High School Goals & Expectations

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At each grade level, we have goals and expectations for our students. Naturally, we have higher expectations of our older students. We expect them to have accomplished the goals of the Mid-Level and Junior High levels plus the expectations for graduation.

High School students are expected to take a leadership role in homeroom and throughout the school. They are integral to the structure of homerooms. 

They should be able to plan and complete projects, as well as state what they learned. As they move through school and approach the end of their time at Kino, our students should have the ability to set and work towards goals for their future beyond high school. 
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Kino high school students are accountable for themselves and aware of their place in our community. They have a keen sense of self and compassion for others. Kino students are expected to be productive, positive, and a model of cooperation in homeroom.

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High School Curriculum

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Kino’s unique learning environment places great emphasis on social and personal growth as well as academic skills and interests. All of these factors are considered as each student progresses through their high school career.

As with other grade levels, high school students are encouraged to work towards goals that are meaningful to them. The focus now is on tailoring their curriculum to what they plan to do after graduation. If a student plans to go to college, they’ll take classes or work on projects that follow the guidelines of what most colleges require. 

Kino high schoolers complete 22 credits per year, a senior project, 30 hours of community service, and a looking back/looking ahead essay. Earning credits can be based on projects, working one-on-one with a teacher, or in a class. For example, to earn a History credit, a student may join a class, review documentaries, read historical fiction, or pursue their own idea.

A project is an extended, in-depth investigation of a topic that interests each student. It could be writing a novel or creating and coding a video game. Some students build things like greenhouses or work with animals. Some projects involve organizing people or doing an internship in the community. 

Some projects are easily defined, with straightforward procedures and goals while some are open-ended, with procedures and goals that change as the student goes. Projects that achieve high school credit involve reading, writing, and doing. Senior projects will be presented to the school community at the end of the year. 
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Kino high schoolers must submit written evaluations for any class or project for which they earn credit. These evaluations are one-page summaries indicating the scope of the work and its significance to the student and become part of their transcripts.

When applying to colleges, they send their evaluations in lieu of grades to demonstrate what they learned. This is an opportunity to demonstrate their writing abilities to the colleges of their choice and to make their application stand out from other standard transcripts that colleges receive.