St. Monica Academy High School graduated its third class of seniors in 2008.  Each of the three senior classes, despite their small size (three in 2006, three in 2007, seven in 2008) had a National Merit Commended Scholar.

Please check back to these pages occasionally.  By summer 2009 we expect to have our complete high school curriculum posted on these pages.  This posting will serve several purposes:

• It will aid prospective parents in their important choice of an education for their children;
• It will help current parents anticipate and work with their children’s classroom teachers; and
• It will help other schools and parents implement a classical and Catholic curriculum.

For a sampling of the kind of reading St. Monica Academy requires of its high school students, read the summer reading list and literature books read by high school students in 2008-2009.

The High School Charter of Principles outlines the philosophy and objectives of St. Monica Academy high school.

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St. Monica Academy provides a single program of college-preparatory studies that includes theology, English, history, mathematics, laboratory science, Latin, and visual/performing arts.

THEOLOGY

The Catholic faith is taught according to a four-year cycle in which all high school students study the same topic during any given year. In year one, the high school theology course is dogmatic theology.  In year two, the class focuses on sacred scripture.  In year three, the subject is moral theology.  In year four, the topic is apologetics and comparative religions. Each theology course has an apologetics component so students will learn to explain and defend the basic tenets of the Catholic faith.

INTEGRATED HUMANITIES CYCLE:  ENGLISH AND HISTORY

The centerpiece of the academic program is the integrated humanities cycle. Each year, all the high school students focus on the history and literature of a specific era of Western civilization. In year one, the subject of study is the ancient world up to the year 500 A.D. In year two, the eras covered are the Middle Ages and the Renaissance up to the year 1500. In year three, the students study modern Europe and the world from 1500 to the present. In year four, the focus is American history, literature and government. This literary and historical survey of the Western tradition inspires students through the great books, the great ideas, and the great figures who have formed our culture. While textbooks provide an overview, readings of major historians and writers, guest lectures, formal debates, formal essays and Socratic discussions make the subjects come alive and create an abiding interest in history and a love for literature.

Each year of the integrated humanities cycle includes a full year course in history and a full year course in English.

MATHEMATICS

The St. Monica Academy mathematics program follows the standard college preparatory sequence. Students begin with either algebra 1 or geometry as freshmen (depending on whether they have taken algebra 1 as eighth graders) and then progress through algebra 2, trigonometry/pre-calculus, and calculus. In keeping with our classical methodology, the geometry course includes a significant unit of Euclid’s Elements.

LABORATORY SCIENCE

St. Monica Academy high school students take three years of laboratory science to grow in the sense of wonder towards God’s creation. Each student will take biology as either a freshman or a sophomore. Juniors and seniors take one year of chemistry and one year of physics.

LATIN

In keeping with St. Monica Academy’s classical character, high school students study Latin each year as a window into the ancient world, to develop their vocabulary, and to reinforce their understanding of general grammatical principles. By senior year, students will have taken four years of high school Latin.

VISUAL/PERFORMING ARTS

Each St. Monica Academy high school student will take one or two years of visual and performing arts as per University of California a-g requirements. This course will be offered at least once during each student’s four-year program.

ELECTIVES

Each St. Monica Academy high school student will take one semester of government and one semester of economics as a junior or senior. One year of PE will be taken as a freshman or sophomore. A second year of PE or another elective will also be offered in alternating years with visual/performing arts.

CORE CURRICULUM

The sample listing below assumes students enter as freshmen when the literature/history sequence is studying the Ancient period.  In fact entering students will “jump in” at whatever period is being studied during the particular year.  During four years of high school a student will study all four historical periods and the literature associated with the periods.

Freshman Year

Dogmatic Theology
Ancient Literature
Ancient History
Algebra 1 or Geometry
Latin 1
Drama
PE 1

Sophomore Year

Sacred Scripture
Medieval Literature
Medieval History
Geometry or Algebra 2
Latin 2
Biology
PE 2 or Music

Junior Year

Moral Theology
Renaissance and Modern Literature
Renaissance and Modern History
Algebra 2 or Trig/Pre-Calculus*
Latin 3*
Chemistry
Art

Senior Year

Apologetics-Comparative Religions
American Literature
American History
Trig/Pre-Calculus* or Calculus*
Latin 4*
Physics*
Government/Economics

*Not required for graduation.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

Religion………………………………………40 units
English Literature…………………………..40 units
History………………………………………40 units
Math (at least through algebra II)…………30 units
Latin (at least through Latin II)…………….20 units
Science (at least through chemistry)……20 units
Economics……………………………………5 units
Government………………………………….5 units
PE…………………………………………….10 units
Fine Arts…………………………………….20 units
TOTAL……………………………………..230 units