Upper School Curriculum

In planning a student’s course of study, several factors should be taken into consideration: the student’s previous academic record, abilities and interests, co-curricular commitments, future college plans and the school’s graduation requirements.
The aim is to provide each student with a well-rounded education that has a solid core and offers students opportunities for advanced work in subjects that meet their strengths and interests.

The following expectations should be kept in mind:

• Meet all graduation requirements
• Consider strengths and seek out appropriate challenges
• Look for opportunities for growth
• Strive for a balanced combination of academic courses and co-curricular commitments

Course selections should be made with a four-year program of courses in mind. Therefore, students will need to work with their parents, advisors, teachers and administrators each spring to plan the academic program for the succeeding year.

All adds, drops and changes to semester-long courses must be made through the upper school office. Students may make course changes during a designated period of 10 school days at the beginning of each semester. This period begins on the first day of school for the first semester and at the designated start of the second semester for second-semester electives. It is the responsibility of the students to be aware of the final date for course changes.

Any course dropped after the mid-semester mark will appear on the student’s transcript as withdrawn (WD). In certain extenuating circumstances, students may appeal this policy through their advisor and the department head to the head of upper school. Students may not withdraw from a yearlong course after the mid-semester mark of the first semester unless they have permission from the department head and head of upper school.

A Course Change Form is obtained from the upper school office and requires the approval of the advisor, teacher, department leader, assistant head of upper school and parent(s). Juniors and seniors making a course change must also consult with the college counselor.

In cases where a student wishes to shift from a 15-level course to a 10-level course, the shift must occur prior to the week after the first mid-semester. Students who make the shift prior to the week after mid-semester will receive credit for their work in the 15-level course but will not have any carry over of academic performance grades when shifting into the 10-level course. After the week following mid-semester, students may not switch from a 15 to a 10-level course until the end of the first semester. Students who shift from a 15-level course to a 10-level course at the semester mark will receive a grade for the 15-level course in the first semester and a grade for the 10-level course in the second semester.

The upper school is a four-year college-preparatory program. To earn a North Shore Country Day diploma, students have to meet a number of academic and co-curricular expectations. They must be enrolled in at least five academic subjects each semester. Advisors, the appropriate department head and the head of upper school need to approve any exceptions to these requirements.

To graduate, students have to successfully complete a minimum of 23 credits, including:

• 4 full years of English
• 3 full years of social studies, including 1 year of United States history
• 3 full years of the same language
• 3 full years of mathematics
• 3 full years of science that includes physics, chemistry and biology
• 2 full years in the fine and/or performing arts
• 4 years of PE/wellness

OTHER REQUIREMENTS FOR GRADUATION
Some requirements are not part of the typical academic day. These include:

• Students are required to perform onstage in the fall play, winter play, spring musical or 10-minute play festival at least once in four years. In addition, students are required to participate either onstage or offstage in the fall play, winter play, spring musical, or 10-minute play festival once during the four years of upper school. Therefore, the overall requirement is two dramatic or musical productions over a four-year high school career.
• Over a four-year period, students must plan on participating in at least one community service project organized through our Interim experience.
• 9th-graders must participate in a fall sport.
• Students must participate in one season of athletics during 10th and 11th-grade years.
• 12th-graders must complete a Senior Service Project in May.

CO-CURRICULAR PROGRAM
There are three co-curricular seasons—fall, winter and spring—during which students are required to participate in an area(s) that meets their unique interests. Developing expertise in co-curricular endeavors is an important component of a well-rounded North Shore experience. This involves participation in athletics and performing arts. Most co-curricular activities occur at the completion of the academic day, after 3:10 p.m.

North Shore does not rank students or have an honor roll system. Grades are issued as letters in the upper school. There are plus and minus grades for each category with the exception that there is no grade of A+.

• A indicates excellent work
• B indicates above average work
• C indicates average or satisfactory work
• D indicates below average work
• NS indicates a failure

SENIOR GRADES
Seniors must pass all second-semester courses in order to graduate from North Shore Country Day.

ACADEMIC PROBATION
Students who are not meeting the academic expectations of the school will be reviewed by the faculty and may be placed on academic probation. (See the academic probation policy in the Upper School Handbook.)

INCOMPLETES
When a student’s work is incomplete at the end of a semester, the teacher may assign a failing grade at that time or grant the student an extension. An extension is normally granted only when a severe medical problem exists. In any event, the school will not grant credit for a course unless all major assignments have been completed. Incompletes at the end of a semester must be made up before the mid-semester mark of the second semester.

