Secondary Class Schedule

Dear Secondary Parents,

There have been a few changes made to the secondary schedule for this coming year that we are very excited about, and I wanted to briefly explain the rationale behind them.

1. 7 periods: The first modification that we made was to align the junior high and high school classes so that they each have seven periods per day and have lunch at the same time. This has simplified the scheduling process and it has provided an opportunity for us to supplement academic areas that have needed more emphasis in the past. Please note the change in start time for 7^th – 12^th grades. The school day will begin each morning at 8:25 AM. The elementary will begin at 8:30 AM as usual.

2. Rhetoric I and II: One discipline in the high school that we have wanted to give more attention to is student writing. Toward this end, we have expanded our rhetoric classes to cover grades 9–12 instead of just 11 and 12. The 9^th and 10^th grade rhetoric classes (Rhetoric I and II) will meet twice a week. Both classes will focus on student writing but with different emphases. The Rhetoric I students will be learning journalism under the guidance of Mr. Jack Bradley, and they will be responsible for publishing the Knight’s Page. The Rhetoric II students will touch on a medley of different genres under the direction of Mr. Nate Wilson and Mr. Wes Struble, and they will spend a healthy portion of their time learning the art of oral presentation and story telling. There are no changes to the 11^th and 12^th grade rhetoric classes other than their names, Rhetoric III and IV.

3. High School Music: Another area that we have wanted to see grow and flourish is our secondary music program. As a Christian school we place a high priority on helping to prepare our students to worship God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength. An important part of this is learning to sing unto the Lord skillfully. Toward this end we have introduced a 9^th and 10^th grade music class that meets Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays during first period. Under the direction of Miss Robin Harris, this class will focus on teaching the students to sing four part harmony in hymns and psalms. Parents are welcome to join this class! This two year class will fulfill the fine arts elective requirement for high school graduation.

4. Junior High Music: We will be simplifying the junior high music elective in 2009-2010 by having the course be required for 8^th grade girls in the fall and 8^th grade boys in the spring. We are excited about the prospect of working with the boys and girls at different times, especially as voices tend to be changing during these years. This coming year (2008-2009) the chorus elective will be offered first semester only for any 8^th graders (boys or girls) who did not take chorus last year. It will not be offered in the second semester this year so make sure to sign up for this elective if your child did not take chorus last year in 7^th grade.

5. Graduation Requirements: Please note that in the midst of these changes graduation requirements for our 11^th and 12^th grade students have not been adjusted. For example, the new schedule has allowed us to offer Greek during the day rather than during zero period, but this does not mean that Greek is required by all Juniors. It is an elective class open to all 11^th and 12^th grade students.

6. Pre-College Algebra: We are delighted to have Mr. Loren Euhus teaching our Pre-College Algebra class this year. This is an alternative to Trigonometry for 11^th graders who need to shore up their mathematics foundation in preparation for college level studies.

7. Attachments: At the top left-hand corner of this message are the Fall Secondary Class Schedule and a description of the Fall Electives. Parents of 7^th-12^th graders will sign up their children for electives when they come for class registration on August 18 or 19 (students are not required to attend registration). Read over the elective descriptions and prioritize your selections so that you can supply a 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd choice. Each student can take only one elective each semester except seniors who have some special options. The elective class rosters will be posted on the first day of school.

Thank you for your patience and flexibility as we head into a season of change regarding some of these courses. It is our hope that this will help to strengthen the program even more as we seek to improve the experience that our students have at Logos School.

All the best,

Matt Whitling

Principal

Logos School