Upper School Curriculum Overview
English
In the 9th and 10th grades, students begin their study of literature as an art form while building strong expository writing skills. In the junior and senior years, students choose electives in which they focus on the logical analysis of literature, critical appreciation, and the sophisticated expression of ideas.
History and Social Studies
Historical perspectives and critical thinking skills developed through the study of history help students interpret their world with insight and understanding. All students take a two-year world history sequence in grades 9 and 10, and a survey of U.S. history in their junior year. Senior elective seminars enable students to focus in-depth on specialized topics.
Mathematics
At SPA, all math courses emphasize the nature of mathematical thought as well as the development of facility with the applications of mathematics. Three levels of math courses—Regular, Honors, and Basic—enable all students to proceed at the pace that best fits their needs. All students must complete precalculus or its equivalent, and most students complete a calculus course.
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Language
The SPA language program is designed to develop proficiency—in speaking, listening, reading, and writing—in at least one foreign language, and to increase cross-cultural awareness. All students must complete at least the third level of their chosen language, at which point they will have learned all of the basic grammar. In the fourth and fifth years, students increase their proficiency by focusing on literature and culture.
Science
All SPA science courses are laboratory-based, emphasizing not only the concepts of science but also the process of scientific discovery. Two levels of science courses—Regular and Honors—enable all students to focus at the appropriate depth and sophistication. Ninth graders take Earth Science, tenth graders take Biology, and juniors take Chemistry. Most seniors continue beyond these requirements, taking a year of physics.
For detailed course descriptions, click on link to US Course Descriptions.
Honors Courses
SPA offers all students an independent, rigorous college preparatory curriculum . The curriculum includes a limited number of honors courses in math and science, and honors seminars for seniors in history, art, and music. Faculty determine enrollment in all honors courses; space is limited.
Advanced Placement Exams
Students may take Advanced Placement exams, but SPA does not teach designated AP courses that narrowly focus on these tests. Instead, SPA teaches a hand-crafted and intellectually challenging liberal arts curriculum which, in many disciplines, goes well beyond the designated AP curriculum. Students who are successful in our curriculum are well-prepared to be successful on the AP exams, if they choose to take them. All of our junior/senior English literature electives, for instance, prepare our students to be successful on the English composition AP exam. Our regular math track culminates in a calculus course which prepares students to be successful on the AB Calculus exam; students in our honors math track are prepared for the BC Calculus AP exam. All of the language courses at the fifth level prepare students for the AP Language exam in French, German, Spanish, or Chinese. In a typical year, about 35 students in grades 10–12 choose to take 50–60 AP exams in 10–15 subjects. About 70% earn a score of 4 or 5; over 90% earn a score of 3 or better.
Grading
All grades are unweighted. Grading standards are rigorous.
- Grade point averages are calculated on a traditional 4.0 scale, based on all letter grades (A–F).
- The Honors/Pass/No Pass grading system is used for Athletics, Fitness for Life, and Wellness courses, most independent study courses, most visual art courses and some music courses. These grades are not part of the cumulative grade point averages.
- SPA does not award a grade higher than “A”/4.0.
- We do not compute rank in class.
Independent Study
With special permission and by student initiative, some students pursue advanced coursework under the direction of SPA faculty. Each semester of Independent Study earns ¼ credit and is graded Honors/Pass/No Pass.