PASS/FAIL
Students have an option of taking a course for credit on a pass/fail basis if it is not a requirement for graduation. The department head and head of upper school must approve the program for students who want to take any course pass/fail. In addition, approval from the college counselor is required for a senior. This option exists to encourage students to explore academic areas that they might not otherwise pursue. Students cannot take AP courses pass/fail. They can make, at most, one course pass/fail per year. If the pass/fail option is elected, students must receive a minimum grade of C- to pass. Students wishing to take a course pass/fail need to denote this as an option on their initial registration or make the appropriate request through the division head in the same time frame as for adding, dropping or changing a course. Final approval rests with the department head and the head of upper school.

GRADE REPORTS
The school year is divided into semesters with each semester having a mid-semester point. Students receive letter grades for each course at mid-semester and letter grades and teacher comments at semester’s end. Advisors and parents receive copies of these grades and comments. Only year-end grades, or semester grades in the case of a semester course, are entered on a student’s transcript. The mid-semester grades are intended to serve as indicators of a student’s progress in courses to that point in time. They are not recorded on student transcripts.

YEAR-END EXAMS
Cumulative exams or projects are given at the end of the academic year in most disciplines. These exams account for anywhere from 10 to 20 percent of the year-end grade.

UPPER SCHOOL
The transition to the upper school at North Shore Country Day presents many challenges for first year students. Besides simply the transition of moving from one school setting to the upper school at North Shore Country Day, for many, the expectations of our college- preparatory program are intense and the work becomes much more analytical. It is important, therefore, for first year students to recognize quickly the expectations and demands which will be placed upon them, establish healthy and productive study habits to meet these expectations and demands, create the time necessary to succeed and make responsible choices, which will contribute to a productive, enjoyable experience during the first year of the upper school. Here are a few helpful hints:

• You should get to know your advisor, teachers, the dean, assistant head and head of upper school as soon as possible. These adults will prove to be great advocates.
• Ask questions. If you don’t know or understand something or if you need help finding a solution to a problem, ask your advisor or a teacher. Only by asking can you come up with answers to suit your individual needs.
• Seek out your teachers for extra assistance and, if need be, establish a regular meeting time. Getting extra assistance is not a sign of ignorance, but rather signals to the teacher your earnest desire to learn.
• Homework and daily preparation for classes are key to success in the upper school. If you just “do” the homework by completing writing and reading assignments, you may be disappointed. Doing homework means following up on materials covered in class, reviewing class notes, outlining and taking notes on reading, and mapping out strategies for longer term assignments.
• On average, three quarters of an hour’s worth of study per school day is normal for each course. Three hours of homework in an evening is appropriate, although some days you might have more or less. Plan to use some time each weekend to study for upcoming tests, write papers and accomplish assignments for the coming week.
• Take time to review the many academic, extracurricular and co-curricular offerings in the upper school and take advantage of at least one activity.
• While being with friends is an important part of the school day, it is also important early in the year to establish good habits about how to use your time. Allow some time to be with friends and relax, but make sure you use some of your time during the day for school-related work.
• Do not let work pile up. If you find yourself falling behind, seek out your teacher or advisor to develop a strategy for correcting the problem. You should not have to feel overwhelmed.
• There is much that will be new to you here. Don’t worry—everything becomes familiar very quickly. Enjoy the newness and the excitement of joining the upper school at North Shore.

ADVANCED PLACEMENT
Advanced Placement (AP) courses are offered to qualified students in English, human geography, United States history, calculus (AB and BC), statistics, computer science, chemistry, biology, physics, French, Spanish (language and literature), Chinese, United
States government and politics, studio art, and music theory. Students have the opportunity to earn college credit and/or advanced standing for the above AP courses by taking the AP exam in the late spring of each academic year. All students enrolled in an AP course are required to take the exam unless permission not to take the exam is given by the teacher and department head. If an AP student is not meeting the AP course requirements or if an AP student is late or absent more than six classes in one semester, the student’s status in the AP class is to be reviewed by the head of upper school, the AP teacher and the
student’s advisor.

INDEPENDENT STUDY
Independent study is designed to support juniors or seniors who have fulfilled the graduation requirements within a department and are interested in pursuing an advanced course of study. Independent study is an opportunity for students to design a course that allows them to pursue an interest that goes beyond the curriculum offered in the course of study. Students should not submit independent study proposals for courses in the catalog that cannot be scheduled. The independent study course must be a fifth or sixth course, taken for credit, and may be graded or taken pass/fail. If a student wishes to design an independent study, the student must find a faculty sponsor in the department in which the independent study is being proposed. Together with that sponsor, the student writes up a detailed description of the work to be done. The head of upper school and the department head in which the work is to be done must approve the proposal. The proposal form is available in the upper school office. A preliminary application for independent study is due at the time of course registration. The final, detailed proposal must be completed by the first week of June (the deadline is listed on the form). Students having questions about independent study should speak to the head of upper school or assistant head of upper school.

