Contact information:
Scheduling & Registration –
Mrs. Hollinger: carole.hollinger@apamail.org
Mr. Christensen: todd.christensen@apamail.org
Ms. Thacker: cthacker@apamail.org
Attendance & Fees:
Mrs. Aleksanyan, naleksanyan@apamail.org
Ms. Garrett, sgarrett@apamail.org
Winterim Vision and Overview
American Preparatory Academy is excited to introduce the Winterim program for the 2024-2025 school year. The Winterim term runs from January 6th through January 24th during normal school hours. The daily start and end times will not change during Winterim. However there will only be 4 periods per day. Students will choose 4 winterim courses and attend those each day.
Winterim courses are designed to take students deeper into subject areas that they may be covered during the normal scope of the school year, and to explore areas that are not covered in our daily curriculum. Courses may range from among the following: learning a particular skill, studying particular events or periods in history, studying culture domestic and foreign, reading and analyzing certain literary works, participating in fitness training, studying iconic and impactful people, cultures, movements, etc., and many more! Some courses are designated as American Symposium courses. These focus on key aspects of the American Story (history, culture, traditions, politics, literature, movements, events, etc.) All students must take at least one American Symposium course. By the end of each course students will have completed the equivalent of a quarter’s worth of curriculum and may have completed a culminating project they can add to their resume or portfolio.
In addition to the skills and knowledge gained, 9th-12th grade students will have the opportunity to receive .25 credits of elective credit towards their high school graduation.
AP Courses
Students currently enrolled in AP courses are required to continue in those classes during winterim. As you view the catalog and select other winterim classes you'd like to take, please note when your AP course(s) may be offered, including their respective blocks. AP course are scheduled in either A (the first half of the period) or B (second half of the period) blocks. Some students may have two AP classes in one period during winterim.
Registration and Scheduling
Students will be given priority scheduling depending on their grade, grades and attendance at the end of term 1. All seniors will be scheduled first, then we will begin scheduling by student rank for grades 7-11. Students with AP classes will continue their AP classes through Winterim. Winterim Courses will be filled according to a student’s academic standing, attendance, and behavior. Students will be given a course request form in their 4th period class. Students will register for classes during their 4th period class starting on October 25th. Not all students will get their first and second requests, so please make sure the third and fourth requests are classes the student is interested in. Students who do not choose a 3rd or 4th choice will be assigned to a class of the administration's choice and according to class size.
Students will be unable to change Winterim requests once they have been submitted without talking to Mrs. Hollinger, Mr. Christensen, or Ms. Thacker and submitting a change course form. Students will be allowed to change Winterim requests one time only - please consider requests carefully before submitting them. No changes can be made after November 13th, 2024.
Final Winterim schedules will be processed and distributed to students during December.
Courses with Fees
Some Winterim options have a cost associated with the course. These fees are kept as minimal as possible while still covering expenses like field trips, supplies, or other items necessary for the course. Without these fees, we would be unable to offer many of the exciting opportunities available during Winterim.
If you are scheduled for any Winterim courses with a fee, you must pay the fee before November 22nd, 2024 to remain in that course and all regular school fees should be paid. Any student who doesn’t pay the required fee will be dropped from the course and rescheduled. Please see Mrs. Hollinger for information regarding fees or fee waivers.
Winterim Scheduling Priority
Due to the limited number of spaces in some Winterim courses, there will be some courses that have a higher demand than there are seats available. All students will have a Winterim priority score that will determine in what order they are registered for courses. These scores will be calculated by grade level and class rank at the end of term 1. Grades, attendance, and participation are factors that are entirely within student control; we believe that this will fairly reward those who have been diligent in their school responsibilities during the first portion of the year. Seniors will also have priority.
Required Digital Literacy Courses: JH (8th grade only) and HS
All 8th grade students will be required to take a Digital Literacy Course during Winterim. HS students in 11th or 12th must take the HS course as well. Digital Literacy courses will be taught each block. Please have a 1st, 2nd, 3rd choice of which block you’d like to take Digital Lit in when you register.