Academics
Classes are run on a block schedule of four periods of approximately 86 minutes each, starting at 7:30 a.m. and ending at 2:20 p.m. Each block consists of one class. The length of class time in the block schedule allows students to complete courses in one semester, rather than a whole school year. At other high schools, where students have to study for eight or nine classes at a time, students attending Wayzata High School focus on four classes. It also allows students to "double up" and take two years worth of a subject in one year. The majority of students have the same four classes every day during a semester, though many may have some changes between terms due to one-term courses or three-term courses. Some exceptions to this are students in some band, orchestra, and choir classes, who alternate one class with their respective music class every other day throughout the year.
As of the 2012-2013 school year, Wayzata High School offers 26 Advanced Placement classes and 1 Advanced Placement Pilot course (AP Accounting). An advantage to using the block schedule is the ability to take essay tests in class that are composed of questions from past Advanced Placement exams, giving a feel for what the actual tests will be like.
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Famous quotes containing the word academics:
“Our first line of defense in raising children with values is modeling good behavior ourselves. This is critical. How will our kids learn tolerance for others if our hearts are filled with hate? Learn compassion if we are indifferent? Perceive academics as important if soccer practice is a higher priority than homework?”
—Fred G. Gosman (20th century)
“Almost all scholarly research carries practical and political implications. Better that we should spell these out ourselves than leave that task to people with a vested interest in stressing only some of the implications and falsifying others. The idea that academics should remain “above the fray” only gives ideologues license to misuse our work.”
—Stephanie Coontz (b. 1944)