Upper School Academic Program

Students prepare for college and beyond through a challenging curriculum that stresses the development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills as well as the expansion of knowledge. Regular homework assignments, averaging about three hours each school day, complement seminars, class discussions, simulations, lectures, and laboratories. Portledge expects students to be active participants in their own education; they are expected to exhibit initiative, intellectual curiosity, focus, and perseverance in their academic endeavors.

To earn a diploma a student must (1) complete a minimum of 18-1/2 academic credits in the Upper School, (2) satisfy the Schoolís quality-credit and distributive requirements and the computer literacy requirements and (3) fulfill the State physical education requirements. Course sequences depend on the abilities and prior education of each student. Minimum course distribution requirements in the Upper School include four credits each in English and mathematics, three each in history and laboratory sciences, two in one foreign language, one-half in performing arts, one-half in visual arts, one-half in computer, and one-half in health. English, mathematics and physical education are required every year. A half-credit course in leadership, ethics and public speaking is required in twelfth grade. Students must take at least four one-credit courses, or the equivalent, each year. At graduation select students may be recognized for achievements as Arts Scholars and/or as inductees to the Cum Laude Society.

The Director of the Middle and Upper Schools must approve each studentís course of study. Most students carry 5 1/2 credits in ninth and tenth grades, and 5 credits in eleventh and twelfth grades, for a total of 21 credits. Students entering after the ninth grade may have diploma requirements adjusted upon acceptance in order to make possible the most beneficial academic program. As a result, they may have fewer elective possibilities in their senior year. Students who have demonstrated strong ability and high achievement are placed in advanced level sections. These students may go on to take Advanced Placement courses and/or examinations in most disciplines.

While the physical education course carries no credit, the minimum requirement has been mandated by the State, and students must pass each year in order to be considered for a diploma. The majority of Upper School students elect after-school sports, which they take in lieu of physical education.

The academic program is complemented by a wide-ranging field trip program which utilizes the rich cultural opportunities available in New York City, laboratory investigations at the DNA Learning Center, and the diverse environmental habitats of Long Island. There is an extended class retreat for grade ten during which the students face physical and mental challenges in an outdoor setting. Finally, each senior develops an individual senior project to be completed during the last few weeks of the spring of senior year.

The course descriptions that follow have been organized by department to emphasize the year-to-year continuity of each discipline. Elective courses may change to reflect student interest or staff expertise. Under special circumstances students are also able to arrange independent study. Interdepartmental coordination is an important feature. English and history courses parallel each other through the eleventh grade; math and science are also closely interwoven. In all subjects students learn how to plan for specific short-term and long-range assignments as they deal with quizzes, tests, written homework assignments, reports and research papers. Major examinations are given twice a year during a special testing period: semester examinations in January and comprehensive final examinations in June. Where appropriate, teachers help classes review for the SAT Tests.

English

The English program is designed to increase awareness of our literary heritage, to develop sensitivity to the English language, and to foster an appreciation of great literature. English courses at Portledge include works of major British and American authors, as well as representative selections from other cultures, past and present. Shakespeare is read every year. English is required in grades 9-12. Advanced sections and Advanced Placement courses are offered when appropriate. Classes emphasize discussions on topics ranging from technical writing issues to ethical and aesthetic questions generated by the readings.

All courses stress writing and its improvement through good editing. The skill-oriented programs in grades 9 and 10 are designed to teach students to communicate clearly and forcefully. In 11th grade an entire quarter is devoted exclusively to writing under time pressure and writing with revision. In all grades expository writing on a variety of literary and nonliterary subjects is emphasized in order to develop sound organizational skills. Grammar is studied both holistically, by examining grammar errors in student writing, and systematically, through exercises. Work on grammar, usage, and vocabulary is designed to help students with their writing and to prepare them for college entrance examinations. Tests on the reading are designed to measure comprehension skills as well as knowledge of content and critical thinking. They also generally require a considerable amount of writing. All exams include an essay assignment. In the ninth grade both mid-year and final exams count as 10% of the year grade. In grades 10-12 both mid-year and final exams count as 1/6th of the year grade.

A summer reading program helps sustain skills during the vacation while providing a common starting point for classes in September. All students entering grades 9-12 are expected to read two required books. In addition, they are expected to read two books of their choice. The English Department provides an annotated list of books to help with the selection.

