Curriculum & Course Offerings
Core Courses
The curriculum includes the study of literature, writing, grammar, and critical reading skills.
Mathematics:
Girls Global Academy provides a rigorous math curriculum, covering topics from basic math to advanced courses like calculus and statistics.
Science:
Students have the opportunity to explore various branches of science, including biology, chemistry, physics, and environmental science.
Social Studies:
The curriculum encompasses history, geography, civics, and world cultures, encouraging students to become informed global citizens.
World Languages
Girls Global Academy recognizes the importance of language acquisition in an increasingly interconnected world. The curriculum may offer a selection of foreign languages, such as Spanish or Mandarin, to foster cultural understanding and communication skills.
Career Pathways
Girls Global Academy is committed to preparing students for not only academic excellence but also successful futures in their chosen careers. Our approach to career-related studies is tailored to individual student interests and aspirations, ensuring they develop the skills and knowledge necessary for success in their professional lives. Here’s how we guide students on their career path:
- Exposure to Career Paths in 9th Grade: In 9th grade, we introduce students to a diverse range of career path offerings through engaging projects and hands-on experiences. This exposure is designed to ignite their interest and help them explore their passions, talents, and career aspirations.
- Informed Decision-Making: Following their exposure to various career paths, students are encouraged to make informed decisions about their future. We provide them with the necessary information and guidance to help them choose between the Engineering or Business tracks.
- Real-World Application: Our approach to career-related studies goes beyond theoretical knowledge. We emphasize real-world application, allowing students to gain practical insights and experiences that prepare them for the challenges and opportunities in their chosen careers.
- Personalized Career Development: Each student’s journey is unique. We provide personalized career development support to help students set and achieve their individual career goals. Whether they aspire to become engineers, entrepreneurs, or professionals in the world of business, we help them navigate their path with confidence.
Career and Technical Education (CTE)
High School of Business
Project Lead the Way
Specialized Learning
At Girls Global Academy, we take pride in offering a specialized learning curriculum that recognizes and caters to the unique needs of our students. Our commitment to personalized education ensures that each learner can thrive and reach their full potential. We offer the following:
- Specific Learning Support
The SLS classroom provides a safe and structured space for both individual and group learning with numerous physical and digital resources to support student social and emotional learning and growth. Students have access to general education curricula and programming with appropriately rigorous modifications and adaptations. - Content Based English as a Second Language:
The academic content areas of English Language Arts, social studies, science, and mathematics are used as a vehicle for language learning to ensure that students master academic content and performance standards. Instruction is primarily in English, although native language support is provided when necessary and when possible. These classes are taught by ESL-certified teachers using a pull-out, push-in, or inclusion approach. - Transition Topics
The Transition Topics course at Girls Global Academy offers a dedicated space for students to navigate the exciting terrain of post-secondary educational opportunities and essential life skills covering
Electives & Enrichmentment
At Girls Global Academy, we believe in offering our students a holistic and enriching educational experience. One of the cornerstones of our school culture is the wide array of electives we provide each semester. With a diverse selection of 18-20 different electives to choose from, our students have the unique opportunity to engage in two of these courses for the semester. This not only allows them to explore their passions and interests but also helps shape their educational journey in a meaningful way.
Our electives are designed to cater to a spectrum of interests and ambitions. Whether it’s delving into the arts, embracing the joy of movement, or developing essential academic and career-related skills, our electives open doors to new worlds of knowledge and self-discovery. They are a vital component of the Girls Global Academy experience, contributing significantly to our school’s vibrant and inclusive culture.
Service Learning
Girls Global Academy is committed to supporting students in the facilitation of their own learning through service-learning as an interdisciplinary, skills-based, authentic approach. GGA believes that the most effective service-learning requires a co-curricular (experiences that are connected to or mirror the academic curriculum) approach balancing service as a part of both academic coursework during the school day and experiential learning outside of the classroom.
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Student Engagement in Service-Learning
All students who attend Girls Global Academy are required to successfully complete four service-learning projects that are integrated into the curriculum. Upon completion of the projects, a student will have fulfilled 40 of the 100 service-hours required by the District of Columbia’s Board of Education.
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Student Engagement in Service-Learning
All students who attend Girls Global Academy are required to successfully complete four service-learning projects that are integrated into the curriculum. Upon completion of the projects, a student will have fulfilled 40 of the 100 service-hours required by the District of Columbia’s Board of Education.
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Classroom Service-Learning
Service-learning takes place in a variety of settings at Girls Global Academy. Service-learning instruction is facilitated by all content teachers based on course content, objectives, and standards. -
Student Leadership
Student leadership is integral to GGA service-learning projects. In the 9th and 10th grades, service-learning facilitators will provide gradual release by ensuring that students understand the mechanics of a quality service project during the first trimester through an exploration of the Global Goals. In the second and third trimesters, students take ownership of different facets of the project. In the 11th and 12th grades, students will execute their own projects with supervisor approval and check-ins.
- Dedicated Days of Service
GGA may host Day of Service events to include:- 9/11 Day of Service
- MLK Day of Service
- Global Youth Service Day
Graduation Requirements
Girls Global Academy students will meet the community service requirement of 100 hours through service learning during LEADership academy and out of school service projects. Paid experiences do not count for service learning. Students at Girls Global Academy PCS will participate in a variety of service learning experiences each year they are enrolled.
Credits: A minimum of 25.5 credits must be obtained as a student at Girls Global Academy PCS.
4 credits
4 credits
4 credits
IB Psychology HL, AP World History, AP US History, AP US Government can replace same name non AP/IB course4 credits
3 credits in lab sciences and 1 additional science course
IB Environmental Systems and Societies SL, AP Biology can replace same name non AP/IB course1.5 credits
Physical education credit can be earned through a school-sanctioned sports program1 credit
IB Art HL can replace same name non AP/IB course2 credits
3 total credits for qualifying courses in the
chosen engineering or business
pathway for the Certificate
2 credits
3 credits
Any elective course listed will count as an elective. Credits earned over the minimum requirements will count toward elective100 hours
- Total Credits25.5
Eligibility for the IEP Certificate of Completion
Students with disabilities and an Individualized Education Program (IEP) may be eligible for the IEP Certificate of Completion. The multidisciplinary team (MDT) will rely on quantitative factors and information recorded in the student’s IEP as guidance in deciding whether to pursue a Standard High School Diploma or an IEP Certificate of Completion. The student’s preferences, abilities, and plans for post-secondary options will be the most influential factors.
To be deemed eligible for alternate assessment and IEP Certificate of Completion participation, students must meet all the following minimum requirements: 1. The student has a significant cognitive disability; 2. The student is learning content linked to Common Core State Standards (CCSS), Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), and WIDA English Language Development standards (ELD); and 3. The student requires extensive direct individualized instruction and substantial support in the grade appropriate curriculum. Meeting these requirements does not guarantee automatic alternate assessment participation.
Academic Requirements for IEP Certificate of Completion
A IEP Certificate of Completion is earned by students with disabilities who have mastered their IEP goals and completed high school coursework, but have not completed the requirements for a Standard High School Diploma. Completed credits from Girls Global Academy PCS Graduation requirements can count towards equivalent courses for the IEP Certificate of Completion Course Requirements. To earn an IEP Certificate of Completion, students must earn 24.5 credits as follows:
4 credits
4 credits
4 credits
4 credits
2 credits
2.5 credits
1 credits
3 credits
- Total Credits24.5