Welcome to the academic registration guide for the 2024-2025 School Year!
The Upper School Faculty is excited to offer a rich and expansive range of courses for the upcoming year. By visiting the Academic Program Overview and Signature Programs tabs above, you will be able to view our course offerings for the 2024-2025 School Year. The pages are organized by discipline, and each individual course listing includes curricular information, prerequisites, credit information, as well as participation in our Signature and Diploma Programs. This coming year will see some exciting additions to our curriculum, including a wide range of elective courses in the Humanities and the Social Sciences, the continued expansion of our elective and research offerings in the Sciences and in Math, the introduction of new Advanced Applied courses in every discipline, and an ever-increasing range of pathways within the Arts, World Languages, and the Creative Applied Technologies (CAT) Program.
Below, you will find the registration schedule and information for current Upper School students who will enter Grade 10 in September.
As you review the resources for our 2024-2025 Academic Program, please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions. All of us on the Upper School Faculty look forward to an exciting year ahead!
Dr. Andrew Ruoss
Asst Head of Upper School for Academic Programs
e: andrew.ruoss@gcds.net
p: 203-542-0033
Our advising program provides each student with a mentor from the Upper School faculty who is available to the individual student and their family throughout the student's four years at GCDS. The advisor supports the advisee’s social, emotional, and academic growth. Advisors serve as an advocate and mediator of student and faculty relationships, course selection, the college process, and the judicial process.
The Advisor also oversees course registration for their advisees. In the weeks leading up to registration, each student's advisor will work with them and their family to finalize course selection for the 2024-2025 school year.
Additionally, the advisor is the primary connection between school and home. Parents are encouraged to keep in close contact with their student’s advisor throughout the school year, as well as during regularly scheduled events such as Student-Led Conferences and Presentations of Learning.
*The Upper School Academic Dean serves as the Advisor for all new 10th - 12th Grade students until they are matched with their faculty advisors in August.
KEY CONTACTS
Advisor: Each student’s academic advisor serves as their primary guide through the registration process. The advisor is usually the first stop for questions, and advisors will schedule sessions with each advisee to shepherd their course registration.
*For new 10th-12th graders, as well as for all incoming 9th Graders, the Academic Dean serves as the advisor until a faculty advisor is assigned in August.
Faculty: Should students have questions about their placement (Math and World Language) or Honors/Advanced Applied course offerings, they should consult with their current teachers.
Academic Office: General questions about registration or course offerings or policies? Contact the Academic Office.
Registrar: Questions about Registration logistics? Need to change or correct information? Contact Evan Kanouse, the GCDS Registrar.
COURSE PERIODS
During early April, rising 10th Grade students will register for all of their courses for the 2024-2025 School Year (Fall and Spring Semesters). Each student has 8 course periods in their schedule. A student must be registered for 7 courses in order to be considered a fully registered student in good standing. Most students register for 7 courses, along with a study hall. Please consult with your advisor and complete this form if you wish to register for 8 courses.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
In their course selection, students should work with their advisor to ensure progress toward fulfilling the Upper School's Graduation Requirements (listed below). They should also consult with the coordinator for any Diploma Program in which they are enrolled.
RANK CHOICE REGISTRATION
For the 11th and 12th Grades, we ask that students rank their course selections (1 - 5) for Science, Social Sciences, and English. We register students sequentially, from 12th to 9th grade, and we cap courses at around 15 students. Rising 10th graders follow the same process for their Arts/Elective course selection. As we develop each student's personalized schedule, we make every effort to accommodate as many of their first choices as possible. In order to ensure this access, we may need to move to a student's second or third choice in a particular discipline. Please use the planning documents linked above to organize your registration preferences.
DOUBLING A CORE COURSE
Starting in Grade 10, students may double up on Social Science, Math, Science, World Language, or English courses, taking a second full core course in place of an elective (for example, a 10th grade student could register for both Social Sciences 10 and an 11/12 Social Sciences course). This opportunity is designed for students who exhibit a particular passion for and advanced ability in a subject area, and students must complete this form with their advisor, securing the permission of their advisor and the Academic Dean.
HONORS
Students should discuss Honors options with their advisor and with their teachers. The College Counseling Office guidance is that students should pursue these challenges only if they have demonstrated ability, authentic passion, and faculty placement support for that area of study. A grade that does not reflect strong performance in an Honors course will not serve as an advantage in the college process. Students should review the honors policy included in each of the program sections of this academic guide.
At the 10th Grade level, the Upper School Faculty offers discrete honors courses in Math. The faculty also offers heterogeneous classes that can be taken at the Honors level for:
History 10
English 10
Chemistry
Discrete Honors Courses
Discrete honors Math courses carry clear prerequisite requirements for registration, and students will register for those courses during the April registration period.
Heterogenous Honors Courses
For the core 10th grade courses listed above, each Department will make Honors placement recommendations in May of 2024. These decisions will be applied to the relevant 10th grade courses for which the student has already registered for the 2024-2025 school year. These placements should not come as a surprise to a student or family, but rather, should reflect a consistency of feedback from the department and represent the department’s professional assessment of the level of support and challenge that will best guide each student’s growth going forward.