The emphasis in the following description of the program is on new material and on new goals and objectives at each grade level. However, considerable classroom time is spent on ensuring that the foundation for the new material remains strong and that previous goals and objectives continue to be met.

English 9: The course introduces students to the epic as a form in relation to The Odyssey. Other reading selections may include Shakespeareís Julius Caesar, Siddhartha, A Gathering of Old Men, and Catcher in the Rye. Student essays are expected to reflect a growing awareness of the value of precise language, sentence variety and logically unified paragraphs.

English 10: The course is the first of a two-year sequence that focuses on British and American Literature. Books with similar themes, such as Great Expectations, and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, are juxtaposed, and the literary techniques of various authors are studied. The short stories of writers such as Thomas Mann, Leo Tolstoy, Hugh Garner and Ernest Hemingway may also be read. Macbeth is the usual selection by Shakespeare. Reading from The Shorter Norton Anthology of Poetry forms the basis of a three-year program in poetry. Students are encouraged to deal with concepts and abstractions in their essays and are taught techniques of proving points with the use of appropriate evidence.

English 11: This course continues the focus on British and American authors. Romantic writers of both England and America are read and compared. The fiction read deals with worlds as diverse as Joyceís Dublin in Dubliners, Fitzgeraldís Gold Coast in The Great Gatsby, and Toni Morisonís urban Detroit and rural Virginia in Song of Solomon. Hamlet or Othello is studied as well as the poetry of some of Shakespeareís contemporaries. In addition to the frequent shorter essays that are the heart of the intensive writing quarter, advanced section students write a major paper utilizing secondary sources. Exceptional students are encouraged to take the Advanced Placement English Language test.

English 12: English 12 offers the student the choice of courses focused on specific topics and themes such as Shakespeare, Journeys, Greek Tragedy, Comedy, Non-Western Literature and Contemporary Writers. Writing clearly under time pressure and developing essays of increasing sophistication are stressed. The fourth quarter of these electives is devoted to a major paper (8-10 pages in length) on a text chosen by individual students in consultation with the teacher.

Advanced Placement: An Advanced Placement course is offered to qualified twelfth grade students. This course is designed to be the equivalent of a college freshman English Literature course. The syllabus includes works by authors such as Donne, Joyce, Dostoevsky and Virginia Woolf. Critical analysis of literary selections forms the basis of the writing curriculum.

Elective Courses: Elective courses in creative writing and journalism are offered. Independent study is also offered upon student initiative and department approval.

Mathematics

The Upper School mathematics program is designed to give all students a solid foundation in mathematics and to provide the mathematical skills necessary for personal living and informed citizenship. The curriculum includes the formally structured mathematics needed for advanced study at the college level in pure and applied mathematics and in related fields. It prepares students to meet the demands of the standardized tests required for college admission. Students must study mathematics for four years in the Upper School and are grouped according to ability. Topics are developed sequentially beginning with algebra and ending with the calculus. Computers and calculators are used in the investigation of mathematics. Upper School mathematics instruction encourages students to become problem-solvers, to communicate and reason mathematically, to value mathematics, and to gain confidence in their own mathematical ability.

Algebra I: This course deals with the fundamental operations of algebra. Some of the topics included are: algebraic operations, linear equations and inequalities, polynomials, word problems, factoring, systems of equations, graphing lines and inequalities, radicals and exponents, rational expressions, functions, and quadratic equations.

Geometry: This course deals with the study of the properties of two and three dimensional shapes; the symmetry, congruence and similarity of these shapes and uses logical argument in formulating deductive proofs.

Geometry - Advanced: This in-depth formal study of Euclidean geometry is supplemented by topics in analytic and transformation geometry, trigonometry and algebra. Emphasis is placed upon developing both appreciation of the axiomatic structure of mathematics and ability to think logically through the construction of formal proofs. Topics include lines and angles, parallel and perpendicular lines and planes, congruent and similar polygons, right triangles, circles, area and volume, construction and loc

Algebra II: Prerequisite: a grade of C in Algebra I. Algebra II begins with a review and extension of topics from Algebra I and then proceeds to complex numbers, quadratic functions, powers and roots, conic sections, systems of equations and inequalities and probability. Students completing this course may take the SAT II in Mathematics, Level

Algebra II - Advanced: Prerequisite: a grade of B in Algebra I. This course, designed to give the student the necessary background for mastery of more advanced mathematics, is a rigorous and accelerated exploration of advanced algebra and trigonometry. Emphasis is on using sophisticated techniques to solve complex word problems with real world applications.

