St. Albans School Teachers & Courses Form I

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First Form (seventh grade), in which sixteen to eighteen new boys join the class, is the first year of full departmentalization according to academic disciplines. English, foreign language, American history, pre-algebra, and daily science provide the core of the curriculum. First Formers also take religion, decisions, music, computer, art, and drama for a portion of the year. Because at least one third of the students are new to Saint Albans, teachers are careful to make the newcomers’ entry into Saint Albans enjoyable and productive.

Because students in Forms I and II no longer have home room teachers as such, they meet instead with faculty advisors. Shortly after the start of the school year, the four or five advisors in each form meet and divide the class into groups of twelve to fifteen students each, and these groups meet twice weekly to discuss important issues in the academic and social life of the students or to organize special projects. In addition, some students seek out their advisors privately. The advisor oversees in a broad way a student’s progress from quarter to quarter and writes a summary comment on each report card.