Karen Gold P'11, '17
Academic Dean
The Governor’s Academy: College Preparatory Academics
Our rigorous college preparatory curriculum fosters intellectual and personal growth, fluency across disciplines, and a flexible, forward-thinking approach focused on sustainability.
At The Governor’s Academy, we know students learn best when they are reaching, stretching, and growing—when they are on the learning edge. Our approach to academics balances the opportunity to achieve with the courage to explore. Students here learn together with friends and faculty in small, interactive classes—typically about eleven students. Faculty here care deeply about their subjects and their students’ progress. As a community, we applaud and support students’ passionate commitment to develop their own areas of expertise, while encouraging them to explore other fields and discover other interests, too.
Interested in learning more about academics at Governor’s? Read our curriculum guide or download our full academic schedule below.
What is the Academic Schedule at Governor's?
Our academic schedule is designed to provide ample classroom time while also allowing room for community meetings, meals, club activities, class preparation, and downtime. Each class meets for sixty minutes three times a week with an additional thirty minutes once a week called an X-block. The X-block is designed for extended labs, assessments, projects or extra help and is used at the teacher’s discretion. On Wednesdays, classes end at 12:35 p.m. for afternoon athletic contests and extended rehearsals. On all other days, classes end at 3:15 p.m. and students participate in their Afternoon Program. Classes do not meet on Saturdays. The full Govs community gathers for Morning Meeting on Monday and Friday; we gather in the chapel on Wednesday for a student, faculty or staff speaker, and we meet for Convocations on Thursday mornings followed by an Advisor meeting.
At Govs, students practice seven essential skills that allow them to go far in life. Our curriculum is designed to teach students to:
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Think critically and solve problems
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Collaborate to achieve common goals
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Communicate effectively
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Read thoughtfully and actively
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Access and analyze information
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Adapt readily
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Understand roles in larger community
These qualities endure as hallmarks of our students’ education:
- Family-like atmosphere
- Academic excellence
- Dedicated faculty mentors
- Balance
I love to see students connecting what they learn in the classroom to the world around them. At Govs, our talented faculty are passionate about preparing students to become critical thinkers for college and beyond. I strive to provide opportunities for students and faculty to grow and thrive as lifelong learners.
Karen Gold stepped into the role of Academic Dean after 27 years in the English department. She also serves as dorm head of our largest boys dorm, is a New York Times Learning Network Teaching Fellow, and is the former Director of Community Service. Karen is passionate about preparing Govs students to be lifelong learners, instilling in them a love for reading and writing with an emphasis on making connections to the outside world.