Precalculus prepares our students for the study of the calculus of a single variable. The course includes an in depth study of functions. Rates of growth are discussed, and graphing skills are emphasized. Students use functions to model ìreal lifeî situations in the context of word problems. The graphing calculator is used to enrich studentsí understanding of each type of function and to widen the range of possible applications. Precalculus is offered as an advanced course in two formats.

Precalculus AB: This one year course is a prerequisite for AP Calculus AB. In addition to preparing students for calculus, this course introduces the student to a variety of mathematics topics not immediately related to the study of calculus.

Precalculus BC: This one semester course is the prerequisite for AP Calculus BC. Its emphasis is on material directly related to the preparation for calculus

Trigonometry/College Algebra: This one-year course is for students who have completed Algebra II. The curriculum involves the study of topics common to trigonometry and college algebra courses as well as elementary statistics concepts. In addition, there is review for the SAT I and SAT II, Level I examinations.

AB Calculus AP: This course follows the College Boardís recommended curriculum and it prepares students to take the Calculus AB advanced placement exam.

BC Calculus AP: This course follows the College Boardís recommended curriculum and it prepares students to take the Calculus BC advanced placement exam.

Discrete Mathematics: Discrete mathematics has close ties to computer science. It involves the study of objects that can be counted. This branch of mathematics allows students to explore problems that are not approachable through equations and formulas. Topics include: management, science, social choice and decision making, coding information, probability and statistical analysis. Ability in algebra and geometry is expected. This course is an elective and is open to all students who have completed the study of trigonometry or who have the permission of the department.

Statistics: This introductory course in statistics emphasizes working with data and statistical ideas. The course includes: data analysis (the methods and ideas used for organizing and describing data), data production (the methods used for selecting and designing experiments), and statistical inference (the methods used for drawing conclusions and testing the reliability of them.)

History

The content of the history program spans the period from the beginnings of civilization to modern times and emphasizes the chronology of the major social, cultural, religious, economic, political, and intellectual developments that brought about the emergence of Asian, Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, European and Western societies. Students examine the past in relation to the present, evaluate primary documents and secondary sources, and critically analyze political and social trends. At each stage of the curriculum, the relationship of geography to history is also stressed. Electives such as Advanced Placement studies and special 11th and 12th grade courses are available with the permission of the department. Throughout, lectures, discussions, seminars, and similations encourage students to think like historians.

History 9 - Western Civilization to 1500: This course emphasizes key events in the development of civilization from prehistoric times to the Middle Ages. Major attention is focused upon the settlement of the Fertile Crescent and the Nile River Valley; the cultures of Greece and Rome; and the barbarian migrations into Western Europe which created the need for political reorganization and stabilization as provided by the Germanic kingdoms, feudalism, the Roman Catholic Church and the emergence of monarchies.

History 10 - Modern European History (1500 to 1990): This course is a survey of major developments that shaped the growth of Europe from the Middle Ages to modern times. In order to better understand the quest for self-government, students view the emergence of political doctrines against a changing backdrop of intellectual and scientific inquiry, of New World colonization, of the struggle between absolute and constitutional monarchs, and of reformation within the Church. Major emphasis is given to events after the French Revolution including the Napoleonic era, the new age of colonization and industrial growth, Bismarck and balance-of-power strategy, the two world wars, and the cold war. In the second semester, students are required to complete a ten- page research paper under the guidance of the teachers and the librarian. They follow a structured research process and work almost entirely in school.

History 11 ñ American History: This course covers major political, economic, religious, social and cultural events from Jamestown to Vietnam. Emphasis is placed upon utilizing facts to illustrate an understanding of trends and concepts. With sustained effort, and arranged extra sessions, students will be prepared to take the College Board test in this subject. The department will determine placement in advanced and regular sections.

Electives: These offerings are restricted to eleventh and twelfth grade students. Course offerings may vary from year to year. Full and half credit electives may include Advanced Placement American History, World Religions, Psychology, Native American History, Russian History, Chinese History or Current Global Politics. Departmental approval is required.

