Curriculum

Pope John offers a wide range of courses that are designed to prepare students to be well-educated, well-rounded citizens to meet the academic demands of higher education and the challenges of the world beyond.

In order to be awarded a Pope John XXIII Regional High School diploma, the student must satisfactorily complete 130 credits, which includes the following core requirements as specified by the school, the State of New Jersey, and the Diocese of Paterson. For purposes of clarity, the term credit year denotes a full-year course in the subject area.

REQUIREMENTS FOR GRADUATION

• English: One (1) credit year for each year of enrollment
• Theology: One (1) credit year for each year of enrollment
• Mathematics: Three (3) credit years of Algebra I or higher
• Science: Three (3) credit years including physics, chemistry, and biology
• World Language: Two consecutive (2) credit years in the same language 
• United States History: Two (2) credit years
• World History: One (1) credit year
• Fine or Performing Arts: One (1) credit year
• Health/Phys. Ed: Four (4) mandatory units – Note: Juniors and seniors may opt to take an additional AP or Honors level course in lieu of Phys. Ed./Health if their cumulative GPA is 3.0 or higher. 

Again, these are minimum requirements. Pope John XXIII graduates are required to complete additional coursework in order to accumulate the required 130 credits, and, in many cases, colleges may have additional entrance requirements. (The credit value of each course offered at Pope John XXIII is found in the Curriculum Guide and Prospectus.)

All students are required to take a full course load of eight (8) courses annually – a credit total of 40 credits – and may not carry fewer than 33 credits so that the minimum graduation credit requirements are met. Regular meetings with a school counselor will ensure that a student’s course of study meets college, university, or military academy requirements and/or the student’s career goals.
The Pope John School Counseling Department also integrates career education/guidance into the curriculum in grades 8 through 12.