Schools have been in session for less than a month in the 2017-18 academic year, but plans already are underway for next year and beyond.

The annual series of High School Nights opens this week with two sessions for sixth- through eighth-graders, along with their families, to explore 26 Catholic high schools in the archdiocese — nine archdiocesan schools and 17 private schools. The sessions are open to all students, whether in Catholic or public schools.

Why the early start?

"We have so many choices here in St. Louis; not many archdioceses have 26 schools," said Kurt Nelson the archdiocesan superintendent of Catholic schools. "We do need time to think about, ponder and visit."

Not all high schools are represented at every High School Night, giving each a unique roster of schools depending on the host high school. With sessions sprinkled throughout St. Louis City, St. Louis County and St. Charles, students and families get a taste of schools and programs available in that area.

High School Nights set the stage for individual high school open houses in November and shadow visits. With a one-stop-shop of multiple high schools, students and families can check out two or three schools at one session and several more at another. Thus, they can narrow their focus to two or three open houses.

Barat Academy president Debra Watson describes High School Nights as "a real unique opportunity" for students and families to explore differences in schools' teaching and learning models, whether large schools or small, single gender, co-ed or, in Barat's case, a single-gender education in co-ed environment. Archdiocesan schools and private schools also stand side-by-side to tout their schools in particular but Catholic schools in general.

"All of our Catholic schools come together to promote Catholic education and to loudly say, "We're all different; learn about our differences so you can find a place where your child is going to thrive in that Catholic environment."

High School Nights | at a glance

Catholic identity, academic rigors and more will be touted in the 2017 edition of High School Nights. Between 14 and 20 Catholic high schools will be represented on each of the eight nights — two per week, over four weeks — as sixth- through eighth-graders explore educational opportunities beyond grade school or middle-school. All high school nights begin promptly at 7 p.m.

The schedule

• Tuesday, Sept. 12, at Ursuline Academy, 341 S. Sappington Road in Kirkwood

Schools: Barat Academy • Bishop DuBourg • Chaminade • CBC • Cor Jesu • De Smet • Duchesne • Incarnate Word • Nerinx Hall • Notre Dame • Rosati-Kain • St. John Vianney • St. Joseph's • St. Louis Priory • SLUH • St. Mary's • St. Pius X • Ursuline • Villa Duchesne and Oak Hill •Visitation

• Thursday, Sept. 14, at Duchesne, 2550 Elm St. in St. Charles

Schools: Barat • Chaminade • CBC • Cor Jesu • De Smet • Duchesne • Incarnate Word • Nerinx Hall • Rosati-Kain • St. Dominic • St. John Vianney • St. Joseph's • St. Louis Priory • SLUH • Ursuline • Villa Duchesne and Oak Hill • Visitation

• Tuesday, Sept. 19, at Rosati-Kain, 4389 Lindell Blvd. in St. Louis

Schools: Bishop DuBourg • Cardinal Ritter • Chaminade • CBC • Cor Jesu • De Smet • Duchesne •Incarnate Word • Nerinx Hall • Notre Dame • Rosati-Kain • St. John Vianney • St. Joseph's • St. Louis Priory • SLUH • St. Mary's • Trinity • Ursuline • Villa Duchesne and Oak Hill • Visitation

• Thursday, Sept. 21, at St. John Vianney, 1311 S. Kirkwood Road in Kirkwood

Schools: Barat • Bishop DuBourg • Chaminade • CBC • Cor Jesu • De Smet • Duchesne • Incarnate Word • Nerinx Hall • Notre Dame • Rosati-Kain • St. Francis Borgia • St. John Vianney • St. Joseph's • St. Louis Priory • SLUH • St. Pius X• Ursuline • Villa Duchesne and Oak Hill •Visitation

• Tuesday, Sept. 26, at St. Dominic, 31 St. Dominic Drive in O'Fallon

Schools: Barat Academy • Chaminade • CBC • Cor Jesu • De Smet • Duchesne • Incarnate Word • Nerinx Hall • Rosati-Kain • St. Dominic • St. Francis Borgia • St. John Vianney • St. Joseph's • St. Louis Priory • SLUH • Ursuline • Villa Duchesne and Oak Hill • Visitation

• Thursday, Sept. 28, at St. Mary's, 4701 S. Grand Blvd. in St. Louis

Schools: Bishop DuBourg • Cardinal Ritter • Chaminade • CBC • Cor Jesu • De Smet • Incarnate Word • Nerinx Hall • Notre Dame • Rosati-Kain • St. John Vianney • St. Joseph's • SLUH • St. Mary's • Ursuline • Villa Duchesne and Oak Hill • Visitation

• Tuesday, Oct. 3, at St. Joseph's Academy, 2307 S. Lindbergh Blvd. in Frontenac

Schools: Barat Academy • Bishop DuBourg • Chaminade • CBC • Cor Jesu • De Smet • Duchesne • Incarnate Word • Nerinx • Notre Dame • Rosati-Kain • St. Joseph's • St. Louis Priory • SLUH • Visitation

• Thursday, Oct. 5, at Trinity Catholic, 1720 Redman Road in Spanish Lake.

Schools: Barat • Bishop DuBourg • Cardinal Ritter• Chaminade • CBC • Cor Jesu • De Smet • Duchesne • Incarnate Word • Nerinx Hall •Rosati-Kain • St. John Vianney • St. Joseph's • St. Louis Priory • SLUH • St. Mary's • Trinity Catholic • Ursuline • Villa Duchesne and Oak Hill • Visitation

For more information, visit www.stlouisreview.com/rPN or call (314) 792-7390.

Note: Open houses at most high schools will be Sunday, Nov. 5. The high school application will be online and will be open for two weeks, from Wednesday, Nov. 1, to Wednesday, Nov. 15. A link to the application will be at www.archstl.org/education