The language arts curriculum supports The Janus School's emphasis on fundamental skill development. Students in the Upper Division attend a reading and writing class. The reading class focuses on comprehension of literature appropriate for every student's learning and skill profile. The writing classes develop students' ability to fully express themselves through a variety of writing styles.
Speech and language services are available to those students who might benefit from specialized instruction as determined by the speech and language pathologist in consultation with instructional teams. Formalized assessment is used to design the program utilizing mostly compensatory strategies to enable the student to achieve their highest potential. Communication is important for the teachers and parents to assist with carryover into the classroom and community as well as to help the student to understand their needs and become a self-advocate.
Science is an area offering great potential for many students with learning differences because of their capacity for divergent and creative thinking. Science content in the lower division is selected from the life, earth and physical sciences; in the upper division, students meet state graduation requirements and enroll in physics, chemistry, biology, and earth/environmental science classes. Lab experiences and investigation and inquiry-based exercises support the curriculum, which emphasizes strengthening students' understanding of scientific processes rather than remembering facts.
Mathematics instruction at Janus is rigorously systematic and each lesson connects to previous learning. Skills and procedures are introduced slowly and practiced repeatedly until students are adept. The lower division faculty uses the Saxon Math series as the core component of their curriculum, supplemented by strategies that individualize the instruction for every child. The upper division faculty uses the AGS Series, supplemented by other materials, which individualize curriculum and support the students' applications of concepts.
The social studies curriculum helps students develop a growing understanding of geography and the impact the past has on the present and future. With this type of objective, instruction is focused on directly teaching students how to assimilate, sequence, and problem solve, in order to teach students how social studies impacts their lives and community, as well as the lives and communities' of others.
The Upper Division social studies classes include Geography, US History, World History, Ancient History, and Senior Seminars.