Academic Program—Senior Academy
At the Senior Academy students receive extensive guidance and support, and an academic program that inspires them to achieve at high levels. The Senior Academy offers a framework that helps students become responsible, informed citizens of their school and their community.
Mid-day Meeting: 30 minutes daily
- This meeting provides a daily opportunity for students to work with advisors in small groups or individually, thus ensuring that their progress is followed closely by adults who know them well.
Mathematics: 65 minutes daily
- The course sequence includes: Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, Calculus, and Trigonometry. AP courses are an option in Grade 12. Concepts and ideas are consistently taught through a spiralling curriculum approach that helps students achieve true mathematical understanding. Students are exposed to real-world problems, math writing, and a variety of technology activities that apply math skills.
Science: 65 minutes daily
- Students take a physics-first approach to learning science growing from the more foundational aspects of Physics through the more abstract of Chemistry and into the most abstract of Biology. In 12th grade students have a range of options from a survey course in environmental science to traditional Physics, Biology, or AP courses.
Social Science: 65 minutes daily
- Students explore world studies, U.S. history, government, and economics. The course progression is determined based on careful analysis of state standards and schools are assigned courses based on a track system designed to meet the requirements of the state and the needs of the students.
Literature–Language Arts: 65 minutes daily
- This course sequence includes: Survey of Literature in Grade 9 and World Literature in Grade 10, American Literature in Grade 11 and British Literature in Grade 12. The integration of English and Language Arts allows students to write in response to literature, interrelating literature, writing and language.
World Language: time varies
- Students focus on achieving reading, writing, and conversational fluency in Spanish while studying cultures in which Spanish is the primary language.
Fine Arts: time varies
- The program is integrated with other subject areas and continues the discipline-based and performance approaches that students practiced in earlier academies.
Physical Fitness and Health: 65 minutes, 2 or 3 times per week
- This program stresses fitness for life and participation in sports and activities. Students develop personal fitness plans, individualized workouts, and habits that will enable them to lead healthful lives.
Tutorials: 65 minutes, alternate days
- These periods provide opportunities for additional work in core academic areas or for pursuing supervised independent study.