Language. Students must take a minimum of six credits per year and be scheduled for at least six courses per semester. The school year is divided into 2 semesters and exams are administered at the end of each semester (before Christmas break and before summer break). Mercy McAuley utilizes a progressive schedule that allows for longer class time. The schedule is based on a four-day rotation. Each day, a student will have two 80-minute classes and four 50-minute classes. Each student will have a total of eight scheduled classes with only six classes occurring each day. Out of a four-day rotation, each one of a student's classes will meet three out of four days. On day five, the four-day rotation begins again. Awards and recognition During the 1999-2000 school year, McAuley High School was recognized with the Blue Ribbon School Award of Excellence by the United States Department of Education, the highest award an American school can receive. A joint vocal ensemble from McAuley and LaSalle High Schools won the Overall Grand Champion Award at the 2006 Nashville Music Festival in April. References External links greatschools.net National Center for Education Statistics data for McAuley High schools in Hamilton County, Ohio Private schools in Cincinnati Catholic secondary schools in Ohio Girls' schools in Ohio Sisters of Mercy schools Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati