Upper School

In the upper school (grades 7-12), students expound on the foundations they formed in their early grades. 

In the humanities, students engage in Socratic discussion, as teachers propose questions based on close readings of complete works. In seventh grade, students read texts such as Fahrenheit 451 while studying the late 19th-Century and early 20th-Century world. Eighth-grade students pick up the story where they left off in seventh grade. They read literature and primary sources focused on ideology in the 20th Century, the Second World War, the Cold War, change in the US, and the cause and effects of events. Freshmen read The Iliad and The Aeneid and delve into the works of historians and philosophers such as Thucydides, Herodotus, Plato, and Plutarch. In their sophomore year, students read Shakespeare, Chaucer, Dickens, and Austen, while considering the religious and political contributions of Augustine through Adam Smith. Students discover America in their junior year, completing courses in American Literature, American History, and American Government. They read the founding documents as well as the influential Federalist papers and other writings of the founders, presidents, authors, and activists of the 19th century. Finally, the senior year focuses on modern times with works by Fyodor Dostoyevsky and George Orwell and a study of the presidencies, wars, politics, and theories that shaped the era. 

Mathematics and science classes place an emphasis on the search for truth and beauty and the primacy of logic (including Euclidian Geometry), as well as deductive reasoning as students move from foundational to more advanced courses. 

After three years of Latin in grades 6-8, students take 3 years of Spanish or Latin in high school, with at least two consecutive years in the same language. Other required courses include at least one semester of Composition that emphasizes coherent, concise, and compelling writing and habits of clear thinking. Tenth-grade students take Moral Philosophy, with a focus on the moral traditions of Western Civilization. 

Students may continue to build upon music theory and art history instruction received during their elementary and middle school years by participating in performance ensembles. 

Seniors must write a 15-page Senior Thesis and defend it before faculty members and peers.