A young man first entering Regis for his freshman year – having proven himself to be a gifted student, committed to excellence and growth – will be quickly immersed in the Regis liberal arts curriculum.

In his English, Theology, and World History courses – all required in the 9th grade – his teachers will coach him in interpreting texts not just for recall but for comprehension; he will find himself, more and more, actively responding to his readings through annotations and class discussion. In his biology course, he will be trained in the scientific method and the experimental approach to learning. Complementing this, Geometry will develop his skills in deductive logic and encourage him to use proofs to defend his statements. Computer Science will introduce him early on to the rudiments of computer programming; using deductive logic and problem-solving skills, he will design websites and learn how to create and manage a database. While he will have choice in what foreign language to take – Mandarin Chinese, French, German, Latin, Spanish – he will be practicing four communicative skills of his chosen language: speaking, listening, reading, and writing. He might be surprised to find his teacher, from the first day, speaking in a foreign language, as oral communication will receive special attention in his class. The same principle holds true in his year-long Speech class, where he will develop rhetorical, oratorical, and listening skills. Working closely with his Studio Art teacher, he will learn to observe artwork and intuit his own creative vision, all the while developing a visual vocabulary that will assist him in future coursework, across the curriculum. Finally, twice a week, in his Physical Education class, the young man will engage in teamwork while building his strength, endurance, and commitment to health.

While his day is undoubtedly busy, the 9th-grade student will have unstructured time built into his schedule to meet with a teacher, perform research in the library, or collaborate on a project with classmates.