School Day
A School Day in Support of Student Success
At the Northwest School, our biweekly schedule is set with student success in mind. Start times follow recommendations by experts on adolescent health, and daily schedules allow for active learning and extra-curricular activities.
Daily Start and End Times
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday
- Middle school begins at 8:30 a.m. and begins with a morning meeting.
- Upper school begins at 8:40 a.m.
- School day ends for all students at 3:30 p.m.
Wednesday
- School day starts at 9:00 a.m. and ends at 3:30 p.m. for all students.
- Middle school students are required to attend study hall from 2:55–3:30 p.m.
- Upper school students can connect with faculty during office hours from 2:55–3:30 p.m.
Early Drop-Off and Pickup Times
Students can be dropped off at the schoolhouse as early as 8:10 a.m. when the doors open. They’ll wait for school to begin in areas supervised by faculty. And students can be picked up as late as 4:00 p.m.
After-School Care
We offer an after-school program for middle school students who need to remain at school between 3:30–6:00 p.m. The program is held in the school library, providing a quiet space to do homework. Students can ask for help getting their backpacks in order and tracking assignments for an organizational boost. A small snack is provided.
Block Schedule and Cadence of the Day
For classes, we use a block schedule. Students take a total of eight classes (Blocks A–H), and those classes meet a total of five times each, within a two-week period. Each block meets for 75 minutes which allows time for immersive learning in each class.
In addition to classes, our biweekly schedule includes lunchtime, FLEX time, a community meeting, and Environment, when students work together to care for the school and its immediate surroundings. FLEX time is when students participate in interest groups and affinity groups.