For more information, please review the Honors guidelines and process listed on each department section of this Academic Guide.
ADVANCED APPLIED COURSES
Each academic program offers "Advanced Applied" designated courses. These courses represent the highest level of challenge, rigor, independent research, and student responsibility. Advanced level courses do not have a separate Honors component. With the high expectations and fast pace of Advanced Applied courses, these courses require an application and are designed for 11th and 12th Grade students. Only very rarely are 10th Grade students admitted to Advanced Applied courses. Prior to 10th Grade course registration, any rising 10th Grade student wishing to take an Advanced Applied course will need to meet with and secure the permission of 1) their advisor, and 2) the Academic Dean. Interested students should first review the standards for Advanced Applied courses on the relevant department page of this Academic Guide.
INDEPENDENT STUDIES
Students wishing to engage in an Independent Study with a faculty member should consult the guidelines for Independent Study design and registration. Students must submit their proposal for approval by the course change deadline of the relevant semester.
ATHLETICS & TEAM PROGRAMS
In addition to their academic courses for the 2024-2025 School Year, students will also register for the athletic programs (fall, winter, and spring seasons), and team programs (eg. Dance, Math Team) in which they would like to participate. For any questions related to athletic or team programs, please contact Tim Helstein, Athletic Director.
Course Changes: Students have until the course change deadline (Semester I: Sept 13, 2024; Semester II: January 31, 2025) to make changes to add or drop a course. This, however, is not a course ‘shopping’ period. Students should be advised that most courses are fully enrolled upon the start of the semester, and space to move between courses is usually very limited. Students are encouraged to work closely with their advisor, teachers, and relevant diploma and program directors during the registration process to determine the best courses for their registration. If a student changes their registration following the course change deadline, then they will receive a Withdraw ‘W’ on their transcript. In order to make a change to their registration, a student must complete and submit a Course Change Request Form prior to the Course Change Deadline.
Intersession: Students will register for Intersession 2025 during the fall semester.
Seminar: Students will be automatically registered for the Seminar course required for their grade level.
Abroad Programs: Should a student wish to consider a Semester Abroad, please contact the Academic Dean as soon as possible during Semester I of the academic year prior to proposed travel. The Academic and College Counseling Offices will need to approve any external program for credit.
Social Sciences 10*
Honors Placement
English 10 *
Honors Placement
Chemistry *
Honors Placement
Math *
Level Recommended by Faculty
World Language *
Level Recommended by Faculty
Seminar 10: Systems Thinking *
Elective/Arts
Study Hall/Elective/Arts
* Required Course
Recommended Sequence - Consult Advisor & College Counseling Office.
English 11/12 Course(s)
Honors Placement & Advanced Applied
History/Social Sciences 11/12 Course(s)
Honors Placement & Advanced Applied
Physics, Science 11/12 Course(s)
Honors Placement & Advanced Applied
Math
Level Recommended by Faculty
World Language
Level Recommended by Faculty
Seminar 11 - Junior Thesis & College Process *
Elective/Arts
Study Hall/Elective/Arts
* Required Course
Recommended Sequence - Consult Advisor & College Counseling Office.
English 11/12 Course(s)
Honors Placement & Advanced Applied
History/Social Sciences 11/12 Course(s)
Honors Placement & Advanced Applied
Science 11/12 Course(s)
Honors Placement & Advanced Applied
Math
Level Recommended by Faculty
World Language
Level Recommended by Faculty
Seminar 12 - Senior Internship & College Process *
Elective/Arts
Study Hall/Elective/Arts
* Required Course
Recommended Sequence - Consult Advisor & College Counseling Office.
Our Graduation Requirements are designed to ensure maximum flexibility for our students, encouraging their greatest ambition in the pursuit of their learning. These requirements serve as broad guardrails, and do not represent the total academic experience of any of our students. For example, more than 90% of our students pursue 4 years of one or more world languages. All students must be enrolled in at least 7 courses each semester.
Humanities (English, History/Social Science): 7 credits (Required 4 years of English and at least 3 years of Social Science)
STEM (Science, Computer Science, Engineering, Math): 6 credits with a minimal completion of Algebra II in Math (Recommended at least 3 years of Math and Science, including Biology, Chemistry, and Physics)
Seminar: 4 credits
World Language: 2 credits (years), achieving at least Level III in a language sequence
Arts (visual, performing and design): 1 credit
Team & Fitness: 2 seasons team and 2 seasons fitness per year***
Intersession Experience: 4 years (passing grade)
Junior Thesis: (passing grade)
Presentation of Learning: 4 years (passing grade)
*A full-year course earns one credit, a semester course earns ½ credit.
**In the case of a cross-listed course, a student may count the course only once toward their graduation requirements.
***Every student is required to participate in two (2) team activities and two (2) fitness activities annually. Participation on a sports team, whether interscholastic or club, will count for one team activity and one fitness activity. Other examples of team activities can be co-curricular clubs (robotics team, Model UN, debate club, etc) and performing arts options (fall musical, jazz band, acapella groups, etc). Obtaining a fitness requirement, other than participating in interscholastic and intramural teams, could include partaking in a school offered fitness program (strength and conditioning, spin class, yoga, etc ) for 90 minutes a week through the fall or spring term.