American High School Life

Sophia Quattrocchi
Academic Year
● Fall Semester
○ August-December

● Spring Semester
○ January-May

● Breaks
○ Long Summer Break
○ Short Winter Break
School Day
● 8:00am ~ 3:00pm
● Traditional Schedule:
○ 7 classes each 50 min
● 30 minute lunch break
○ Upperclassmen can leave
campus
Cultural Differences
● 4 years
○ Freshman
○ Sophomore
○ Junior
○ Senior
● Students rotate classrooms
○ Teachers stay in one classroom
● Students usually learn Spanish or French
● No uniforms in public schools
○ Any school appropriate clothing is allowed
○ Dyed hair and piercings are allowed
● Toilet paper is provided, students do not clean
● Can bring your own lunch
Athletics
● High Schools are very focused on sports and school spirit
○ Football, Basketball, Volleyball, Baseball, Soccer, Swimming, Track & Field
● Teams compete at nearby schools around the state
● Coaches are often teachers at the high school
Athletics
● Sports also incorporates other school activities
● Cheerleading occurs throughout sports games.
● Dance teams and bands perform during halftime.
Extracurriculars
● Universities focus both on academics and extracurriculars
● Competitive Academic Clubs
○ Science Olympiad
○ Math Counts
○ Speech and Debate
Extracurriculars
● Music
○ Band
○ Orchestra
○ Choir
● Cultural Clubs
○ Asian Caucus, Latino Caucus
● Others
○ Student Council, Volunteering Clubs