College-Preparatory

Academics

A rigorous, four-year Catholic education built for relationships — where faculty know every student by name and every graduate is prepared for college and a life of purpose.

The Kolbe Program

Four years. Four pillars.

Kolbe Cathedral delivers a rigorous, four-year Catholic college-preparatory education built on four pillars — academic preparation, faith formation, character, and college readiness. Every part of the program is designed to help each student reach their full academic potential.

With a 15:1 student-to-faculty ratio and roughly 325 students, our classrooms are designed for relationships — faculty know every student by name and stay invested in their academic, personal, and spiritual growth.

A typical day is four 80-minute blocks — long enough for labs, discussion, projects, writing workshops, and one-on-one conferencing inside a single class period.

15:1: Student-to-faculty ratio
~325: Students, grades 9–12

A Kolbe Cathedral student focused on written work during a class block

Academic Preparation
A rigorous core that stretches every student toward their full academic potential.
Faith Formation
Catholic identity woven through learning, not bolted on beside it.
Character
Graduates with the strength of character to make a difference in the world.
College Readiness
Personalized guidance that opens the door to every next step.

The Kolbe Schedule

Four blocks. Room to teach.

A typical Kolbe day is built around four 80-minute blocks, for eight courses across the year. The longer format gives teachers room to do more than lecture — labs, discussion, projects, writing workshops, and one-on-one conferencing all fit inside a single class period.

80: Minutes per block
4: Blocks per day
8: Courses per year

Block A
8:15 – 9:35 AM
The day opens with the first of four 80-minute class periods.
Block B
9:40 – 11:00 AM
The second class period of the morning.
Block C
11:00 AM – 12:48 PM
The longest block — it runs through three staggered lunch waves.
Block D
12:55 – 2:15 PM
The final class period of the academic day.

Honors & Advanced Placement

Pathways for students ready to take on more.

Kolbe offers multiple pathways for students ready to stretch themselves further — an Honors program and a slate of Advanced Placement courses through which students can earn college credit before they ever set foot on a college campus.

These pathways let motivated students accelerate, dig deeper, and arrive at college already practiced in the habits of rigorous, independent scholarship.

Honors Program
Placement-based courses that move faster and dig deeper for students ready to stretch themselves further. On-time registration preserves a student's placement year to year.
Advanced Placement
A slate of AP courses through which students earn college credit and arrive at college already practiced in rigorous, independent scholarship.
Seal of Bi-Literacy
Recognition for students who demonstrate proficiency in English and a second language by graduation — a credential colleges and employers value.

A complete PDF of course descriptions is available for download on the school site.

Graduation Requirements

30 credits to graduate.

Every Kolbe graduate completes a minimum of 30 credits across a balanced, college-preparatory course of study.

Kolbe Cathedral graduation requirements by department, 30 credits minimum
Department	Credits
Religion	4
English	4
Mathematics	4
Science	4
Social Science	4
World Language	2
Physical Education / Health	2
Music or Technology	1
Electives	5
Minimum to graduate	30

College Outcomes

100% accepted. Every year.

100%

Graduation Rate

100%

College Acceptance

Recent graduates have been accepted to Yale, Cornell, Boston College, Wesleyan, Williams, Fairfield, Catholic University of America, UC Berkeley, Clark, and Emerson — among many others.

College guidance is available throughout high school, with personalized support during junior and senior year.

Learning in Action

Where the work happens

The long-block schedule turns class time into work time — students reading and writing in the library, focused in seminar, and drafting alongside teachers who have the minutes to sit beside them. It is what a 15:1 ratio looks like in practice.

See Student Life