Introduction: Welcome Letter

Dear OLP Parents and Students:

Welcome to the Curriculum Guide for the 2023-2024 school year at the Academy of Our Lady of Peace. This guide was created to support our mission and meet the diverse needs of our students as they face the challenges of our rapidly changing world. With the help of our wonderful teaching faculty, we continue to offer in-depth course options within a dynamic classroom environment to foster curiosity, innovative thinking, collaborative learning, and problem solving. We seek to cultivate a growth mindset and teach students the value of leading healthy, balanced and fulfilled lives. Our goal is to provide all students with both the academic and social emotional skills necessary for success at the collegiate level and in their future careers.

In keeping with our mission, and as part of our vision to prepare and nurture the whole child, we are pleased to offer a wide range of courses to support the multitude of interests of our young women. In order to meet the varied interests, extracurricular preferences, and needs of our students, we will continue providing the option for students to take G block, Zero period and/or Online courses through the Pilot Academy. We understand that pursuing one ’ s passions is essential to developing and nurturing the life-long learner that resides in every girl who steps foot on our campus. Thus, we are continually evaluating our curriculum to ensure that our courses tap into the passions of our diverse and thriving student body. Furthermore, many universities and colleges are offering online courses to increase student access and provide more options for their students. In offering online courses at the high school level, we hope to promote the benefits of a self-motivated, independent learner, while expanding access and options to our own students.

Our curriculum, rooted in the traditions of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, is centered on educating our girls to become women of heart, women of faith, women of courage, and women of excellence who will become positive forces within their community, church, and nation. Furthermore, education research indicates that students who are able to spend some time pursuing their passions are more intrinsically motivated and more successful in their academics overall. We want students to be inspired and challenged to grow, while we support them in their learning adventure. We invite you to partner with us by carefully and thoughtfully reviewing this material so that you may make selections that promise a successful year ahead. All of our course options are available for review in this guide and also in the student group on Schoology. Additionally, the remaining pages of this guide will highlight our school’ s graduation requirements, curricular options for G block, Zero block, and online courses, and academic advising services. We strongly encourage students to select courses that not only fulfill requirements but also match their passions. Students will have opportunities to learn about the course request process through a presentation by their class counselors at their class meeting on Friday, January 13th, 2023. In addition, counselors will be pushing into classes to assist with the enrollment process. Students will have the opportunity to sign up for individual meetings with a counselor beginning mid January. Finally, parents are invited to join us for Course Advisement Night on Thursday, January 26th, 2023 at 6 pm to learn more about the OLP Curriculum and meet with individual department chairs. Parents are always welcome to contact their daughter ’ s counselor, if they wish to discuss academic planning in greater detail.

Sincerely, Sar Os

Assistant Principal of Curriculum and Instruction