Advanced Placement Modern European History: This course offers an intensive study of the causes of social change and the major historical events in Europe from the Renaissance to the present. Numerous writing assignments require the interpretation of primary sources. At the completion of the course, students will take the Advanced Placement Examination.

World Religions: This course is a study of the traditions of the major World Religions: Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. An examination of the historical evolution, beliefs, practices, and expressions of these traditions leads to a comparison of their similarities and differences. Students spend time exploring religious conflicts around the world through the study of current events and are introduced to some lesser known religious movements such as Sikhism, Jainism, Shintoism, Daoism, and Confucianism.

Current Global Politics: This course examines both a domestic and international point of view concerning current global issues. Students are responsible on a daily basis for the reading of various journals and periodicals in order to take into account different points of view. The course culminates with a written research project regarding a specific current issue selected by the student.

Psychology: Offering a full year psychology curriculum allows students to examine their environment through new lenses. With these new lenses they have the opportunity to explore who they are and to compare and contrast the similarities and differences in human behavior across multiple dimensions. The course also provides the students with the challenge of handling a broad range of material spanning multiple disciplines, from philosophy to biology to mathematics.

Native American History: This semester course is a survey of the historical events and the cultural development of the various Native Civilizations of North America. The study will cover a wide time period ranging from 500 A.D. to 1900 A.D. The extensive reading provides differing views concerning Native American history and also introduces the student to the legends and myths of the different Native American civilizations.

Russian History: This semester course is a broad historical survey of the political, religious, economic and military development of the Russian people from the tenth century to the present. The post-communist era is examined through the use of current reference sources.

Chinese History: This semester long course surveys the broad scope of Chinese history and culture with particular emphasis on the transition from the ancient to the modern period. Students will develop a basic understanding of Chinese geography, population, philosophy, religion, society and government.

Science

The science requirement is the successful completion of three years of laboratory sciences. Advanced and regular section placement is determined by the department. The laboratory sequence includes Introductory Physical Science, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics courses. Additional science electives also may be available to students in the 11th and 12th grades. Advanced sections, which explore topics in greater depth and breadth are offered to the most able science students. These students often take the appropriate SAT II examinations. Students are encouraged to take science courses every year in the Upper School.

In addition to the specific course content, all the courses teach problem-solving skills through observation, comparison, organization, hypothesizing, experimentation, and generalization. Students are encouraged to explore beyond the textbook and classroom materials and to seek additional information through outside sources, such as periodicals in the sciences or the Internet. Lessons develop studentsí skills in utilizing data, charts, graphs and tables using appropriate software such as Excel, Word and Logger Pro. Laptops, CBLís and sensors are integrated where appropriate in the laboratory. Portledge is a member of the Curriculum Study Group of the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory DNA Learning Center and takes advantage of its programs and resources.

Introductory Physical Science: This course provides students with a broad foundation in laboratory techniques, scientific method, and inductive and deductive reasoning. IPS predicates the learning process on laboratory experiments and on the studentsí analyses of their results. Using standard lab equipment, students develop techniques for: (1) measuring mass and volume and density using balances, graduated cylinders and metric rulers; (2) estimating;(3) investigating the separation of substances using various chemical and solubility properties; 4) identification of substances using flame-testing, electromagnetic spectrums and other characteristic properties. 5) electroplating and electricity.

Biology: A survey/laboratory approach covering a wide variety of topics in the life sciences, this course emphasizes the relationship between structure and function and the interrelationships among organisms. Topics include cells and cell energetics, evolution and natural selection, taxonomy, development, physiology, maintenance and reproduction of plants and animals, ecology and genetics.

Chemistry: A study of matter and its structure, the course integrates descriptive chemistry, problem-solving techniques, and laboratory experiments. Course content includes SI metrics, structure of matter, mole concept and stoichiometry, atomic theory, periodic law, chemical bonding, kinetic theory, gas laws, energy changes, acid-base theory, oxidation-reduction, chemical equilibrium and nuclear chemistry and (as time permits) organic chemistry.

Physics: This survey/laboratory course uses a traditional approach to the study of energy in our physical world. Topics covered are basic concepts of mechanics, heat, electricity, magnetism, light and sound, and an introduction to modern physics. Laboratory experiments are designed to help the student grasp the nature of the empirical truths of the physical world. The advanced track of physics employs a more sophisticated array of mathematical models and derivations to demonstrate interrelationships among various concepts in physics. Students may pursue an AP option.

