Looking Ahead to 11th GradeSpring, 2014

The curriculum in the junior and senior years challenges students to engage with ideas more deeply and relate to their peers and teachers more collegially.

In the 9th and 10th grades: Courses are designed to emphasize and develop the essential student skills in each discipline and to help students move from concrete to more abstract thinking.

In the 11th and 12th grades:The curriculum demands much more independent student responsibility, maturity and intellectual sophistication.

The Junior/Senior Curriculum

English: semester electives

U.S. History

Mathematics as recommended by department

Chemistry (regular or honors) as recommended by the department

Language:

Many students are in level IV of their language, and have completed that graduation requirement. However, most students are advised to continue their language study at least through this level

One or two electives

The 11th Grade Curriculum

English Electives

In the English department, students in 11th and 12th grades choose among semester-long seminars on a range of topics.

Juniors and seniors are together in their English classes.

All English electives emphasize and assume skill in critical reading, text-based discussion, and writing in a variety of modes.

Students will rank their top four English choices for each semester, and we do our best to give them one of these choices, within the constraints of the rest of their schedule.

Course Request form for 11th grade

The 11th Grade Experience Student-Advisor Role

Student choice of advisor

Deepening relationship

Leadership positions

Student organizations

Athletics

Junior Retreat (April)

Formalize leadership roles

Junior Privileges (May)

College search process…

Goals for Juniors

Explore options and test assumptions about

types of colleges that fit the individual

Develop informed criteria, leading to a more

refined search in the spring

Skills that Matter

Initiative, curiosity, positive risk-taking

Commitment to making an informed choice,

based on steady research

Flexibility, openness to change

Engagement in the community

The College Search Process

Fall: Active college search

MISP College Fair, September 28

Group meetings with admissions officers at SPA

Visit several types of colleges

Written reflections/questionnaires

Spring

Student meeting and family meetings with counselor

Further college visits

College Seminar – small group advising (once per cycle)

Testing

PSAT and Practice ACT in October – use practice tests to

guide preparation

SAT (January) and ACT (February or April)

Optional AP and Subject tests (May, June)

Repeat testing – late spring or senior fall

Parent programs year-round

The College Search Process

Family conversation about priorities and plan to balance commitments

Our advice:

Make intentional choices. Don’t try to do it all – at least not at the same time!

In most cases, students should continue to carry a full academic course load (five core subjects)

Course Requests for 11th Grade

Students already have received their individualized 11th Grade Course Request Form — due back, signed by student, parents, advisor, and College Counselor, by April 25.

Please Note:

The full Upper School Curriculum, including all graduation requirements and detailed descriptions of courses, is available on the SPA website. Go to the Community section, select “Upper School,” and click on the link to “Upper School Academic Program Overview.”

Course Request Materials

Chris HughesUS Principal chughes@spa.edu

Judy CumminsUS Dean of Students jcummins@spa.edu

Susanna ShortUS Counselor sshort@spa.edu

Mary HillDirector of College Counseling and Academic Planning mhill@spa.edu

Cindy RichterAssistant Head of School crichter@spa.edu

Questions?