Dear SUA Community,
By the time you read this, we will already be well into our first week of the May Minimester. This May, students are taking 26 distinct courses, 15 of which are brand new since December. The full list of May courses is included below, and more details are available in our Minimester Guidebook.
Bad Girls and Unruly Women
Careers in STEM
Classical Influences
CST: Urban Plunge
Future Fear
Geometry II (CP and Honors)
Harvest to Home
Healing and Hope
Healthy Lifestyles
History of the Holocaust
Innovations in Biotechnology
Intro to Graffiti
Latin American Cultural Explorations
My Songwriting Era
Paris on the Potomac
Physics: Amusement Parks
Positive Psychology
Spanish for Community Service
SUA Film Festival
The Newsroom
The Science Lab
Vertebrate Voyage
Voice & Vision
Who Let the Dawgs Out?
World Religions: Eastern
While some course titles may feel different than those in a semester, the purpose remains the same: meaningful, high quality learning. Each minimester course carries 0.5 academic credit and is designed with clear learning goals and the same college-preparatory expectations as our semester classes.
One difference - and what makes this experience especially valuable - is the opportunity for focus. Instead of balancing multiple subjects at once, students spend concentrated time exploring one topic in depth. Some students are completing graduation requirements in a new format while others are pursuing electives. For many students, it opens space in their academic schedule to pursue additional interests, including advanced coursework. In fact, we are seeing more students take more AP exams this year than in the past, which reflects how students are using this flexibility to challenge themselves further.
Equally important, many of these courses invite students to explore areas they may not encounter during a typical semester. Experiential learning may lead them to creative expression, real-world application, or interdisciplinary study. These experiences build a deeper connection to learning and incorporate critical thinking, problem solving, and “soft” skills that are so essential for future success.
As we gathered as a school community for our Opening Assembly and blessing on Monday, there was both a sense of excitement in the air and a reassuring calmness that came from having experienced our first minimester in December. The May Minimester also reflects what we learned from December. We have made thoughtful adjustments based on feedback, and we will continue to listen and refine this experience moving forward.
In the coming days, I encourage you to ask your daughter about her minimester course and what she is learning, interested in, and enjoying. These conversations often reveal just how much growth can happen in a short, focused period of time.
Go Bulldogs!
Kathy