Class Size

At St. Andrew's the student-teacher ratio is five to one. The average class size is 11 students, the actual size of individual classes depending on the subject and the level at which it is pursued.

Diploma Requirements

The School requires 18 credits for a diploma but encourages students to work beyond this minimum. Of these 18 credits, four must be in English, three in mathematics, two in consecutive years of the same foreign language, two in history (including United States history) and two in a laboratory science. While two years of the same foreign language is the minimum diploma requirement, the School urges students to continue study through at least the third year. Students must take religious studies in the IV and VI Forms and must participate in a curricular or co-curricular aspect of the arts program before graduation.

Beginning in the 2010-11 school year, the School will require the following course credits for graduation: four credits in English; four credits in mathematics; two credits in history, including one in United States history; three credits in a laboratory science; two credits or through the third level, whichever is more advanced, of the same classical or modern language (at least three consecutive year credits is strongly recommended). Students must also take a half-credit course in Health and Wellness in the IV Form year, religious studies courses in the IV and VI Forms, and must participate in a curricular or co-curricular aspect of the arts program before graduation.

Course Planning and Placement

In the early spring, a student and his or her advisor plan the course schedule for the next and succeeding school years. After consultation with parents, advisors, members of the faculty and a college counselor, students submit their class selections to a committee composed of the Director of Studies, the Director of College Counseling and the academic department heads for final review.

Courses at the upper levels of each department throughout the academic program are labeled "Advanced Study" to denote the quality and rigor of college-level instruction. "Advanced Topics Tutorials" are individualized and often student-directed courses allowing further advanced study in particular disciplines.

St. Andrew's expects new students to take School placement tests in mathematics and languages. The Registrar sends such tests to any person or agency capable of administering them.

Examinations

Students take examinations in their courses at the end of the first and second semesters. In addition, they take such standardized tests as the School recommends for their college search. All IV Form and V Form students take the PSAT, which for the V Form serves as the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. In their V and VI Form years, students generally take the SAT Reasoning Test, the ACT and at least two SAT subject tests. Students may take Advanced Placement examinations in various subjects; some Advanced Study courses will prepare for these tests, but in most cases students will have to prepare some topics outside of general class instruction.

St. Andrew's is also the leading independent school in the country in the use of the College and Work Readiness Assessment (CWRA), an innovative written exam that eschews a traditional multiple-choice format. Developed by the Council for Aid to Education, this exam, a version of which is used at over 200 colleges and universities across the country, helps schools measure the quality of their instruction in writing, problem-solving, analysis, and calculation; it assesses students' readiness to think critically, adjudicate between competing hypotheses, and present their conclusions in a clear and compelling way—skills crucial to college, work, and civic life and prominent in a St. Andrew's education. Students take this exam within the first month of school and near the end of their VI Form year.

Reports and Grading System

The School reports grades in percentages: 85 or above represents honors work, 60 is passing, and below 60, failing. The School sends reports home in November, February and April. In October and March, each student's advisor writes a letter noting the student's mid-term performance. In June, the student's advisor writes a complete review that accompanies final grades and teacher comments. The Academic Dean, Director of Studies and academic advisors may also write letters in special instances.

Technological Resources

The Academic Program makes effective use of modern information technology in all subject areas. The nearly 100 networked computers located in classrooms and laboratories across campus provide students and faculty with Internet access, e-mail accounts, internal campus messaging, file storage, printing services and specialized academic software.

Science laboratories utilize computer-interfaced measuring probes and spreadsheet programs for data analysis. In mathematics classes, students work with mathematical modeling and statistical analysis programs, as well as programmable graphing calculators. Students hone their listening and speaking skills in modern languages by working with interactive audio and video clips accessible through the campus computer network.

Library

The mission of the Irene duPont Library is to encourage academic excellence by providing service and instruction to the School community, to collaborate with faculty in designing learning opportunities with resources, information and technology, and to promote effective and discriminating users of ideas and information.

Built in October 1956 and renovated in 2008, the Library features ten individual study carrels, a computer lab, five group study rooms, a periodical and reference room, and a collection of approximately 35,000 volumes and 125 periodicals. The print collection grows by about 700 books each year. Additionally, the Library has over 30 electronic reference sources and full-text article databases covering a wide variety of subject areas . The Library also loans cameras, iPods, video cameras, Kindles and videos (2000 fiction and nonfiction) for student and faculty use. While the Library strives to provide the best technology and access to information in a secondary school setting, the Library itself remains a serene, casual and academic environment.

With a new and ever expanding library Website, http://libraryweb.standrews-de.org , the Library facilitates student access to information and provides formal library instruction. This work, begun during orientation classes for new students and continuing in other academic classes throughout a St. Andrew's career, affords students the library research skills for the academic environment of this school and beyond. The library Web page is also an access point for the School archives , which offer numerous primary research opportunities for students, faculty, and alumni. The Web site also provides access to numerous class syllabi , a compilation that allows for greater collaboration within the community and enables the librarians to support the curriculum and intellectual growth of our students, faculty, and staff.