Boys and girls classes are separated from 1st grade until the start of High School (Secondary). Once they start high school, they only mix in elective classes.

In the US education system, students are not separated by gender throughout their whole education. From pre-school to the end of their education, students genders are mixed in the classrooms.

Now I really love this idea. The students do not switch classrooms all day, the teachers do. The students don't have to worry about walking across the school to their next class, they just stay put. It eliminates foot traffic in the hallways, and any other potential mishaps in the hallways.

On the other hand, students are the ones who switch classrooms (unless it's a self contained classroom). The upside about this is that teachers can decorate the class as their own. The different students who come in are able to enjoy different teacher's classroom designs.

Compared to the typical United States school, RMSI has art way more often! They usually have art about two times per week, sometimes more.

In some of the schools art is not taught at all. However, in most schools art is taught about once every 2 weeks. In most situations, it is the classroom teacher's job to integrate art into other subjects.

RMSI's schedule is a little different than we are used to in the states. They start school at 9 am. At 11 - 11:30 am students and teachers have breakfast. From 1:30 - 2:45 students and teachers have lunch. At 4:45 P.M school is over.

Each school has a different start and end time in the U.S. The typical day is usually from 7:30 - 2:30 or 8 - 3. Students and teachers are expected to have breakfast prior to school. The lunch period is usually 25-30 minutes.