Theology

to literature, but emphasis is placed on, but not limited to topics such as customs, current events, sociology, technology and world challenges. This is an intensive curriculum and includes much reading, essay writing, research, as well as oral presentations and debates.

Advanced Spanish and Latin American Literature

This survey course is taught in Spanish and is intended to introduce students to Peninsular and Latin American literatures. Through a chronological approach that spans from the Middle Ages to the 21st century, students will analyze exemplary literary texts as products of their time. All literary genres will be introduced with a focus on how literature evolves and how each author, no matter how innovative, is influenced by his/her predecessor. Jorge Luis Borges said it best when he said, “I am not sure that I exist actually, I am the writers that I have read, all the people that I have met, all the women that I have loved; all the cities that I have visited.” Questions regarding society, gender, love, courage, perseverance, and cultural identity, among others, will also be examined. Continuities and discontinuities will be underlined with an eye to an internal cohesiveness among them based on overarching themes. The use of music, the fine arts, and film will provide students with many opportunities to make connections with and find resonance in other courses as well as draw connections to their own lives.

MATHEMATICS

The goals of the Mathematics Department are to develop the ability to reason mathematical concepts, to develop proficiency with skills and to provide students with a solid foundation for advanced mathematical studies and for the use of mathematics in their daily lives. Upper School students are required to take mathematics through grade 11 and to successfully complete Precalculus, and are strongly encouraged to maintain mathematics in senior year. Students in grades 9 through 12 use graphing calculators for class, homework and tests.

Algebra I with Summer Geometry (Grade 9) This course covers a full year of algebra in preparation for summer Geometry, Algebra II & Trigonometry in 10th grade, PreCalculus in 11th grade and Calculus during senior year. Topics include the solution of linear equations and applications to problem solving, the graph and equation of a line, solution of systems of linear equations, operations with polynomials, factoring, solution of quadratic equations by factoring and formula, properties of the graph of a quadratic function, properties of exponents, probability and statistics, operations with rational functions, solution of rational equations and properties of and operations with radicals. Summer Geometry typically runs through the middle of July and covers all the topics covered in the 9th grade standard Geometry class.

Geometry (Grade 9) This is a full-year course in Euclidean geometry with an emphasis on the writing of proofs. Topics include properties of segments and angles, perpendicular and parallel lines, triangle congruence, properties of quadrilaterals, triangle inequalities, similarity, right triangles, right triangle trigonometry, circles, metric geometry, coordinate geometry and transformation. Algebraic concepts, specifically radicals, quadratics, and systems of linear equations, are reinforced and applied throughout the course. Students will build on their problem solving skills as they develop the ability to reason through problems using postulates, theorems, and inductive and deductive reasoning.

Geometry Honors (Grade 9) This is a full-year course in Euclidean geometry that emphasizes the writing of proofs and is taught in a way that will offer a challenge for students who wish to pursue a more rigorous study of the material. Extra work will be required of all honors students. Students learn to use TINspire software to formulate conjectures. Topics include properties of segments and angles, perpendicular and parallel lines, triangle congruence, properties of quadrilaterals, triangle inequalities, similarity, right triangles, right triangle trigonometry, circles, metric geometry coordinate geometry and transformations. This course will develop each student’s ability to engage in inductive and deductive reasoning to produce mathematical proofs. Students will provide mathematical justifications for their observations, calculations, and conclusions, building their own analytic skills. Students will explore the relationships between geometric figures and the applications of these relationships in the real world. Students will think analytically and logically in order to make connections between geometrical relationships.

Algebra II and Trigonometry Honors

(Grades 9 and 10) This course is designed to build on the concepts learned in Algebra I. This course focuses not only on procedural and conceptual skills, but also the heart of problem solv-