ALL SCHOOL – Grades PK -12

1. Donoho is fully accredited by The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), has already been approved as one of the first to be accredited by the Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS) when that program is officially initiated July 1, 2004, a member of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), and of the Alabama Association of Independent Schools.
2. All members of the faculty are qualified by standards of the accrediting Southern Ass’n of Colleges and Schools (SACS) AND teaching in field. Sixty-seven percent (67%) of the faculty have earned graduate degrees.
3. A summer program offering over 35 offerings for adults and students of all ages will provide opportunities in the arts, health and recreation, and technology areas for the entire community.
4. A state of the art technology infrastructure strategically designed to be-in-support of, rather than in place of the teacher, is in place with a fiber optic backbone connecting all buildings, and TI Internet access. The program will include a wireless campus for the ’04-’05 school year with studies underway planning for all high school students to have 24-7 laptop access for the ’05-’06 school year.
5. An interactive state-of-the-art website provides information on scheduled school programs and activities. Included is a syllabus updated weekly previewing all academic assignments and scheduled activities for all students – grades pre-K-12.

LOWER SCHOOL – Grades PK -6

1. A pre-K and K program with an academic emphasis – far beyond a daycare or playschool curriculum.
2. Foreign Language exposure including Spanish in grades PK-3 and French in grades 4-6 by qualified teachers – not volunteers.
3. Art instructions scheduled weekly taught by a qualified art instructor – not volunteers or classroom teachers. In addition to studying major artists and the elements of art at age-appropriate levels, students get to work with diverse media, such as tempera, oil pastels, water colors, chalk, pencil, pen and ink, colored pencils, acrylics, ceramics, weaving, monoprinting, and collages.
4. Music instruction scheduled weekly with a qualified music teacher. – not volunteers or classroom teachers.
5. Private music lessons - students in grades pre-K-12 have the opportunity to study piano, strings, and guitar with various private music teachers on campus during the school day. Students may take a lesson during PE, recess, or study hall once each week. Over 30% of our students participate - about 50 of the Lower Schoolers. .
6. Technology exposure and computer science is taught beginning with the pre-K students. Students are able to study various areas of technology in their regular classrooms and through the Mac computer lab. Kindergarteners use the computer as part of their learning centers for reinforcement and enrichment. Primary students visit the computer lab once or twice each week to complete enrichment activities or cross-curricular lessons that reinforce math or reading skills. Keyboarding techniques are introduced at even the pre-K level. . Intermediate (grades 4-6) students have computer literacy classes as part of their regular curriculum. These classes integrate academics and keyboarding skills while teaching students to use programs such as HyperStudio and PressWriter. All classrooms have filtered internet access, which students and faculty use for research and to view the school website for the most current school information.
7. A qualified guidance counselor is available and active in working with all students – grades pre-K-12. Students enjoy a weekly character education lesson with the counselor on topics ranging from friendship to getting organized.
8. Physical education with a curriculum stressing life fitness is scheduled daily in the Lower School with a qualified P.E. teacher – not volunteers or the classroom teacher.
9. Private and licensed day care service on campus is available after school hours using school facilities thus eliminating the need of transportation to other facilities for working parents.
10. Achievement tests administered annually as a means of assessing the school program as well as student progress, produce mean class scores consistently ranking in the 90+ percentile.

UPPER SCHOOL- Grades 7-12

1. 100% of the 30-40 graduates per year to college enjoying a college advising program with individual sessions with experienced college advisors in the junior year.
2. Last 10 years the Donoho School has had more National Merit Scholars than the total of all the other Calhoun County schools combined.
3. The Classes of ’01, ’02, ’03 collectively averaged over $2.4 million scholarship monies per year, with
4. SAT Scores averaging 608 Verbal (506 National) and 591 Math (501 National)
5. All students complete a minimum of three high school years of foreign language taught by qualified and experienced instructors.
6. Students have the opportunity to study Chemistry, Physics, and Calculus with qualified and experienced instructors.
7. Students may gain college credit through courses during their junior and senior years taught on campus during the regular school day in the social sciences, English, Foreign Language, and computer science departments.
8. Thirteen AP classes are available.
9. Upper School Intersession – a two-week program of off campus career exploration, educational trips, and on-campus enrichment course options – offer students practical experiences not possible within the confines of the normal classroom situation.
10. Over 85% of all students participate in the after school extra or co curricular program – the majority in athletics, band, forensics, and the performing arts. A no-cut participatory policy providing opportunities for all students who wish to be part of a program is in place.