Students arrive at the school building between 7:00 a.m. and 7:55 a.m., greeting the Head of School or faculty member at the entrance. Their first responsibility is to put their coats and books in their cubbies and gather on their desk all materials needed for first period class. Students then play in the gym or outside in the schoolyard until the first bell rings at 8:00 a.m., unless it is their assigned week to clean the school.
Students participate in morning clean-up on a rotating basis. This gives students a sense of responsibility and ownership of their school. They need to arrive before school to ensure enough time to unpack their bags and get ready for the day. They clean classrooms, hallways, stairwells, bathrooms with their faculty advisor. Students attend morning assembly followed by seven class periods, with recess and lunch breaks, during a normal school day. Assembly is the formal beginning of the school day and consists of attendance, announcements, reminders, the Pledge of Allegiance, prayers for special intentions, and any other prayer. A “Word of the Day” is presented, spelled, defined, and used in a sentence, and must be learned by all students before lunch. Students present a brief selection on the history of Hartford and on a piece of classical music, which is then played for the group.
The daily schedule consists of two classes in the morning, followed by a 15-minute recess. After recess, students return to class for two more class periods. They eat lunch at noon, followed by a recess. There are three periods in the afternoon. At the end of the academic day, students are given ten minutes to clean their classroom and organize their cubbies. Each day, students participate in sports practices, activities, or serve detention. On Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, students attend sports practice from 3:15 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. On Wednesdays, students participate in a variety of group activities ranging from chess to robotics. The regular school day ends at 5:00 p.m., and the school building closes at 5:15 p.m. sharp. No student leaves before 5:00 p.m., or without saying goodbye to the faculty and Head of School.
In the evening, students are encouraged to return to school from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. for Evening Study. During these two hours, students complete their homework and study in a supervised classroom. Evening Study is one of the most distinctive elements of a Covenant education, offering important benefits to all Covenant students, whether or not they are having struggling academically. This unusual opportunity allows Covenant teachers to expect that all homework assignments will be completed on time.
After Evening Study, the tired students and teachers go to their respective homes to get some much needed and deserved rest for the next day.
