+ What

High school at VSL will be composed of students in grades 10, 11, and 12. As we grow—and as they grow—our ninth graders will be included in various high school activities as part of their transition to high school. For example, they will be required to contribute to their portfolio, though ninth graders are considered part of junior high at VSL. A quick snapshot: VSL elementary school includes grades Jr. K-6; junior high is grades 7, 8, and 9; high schoolers are 10th, 11th, and 12th graders.

+ When

The high school day at VSL begins at 8:45am. The school day ends at 3:30pm with optional after school activities until 5 p.m. Offerings change each learning block at VSL so students can experience a wide range of activities and parents can know their children have a quality after-school program.

+ Why

Choosing a school for students at any age level requires a leap of faith, and the stakes feel higher for high school students. No school, whether new or old, can make guarantees about your student’s future after graduation, and VSL is no different. What we do promise our parents or guardians is a focus on student success in the present, knowing that your high school student’s academic, physical, and mental wellbeing now is important to their long-term success later.

Employers are looking for those with the ability collaborate, create, communicate effectively, and think critically and outside the box. Too often, the innate gifts of creativity and curiosity that young children have are squashed in an education system focused on test scores and resume building. VSL nurtures students from day one in environments that enable growth of these soft skills while exposing students to a wide range of academic and extracurricular activities and providing necessary time for rest and play.

High school and college students in the US are showing signs of burnout and mental illness at higher rates than ever; this was true even before the pandemic. It’s hard to be creative when anxious or broken down. It’s hard to be patient and communicate effectively when overwhelmed. It’s hard to critically evaluate information when sleep deprived with day after day of 14 or so hours of scheduled activities plus homework. It’s a risk to ask questions and think outside the box when they’ve been primed to determine “the right answer” of given choices year after year. It’s not easy to empathize and see other perspectives when they have little to no time to spend with others in meaningful ways, especially those whose lives differ from their own. VSL pushes against this overscheduled and stressed version of high school life, knowing that it does not serve students well in the present or the future.

Your student will never be a high schooler again, and VSL values the time in high school not as merely a steppingstone to college, trade school, or the working world, but a valuable and formative time in their life. VSL fosters a culture that ensures students are not overly scheduled or stressed but rather engaged, challenged, and joyful.

+ Curriculum

VSL does not use one whole-class, set curriculum for high school students. Small, mixed-age classes allow teachers to use materials that best fit each student’s needs and learning goals.

With teachers as their guides, students discover information, create reference materials from those experiences, and learn how to research topics relevant to their unique learning goals. In general, VSL students do not use textbooks, though we do make textbooks available as needed. The idea that one textbook could reach each student, provide all the necessary information and perspectives, and meet the learning goals of a project at hand is not reasonable. Thus, the textbooks in our classrooms are available for reference, starting points, conversation, and examination. They are not used as the only information but rather a steppingstone to deep knowledge and means to ask pointed questions.

In general, a VSL high school curriculum will feel authentic because it is rooted in the real world. Math is not separated from science, literature, and history; all are integrated and consider varying perspectives to guide students toward solutions to real-world problems.

+ Enrichment & Extracurriculars

VSL encourages high school students to follow their interests or passions and learn deeply about them. This includes extracurricular activities. At the same time, VSL cautions against overscheduling and overstressing by an intensity of extracurricular activity that does not lead to a student thriving physically, emotionally, and academically.

Teenagers are still learning who they are and what the wider world is like. Thus, VSL facilitates a range of experiences for our students and encourages families to seek further enrichment, though limited, outside of school hours. VSL respects that down time is important, especially for teenagers who are in an unparalleled time of cognitive and physical growth and development.

VSL believes that the creativity, flexibility, and enthusiasm that comes with a broad range of extracurricular experiences coupled with sufficient downtime and relaxation leads to a healthy balance now and in the future.

+ A Day at VSL

Brain research shows that teenage adolescents have a different circadian rhythm from adults and younger children. While various social factors impact delayed evening sleep, developmentally, the teenage brain tends to get tired later in the evening. Their need for 8-10 hours of sleep each night means that they require sleep longer into the morning. For most teens, learning cannot effectively begin before 9am. In fact, The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that middle and high school classes start after 8:30am for the mental, physical, and academic wellbeing of students. At VSL, we acknowledge and respect this evidence by starting the high school day at 8:45am, allowing that extra sleep time for their growing brains.

• Mornings (starting at 8:45am for our high schoolers) are usually a time for direct learning, though that direct learning may be through and/or is likely part of an interdisciplinary project. Students may spend this time with teachers who have expertise in English, history, math, or science. Students also take at least one 15-minute break, outdoors whenever possible. Snacks are available to students during this break.
• Midday is filled with wonderfully enriching activities. Students enjoy a physical activity, performing or visual arts, or classes in other languages. In addition, all our students have a 30-minute lunch break and 30-minutes of unstructured recess around midday.
• Afternoons are usually focused on project-based learning. Students may be working with community experts on campus, or they may take field trips to learn on site with experts in an applicable field.
• After school, students can choose between several clubs each learning block. Clubs may include such a broad range of options such as art, drama, dodgeball, and even teen hangout time (VSL believes it is important to facilitate down time among friends).

Each morning, all VSL students must turn in any cell phones and other electronic equipment brought to campus for return when they leave in the afternoons. The only exception is students with a doctor’s note explaining why a cell phone is needed. We want to ensure that our students can focus on the classroom learning, their fellow students, and teachers.

+ Grades & Portfolios

In Fall 2022, VSL transitioned to a competency-based grading system when we observed that the more traditional grading system did not sufficiently align with our mission and values. Upon written request, our competency-based records can be translated to a GPA as needed for admission to other schools or higher education ins, or job or scholarship.

The VSL educational requirement that students build a portfolio of their work which shows their intellectual and personal growth imbues a level of self-reflection that is rare among high school students.

Stay tuned for our page on Student Progress and Grading at VSL for further information on our competency-based grading system.

+ Graduation Requirements

In addition to Kentucky state graduation requirements, VSL requires all high schoolers to complete a variety of interdisciplinary projects as part of our competency checklist for graduation.

All students must have a completed portfolio to graduate from VSL. This portfolio must include at least one project from each year of high school. In 10th grade, students must defend their project before their classmates; The 11th grade project requires defense to relevant field experts; seniors are required to obtain an internship or work experience.

These hands-on opportunities afford students with some tangible real-world experience for college and/or beyond. Additionally, whether students are moving on to higher education or an alternative, these opportunities are rewarding in the now. They can hone presentation skills, composure for answering questions on the fly, and help students prepare for life beyond high school. Healthy doses of stress stretch the mind and can positively impact emotional intelligence.