We open early and close late. Doors open starting at 8 AM, and students can socialize in the Commons, study in the Library, or enjoy our outdoor spaces until 8:30 AM.*
On a typical day, students have
four class periods, with 2nd period, community period, and lunch running consecutively – providing a midday opportunity for field trips, lab work, and experiential learning in DC. Everyone has different cognitive highs and lows during the day, so we use a
rotating schedule to move different classes through different time slots.
Each day, we have a
community period from 11:15 AM to 12 PM, dedicated to assemblies, grade meetings, home rooms, affinity groups, and more – so students always have time to connect with friends, both within and outside their own grade.
Everyone has
lunch at the same time, and students can purchase a meal plan from
Vignola Gourmet or bring lunch from home. We have an
open campus in the high school, so students also take full advantage of the carry-out and food truck options lining Connecticut Avenue (within a specific radius of campus).
At 3:30 PM, classes wrap up for the day – but most students stay on campus for
rehearsals and sports practices, while others set up shop in the computer lab or an art studio. We also offer proctored study halls until 5:30 PM, and the buildings don't close until 6:30 PM.
*
Notice the later start time? That's new. The 2020-21 school year required some creative scheduling – and a few changes worked so well that we decided to keep them in the new school year. Some typical components are (just temporarily!) on hold due to Covid safety protocols, such as open campus and lunch service.