High School: Academics & the Arts
The high school program at Oakwood School is highly rigorous and college preparatory but at the same time, we emphasize personal connection and moral development. We strive to guide students toward mastery in a wide variety of scholastic, artistic, and athletic endeavors. To this end, high school students have access to more than the standard curriculum - they are able to expand their interests with individualized programs such as Independent Studies, Special Topics, Immersion, STEAM, Community Youth Partnership, and so much more. For detailed course descriptions, please review the 2021–2022 Curriculum Guide.
ADVANCED STUDIES
Oakwood’s Advanced Studies program offers high school students in eleventh and twelfth grades the opportunity to engage in the academic disciplines at significant levels of rigor, inquiry, and depth. Developed and delivered by Oakwood’s remarkable faculty, and recognized as UC Honors-approved classes, Advanced Studies courses all afford students the opportunity to:
- Advance towards mastery in specific or interconnected disciplines.
- Demonstrate high levels of engagement and performance in response to complex questions and challenges.
- Plan and carry out deep inquiry, investigation, or research that reflects their individual interests.
- Develop and execute culminating work that extends their learning beyond the classroom.
- Self-reflect and respond constructively to their own work and that of their fellow students.
While course offerings may vary from year to year, Oakwood Advanced Studies course titles currently include:
|
Computer Science A
Language and Composition
Literature and Composition
Calculus A
Calculus B
Statistics
|
Number Theory
Biology
Chemistry
Physics: Electricity and Magnetism
US History
Civil Rights & Civil Liberties
|
Global Issues I & II
Social Philosophy
French
Spanish
Music History and Analysis
Music Composition and Analysis
|
ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS
Grades Nine through Twelve
English (4 credits)
Social Studies (3 credits)
Mathematics (3 credits including 1 credit beyond Algebra II)
Science (3 credits of laboratory science)
World Language (3 credits of one language completed through level III)
Arts (3 credits) in: Visual Arts, Theatre
Arts, Music, Dance
Athletics, Physical Education, and Wellness (2 credits)
Computer Science (No requirement)
Immersion (4 years)
Community Engagement: In ninth through twelfth grades, students are required to demonstrate a commitment to community engagement and action through participation in ongoing school-based community projects or off-campus activities approved by the Director of Experiential Learning. All students are required to complete a Community Engagement Proposal in eighth grade as part of their Community Engagement and Leadership course to describe their commitment to projects connected to specific Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Students may shift their focus throughout high school but will be held accountable to the individual objectives developed in their proposals.