Departments

The religion curriculum for Catholic schools within the Archdiocese of New York is based primarily on the USCCB document, Doctrinal Elements of a Curriculum Framework for the Development of Catechetical Materials for Youth People of High Age (2007). The Bishops’ framework represents the fruit of intentional prayer and rigorous examination of the most essential elements of Catholic Christian faith. The final outcome reflects a renewed commitment to the central message of Christian faith: that Jesus Christ is the center of all we are and all we do.

All students are required to successfully complete a four-year program, emphasizing reading, writing, research, and speaking skills in the study of literature and vocabulary. The Common Core-based Comprehensive English Regents culminates the junior year.

The main objective is to make the student aware of his role as a citizen in our American Democracy and to give an appreciation of one’s responsibility as a citizen of the world. Assigned readings, term papers and book reports are required. The Global History Regents will be administered to all 10th-year students. The Regents in American History and Government will be administered to all 11th-year students. In addition, the department offers courses to prepare the serious student for business major courses in college.

The three-year required mathematics courses are built around five process strands:

• Problem Solving
• Reasoning & Proof
• Communication
• Connections
• Representations

as well as five content strands:

• Number Sense and Operations
• Algebra
• Geometry
• Measurement
• Statistics & Probability

In addition, there are several 4th-year electives, including courses for college credit.

The program of studies offered is based on a three-year sequence. Students are required to study the same language for at least three successive years. Courses are offered in Spanish and Italian and are divided into three levels: High Honors, Honors or Regents. An interactive experience, foreign language class offers hands-on activities and opportunities for maximum participation.

Study of a foreign language improves a student’s skills in both English and on the SAT. Skills such as problem-solving and dealing with abstract concepts are increased with the study of another language. Foreign language study also enhances a student’s marketable skills and improves opportunities within government, business, medicine, law, technology, military and beyond.

A diverse college preparatory curriculum. Laboratory experimentation is an integral part of each course. Regents examinations are administered in:

• Living Environment
• Chemistry
• Physics
• Earth Science

There is a lab fee of $65 for all science courses.

An integrated program of individual counseling and small group sessions. Each of our guidance counselors is responsible for a particular year to see each student during that year as often as the need arises.

Through the St Peter’s Christian Service requirement, students are provided a program through which they can develop their God-given talents in service to others. This program allows the student to experience Christianity in a dynamic way by actively participating in a wide variety of service opportunities to their community. This is an annual requirement because the nature of Christian Service demands it.  We are called by the Gospels to this service.

The program supports the belief that students benefit from the opportunity to make meaningful connections and enrich the lives of others by performing without any external reward or financial benefit.  This requirement is intended to assist students in becoming educated citizens within a safe and successful community. This requirement involves students working on a voluntary basis in non-profit agencies, the public sector or educational institutions.

11^th Year Required

While providing an introduction to the elements of music, particular emphasis will be placed on the masterpieces of the Western Classical cultural legacy. The course is designed to provide the student with an introduction to Classical music and an appreciation of its development, variety and modern applications. Extensive use is made of stereo recordings.

The purpose of this portion of the course is to help the student understand, appreciate and even enjoy art. To this end, the course will survey the art contributions and practices from various cultures and eras of Western civilization. Although surveying painting, sculpture and architecture, most emphasis will be given to painting during and since the Renaissance. Extensive use of slides will be utilized.

9^th, 10^th & 11^th Year

Working with the nation’s foremost authority on SAT preparation, Mr. Gary Gruber, SAT preparation coursework is incorporated in the schedule of all 9th, 10th and 11th year students. These courses will introduce students to the latest techniques for improving their verbal and mathematics scores on the PSAT and SAT.

10^th, 11^th & 12^th Year Elective

An after-school course designed to help the student qualify for his Driver’s License and for reduced insurance premiums. The course consists of 16 weeks of classes (twice a week for a total of 24 hours) and behind-the-wheel instruction (24 hours). Sign-up is either the fall semester (Sept.-Jan.) or the spring semester (Feb.-June). Students must be 16 years of age by Sept. 15 of that year for the first semester’s enrollment, or 16 by Feb. 2 of that year for the second semester’s enrollment. It’s a one-semester course.

Required all years

To provide a broad field of appreciation of competitive, recreational and spectator sports, our physical education course places an emphasis on the teaching of various worthwhile athletic skills. All students are required by N.Y. State and School Regulations to take part in this program all four years, unless they present a doctor’s note which must state clearly the duration of non-participation. Any extended period must be renewed at least monthly.

Our health course is a 10^th year requirement and is a study of methods of physical fitness, use and misuse of alcohol and medical drugs, communicable diseases, first aid and consumer health protection.

All college paths require a student that is computer literate, particularly in the areas of problem-solving, technical competency and software development. The department’s main educational goal is to prepare students for said challenges while understanding the social and ethical implications of technology.

12^th-Year Elective

Computer Programming

The course will include fundamentals of computing, program design, testing, and correctness using C++ programming language. Additionally, the course will present algorithm analysis, an introduction to data structures such as linked links, stacks, queues ad trees. This course is part of the High School Extension Program of St. John’s University. Successful completion will result in six credits awarded by St. John’s University.

12^th-Year Elective

This course will contain a systematic, analytic approach to understanding, predicting and controlling human behavior in organizations and life. Students will have real-life opportunities to develop their leadership skills through organizing student events. Significant time will be spent on developing students’ communication skills through writing and public speaking. Students must be nominated by their teachers in order to be considered for this course.

12^th-Year Elective

A two-semester course will provide the student with an introduction in the social science. The course will consider psychological development from childhood through adolescence to adulthood. Historical development of modern psychological theory will be presented in addition to current clinical definitions.