Credits and Core Curriculum
This document describes the New Vista system of credit.
Mapping New Vista Learning Units to Conventional Credit
New Vista operates on a Quarter schedule (9-and-one-half weeks) and offers a variety of course formats, which are reflected on the transcript.
Block courses: 1 Block = 1 Learning Unit/.50 Carnegie Units Meet 4 days a week, 2 hours per day.
Half-Block courses: .5 Learning Unit/.25 Carnegie Units Meet 4 days a week, 1 hour per day. (May meet 5 days a week for .75 Learning Units.)
Seminar courses: 1 Seminar = .5 Learning Unit/.25 Carnegie Units Meet 3 times per week, twice for 1hour and once for 1 two hours.
Advisory: .3 Learning Units/.15 Carnegie Units Meets 5 days a week, twice for 70 minutes, and three times for 8 minutes.
Workshops: .25 Learning Units/.125 Carnegie Units Meet one day a week for two hrs. Taught by school or community experts.
Community Experience: Credit is based on the time spent in these activities. Exploration of service, career paths or personal interests in community-based internships.
Learning Unit Contracts: Credit is based on the time spent in these activities. Independent study program for activities scheduled outside the school day.
Mapping New Vista Learning Units
to Conventional Core Curriculum Credits
Language Arts: 8 Learning Units = 4 years of LA
All Literature courses include writing and therefore are Literature and Composition.
Courses designated as Writers' Workshop can be either exclusively Composition or Composition and Literature. If the latter, these courses still have a strong writing emphasis.
Composition-only courses include Skillbuilding, Foundations of Writing, Composition II, Essays, and College Writing.
US and/or World Lit and Comp designations are provided in the Course Description booklet.
Mathematics: 6 Learning Units = 3 years of Math
Equations = Algebra; Figures = Geometry
Equations IB and Equations II plus Figures, Shapes & Patterns I and II cover the content of Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II.
Students take Equations III for Trigonometry and Analytical Geometry (Pre-Calculus).
Intro to Calculus provides a Quarter-long exposure to Calculus content.
Science: 6 Learning Units = 3 years of Science
Physical Science, Biology, Anatomy, Chemistry, and Physics are all lab sciences.
Parts A and B of any of these science courses = 1 year of the same lab science.
Social Studies: 6 Learning Units = 3 years of Social Studies
Courses are topic-based. We do not have survey courses.
US or World focus designations are provided in the Course Description booklet.
World Languages: 6 Learning Units = 3 years of World Language
Completion of Spanish III B = Completion of 3 years of Spanish.