Pope John XXIII Regional High School - Philosophy and Coursework

Philosophy and Coursework

Pope John XXIII Regional High School has a Catholic philosophy in accordance with Church teaching.The school also has a college prep course of study in academic subjects. Students are required to not only take state required courses but an additional year of Math and Science. Theology coursework is required for every marking period a student is enrolled at the school. Two years of a foreign language such as Spanish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Arabic, Russian or Latin (and Mandarin Chinese being introduced the for 2009-2010 curriculum), are also required as well as computer courses. 17 Advanced Placement (AP) courses are offered. An eighth grade honors program for math and science is also offered for other Catholic schools in the area, including St.Michael School (Netcong), Rev. Brown, Immaculate Conception, and St. Joseph's, collectively known as "The Academy of Sussex County Catholic Schools." The math and science taught to the eighth grade honors students is also taught to the freshman. In addition to the eighth grade honors program for area Catholic schools, Pope John launched their own eighth grade class in the 2009-2010 academic year, but only accepted eighth grade students who were previously from public schools.

Like most Catholic schools, students are required to wear uniforms. The uniform policy is often strictly enforced to ensure students live up the proper standard expected of them by the administration and faculty. Uniforms, for example, include uniform dress shoes, ties (for boys), and dress pants and skirts, respectively, which are coordinated by class and change as a student moves to the next grade. The school also does not allow for any facial hair on boys or any "hair that reaches past the ear or below the collar;" infractions of proper uniform often result in punishment by the administration or faculty.

The school's theological position is that of a mainstream Roman Catholic belief taking neither a progressive or traditional position, with 80% of the student body being Catholic, though students from all denominations and religions are accepted.