INTERIM
One week in the fall is set aside from regularly scheduled classes so that students can participate in an in-depth experience of educational value outside the traditional classroom environment. Teachers seek to establish a learning experience that will challenge students to expand their horizons. The philosophy of Interim reflects the origin of the word educate: to lead out into the world. All projects are faculty sponsored or approved and participation is mandatory. Interim projects must be planned so that at least one of the four experiences is in the category of local community service. The knowledge gained benefits not only the individual students but also the entire school community when students share their experiences during Interim Night and Morning Ex. A student who needs financial aid for an interim trip can submit a form for financial aid.

INTERNSHIPS
A student may apply to do a weeklong internship during Interim once in four years. Internships are individually planned projects in the wider community. Students must work with a full-time on-site professional for a minimum of 30 hours. They are encouraged to seek an opportunity that might be an introduction to a future personal goal or to extend beyond their normal experience. Students must be in their junior or senior year and have completed a community service Interim in order to be eligible to apply for an internship. A student may only participate in one internship experience during Interim. Recent Interim offerings have included Nature, Writing and Solitude; The Trout Bum Experience; Oak Terrace Bilingual Tutoring; The Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright; Arabic Souqs and Service; The Actors Gymnasium; and Creative Design with a Laser Cutter. Individual internships have included shadowing a pediatrician for a week, interning at a biotech manufacturer doing biomedical research, and capturing the Korean-American experience through film making and other media.

COMMUNITY SERVICE
Community service is an ongoing part of upper school life and helps to build character as students learn to give of themselves. Every North Shore Country Day student is encouraged to perform community service during their time in the upper school. This service is coordinated through the community service club and the community service director, and may be fulfilled during free periods of the school day, after school, on weekends and during school vacations. All students are required to participate in one community service project as part of their Interim experience over a four-year period.

CLASSES AT NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
North Shore juniors and seniors in good academic standing, can audit courses at Northwestern University free of charge during the summer. (North Shore does not note Northwestern courses on its transcripts.) Students will not receive credit or a transcript from Northwestern University unless tuition is paid.

Available courses will be limited based on the following guidelines:

• Students may take courses intended for college freshmen or sophomores (usually 100 or 200 level courses).
• Because Northwestern University is concerned for the safety of our students, they are not permitted to take night classes.

Course registration should be undertaken with the intent of taking the courses which are selected. Current students register for courses in February/March. New students begin their course registration in April. All course registrations are subject to changes depending on availability and class size.

It's important to note the following about registration for upper school students

• In exceptional circumstances, another course may be substituted for one of the requirements upon recommendation by the administration and the appropriate department head.
• There are instances where it is appropriate for a student to seek a waiver of a graduation requirement. Although exceptions are not made lightly, students and parents may explore and request the waiver of graduation requirements when a good educational reason suggests that this modification would better serve a particular student’s needs. A first step in the process is consultation with the student’s advisor, teacher, department head and head of upper school. The student must then submit a written petition to the head of upper school. Until the student and parents have received official written notice from North Shore Country Day that a waiver has been approved, it is expected that the student will be enrolled in the course that would satisfy the requirement.
• Students do not receive credits for courses completed during 8th grade.
• New students entering 10th, 11th, or 12th grade will have their graduation requirements established at the time of acceptance at the discretion of the head of upper school. 
• Generally, students will be required to make up a failed course in a pre-approved summer school or to repeat the course the following year. The exception to this is English, which must be taken and passed at North Shore during the academic year. Failing English, in most cases, makes it unlikely that a student can remain at North Shore Country Day.
• In order to be eligible for graduation, seniors must pass all of their second semester courses.

SENIOR SERVICE PROJECTS

During the second semester, all seniors conceive, design, prepare and complete their own service projects. Students may work individually or in small groups, subject to the volunteer capacity of the sponsoring organization. Students are encouraged to be independent and to make this opportunity one that is personal, worthwhile and representative of the student’s total North Shore experience. It is our hope that each student will learn more about serving a larger community and learn something about him or herself.

Participation in the Senior Service Project is a requirement. Seniors must finish all their classwork and other graduation requirements before they begin their projects, which take place during the last two weeks of May. Seniors are expected to meet all other school obligations while on their service project, such as athletics, yearbook, student government, etc. Families with questions about the Senior Service Project should contact Drea Gallaga, Director of the Live+Serve Laboratory.