ONLINE PARTNER COURSES To enhance our on-campus offerings, WMA offers several online courses through One Schoolhouse or Virtual High School. Students enrolled in these courses will have a WMA faculty coordinator to oversee their progress, take attendance and offer support. Thus, offering students a guided yet independent learning experience. Students should be aware that these courses are challenging and require self-motivation, good organizational skills and a substantial time commitment. Students taking courses through our online partners will be expected to work according to the academic schedule of the provider, which does not follow the WMA vacation schedule. Course work will need to be submitted regardless of the WMA vacation schedule. All online courses will receive WMA transcript credit. There are registration fees and AP exam fees associated with these courses. The following courses are currently offered. Please see the appropriate section for full course description. MATHEMATICS Multivariable Calculus Linear Algebra
HISTORY/GLOBAL STUDIES/CEEF AP European History AP Microeconomics
COMPUTER SCIENCE Java Programming AP Computer Science A
FINE & PERFORMING ART AP Music Theory
WORLD LANGUAGE Chinese – Beginning I Chinese – Beginning II Chinese – Intermediate I Chinese – Intermediate II Chinese – Advanced
ENGLISH The WMA English department offers a curriculum that merges the best writings of the Western tradition with contemporary global literature, creating a comparative approach. Students are encouraged to consider the themes of canonical works, frame them within a global context and explore how they might speak to today's global concerns. The goal of the English Department is to expand students’ horizons by introducing them to the world's best writing in fiction, poetry, drama and all forms of nonfiction. A major aim of the program is to develop critical and creative thinkers who see beyond cultural stereotypes and biases. Our program focuses intensely on writing and our progression offers students mastery of the tools needed to structure and write a compelling analytical and argumentative paper. The English department encourages collaboration through daily discussion of the texts. This Socratic approach fosters dialogue and debate, which in turn strengthens verbal skills. The art of rhetoric is also introduced and public speaking is a component in each grade level course. Seminar-style classes oblige students to be prepared, engaged and ready to participate fully in class discussion. An intensive focus on process writing ensures that students are well prepared for the rigors of college. All courses are full year, worth three credits unless otherwise indicated. Typical course progression options are listed below. Please see complete descriptions for more information. Sample Progression: Grade 9 Options
Grade 10 Options
Grade 11 Options
Grade 12 & PG Options
English 9 Honors English 9 Advanced ESL Superior ESL
English 10 Honors English 10 AP Seminar Advanced ESL Superior ESL
American Literature AP Seminar AP Research AP Language & Composition Superior ESL
AP Language & Composition AP Literature & Composition AP Research English 12 Electives
ENGLISH 9 Level: Grade 9 and select international students Prerequisite: International students-approval of the ESL/English depts
Overview: Thematically, this course explores the relationship of citizen and leader within a global framework. The program is designed to introduce students to the different genres of literature as well as the structural approach to the English classroom at the Academy. The course aims to promote and engender a love of reading, writing, and the enjoyment of discourse; to give students a chance to explore their creative and analytical voices; and to focus on communication and analysis of ideas. Reading for class is presented as an active exercise, a conversation between reader and text with annotation required. Assigned texts include a balance of the traditional Western Canon and an introduction to global literature, including (but not limited to): The Lord of the Flies, Metamorphoses, The Odyssey 6
and Macbeth. Students explore mythology through reading and research, but the culmination of the unit is a group film project on a selected myth. The student films are presented at an allEnglish 9 screening, where the student work is judged and awards (called the Ovids) are presented. Students are also introduced to poetry and memoir, and explore these genres through their own creative writing. Throughout the year, students develop familiarity and mastery of the five-paragraph analytical essay and thesis writing. Grammar and writing instruction are incorporated into the curriculum as specific units but the teaching of writing mechanics is also integrated into the process writing approach that is a component of all writing assignments. Assessments include: major literary analysis papers and creative writing assignments; student responses to the literature; daily class discussions; reading quizzes; grammar worksheets; the Ovid film project; and a cumulative final exam.
