Upper School
During the upper school years, our students make deep connections with their teachers and their peers. They become part of a tight-knit community committed to learning and discovering their talents and passion.
Latin students actively shape their academic program. The upper school curriculum begins with everything you would expect in a college preparatory high school—literature and history surveys, biology, chemistry, physics, algebra, calculus, geometry, language. But Latin takes it a step beyond. We offer our students exceptional educational opportunities and ask them to dig deep, think critically and commit themselves to fully pursuing their intellectual passions both inside and outside the classroom.
Latin’s educational approach is student- centered and individualized. By understanding how each child learns best, our teachers help students identify their passions and take on new challenges.
Latin students love learning. They are encouraged to do, to create, to try and to fail. The focus is on the process, not the outcome, which helps students build resilience, remain intrinsically motivated and succeed.
Academic Excellence
A Wide Variety of Courses
We offer more than 150 courses each year.
Innovative Electives in Every Subject Area
Electives offered include:
- Mexican American Literature
- Great Novellas
- Nazi Mind
- Modern Asia
- Latin Literature: The Roman Empire
- Honors Chinese
- Statistics: Hypothesis
- Finance and Math
- Play Writing/Directing
- Music Theory
- Introduction to Web Development
- Medicinal Chemistry
- Digital Video Production
- Fashion Design
- and many more!
Small Classes
Small class size encourages continual interaction and sharing of ideas.
- average class size: 14
- student-to-faculty ratio is 8:1
Strong Teacher/Student Relationships
Teachers are passionate about their subject areas and are available to students inside and outside the classroom.
The Opportunity to Create Your Own Class
Students can develop independent study courses where they work one-on-one with a faculty member on a self-designed curriculum.
Freedom to Pursue a Passion
If you have a passion for languages, for instance, you can double up. Take French and Chinese, Latin or Spanish for example.
Experiential Learning
Learning at Latin is experiential and project-based, including simulations, mock trials and hands-on lab work.
Examples of experiential learning:
- Antigone performance for Global Cities
- tenth grade Nuremberg Trials simulation
- senior projects
- Project Week
Being able to choose the courses I want to take and shape my own schedule has taught me a great sense of balance. There is so much available for students at Latin that you have to learn to manage your time to be able to become involved in the activities you love.
You have a support group at Latin that will pick you up, dust you off, so you can get back at it.
When I got to Kenyon, I had a head start because of Latin. It wasn't just that I was confident in writing a paper. It was that while everyone else was learning to write a paper, I had time to think about the bigger picture.
FAQ
- How do you support students new to the school?
- How are parents kept apprised of their child’s progress?
- There are so many course possibilities! How do students choose what is best for them?
- What is Latin’s schedule?
- How big are classes?
- How many AP courses does Latin offer?
- Do students have the opportunity to focus on one specific area of study?
- Can students receive college credit for work done at Latin?
- What opportunities for leadership exist for my child?
How do you support students new to the school?
How are parents kept apprised of their child’s progress?
There are so many course possibilities! How do students choose what is best for them?
Students work closely with their advisors and teachers to determine the best course of study.
As a freshman, each student is assigned an advisor who has been coached to help with everything from adapting to classes to implementing time management strategies. After ninth grade, students choose the faculty advisor they’d like to work with over the next three years. Students almost always develop a long term, close relationship with their advisors, who become counselors, mentors, troubleshooters, advocates and parent liaisons.
What is Latin’s schedule?
How big are classes?
How many AP courses does Latin offer?
Do students have the opportunity to focus on one specific area of study?
Can students receive college credit for work done at Latin?
What opportunities for leadership exist for my child?
Do you have questions? We would love to hear from you.
Monica Rodriguez
M.A. Middlebury College
Faye Wells
M.S.DePaul University
M.Ed. DePaul University
Brandon Woods
M.A. University of Pennsylvania
Ph.D. University of Pennsylvania
upper school
