Upper School Curriculum & Instruction

English

The Upper School English program wants our students to be lifelong readers, readers who are strong, critical thinkers, readers who understand and appreciate the power of well-crafted language. We also want our students to be confident, empowered writers, unafraid to use language to achieve their own writing goals. And, yes, we want our students to reach their telos—the best versions of themselves. And what better way than through the glory and beauty of words.

Math

The goal of Upper School Math is to develop students skills in critical thinking, problem solving, written and verbal communication, and modeling. Our teachers in the math department teach discipline and principles of logic which may be applied to both higher level mathematics and to new fields of study.

History

The Upper School History department prepares students to acquire and utilize lifelong learning skills. Life-long learning skills include the ability to synthesize and analyze information from different perspectives, problem-solving/critical thinking skills, and research skills. Students should be able to evaluate the relative significance of information and to present/express diverse views. Our students will be aware of the world community with a respect and appreciation for individuality, moral courage, and a spirit of inquiry.

Science

Upper School Science is designed to prepare students to use representations and models to communicate scientific phenomena and solve scientific problems. Students will engage in scientific questioning to extend thinking or to guide investigations within the context of the science course. Our students are able to connect and relate knowledge across various scales, concepts, and representations in and across domains.

World Language

The World Language department offers three languages to Upper School students: one classical, Latin, and two modern, French and Spanish. Our students develop vocabulary, grammatical structures, reading comprehension and written and oral expression in the language of their choice through the integrated skills approach across three communicative modes: Interpersonal (interactive communication), Interpretive (receptive communication) and Presentational (productive communication).