Pine View School - Curriculum

Curriculum

Pine View's curriculum emphasizes rigor, differentiated instruction, and, in high school, students' academic self-determination. A periodically updated description of the curriculum is available at the Course Code Directory Link Page. In elementary and middle school, students take classes that are accelerated and go more in-depth than topically similar courses at other schools. Students begin to rotate teachers and classrooms beginning in 4th grade. Starting in 6th grade, students are placed in different levels in math based on a standardized test administered at the end of 5th grade. Students can begin to chose some of their courseload beginning in 7th grade and continuing throughout high school.

At the beginning of high school, students create their own individual four-year academic plans, which they refine and revise as the years progress. This differentiated instruction results in a variety of math, English, science, social science, and foreign language levels being offered to students in the same grade. The substantial elective selection allows students access to breath and depth of their interests. By the 11th grade, students exercise significant autonomy over their schedules. Students largely build their own curriculum, subject to the approval of their teachers and administrators.

Most high school courses are offered as honors (except where Florida statute prohibits the designations, such as in foreign language classes) and/or Advanced Placement (AP) courses. Students can start taking AP classes, the centerpiece of the Pine View curriculum, beginning in 10th grade. Unlike most AP programs, Pine View requires all of its students who are taking AP courses to take their courses' respective AP exams.

To graduate from Pine View, students must abide by the following programming requirements:

• Earn a minimum of 26 credits as approved in Sarasota County School’s Student Progression Plan for Pine View. (This includes credits earned in middle school.) Credits needed for graduation for transfer students after Grade 9 are determined at the time of registration.
• Be enrolled in at least 6 classes each semester per year.
• Complete through Level III of a foreign language.
• Refrain from repeating courses that have been successfully completed ( C or higher).
• Maintain, through grades 9-12, a minimum 2.5 cumulative unweighted GPA for all core classes during any 4 consecutive quarters throughout the year. At the end of each academic year, grade point averages are reviewed to ensure students are eligible for continued placement at Pine View.
• Refrain from taking courses offered at Pine View elsewhere, unless there is a genuine scheduling conflict. Waivers may be granted only in extenuating circumstances after consultation with parents, teachers, and counselors. The Principal has final approval in determining such waivers.