Vision and MissionIt is the Vision of SWCHS to help make students into mature disciples of Jesus Christ who “stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured” (Colossians 4:12). Mature disciples are students who love God by obeying His commands and excelling as scholars of the Truth, stewards of God's resources, statesmen of His Church, and servants of their communities. It is the Mission of SWCHS to train students to think and act biblically towards the world in their academic, athletic, and artistic achievement. Academics Academics at SWCHS are college-preparatory, emphasizing 6 core areas: English, history and social studies, Bible/theology, math, science, and foreign languages. A wide variety of electives is available in fine arts, music, PE, health, computers/technology, business, and more. SWCHS places an emphasis on writing skills, believing that students who write well have also gained skills in analytical thinking and clear communication. A combination of several curriculum sources are used, including original source documents, classical literature, and both Christian and secular publishers. Southwest students have consistently scored above the state average on their ACT scores in all areas. AP & Honors Classes SWCHS offers AP (Advanced Placement) classes in English 11, English 12, U.S. History, U.S. Government, Macro-economics, Calculus, and World History. In 2009 and 2010, 89 students took 191 AP exams, of which 63% earned college credit by scoring a 3 or above. In addition to AP classes, SWCHS offers Honors Biology, Honors English 10, and Honors Chemistry. Honors Chemistry is a "College in the School" course and students receive 8 college credits from Crown College after completing the course. The senior level Bible class, Philosophy & Worldview, can also be taken as a "College in the School" course through Northwestern College. PSEO PSEO is open to juniors and seniors who meet admission requirements of area colleges and universities. Students may take college courses either online or part-time on the college campus while accommodating their course load at SWCHS. For more information about PSEO, go to http://www.mnscu.edu/admissions/pseo.html. Opportunities for Unique Learners For more information click on Student Support Senior Project SWCHS emphasizes thinking biblically about all areas of life, not just subjects seen as "spiritual." An in-depth study of worldviews throughout all four years culminates in a senior project and thesis paper. Faculty come alongside each student to provide coaching in their research and writing, so that seniors continue to sharpen their writing and critical thinking skills. Faculty All members of the high school faculty have bachelor's degrees and over 50% have advanced degrees. Faculty are engaged in staff development opportunities throughout each academic year. School DayClass begins at 8:00 a.m. M, T, and Th and 8:55 (late start) on W and F. The school day ends at 2:45 p.m. each day. Southwest uses a modified block schedule, with all 7 classes meeting each Monday. On Tuesday through Friday, only 3 or 4 classes meet per day. |