We operate on a trimester system, in which a 2-trimester course counts as 1 credit and a 1-trimester course counts as .5 credits. Students take on average 4 courses in a trimester and must earn at least 5 credits per year. For more on our graduation requirements, visit Expectations.
One way to think about a student’s course load is to consider each trimester as having 4 “slots”, each holding .5 credits and allowing for 6 total credits in a year (.5 credits x 4 slots * 3 trimesters = 6 potential credits/year.)
A student may opt to leave one slot open for study time; this is known as a “free block” and a student may have a free block in up to 2 trimesters per year.
Certain core courses occupy more slots and count for more credits. The 9th grade integrated course Humans in the Natural World occupies 2 slots for all 3 trimesters, for a total of 3 credits (1 English, 1 Science, 1 History). The 11th-grade course American Studies occupies one slot for all 3 trimesters and is paired with Writing & Research in one trimester, resulting in 2 full credits (1 English, 1 History).
Example Pathways
Below are four examples of the myriad pathways a student might follow in order to satisfy our curricular requirements.
9th Grade
Courses –
Humans in the Natural World
Spanish 1 (1)
Geometry (1)
Sculpture (1)
Evening Arts –
Figure Drawing
Afro-Cuban Drumming
Seminars –
9th Grade Integrated Seminar (Health, Technology, Music)
10th Grade
Courses –
English: Composition & Literary Analysis (1)
Chemistry & Microbiology (1)
Independent Topics in Science (.5)
History of the Modern World (1)
Spanish 2 (1)
Algebra 2 (1)
Painting 1 (.5)
Evening Arts –
Printmaking
Book Arts
Seminars –
Health 10th
11th Grade
Courses –
American Studies (1.5)
Writing & Research (.5)
Physics (1)
Biodiversity &
Conservation
Ecology (1)
Spanish 3 (1)
Precalculus (1)
Evening Arts –
Printmaking
Latin Dance
Seminars –
College Planning
12th Grade
Courses –
Introduction to Media Studies (.5)
Existentialism (.5)
Revolutions: A Comparative Study (.5)
Molecular Biology & Genetics (1)
Calculus (1)
Painting 2 (.5)
Printmaking 1 (.5)
Evening Arts –
Animation
Stained Glass
Seminars –
College Application
9th Grade
Courses –
Humans in the Natural World (3)
Chinese 1 (1)
Algebra (1)
Music Theory 1 (.5)
Music Intensive (.5)
Evening Arts –
Jazz 1
Digital Film Making
Seminars –
9th Grade Integrated Seminar (Health, Technology, Music)
10th Grade
Courses –
English: Composition & Literary Analysis (1)
Chemistry & Microbiology (1)
History of the Modern World (1)
Chinese 2 (1)
Geometry (1)
Music Theory 2 (.5)
Evening Arts –
Jazz Combo
Ceramics 1
Seminars –
Health 10th
11th Grade
Courses –
American Studies (1.5)
Writing & Research (.5)
Complex Systems: Agroecology (.5)
Chinese 3 (.5)
Winter Trimester in China (1)
Algebra 2 (1)
Music Composition (.5)
Evening Arts –
Jazz Combo
Digital Photography
Seminars –
College Planning
12th Grade
Courses –
Feminist Perspectives in Literature (.5)
Contemporary Short Fiction (.5)
American Studies (.5)
Anatomy & Physiology (.5)
Introduction to Economics (.5)
Revolutions: A Comparative Study (.5)
Comparative Religions (.5)
Statistics (.5)
Introduction to Investment & Finance (.5)
Music Intensive (.5)
Adv. Music Composition (.5)
Ceramics 2 (.5)
Evening Arts –
Music Production
Meditation
Seminars –
College Application
For a student entering in 10th Grade
10th Grade
Courses –
English: Composition &
Literary Analysis (1)
Chemistry &
Microbiology (1)
History of the
Modern World (1)
French 2 (1)
Geometry (1)
Elements of Theater (.5)
Theater Workshop (.5)
Evening Arts –
Theater
Ceramics 1
Seminars –
Health 10th
11th Grade
Courses –
American Studies (1.5)
Writing & Research (.5)
Theater Workshop (1)
Physics (1)
Algebra 2 (1)
Photography 1 (1)
Evening Arts –
Digital
Photography
Theater
Seminars –
College Planning
12th Grade
Courses –
Creative Writing (.5)
Philosophical Themes
in Literature (.5)
Astronomy (.5)
Independent Study:
Astrophotography (.5)
Shakespeare (.5)
Comparative Religions (.5)
French 3 (1)
Social Documentary Studies (.5)
Elements of Dance (.5)
Computer Science 1 (.5)
Evening Arts –
Traditional Photography
Theater
Seminars –
College Application
For a student entering in 11th Grade
11th Grade
Courses –
American Studies (1.5)
Writing & Research (.5)
Physics (1)
Biodiversity &
Conservation
Ecology (1)
Spanish 3 (1)
Precalculus (1)
Evening Arts –
Printmaking
Latin Dance
Seminars –
College Planning
12th Grade
Courses –
Introduction to Media Studies (.5)
Existentialism (.5)
Revolutions: A Comparative Study (.5)
Molecular Biology & Genetics (1)
Calculus (1)
Painting 2 (.5)
Printmaking 1 (.5)
Evening Arts –
Animation
Stained Glass
Seminars –
College Application