The Upper School Mod Schedule

With time being one of our most scarce resources, how a school schedules or allocates time is a statement of its values. In the St. Anne’s-Belfield Upper School, we believe our students deserve a school that is nimble and responsive to the needs of adolescents and the changing demands of college admissions. The modular schedule was introduced in 2023-24 for these reasons. 

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What is a Modular (Mod) Schedule?

Our school year is broken into six, six-week terms, called “mods.” 

  • Most full-credit courses are triple-mod and meet either in the odd mods (1, 3, 5) or the even mods (2, 4, 6).
  • Students may take a maximum of four classes per mod, and a maximum of eight classes over the course of the year. 
  • The modular schedule allows for additional mods as appropriate (for example AB/BC Calculus).
  • Some are single-mod classes. This allows us to offer more variety in electives such as Audio Engineering or Technology, Engineering, and Design. It also affords dedicated time during the school day for instruction on topics like college counseling, life and study skills, more math, world language, or personal finance. 

A modular schedule allows for flexibility.

View the sample schedule

What is Different About the Mod Schedule at St. Anne’s-Belfield?

You’ll notice that periods rotate each day. This prevents a student from having the same classes at the same time each day. For example, Math every morning when your brain may not be fully awake, or having to leave Humanities early every time your team has an away game.

What stays the same each day?

  • Office hours happen every morning before school. Students are encouraged to meet with their teachers for extra support or mentorship.
  • Monday through Thursday: Classes begin at 8:45, 10:30, and 1:30 and meet for 90 minutes. There are three classes per day. 
  • Friday: All four classes meet for 65 minutes each.
  • We prioritize community time. That includes Upper School meeting Monday, Community Forum on Wednesday, and Chapel on Friday.
  • Time for clubs, grade level, and other meetings is built into the school day. Daily breaks also directly support academic performance and adolescent brain development: time for rest, food, reviewing course materials, or receiving ad hoc support.

Mod Schedule Myths and Facts

Since implementing the mod schedule in 2023-24, we have seen remarkable benefits:

Myth: Students will forget everything they learned between mods.

We have found that the pauses between mods boost retention and are more catered to how adolescents learn. They necessitate review and activation of prior learning. 

Myth: A student needs formal exam periods to perform well on standardized tests.

High-stakes exams and weeklong exam periods eat into instructional time without evidence of improving long-term learning or retention. Flexible, continuous, and varied formative/summative assessments are far more effective.

Myth: Colleges look unfavorably at modular schedules.

College admission officers look at final grades on the transcript to assess a student’s performance, not a school’s schedule. Every transcript is sent with a St. Anne’s-Belfield School profile that gives an overview of our program.

Fact: The Mod Schedule allows for deep, immersive learning. 

90-minute class periods allow teachers to shift from traditional lectures toward active, hands-on, and experiential learning (such as science labs and peer instruction). And when instruction is interactive and student-centered rather than passive, retention improves.

Fact: Students have more opportunity to pursue individual pathways through the curriculum.

Fewer, longer classes foster deeper personal connections and positive relationships between students and faculty. Teachers and college counselors are able to work together to not only help students identify their passions, but to develop them into a cohesive narrative that colleges today demand. 

Students with an academic or personal interest receive mentorship, support, and time to follow individualized paths through our curriculum — such as an independent study or enrolling in the Pathways Program.

They may also engage in off campus volunteering or study that is deeply fulfilling for the student and their local partner organization. Demonstrating a long-term commitment to an academic area or organization is viewed far more positively than volunteering at one-off events when it comes time to apply for college.

Fact: The workload and daily pace are reasonable for students AND teachers. 

By focusing on fewer subjects each mod, the schedule has had the effect of lowering stress, maintaining a manageable daily pace, and supporting differentiated learning — for both students AND teachers.

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