Curriculum

A well-designed college preparatory curriculum reflects both the interests and the needs of the student. The Upper School provides the flexibility that allows the full development of individual interests while offering everything that is essential for the development of young women leaders today.

Consistent with the Goals and Criteria of Sacred Heart Schools, the Upper School provides an academic program that focuses on the development of the whole person. Every student at the Academy receives intense training in the core disciplines of English, mathematics, social studies, world languages and science. Additionally, art, music, drama, public speaking, technology, theology and wellness are essential, integrated parts of this program. Through the physical education and athletics program, Academy of the Sacred Heart helps each student develop a respect for physical fitness, a sense of fair play and an awareness of the enjoyment derived from athletic endeavors. Juniors and seniors may take more advanced courses such as Honors European History, Honors Pre-calculus, Honors Physics, and Advanced Placement courses.

Plan of Studies

To learn more about our academic program and examine a complete listing of our courses with descriptions, view our Plan of Studies 2023-24 Booklet below. (Its requirements are applicable to the Class of 2027.) A PDF version of this document may be found here.

Block Program
Graduation Requirements

Block Program

Academy of the Sacred Heart is using an alternating A/B day, four-period block schedule in the Upper School. Each day, there are four 80-minute block periods. All classes are either a semester (0.5 credit) or a year (1.0 credit) in length.

Blocked segments of time have been proven to be beneficial for the following reasons:

to study subjects in greater depth with less fragmentation
to encourage innovative and diverse instructional methodologies
to have greater opportunities to integrate technology into the classroom

Our graduates feel well prepared for college, citing that the extended time on learning and the intensity in the delivery of their courses enabled them to learn the material more deeply.

Graduation Requirements

In order to receive a diploma from the Academy of the Sacred Heart, a student must satisfactorily complete the following program of courses. It is expected that students be in attendance for four (4) years (considerations will be made for transfer students). One credit is granted for the successful completion of a full term of course work. The following represents the minimum graduation requirements:

REQUIRED COURSES	COURSE REQUIREMENTS
English	4 Credits, required yearly
History & Social Studies	4 Credits, including Economics and U.S. Government
Mathematics	4 Credits, required yearly
Science & Technology	3.5 Credits, including Intro to Computer Science
Theology	3 Credits, required yearly
World Language	3 Credits
Visual, Performing & Practical Arts	2 Credits
Wellness	1 Credit
Project Term	Grades 9-12, typically seven to 10 days in March
Mentor Program	Grades 9-12, cross-aged advisory group
Service Learning	Grades 10-12, ~60-70 hours per year
Grade 9 Seminar	Grade 9, weekly seminars and local excursions

Click here to view course descriptions for the Upper School on our Atlas curriculum site.