Philosophy of Curriculum
Guided by our mission, Saint Brendan has designed various level courses to meet the specific needs of the individual student at his/her academic ability and interest. Courses are offered on four levels for most subjects. The following can be used as a guide to understand the different levels.
Standard Courses (Phase 1) Designed for students who need to sharpen their skills in a specific subject area. Major emphasis and direction will be on fundamentals necessary for college.
College Prep (Phase 2) Prepares the average college preparatory student who can assume the responsibility of working independently to some degree.
Advanced College Prep (Phase 3) Designed for the gifted student who is capable of learning much beyond the ordinary content of a course and who assumes the responsibility of working independently.
Advanced Placement (Phase 4) Intended for those students who are interested in working for college credits.

Student Placement
Student placement is an important part of Saint Brendan's program to ensure that the student's courses meet his/her educational and career needs. Students are assigned to an appropriate track of studies. The counselors, teachers, department chairpersons, the assistant principal for curriculum, and the principal make these decisions.
Freshmen are placed in the appropriate track of studies as a result of their scores on the STS Entrance Exam, placement tests, recommendations of their middle school, and input from the academic council. Sophomores, juniors, and seniors are placed in various tracks as a result of personal interests and goals, educational proficiency in the subject area, and teacher recommendations. Transfer students are placed in courses based on grades and standardized test scores from their previous school as well as a placement test whenever possible. Placement in a particular level of a course in a given year does not limit a student's ability to change tracks the following year provided the prerequisites are met.

Course Load
Educational planning is a must for all students. A planned program of course selection will help to clarify personal goals, as well as provide those basic skills necessary to continue one's education. Since your school life and perhaps a great deal of your future depends on how well you plan your educational program, take time to carefully think through the career decisions you will make when deciding on which courses to choose. Decisions regarding the courses you plan to take should be made on the basis of your past record, future plans, and extra-curricular intentions. Careful consideration should be given to Saint Brendan High School graduation requirements, scholarship opportunities, admission policies for the state universities, and dual enrollment and AP credit opportunities. These decisions should only be made after careful consultation with your parents, teachers, and counselor.