A schedule is not meant to fit into, but rather be borne out of, the liturgical life of the Church. It is how the passage of time is both marked and sanctified—daily, weekly, annually. These rhythms are how we encounter Christ and participate in His saving acts, both historically and in the present moment. Our academic year begins around September 1, as it is the first day of the Church New Year (or “Indiction”). According to Holy Tradition, this is when the Hebrews entered the Holy Land and when Christ entered the synagogue to announce his mission to mankind. 

Yearly Schedule: Our schedule consists of roughly 30 academic weeks, anchored around the Church's calendar of feasts, fasts, and commemorations, from the Church New Year through the end of May (usually Ascension, depending on where Pascha falls). This is followed by a flexible (and lighter) 6-week term that can be utilized by families or schools at their own pace for those who desire a full 36-week academic schedule. We also include occasional “Sabbath Weeks” where needed, to avoid more than six academic weeks in a row without breaks (when possible), for family time, planning, and catch-up. The Great Feasts of the Church are built into the schedule as well when they fall on weekdays, and while the schedule is designed to be fairly flexible in some areas, oftentimes assigned readings, hymns, and topics correspond with the Church calendar and may not match up otherwise. Within the yearly schedule, many studies and extracurriculars  are scheduled by term as well.

See suggested academic calendars at the bottom of the page.

Depending on where feasts and dates fall, the year generally follows these approximate rhythms:

• Sep. 1- Church New Year: The beginning of the academic year

• Term 1: 11 academic weeks (Sep.-Nov.)

  • ~6 weeks of studies

  • 1 week, Sabbath Break

  • ~5 weeks of studies

  • ~1 week, Thanksgiving Break

• Term 2: 9 academic weeks (Dec. -Feb.)

  • ~3 weeks of studies

  • 3 week, Nativity Break

  • ~6 weeks of studies

  • 1 week, Sabbath Break

• Term 3: 10 academic weeks (Mar. -May) 

  • ~2-9 weeks of studies (depending on where Pascha falls)

  • 2 week, Pascha Break (Holy Week & Bright Week)

  • ~1-8 weeks of studies

  • *Term 3 sometimes includes an optional Sabbath Break when Pascha falls late in the year

• Flex-Term 4 [Optional]: ~6 weeks (anytime between June -Aug.)

  • This flexible term is not tied to any particular dates and can be utilized as needed. It generally includes suggested read-alouds, literature books, and historical fiction tied to that cycle, and it can be a great time to focus on more leisurely extracurriculars, keep up with math and languages, or finish longer courses or books that may not fit into 30-weeks (especially for older students).

Weekly Schedule: Our weekly schedule is generally comprised of four days, to allow for flexibility in the event of feast days, co-ops, extracurriculars, etc. (though it can be spread out as desired).

Daily Schedule: While the daily rhythms will vary significantly based on the family, school, student ages, etc., at the bottom is a sample of how we have implemented it for the younger years.

Forms (or Grades): Rather than utilize individual academic grades, we use the term “Forms.” This is a common way of identifying various levels of content, that provides flexibility to work up or down in different subjects. 

The forms we use roughly equate to the following (American) academic grades or ages (though do not be tied to those):

• Form 0= ~K/1 (Early Elementary)

• Form 1= ~1-3rd (Elementary)

• Form 2= ~4-6th (Intermediate)

• Form 3= ~7-9th (Jr. High)

• Form 4= ~10-12th (Sr. High)

Since students could go through each of the four cycles as many as three times over the course of twelve years, combining where appropriate, there are usually at least three options for most subjects, and the following designations are also commonly used:

• Forms 1/2= ~1-5th (Elementary & Intermediate)

• Forms 2/3= ~5-9th (Intermediate & Jr. High)

• Forms 3/4= ~8-12th (Jr. & Sr. High)

• Or sometimes, Forms 2-4= ~4-12th (particularly for Group/ Family Subjects)

Forms and selections for individual students can vary between subjects, based on abilities, interest, convenience, prior studies (or lack thereof), or the number of times a student anticipates going through a cycle. Families and communities are encouraged to combine wherever possible, as we have found communal learning often yields the most fruit. Teachers and parents should not feel tied to a specific form, whether by age or grade, but with an eye on the student,  the content,  and  the  group.

Next: Our Learning Cycles