Upper School
The Upper School consists of grades nine through twelve.
The philosophy of the Upper School program is to prepare students for admission to college and help students reach their full potential as productive members of society. Personal responsibility is fostered in a framework that allows for intellectual curiosity and the development of positive moral and social values.
Curriculum
The curriculum is designed to prepare students for college, both to meet college entrance requirements and to provide the study skills and core knowledge for success in college programs. Multiple Advanced Placement courses are offered on campus, and the curriculum is supplemented by the North Carolina Association of Independent School's partnership with Aventa Learning, which provides 140 additional online courses, such as Advanced Placement.
Units Program Area
The minimum requirements for graduation are twenty-four units including the following:
English - 4 units
Mathematics - 4 units
Social Studies (including World History I, World History II, or AP World History, U.S. History or AP U.S. History and Government/Economics) - 4 units
Science (through Chemistry) - 3 units
Foreign Language (in the same modern language) - 2 units
Health and Physical Education - 1 unit
Fine Arts - 1 unit
Computer Sciences - 1 unit
Additional units from among English, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, or Foreign Language courses - 2 units
Electives - 3 units
Electives
Some electives are offered every year; others are offered according to student demand. The following is a list of elective courses that have been taught during the last several years:
Art I / Art II
Art Appreciation
Performance Music
College Awareness
College Preparation
Computer Systems Foundation
Creative Writing
Digital Design
Environmental Science
Ethics
Film Appreciation
Forensic Science
Foundations of Leadership
Health
Leadership Capstone Class
Music Appreciation
Physics
Public Speaking
Sociology
Spanish III & IV
STEM Exploration
Yearbook
Students who are prepared for rigorous coursework, which is successfully completed with an acceptable grade on the Advanced Placement examination, can achieve college credit or advanced placement in college. The following Advanced Placement courses have been offered over the last several years:
Biology
Calculus
English Language
English Literature
Environmental Science
Psychology
United States History
US Government & Politics
World History
