Frequently Asked Questions
What is S.Ch.O.L.A.R?
S.Ch.O.L.A.R. stands for Service, Character, Order, Leadership, Academics, Resilience. These are the pillars of our educational model. A more in-depth explanation of each pillar can be found here.
What is Intercession?
At Capodanno we have two intercessions (Fall and Spring). These are graded terms where students have the opportunity to learn and grow outside the of the classroom.
- Fall Intercession: Our fall intercession encompasses the first two weeks of school. During the first week students are lead through team building activities, obstacle courses, and service projects. The second week is our Fall Retreat. Students and faculty embark on an overnight journey to a retreat location within a few hours drive. This is Capodanno's way of starting the year seeking God, building resiliency and growing in community.
​
- Spring Intercession: Our spring intercession offers the opportunity for students to explore professions or passions they would not normally have the time to pursue. Students can choose from several educational options. In the past students have:
- Built ramps for homebound individuals
- Hiked the Camino de Santiago
- Job shadowed medical professionals, electricians, news casters, farriers, farmers, teachers, and more
- Helped restore coral reefs in Brazil
​
​
What happens on Wednesdays?
Wednesdays are our service ad seminar days. School starts with Mass at Sacred Heart Catholic Church (300 Dundee Rd., Pinehurst) at 8 am. After Mass students join their individual houses and are transported by FVCHS to their service projects. Students return to Capodanno by 11:30, have lunch, and then move into their respective seminar courses.
​
SERVICE:
We want our students to learn to serve as Christ did. We provide opportunities to experience many different avenues of service, so students can learn how God is calling them. Service projects include working with the local food pantry, visiting with residents at local retirement communities, roadside clean up, Habitat for Humanity builds and Restore assistance, working with special needs classes, volunteering at Family Promise, assisting local widows and widowers with odd jobs in order to help them stay in their homes, and many others.
​
SEMINAR:
Seminar courses vary depending on grade level (9th - Order, 10th - Character, 11th - Resiliency, 12th - Leadership).
- Order: Freshmen students learn how to lead ordered lives. The aim of the course is to teach students how to order their lives around Chris and bring that order into all aspects of their lives by establishing goals, calendaring, and organizing their space and relationships. Resources for this class include Prayer for Beginners by Dr. Peter Kreeft and How to Make Great Decisions by Fr. Mike Schmitz.
- Character: Sophomore students learn what it means to be a person of character. Students spend the year actively learning how to use the character strengths God has given them t be men and women of heroic virtue.
- Resiliency: Junior students learn about what it takes to be a resilient person. This is done through demanding physical challenges and vigorous discussion. Instructor Mike Erwin leads students through the concepts of his books Lead Yourself First and Leadership is a Relationship.
- Leadership: Seniors build upon the baseline seminars with an emphasis on Leadership, the action of getting yourself and others to choose what should, or needs, to be done. They achieve this learning through practical applications, problem solving, and interactions with community leaders.
​
​
​
​
Are you accredited by an accrediting agency?
- FVCHS is a certified private school with the North Carolina Division of Non-Public Education. This organization ensures that our students meet the graduation requirements for North Carolina.
​
- We are not accredited by any for profit, private accrediting agencies. These companies are separate from the state, but purportedly ensure that schools meet minimum standards, which are set by the state for public and charter schools.
​
- FVCHS continues to explore and evaluate accrediting options to see if this path is right for us.
Does lack of accreditation affect college acceptance? Will my student need to take extra classes before college?
No. College acceptance does not depend on whether a school is accredited or not. In our experience, college admissions evaluate a whole person approach and strongly value the Service, Character, Resiliency, and Leadership elements of Capodanno graduates. Students who graduate from FVCHS are more than prepared academically (not to mention emotionally and spiritually!) for college and have the academic rigor to be easily accepted into, and succeed, at colleges of top choices.
Do you offer AP classes?
No. Advanced Placement classes do not fit well with our curricular model. These programs are usually taught from a textbook and to a test, neither of which follow our approach. We do offer Honors courses which use the AP standards as benchmarks. Honors courses aim to spark students' intellectual curiosity and develop a love of learning.
Do you participate in the Sandhills Promise?
Yes, with some parameters. Please see the Sandhills Community College website for details on the Sandhills Promise.
​
At Capodanno we aim to build a true community among our students and faculty. To do so students need to be at school. Students who wish to participate in the Sandhills Promise can do so by completing elective courses through Sandhills online or after school hours. Capodanno Students are not permitted to leave school during the school day.
​
Core courses must be taken at Capodanno.
​
Core Courses:
- Theology
- Math
- English
- Science
- Social Studies
Where do your graduates go to college?
We currently have graduates at NC State, UNC Charlotte, Virginia Tech, The Citadel, Appalachian State University and Sandhills Community College.
How do I find out what is going on?
Official communication from the school will come out in a weekly update from our principal. Parents can also get information informally from the Band app. If you have a question please contact the school.
Where will I find updates to sports schedules?
The schedule for our games can be found through the athletics tab on our website. Practice schedules, departure and arrival times will be communicated from our coaches through Band or text message.
Do you provide transportation to and from school?
Not at the moment, but we are researching the possibilities. Please let us know if you are interested and where you live. Several families do carpool and we are happy to help connect you with them.
Do you have a lunch program?
We do not have a hot lunch program. Students bring lunch from home. Our R.O.C. (student government) does run a student store from which students can purchase lunch items.