Overview

FAQs

What course is the right fit for my child?  

Consider the following:

1. What courses or activities is your child completing concurrently with course ‘X’?  This is important because your child could be overloaded by taking all honors or AP courses.  This affects homework, tests, and overall stress levels.  Help them make smart decisions with their demonstrated level of motivation and responsibilities.

2. What is you and your child’s philosophy of challenging themselves?  Are they stressed by scoring C’s on tests or do they see it as a part of the process of learning?  All students are different in this regard, but if anxiety is a problem then they should probably choose the least stressful course. We encourage a growth mindset, but the struggle to make it through courses can be very difficult for some students.

3. Does your child miss a lot of school days?  If they do, it is extremely difficult to succeed in a challenging curriculum.

4. Are they moving up from college-prep to honors/AP/IB in more than one or two courses?  This can create quite a bit of stress and struggle by choosing too many new challenges during a single year’s growth.

5. You know your child best, but listen to the teacher’s recommendations and advice.  They have seen hundreds of students choose courses over the years and have a fair idea of which courses would fit your child best.  You may get advice that you disagree with, remember that you get to choose the courses with your child.

How many social studies credits are required for graduation?  

Four credits 

 What is the recommended sequence of courses?

• 9th grade - Global Studies 1

• 10th grade - Global Studies 2

• 11th grade - United States History

• 12th grade - United States Government

 The completion of a research paper is a requirement of each of these year-long courses.

Why is there a recommended sequence of courses?  

The recommended sequence is based on a thoughtful consideration of skill development building on levels of complexity in reading, writing and researching from 9th through 12th grade.

What are the differences between college prep and honors courses?  

While both college prep and honors courses focus on the same content and skills, honors students are expected to engage with the material at more independent level.

What is the difference between AP and IB courses?  

While both AP and IB offer the rigor of college level courses, IB courses tend to provide greater emphasis on a smaller body of content.  Additionally, AP and IB have different assessment philosophies, which drive instruction in the respective classes.  While both programs require the mastery of content, AP exams feature a heavy emphasis on multiple choice questions (weighted 50%-67%) with some longer responses (weighted 33%-50%) whereas IB exams are driven entirely by extended responses.  Multiple choice questions measure a student’s mastery of content across a broad body of material; extended response questions measure a student’s ability to explore deeply a more limited body of content. Instruction in AP and IB classes is designed to support the students’ success in the corresponding assessments. 

What semester electives are available?

• Black Excellence: The Politics, Economics, and Culture of an American People

• Economics

• Global Citizenship

• Philosophy

• Psychology

*See Program Planning Guide for complete list and description of electives.