Curriculum
Program Overview
Gamble Montessori High School is a strong college-preparatory school and a place where young people can develop into thoughtful, intelligent and inclusive human spirits who contribute to the stewardship of our community and our planet.
Gamble Montessori creates opportunities for students from Montessori elementary programs to continue their Montessori education through graduation. We also welcome students from non-Montessori programs.
At Gamble, a commitment to rigorous academics begins in 7th grade. Core classes are available at the AA-Honors and Advanced Placement (AP) levels. Additionally, College Credit Plus classes are offered, a dual-enrollment program that allows students to earn college credits, at no cost, while still in high school.
Educational research and Montessori philosophy indicate that building resilience in students through the creation of a caring school community is a vital factor for lifelong success. We use flexible scheduling, multiage grouping, and team-based structures to allow our young people to develop mutually supportive and trusting relationships with their peers and our school staff.
- Middle school and high school classrooms are organized into learning communities with multiple ages.
- Students and families sign agreements requiring commitment to community involvement, learning, respect for others, hard work and peace.
- Service Learning is required through the Gators Give Back program that focuses on a project.
- Seniors complete a capstone senior project, which they work on during the year. This project allows them to complete an in-depth study on a topic for which they are passionate.
- Through community meetings, grade-level meetings and Student Council, students are given responsibility for shaping rules and expectations at our school.
Working Together to Promote Student Success and Achievement
At Gamble Montessori, the student, parent, and teacher must work together, with each fulfilling his or her responsibilities to ensure the success of the student within our program. The general responsibilities of each (teacher, student, and parent) are listed below. Any questions regarding these responsibilities should be clarified at the beginning of the school year.
Role of the Teacher
- Prepare curriculum that addresses CPS and Core Curriculum standards and fulfills our Montessori program focus
- Encourage the student to become an independent learner with the skills of organization, communication, and responsibility
- Schedule at least two conferences a year
- Regularly update PowerSchool and give midterm progress report of academic work to date
- Set clear expectations for behavior, academic rubrics and due dates
- Maintain a safe environment in which students have high expectations placed upon their work and behavior
Role of the Student
- Complete all class work and homework on a timely basis, participating in lunchtime or after-school homework help or study tables as needed
- Review PowerSchool and progress reports with parent(s)
- Take responsibility for actions, homework, and clear communication between teacher, parent and student
- Show respect in all personal interactions and relationships
- Be prepared for leading conferences with parent and teacher
- Work to earn money to contribute to payment of field experience fees, and be an active participant in all field experiences
Role of the Parent
- Review PowerSchool as well as progress reports with the student and help the student keep high standards for academic work
- Offer the student a quiet work space at home, and encourage participation in help sessions as needed
- Support staff in helping students find appropriate solutions to problems (mediation, problem solving, and anger management) rather than verbal or physical aggression
- Work with their student and teachers to find ways to afford field studies
- Take an active role in the program fundraising to keep the cost of the field studies to a minimum and support their child’s participation
- Attend parent meetings and student-led conferences
Communication
We believe that communication is vital to the success of each child in our program. Regular announcements and updates will be distributed via recorded phone messages, emails, and paper copies sent home with students. Personal phone calls, emails, and mailings will be used as needed. Additionally, each student will be given a student planner in which to keep all assignments and important dates. Parents should regularly review this planner to help guide the student on any difficult work and to be aware of what the student is learning and of important dates. Certain teachers may also distribute weekly checklists detailing the assignments and other important information for the week.
Parents are encouraged to use phone calls, emails, or written notes to contact teachers. Parents can also arrange a conference time with teachers as needed. Please remember that teachers are unable to take phone calls during class time, and calls will be directed to voice mail. Parents should call the main office (363-2600) and the office can direct the call.
Student-Led Conferences
Twice a year, each student will lead a conference with his or her parent and teacher. The student must prepare to lead this conference with teacher guidance. The student-led conference can prove to be an invaluable tool for examining student progress.
Goals of the Student-Led Conference: the student will:
- Share his/her work
- Self-evaluate their work and work habits, finding strengths and areas that are in need of improvement
- Engage in goal-setting and clarifying goals
- The role of parent and teachers will be to support the student, ask clarifying questions as needed, and provide guidance if required.
PowerSchool & Progress Reports
Every student and parent is able to access the student’s assignments and grades through PowerSchool online. Parents and students should check PowerSchool regularly to monitor progress and note any missing assignments.
At the midterm of each quarter, a progress report will be sent home for parents and students to review. It is the student’s responsibility to show this report to the parent. Parents should review this report with their student and assist in making plans to complete missing work, bring up low marks, and/or maintain high marks. End of quarter progress reports are mailed home to parents.
Parents should contact teachers with any questions or concerns. A meeting can be scheduled with parents, teachers and the student to accomplish any problem solving. A goal of our program is to assist the student in arriving at solutions to problems they experience, both academic and otherwise.
Grading System
A traditional (A, B, C, D, F) four point grade system is used. However, most classes are weighted on a five point scale, as all core courses are considered “AA” Honors.
A (90-100) B (80-89) C (70-79) D (60-69) F (0-59)
Grade Point Average
All courses are averaged for GPA. Students are ranked according to their GPA. Both weighted and unweighted GPAs are listed on the student’s transcript and are cumulative from the first semester of 9th grade. The GPA weighting for the current class is as follows:
- 1.0 Academic A= 4.0 B=3.0 C=2.0 D= 1.0 F=0
- 1.25 for AA (Honors) courses A= 5.0 B=3.75 C=2.5 D=1.25 F=0
- 1.5 for AP Courses, College Credit Plus A=6.0 B = 4.5 C=3.0 D=1.5 F=0
Program and Graduation Requirements
Our Schedule
The school year consists of two semesters, each lasting 18 weeks. The school day begins at 9:15AM and ends at 4:15PM. On Mondays, students go to all 8 of their academic classes for 42 minutes and have a short
advisory bell. Tuesday through Friday, students follow a block schedule, with four academic classes for 88 minutes each day, and their other four classes for 88 minutes the next day.
Intersessions
In addition to traditional academic studies, each Gamble student must complete eight, two-week intensive field study courses. Each Intersession course includes rigorous academic requirements paired with hands-on
learning experiences, including a community service experience. Subjects range from “Justice and Peace” to “Exploring Engineering, Physics, and Math.” Each grade level has one required Intersession and one elective field study. A listing of elective field studies is below. Students receive 0.25 credits for each Intersession, and passing all eight is required to receive a Gamble diploma. The required Intersessions are: Montessori Exploration and Community Building (9th and 10th), College and Career Exploration (11th), and Job Shadowing and Community Service (12th).
Curriculum Requirements
"Education must aim at improving the individual in order to improve society."
—Maria Montessori