Environmental Studies: The Science and Art of Sustainability analyzes the science and ìhumanitiesî of environmental science. The science focus includes classroom work, empirical studies, field work and laboratory work so that students understand the scientific data and context about the environment and sustainability. The ìhumanitiesî focus includes studies of the economic, ethical, political, social and historical implications of sustainability. The two elements are dovetailed so that the science portion helps inform the ìhumanitiesî element and vice versa. This course is an elective open to seniors and culminates in an independent study project investigating an environmental issue from both perspectives and including ideas for sustainability.

Electives: These year-long courses are restricted to eleventh and twelfth grade students. Departmental approval is required.

Advanced Placement: Students may take the AP Biology or AP Physics exams after successful completion of the Biology A or Physics A course. Chemistry AP may be offered depending upon student interest and qualifications. This course is taught on the college level, following the prescribed guidelines of the AP program, and has as its primary goal the development of a deeper knowledge and understanding of Chemistry concepts. Additionally, the course is designed to allow students an opportunity to experience college level course and laboratory work.

Research: Students who have a strong interest in the sciences may, subject to departmental approval, be permitted to do independent research as a science elective.

Foreign Language

The goal of the foreign language department is to develop in students a working knowledge of at least one foreign language, with emphasis on the more practical communications skills. An informed and unbiased cultural appreciation is also an important goal of the program. To satisfy Portledge graduation requirements, students must successfully complete at least two years of one foreign language in the Upper School. Yet, all students are encouraged to continue their study of foreign language after fulfilling the requirement. Able students are urged to pursue their studies to the Advanced Placement level. After completion of a Level III course in French or Spanish, students may be placed in one of two tracks. The ìA-Levelî track (IVA and VAP) culminates in students sitting for the AP Language exam whereas the ìConversation and Cultureî track (IV/V) focuses on comprehension and oral expression, placing less emphasis on the use of complex structures in writing. Each of these tracks offers students the opportunity to gain fluency in the foreign language and familiarity with foreign cultures, while following a curriculum that alternates year-to-year so that no student covers the same material twice.

French II: In this course, students work to increase their competency in all four language skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing. They continue their study of grammar and vocabulary and practice their skills in a variety of ways, including conversations in class, activities with audio-visual materials (including selections from feature films), oral presentations, and simple writing assignments.

French III: This course builds on the content of French II by providing further grammar study, extensive vocabulary acquisition, and more opportunities for students to gain fluency when expressing themselves in French. By studying various aspects of French-speaking societies in-depth, students begin to make subtle comparisons with their own culture and experience. In this course, we continue our exploration of Francophone literature and cinema.

French Conversation and Culture: This course offers practice at an intermediate level. Students will gain confidence using the language by drilling basic grammar concepts and learning new vocabulary. While students continue to work on all four language skills, the emphasis is on oral communication. The class explores various cultural themes through short reading selections, songs, poems, and movies. Each student is encouraged to investigate those aspects of the francophone world that correspond to his or her personal interests. An open exchange of ideas and information is a key element of the course; students will be responsible for at least one oral presentation per quarter.

French IVA: This course allows students who have reached the intermediate level to practice and develop all four language skills. Students will benefit not only from an intensive review of structures with which they are already familiar, but they will also be introduced to more advanced grammar points. Students are required to prepare topics for oral presentation. Students must also write personal essays throughout the year and learn the French approach to literary analysis (the explication de texte). The texts we study include fiction and non-fiction as well as feature-films.

French V AP: This course is the second year of the two-year sequence of preparation for the Advanced Placement Language examination. As in French IV-A, students will continue to work with advanced grammar structures. Class activities and writing assignments are once again built around the in-depth study of at least one full-length novel or play and/or one classic feature-film, in addition to the shorter reading selections that we explore throughout the year.

Spanish I: This is a beginning course for the acquisition of basic vocabulary, grammar, and idioms. An introduction to the geography and culture of Spanish-speaking countries gives depth to the program.

Spanish II: In this course, students work to increase their competency in all four language skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing. They will work to increase their vocabulary and to better master Spanish grammar, including both simple and compound verb tenses. Conversation in class, short writing assignments, and visuals on Hispanic culture provide enrichment.

