eligibility requirements. These activities may include but are not limited to band, choir, orchestra, theatre arts, baseball, football and track, as well as other campus clubs and organizations. Many of our students have schedules that include part of their school day either at the South Campus or San Jacinto Junior College. Students interested in attending Wolters but would like to stay in South Campus only classes such as Culinary Arts, Journalism, AP Physics, etc., are allowed to do so. Every effort is made to design a class schedule that best fits a studentís unique needs in meeting their graduation requirements.

A very good question and one that is very difficult to answer. Due to the nature of the waiting list and our limited enrollment, all students who apply should be made aware that it may take from six-weeks to a semester or more before an opening becomes available. There is no hard rule on the number of applicants we bring over each grading period. Each student that completes graduation requirements creates an opening for a new student. On average, 15 to 30 students complete graduation requirements each nine-week grading period. This would allow 15 to 30 students to rotate off of the waiting list and enroll at our campus. (See link for "Waiting List Guidelines".)

Students and parents will be notified by email when they are accepted into the program. All fines and fees must be cleared before being transferred to Wolters. Students are strongly encouraged to work as hard as they can in their current courses and attend school regularly, until such time they receive a letter of acceptance.