The School Day

The school day conforms to the typical requirements of public schools for students in eighth to eleventh grade. The use of a high school model assists students to better transfer new school skills, values, habits, and routines to their home schools.

The Charlton School/Ketchum Grande follows the statewide annual calendar through a 12-month program comprised of a 40-week school year and six week summer school. The hours of instruction are from 8:00am to 2:00pm, Monday to Friday. Normative student behaviors such as arriving on time, being prepared for class, completing homework, and consistently giving the best effort are encouraged through structured reinforcement. Counseling is readily available to help students acquire and practice coping strategies and process feelings that arise during the school day.

The academic program emphasizes reading and writing across the curriculum. A science laboratory provides hands-on learning as students accumulate the time required to sit for science Regents exams. The arts are strongly emphasized in music, fine arts, video technology courses, and a daily arts practicum (Performance Group). The school has a strong technology component integrated into coursework and activities such as research, laboratory science, and digitally-based video technology and music. The summer weeks are a chance to complete many projects that extend the themes and topics of the ten-month year, giving students opportunities to earn additional credit toward graduation.