Spanish III: Spanish III builds on the content of Spanish II by providing advanced grammar study, extensive vocabulary building, and readings from various sources with discussions and writing assignments based on the readings. Students are given the opportunity to speak more extensively, to develop stronger speaking skills.

Spanish Conversation and Culture: This course offers practice at an intermediate level. Students will gain confidence using the language by drilling basic grammar concepts and learning new vocabulary. While students continue to work on all four language skills, the emphasis is on oral communication. The class explores various cultural themes through short reading selections, songs, poems, and movies. Each student is encouraged to investigate those aspects of the Spanish-speaking world that correspond to his or her personal interests. An open exchange of ideas and information is a key element of the course; students will be responsible for at least one oral presentation per quarter.

Spanish IV-A: This course allows students who have reached the intermediate level to practice and develop all four language skills. Students will benefit not only from an intensive review of structures with which they are already familiar, but they will also be introduced to more advanced grammar points. In addition, the course provides insights into the cultural history of Spain and Latin America (with particular emphasis on Argentina, Mexico, and Cuba) through the study of works by selected writers, film-makers, and visual artists. Students are required to prepare topics for oral presentation. They must also write personal essays throughout the year and complete a research project. By the end of the year, students will be well prepared to move on to an AP level course in Spanish.

Spanish V-AP: This course is the second year of the two-year sequence of preparation for the Advanced Placement Language examination. Students practice advanced grammar and the techniques for fluent conversation. Complete literary works are analyzed and discussed in Spanish, and essays are written.

Arts Scholars Program

Students who elect courses in the Visual Arts or Performing Arts in each of their years in the Upper School and who meet certain specified requirements are designated Arts Scholars upon graduation. Students must apply for the Arts Scholars Program and receive departmental approval.

Visual Arts
Students in the required Art 9 one-semester course are introduced to works of art from worldwide cultures. Class discussions, PowerPoint presentations and the creation of a reproduction of an artistís masterwork help students focus on the ways that artists communicate ideas. The semester culminates in a mock art auction incorporating the studentsí masterwork reproductions and involving the entire Middle School.

In grades ten, eleven and twelve, students have an opportunity, on an elective basis, to explore various one-credit and one half-credit courses in depth: Architecture, Studio, AP Studio, Photo/Media, Sculpture, and Ceramics are currently offered.

Performing Arts

Graduation requirements include Ω-credit in the Performing Arts, and students are encouraged to participate in Performing Arts courses throughout their Upper School years.

Upper School ensembles perform at the winter and spring concerts as well as other occasions throughout the year. Students earn Ω credit for a yearís successful participation in a performing organization. The Upper School Chorus is an auditioned ensemble that studies and performs a wide variety of choral works, from the standard repertoire of works of the great masters to vocal jazz and folk music from throughout the world. Concert Band and Orchestra offer instrumentalists the opportunity to advance their technical proficiency and to develop the skills necessary for ensemble playing. Compositions learned, polished, and performed range from classical masterpieces to contemporary works and film scores. Rehearsals are supplemented by in-school group lessons on violin, viola, cello, double bass, flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, horn, trombone, baritone, tuba, and percussion. Smaller select ensembles, such as Chamber Ensemble, are formed as ability and interest warrant. Jazz Ensemble is open by audition to students interested in mastering the techniques of improvisation and performing masterpieces of jazz literature. The ensemble includes guitar, bass, and drums in addition to woodwind and brass instruments.

Academic music classes are offered on a rotating basis, with Music Survey (Ω credit) and Music Theory I (Ω credit) one year and AP Music Theory (1 credit) the next. Music Survey explores music of many styles, periods, and cultures, and examines the role and importance of music in our lives. Music Theory I topics include sight singing and ear training, scales, intervals, key signatures, and other theory basics. AP Music Theory builds on this material and advances to four-part writing and analysis. The AP course is open to students with appropriate musical training by permission of the instructor and is the equivalent of a first-year college music theory course.

Creative Dramatics is a Ω credit course that encourages creative expression, builds self-confidence, and strengthens communication skills†through the use of theatrical exercises. Students improvise and practice acting techniques while learning basic theatrical terms and theater etiquette. Projects may include public performances of scenes and monologues.

Upper School dramatic productions are popular extra-curricular activities presented each spring. Recent years have seen fine performances of Anything Goes, Bye Bye Birdie, The Boyfriend, Arsenic and Old Lace, Harvey, and The Female Odd Couple.

