School Counseling

The Gaston Early College of Medical Sciences (GECMS) is an innovative, healthcare-focused high school that is designed especially for students interested in careers in the medical/healthcare industry.  The new school is a collaborative effort among Gaston County Schools, Gaston College, Belmont Abbey College, and CaroMont Health, and it is intended to develop a future workforce to meet the growing demand for healthcare professionals in Gaston County. 

Students will have an opportunity to earn a high school diploma and an associate degree in preparation for a career in the medical/healthcare field. Programs/pathways include nursing, human services, and pre-medicine/biotechnology sciences.  In addition to high school and college-level coursework, students will participate in job shadowing experiences and gain hands-on learning in real-world settings through CaroMont Health, conduct undergraduate research, and prepare themselves for post-secondary education and/or go directly into the workforce. 

Further, students will take advantage of many resources available through Gaston College that will enhance their academic experience and engage them in the college campus setting.  Students may choose to transfer to Belmont Abbey College, where they can obtain a bachelor’s degree in biology, biochemistry, psychology, social work, and related areas.

Graduation Requirements

• Four credits of English taken each academic year 
• Four credits of Math 
• Three credits of Science 
• Four credits of Social Studies 
• While there is no foreign language requirement, a minimum of two credits is required for admission to a university in the UNC system. 
• One Health and Physical Education credit 
• Six elective credits, including two from Career and Technical Education (CTE), Arts Education, or World Languages, and four from CTE, JROTC, Arts Education, or any other subject area. 
  • For students entering 9th grade in 2026-2027, one credit of Computer Science instruction is required.
• Other requirements: Students are required to successfully complete CPR instruction to meet Healthful Living Essential Standards as a requirement for high school graduation.
• 28 credits recommended (22 state requirements)

Course of Study and Credit Requirements

• End-of-Course (EOC) Test Requirements
  • Students must complete the state-required End-of-Course (EOC) tests in NC Math 1, NC Math 3, Biology, and English II.
  • Middle school students enrolled in courses such as NC Math 1 that require an end-of-course test must complete the state-required End-of-Course (EOC) test.

Credit Recovery vs. Grade Suppression
When a student fails a class, they have two options to improve their record: Credit Recovery or Grade Suppression. Grade Suppression can also be used if a student earns a low grade that hurts their Grade Point Average (GPA).

Credit Recovery
Credit Recovery lets students relearn only the parts of a class they did not understand, instead of retaking the whole class. The time it takes depends on how much the student needs to relearn. 

• The original failing grade will still be on the student’s record.  
• If the student passes Credit Recovery, they will receive a “P” for Pass on their record. 
• This “P” does not change the student’s GPA.

Grade Suppression
Grade Suppression allows students to retake the entire class. This option can help both students who failed and those who want to improve a low grade.

• When the student finishes the class again, the new grade replaces the old one. 
• This new grade does change the student’s GPA. 
• Students can use Grade Suppression for up to four classes total.

Both options give students a second chance to improve their grades and succeed.
 

Gaston County high school seniors are eligible for graduation honors based on their weighted Grade Point Average (GPA). The student with the highest weighted GPA is named valedictorian while the student with the second-highest weighted GPA is named salutatorian. Students must complete a minimum of 32 credits to qualify for valedictorian and salutatorian honors. In the event of an exact numerical tie (calculated to three decimal places), co-valedictorians and/or co-salutatorians are chosen. Students who achieve a weighted GPA at the following levels are designated as honor graduates:

Summa cum laude - 4.3+
Magna cum laude - 4.0 - 4.299
Cum laude - 3.7 - 3.99

Grades
Gaston County high schools grade on a percentage basis as follows:
A = 90-100
B = 80-89
C = 70-79
D = 60-69
F = Below 60

Class Rank
Class Rank/Grade Point Average (GPA) is calculated three times a year - once at the end of each semester and once at the end of summer - using the weighted 4.0 scale below.
 

Grades are worth different points depending on the type of class a student takes:

• Standard Level Course: An A is worth 4 points 
• Honors, AP Prep, or International Studies Course: An A is worth 4.5 points 
• Advanced Placement (AP) or Transferable Career and College Promise Course: An A is worth 5 points

For a B, C, and D, the points decrease in the same way.

If a student fails a class, it is worth 0 points.

This system affects the Grade Point Average (GPA)—higher-level courses give more points for the same grade.
 

Students who enter a Gaston County high school with home high school credits must submit information as required through the High School Instruction Department. Complete and accurate information must be submitted and approved for credit(s) to be awarded.

Middle school students are eligible to earn high school credit toward meeting graduation requirements. Students must pass the course and take the applicable final exam. High school courses taken in middle school count towards graduation credits but not as part of the student’s high school grade point average. High school credit courses offered at middle school are World
History (7th grade), Spanish I (8th grade), and NC Math 1 (8th grade).
 

Students who transfer from outside Gaston County Schools receive credit for all courses taken in accredited high schools. Currently, GCS does not offer new courses for credit during the summer. If a GCS student wishes to participate in a special program that carries high school credit, either during the school year or in the summer, he or she must obtain permission from the High School Instruction Department of Gaston County Schools in advance. Credits earned from an accredited, non-GCS educational institution, outside of the regular school year, will not be included in the calculation of the student’s GPA.
 

In addition to traditional "face-to-face" courses, Gaston County students can also take courses online. Students in online courses complete assignments and all other course requirements via the Internet. Online learning offers courses that may not be available at their home school and can be taken during and/or beyond the traditional school day. Gaston County Schools offers online courses through Gaston Online and the North Carolina Virtual Public School. 

• Gaston Online is an offering of online courses developed and taught by Gaston County School’s teachers. This option offers students the advantage of support and assistance from teachers in their local school system. In addition to this, Gaston County Schools maintains local control over course offerings, registration, and the online management system. 
• NCVPS offers online courses through the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. NCVPS maintains its own course offerings, registration systems, and online management system. You can learn more at www.ncvps.org To enroll in an online course, students and their parents must contact their school counselor to complete a screening form that assesses the student’s potential for success in an online class and an enrollment signature form. Once the forms are completed (with the appropriate signatures) and returned to the school, the counselor may begin the enrollment process upon approval of the Director of Secondary Instruction.