After Christmas break most schools jump right back into the normal routine of attending classes, while Cathedral High School offers courses around the school for students to explore a passion of their own. J-Term.

One of the courses offered in 2025 is called Band Advancement taught by Mr. Ian Cullen, Cathedral’s Band Director. The course offers one on one help for students that are looking to create music of their own. J-Term began on January 6, although school was canceled due to the snow, and runs until Friday the 10th.

Adding another change from the normal Cathedral school day, J-Term starts at 9:00 am and students are dismissed at 2:00pm. J-Term classes are not only all around campus, but some travel around Indianapolis, while even a few more, have traveled all around the world. Courses have taken teachers and students from New York to Kenya to France to Costa Rica. Cathedral is leaving footprints literally all over. Callen’s class is taught in the Cunningham building in the band rooms.

“I wanted to give students the opportunity to get one-on-one help with their music while doing other activities to benefit the band program as a whole, like presenting at middle schools,” said Callen.

The J-term course that Callen offers is great for students who aren’t in band class during the normal school year, who are interested in making music, and gives the opportunity present it to middle school students. It develops skills like leadership and bonding as music is a passion for the students that sign up for the course. The course also allows students to build a relationship with Callen that will give them a resource for creating music in the future.

“I hope that they feel energized for the semester ahead,” said Callen. “I also hope that they feel that they’ve made an impact on each other and the band program as a whole.”