Computer Department

In order to graduate, every student must successfully complete the grade 9 computer course. Students new to Portledge after grade 9 are excused from the grade 9 course requirement, but have to take a Computer Proficiency Skills test to demonstrate competency. All students are expected, by graduation, to be able to keyboard 30 wpm with 90% accuracy. For those who need it, a Computer Proficiency Course is scheduled.

Computer 9: Grade 9 students use laptops exclusively. This course is tailored to build upon students' existing computer skills. Course content for the first quarter is an introduction to Microsoft Office. The student then learns in the second quarter webpage design using Front Page.

Advanced Computer Skills: This one-semester course covers intermediate and advanced level skills in Word, Excel and PowerPoint, including an introduction to Visual Basic scripting. Students learn the rudiments of HTML and webpage design and Paintshop Pro and are introduced to programming through Basic and pseudo-code.

Digital Logic Design, Introduction & Advanced: (1/2 credit each semester - may be dropped after 1 semester) This course is an introduction to computer digital logic design. Starting with the simple binary number system, the course leads into the study of Boolean algebra and the design and construction of digital circuits. Both hands-on and simulated (computer software) circuits are built.

Computer Science: (1/2 credit) In this elective students study languages like Visual Basic and C++, as they develop programs for specific applications.

Computer Science Programming in Java: (1/2 credit) In this course students study Java and independently develop programs for specific applications.

Computer Science AP - Advanced: (one credit - one year) This course is designed for students who would like to further their study of computer science at an advanced level. Students study data structures, computer algorithms and advanced programming techniques. Students who enter this course are expected to take the AP exam.

Keyboarding for the College Bound: (not for credit) Students work independently 4 times per week under the supervision of a member of the Department. A score of 40 wpm or greater is required for the course to count toward the computer requirement.

Essential Computer Skills for the College Bound: (not for credit) Students pursue an advanced independent study of Office 2000 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access), complete an Internet and electronic research unit with the Librarian, and have a project-based introduction to scanners, digital cameras and other peripherals.

Guidance

The Director of Middle and Upper School works with students to create their courses of study drawing upon placement recommendations from advisors, department heads, the college counselor and parents. He also coordinates the advisor system and guides the disciplinary program for this division. A strong advisor system in the Upper School supports the academic, athletic and extracurricular programs. Each Upper School student selects a faculty advisor who serves as a liaison among the student, the studentís family, and the school. Further, the advisor provides the advisee with academic and social guidance to help the student cope independently and responsibly with the challenges of learning. Advisor groups meet each morning; advisors also meet individually with advisees as necessary.

The School is a member of the Educational Records Bureau and administers its academic assessment tests each year in grades three through nine. The results are reported to parents as a helpful guide that shows a childís progress in comparison with national percentiles. The School also administers the PSAT test to sophomores and juniors in preparation for SAT testing.

Special Courses

Students enrolled in Health, Leadership, Ethics and Public Speaking or Teacher Assistant in Lower School (TAILS) must be carrying at least four additional academic credits.

Health

Upper School health classes are scheduled for students in the tenth grade and for older students who have not yet satisfied the school requirement. Topics covered include emotional development and mental health; A.I.D.S. education, nutrition, weight management and physical fitness; over-the-counter, prescription, and psychoactive drugs; alcohol and tobacco; community health; and human sexuality. Finally, special single-topic presentations (e.g. education about STDs for seniors) are presented to specific classes periodically during the year.

Leadership, Ethics and Public Speaking

This required course provides seniors with an opportunity to explore as individuals, in small groups, and as the entire class, issues and ideas related to the communities in which they live, as well as to their sense of identity as students and as people. The course will stress observation, speaking, listening, and thinking skills and will involve writing public presentations, debates, and simulations. It will be graded on a pass/fail basis.

Teacher Assistant in Lower School (TAILS)
This one-year course combines psychology, child development, and fieldwork. Seminars, lectures, workshops, and discussions deal with personality theory, child development, and teaching techniques.

Upper School students work in a tutorial capacity with individual children and small groups of Lower School students on a regular basis. They work closely with TAILS supervisors and field site teachers who evaluate their contributions and effectiveness. Students who have taken this course for credit may, with permission, give service to the school community by continuing to assist in Lower School.