SA MOD SCHEDULE
CO-CURRICULARS
About the Intersession & Passport Programs
We are continuing to evolve the way in which Intersession and the Passport Program are delivered. The values of these programs—adventure, global citizenship, immersive and experiential or real-world learning, trying new things or deepening passions and interests—will be delivered with greater intentionality and overall impact.
Next year, Intersession will occur after Mod 2 in the beginning of November. This time period is better for travel as well as for local Sonoma County adventures and intersession experiences. We have shortened the Intersession period to five days and students will take one five-day course and these five-day courses will provide an immersive and experiential learning experience, both on and off campus.
We will also continue to offer our Passport Program within the Intersession block as well as during Spring Break, and possibly immediately following graduation as well. We will share local Intersession course offerings as well as Passport Program courses on our typical timeline (slightly earlier for the on-campus Intersession courses due to Intersession falling earlier in the school year).
Mod Abroad
Adolescence is the perfect time to broaden horizons and be exposed to the world beyond our local communities. International programs provide an excellent opportunity for students to take healthy risks, which can include: connecting with peers outside of their friend group, interacting with people from another culture, being away from home without family members for the first time, trying a new food or activity, and so much more. This type of healthy risk-taking increases confidence and develops the skills necessary to continue stretching our comfort zones, ultimately enjoying our lives more and becoming better community members.
Through international travel, and our entire SA program, we help students develop competencies such as investigating and interrogating our own assumptions and biases; engaging with various cultures; seeking to understand multiple perspectives; adapting to change and persevering through challenges; and recognizing our role and the impact of our own actions.
Next year, we will expand our vision for our international programs to pilot a new program called Mod Abroad. The Mod Abroad program allows for a classroom-component that will be incorporated prior to traveling in order to provide additional learning and context for the travel component. Students interested in the Mod Abroad courses will need to apply for the courses and meet any necessary prerequisites. Just as with Passport Program courses, the associated costs of travel within the Mod Abroad courses will be covered by the Passport Program Fund and will count as that student’s Passport Program experience. Both Mod Abroad courses will be scheduled in Mod 4. Students who wish to participate may have a reduced number of one-mod elective choices as a result, because four of their open blocks will be scheduled to occur during Mod 4 in order to participate in the course. Mod Abroad course descriptions are available in our 2024-2025 Course Catalog.
Community Wellness
Student-athletes who participate in a team sport at SA will receive PE credit for the year in which they play the sport. Students who participate in a sport outside of school (a club team, a sport not offered at SA such as swimming, rowing, equestrian, etc., or an activity such as competitive dance) may receive PE credit for that year. A form and simple process will be involved to document the non-School physical activity.
We will continue to offer a variety of 1-mod PE courses for students who do not participate in on- or off-campus athletics and/or open to students who wish to take additional physical education courses.
A fundamental component of the transformative education we provide is our commitment to community and individual wellbeing. Our Community Wellness program encompasses both Physical Education, an expanded Health & Wellness program with more elective choices, as well as new electives related to community engagement.
Health & Wellness
We remain deeply committed to delivering a Health & Wellness curriculum, which includes grade-level appropriate explorations of identity, sexuality, mental health, nutrition, relationships, body image, substance use/abuse, stress management, sleep, and more.
9th and 10th grade students will take a 1-mod Health & Wellness course. 11th and 12th grade students may choose from the
Community Wellness electives if they wish.
Physical Education
Our goal is to encourage all students to participate
in physical activity and to live a healthy and active lifestyle to the
extent possible for each individual. There are many ways to participate in physical activity and we believe in the long-term benefits of finding a physical activity that works for you as an individual. Our goal is to allow students to satisfy our PE requirements in a way that they enjoy.
Promoting physical activity, promoting physical skills, supporting a healthy lifestyle, engaging, age appropriate fitness activities, variety, teamwork, sportsmanship.
We will require two mods of Physical Education for all students, one to be completed in 9th grade and one in 10th grade. Our students will now be able to satisfy their Physical Education requirement in a number of ways.