Block Scheduling

Beginning in the 2015-2016 school year, Villa Maria adopted a daily block schedule whereby students can take as many as 8 classes annually, 4 per day for a duration of 80 minutes each, should they choose, with approval. 6 ½ to 7 credits per year is considered the minimum annual course load for every student. Each student has the option to schedule the full eight (8) possible courses. The popular daily Advisory period is embedded in the schedule to provide students with unscheduled time for independent work, collaborative research or the pursuit of specialized interests. In the event of an unexpected school closing, our “Virtual Villa” policy will be invoked to ensure that instructional delivery stays consistent with the scripted pattern of the “A/B” schedule.

The Villa Maria academic calendar reflects a semester orientation, in preparation for the college experience. Teachers will schedule their own cumulative testing in November, December, or January when best convenient for the flow of the course. The Christmas holidays are intended to be a true break from work. (Only AP courses are permitted to assign work.) The second semester will begin in January at a date allowing for equal class time between the first and second semesters. Dates for school-wide days of service will be interspersed through the year, positioned intentionally to provide dedicated time to service and thoughtfulness of social justice issues.

Student academic progress is reported formally on the semester in January and in June. The move away from quarter reporting was made to reduce the reliance on traditional testing and to allow for more authentic opportunities for application and demonstration of student knowledge. At the discretion of the instructor, traditional assessments may be given, but more holistic and authentic measures of student mastery are encouraged. The grade calculation for the first semester will vary from subject to subject but cross–taught courses are required to have uniformity in grade calculations. See individual course expectations for specific grade calculations. Traditional final examinations are still the norm in all core subjects. For year-long courses, the final grade will be the average of the two semester grades. A student’s grade point average and eligibility for honor roll is calculated only on the semester grade. Students must attend annual retreats, participate in our school-wide days of service as well as required service learning, and all seniors must complete a Capstone project in fulfillment of senior year requirements. Failure to successfully fulfill all required obligations could limit a student’s ability to successfully advance to the next level.