Academics

Advanced students are offered the opportunity to engage in college level study in several disciplines as part of the College Entrance Examination Board’s Advanced Placement Program. In order to participate, students must demonstrate superior aptitude and achievement and a willingness to commit to considerable independent study. Admission to these courses is selective; criteria are listed in the departmental course descriptions found in Shamrock Studies. All students in these courses are required to take and pay the fee for the College Board Advanced Placement Examination in May. Many colleges award credit to those students who receive a satisfactory score on the examination. Due to the rigor of AP classes, it is oftentimes essential to conduct additional lessons, labs and assessments outside of the course’s normal meeting times. These meetings may occur before or after school. It is expected that students who are taking an AP class will attend these extra sessions.

Courses at the Honors 1 level are designed to challenge students who have demonstrated a high level of academic aptitude and achievement as demonstrated in the placement exam and past academic performance. The pace of instruction is rapid, and topics are explored in greater depth than in the Honors level. Students are expected to complete independent research, group work, and long term assignments. Assessments emphasize the development of critical thinking skills, originality and creativity, and the ability to make connections within the subject area as well as with other academic disciplines.

In courses at the Honors level, academically talented students are challenged to make the transition from thorough recall of information to higher levels of thinking and application of course material. Students at this level usually have well-developed skills. Although course content is often very similar to the Honors 1 level, more time is devoted to guiding students in the development of critical thinking skills and the capacity for more independent work. Students are expected to do both independent and group projects and long term assignments. Assessments reflect the transitional nature of this level.

This level provides students who have demonstrated above average aptitude and achievement with a thorough understanding of the fundamentals of the subject area and the application of concepts. Emphasis is placed on fine tuning skills as well as developing the capacity for more critical thinking. Students are expected to complete daily homework assignments as well as some long term assignments and projects. Frequent and varied assessments characterize this level.

Students at this level receive more personal attention in their academic preparation for college. Teachers use a variety of instructional practices to engage students with different learning styles. Emphasis is placed on developing a strong understanding of the course fundamentals, the capacity for independent and critical thinking, mastery of grade level standards, and the learning skills necessary for more advanced study. Daily homework is assigned to provide students with practice in working with new concepts, review of previously learned material, and structure in their learning process. Long-term assignments are frequently broken down into several components. Student progress is assessed frequently using a variety of tools.