ESBR bases its Program of Studies upon three areas:
- Traditional instructional time inside the classroom using the Expeditionary Learning approach which includes inquiry-based study outside of the classroom (field trips and projects ) in specific subject areas. Credits are defined as Carnegie Units, which is “125 hours of class or contact time with a teacher over the course of a year in one year at the secondary level (VT Statutes T.16)
- Academic Proficiency is aligned with national/state standards and the Profile of a Graduate is the basis for communicating a student’s knowledge base with transferable skills needed to be self-sufficient in any work setting or classroom. We use a Proficiency Based Grading System, with Quarterly Report Cards, Interim Progress Reports and Conferences with students and parents about their progress.
- Personalized Learning Plan. Each student creates a map of their learning, which can be achieved through guided independent study with a coach, and supervising teacher.
ESBR’s requires 27 credits for Academic Proficiency are as follows:
English – 4 credits
- English Literature and Composition
- American Literature
- World Literature
- Shakespeare (1 semester)
- Poetry (1 semester)
Math – 3 credits
- Algebra
- Geometry
- Financial Literacy
- Calculus
Science – 3 credits
- Physical Science and Earth
- Biology
- Chemistry
Social Studies 3-4 credits
- Civics and Local Community Studies
- Vermont Studies
- United States Studies
- World Studies
World Cultures (Foreign Languages) 2 credits
- Spanish 1
- Spanish 2
Physical Education 1.5 credits
Health .5 credits
Graphic Arts
- Pixel and Vector editing (using Photoshop/Photopea)
- Website Design & Maintenance (using Wix, SquareSpace, WordPress)
- Creating Personal Business Cards
- Creating posters, Info-graphics, Birthday Cards, Personalized Gift Certificates
Partnerships with other Educational Organizations and Schools: For students who want to access learning in an area that is not on our course list, we partner with the following schools: