BLOCK SCHEDULE

(FAQ's, ARTICLE)

One year ago, St. Paul's Academy embarked on a unique journey: implementing a block schedule where students take one teacher instructed class at a time, all day long, for six weeks, and earn a full credit before moving on to their next class. An independent study conducted by the Harvard Graduate School of Education has found this system to be the most beneficial and effective system for students whom exhibit setbacks emotionally, personally, or academically; students with IEPs; students with learning differences; students who are behind academically; students who do not like school; and the list goes on. Here are some of the successes we have felt here at St. Paul's:

• Fewer discipline issues, more motivated students, and better relationships with faculty and peers.
• Our students experience an increase in their self-confidence and better attitudes towards school because of their successes under this system.
• Our students have seen an increase in their GPAs:  Returning students have seen an average increase of .3 points, on a 4 point scale, from the 2007-2008 academic year to the 2008-2009 academic year.  New students have seen an average increase of 1.27 points, on a 4 point scale, from the 2007-2008 academic year to the 2008-2009 academic year.
• Students can enroll at any time during the calendar year and start a class without losing any credit. If a student is coming off of an 8 week wilderness program, how many other schools can offer this? After all, how does a student catch up on 8 missed weeks? If a school does catch them up, it is probably only superficial, and the student has not learned the material that is the foundation for other classes.

The benefits are dumbfounding and unique to St. Paul's Academy; this academic system sets us apart from all other schools.