Global Online Academy

List of 13 frequently asked questions.

• Who can apply to take a GOA course?

  Any student entering grades 9-12 is eligible to apply.

• Which GOA courses are available to St. Luke’s students?

  Please review the GOA course catalog for a listing of all GOA courses. Some courses have prerequisites.

• GOA students and teachers are around the globe. What is the calendar year used and how do we communicate across time zones?

  GOA offers semester, year-long, and summer courses. 
  

  • Semester I runs from August to December.
  • Semester II runs from January to April.
  • Summer Term I courses are held in June and July.
  • Summer Term II courses are held in July and August.

  
  Note that Summer Term tuition is not covered by St. Luke’s. Exact dates and a calendar for the year are available in the GOA Course Catalog.

• How much time will I need to spend per week on a GOA course during the school year?

  In a typical GOA course, students can expect to dedicate five to seven hours per week to their coursework. This cannot all be done in one sitting on a weekend. Students will need to regularly log into their GOA courses and complete the necessary work. Each class will share a calendar with students to indicate course expectations and assignments. Note that each GOA semester duration is a bit shorter than the St. Luke’s semester.

  
  

  The courses are primarily asynchronous. “Asynchronous'' means that the coursework will be done on your own, paced according to your schedule during the week. There will be occasional synchronous meetings (e.g., a Zoom meeting) with the teacher or a classmate to work on projects; those synchronous experiences would be scheduled at a time that works for all involved.

• How much does it cost to enroll in a GOA course?

  GOA tuition fees for semester and year-long courses are covered by St. Luke’s. As a part of the GOA course enrollment agreement, students must commit to completing the entire term of the course. If a student drops a GOA course after the add/drop period (4 days into the GOA semester), a $500 tuition fee will be billed to the student’s account.

  
  

  St. Luke’s does not cover tuition fees for Summer Terms. Families will make payment to GOA directly.

• Do GOA courses count toward St. Luke’s graduation requirements?

  GOA courses count toward the overall general graduation requirement of 20 credits. Only the following GOA courses can be taken to fulfill specific St. Luke’s graduation requirements:
  
  

  • Creative Nonfiction Writing and Fiction Writing count toward the St. Luke’s English graduation requirement
  • Digital Photography; Filmmaking; Graphic Design; and Arts Entrepreneurship count toward the Art graduation requirement
  • Geometry, a summer course, can count toward the Math graduation requirement (note: the current math teacher must recommend this for a student to be eligible)
  • Climate Change & Global Inequality; Genocide & Human Rights; Global Health; and International Relations can fulfill one of the elective requirements for Global Scholars

• Will GOA courses count towards my St. Luke’s GPA?

  GOA courses taken during the academic year (either 1st Semester, 2nd Semester, or year-long courses) count towards a student’s GPA. GOA courses taken over the summer do not count towards the GPA.

• Will GOA courses appear on my transcript?

  GOA courses taken during the academic year (1st Semester, 2nd Semester, or year-long courses) will appear on the St. Luke’s transcript. GOA courses taken over the summer term will not go on the St. Luke’s transcript. Instead, the student will receive a separate transcript, similar to if they participated in another academic summer program.

• How do I apply?

  • Review the GOA course catalog.
  • Look at this short GOA slide deck and consider the Six Questions posed in the slides.
  • Talk with your advisor and your parent(s) or guardian(s) about whether a GOA course is right for you. What are your reasons for wanting to take the course?
  • Check your email for a link to the application form. Complete the application form and interview process with Mr. Yavenditti and Coach Fred.

• When is the application deadline?

  The deadline to submit the application for 2022-2023 academic year courses is Friday, April 22.

• What happens once I have submitted my application?

  A St. Luke’s committee will review all applications. Once a student’s application has been approved by St. Luke’s, our GOA Site Director, Mr. Yavenditti, will enroll the student. Mr. Yavenditti will let the student know and will also inform the GOA Registrar and the student’s academic advisor.

• If my application is approved, am I guaranteed a spot in the GOA class I want?

  GOA has open guaranteed enrollment until April 30. This means that if more students than expected-- from St Luke’s or any school--sign up for a given course, they will create additional sections rather than turn any approved student away. After April 30, students are admitted if space allows.

• If I have more questions, whom should I ask?

  Mr. Yavenditti is the St. Luke’s GOA Site Director and is the best point of contact for further questions. You may also want to read the GOA Introduction for Parents and Guardians.