The ask of ninth grade is to observe, question, and think of alternatives to traditional thinking.  Capable of analytical thought and deeper learning, students are still looking at the world in black and white.  The curriculum asks them to look at these polarities and contrasts and find shades in between.  This reflects the physical and emotional milestones ninth graders are experiencing and sets the stage for broader thinking. 

The question that defines the tenth grade curriculum is how.  How do things work?  Students discover how processes in science and math work with courses in physics, chemistry, and geometry.   They examine US government and have the opportunity for a two-week artisan practicum the art block expands students’ skills and perceptions of visual phenomena. The Language Arts leads them on a journey through classics such as Beowolf and contemporary pieces as well. A Foreign Language exchange is the highlight for many tenth graders.

In eleventh grade, students learn to live with open-ended questions and begin to receive answers that may not be what they were anticipating.   Literature blocks have students identifying with characters inwardly while lessons in history, science, and social services have them looking outward toward society.  Economics merge history and math, art and music offer more choices, and trips bring the learning to the real world. 

The twelfth grade year brings opportunities to synthesize information and offers valued experiences.  From Modern History to Architecture to Zoology, students perceive who they are by what is reflect back from the rich content.  A weeklong trip to Maine offers time to reflect on their course content and on their schooling as a whole.  Relationships come full circle as they welcome their First Grade buddy in the fall and then say goodbye in the spring with our Rose Ceremonies.