La Pietra's Curriculum

A strong college preparatory curriculum is combined with small classes assuring that attention is given to individual needs in an atmosphere of mutual endeavor and inquiry. Electives are offered by all departments.

Advanced Placement (AP) Courses

Advanced Placement courses are offered in English, History, Biology, Math, and Foreign Language.

Integration of Technology

Students have access to two fully equiped state-of-the-art multimedia computer labs. Teachers integrate technology to support learning for the modern times.

All 6th graders are assigned a laptop at the beginning of the school year to use in every class. We are currently working on a plan to provide each student at the school a laptop to use all year.

Textbook Information

To make things easier for our students, we have decided to upgrade our current textbook program. After careful consideration, we have chosen MBS Direct as our new partner in education. Their main goal is exactly what we were looking for: ease in ordering, satisfaction with timely delivery, and the best in customer service. MBS Direct was the clear choice when keeping our students in mind because they currently serve hundreds of institutions like ours across the world. In addition, we know our students value their time and will appreciate the convenience found through MBS Direct.

Also, they own and operate a U.S. based Customer Contact Center that is available 7 days a week should you have a question or concern.

The La Pietra Virtual Bookstore is NOW OPEN.

MBS Direct also has one of the nation's largest buyback program. Students will have the opportunity to sell their books back to MBS Direct if their books are in demand from any of their partner schools.

Please visit the website linked below for more information.

Click here to visit our MBS online bookstore

*It is very important that textbooks be purchased according to the ISBN number listed by La Pietra and/or MBS Direct only. Older editions or versions with different ISBN numbers may not be used.

Please feel free to contact our Textbook Coordinator, at 922-2744, should you have any questions.

Academic information for the 2010-2011 School Year

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS:
Total credits needed for graduation are 22, and except for Algebra 1 taken in 8th grade and foreign language 1A and 1B taken in 7th and 8th grade, credits are counted from 9th-12th grade.

In addition to total credits needed, the following course requirements must be satisfied:

4 in English: (1 full credit course per year in grades 9-12)

2 in Fine Arts: The first credit will be earned by completing 2 of the following 1/2 credit courses: Intro to Visual Art, Intro to Theater, or Intro to Music. The second credit must be taken in one area of concentration (art, music, theatre), and that area must be one of the two in which course work was done previously. If the area of concentration is art, Art History must be taken in 11th or 12th grade (departmental permission required for 10th graders) and at least one additional art elective taken in 11th-12th grade.

3 in Foreign Language: Levels 1, 2, and 3 in one language taken consecutively. 1A and 1B may constitute Level 1 (please refer to Foreign Language Flow Chart.)

3 in Mathematics: 3 upper school credits, including Algebra 1 and Geometry, plus either Algebra 2 or Advanced Algebra 2/Trigonometry.

2 in Physical Education (PE): PE, a 1/2 credit course, is required in all of the 4 upper school years.

3 in Science: Intro to Physical Science (unless accelerated) taken in 9th grade, Biology, and one or two additional credits to total three credits in grades 9-12.

3 in Social Studies: European History taken in 10th grade or above and U. S. History taken in 11th or 12th grade.

2 in Electives

Independent Project: May be undertaken anytime during the sophomore and junior years, and must be completed by the first week of April of the junior year.

TYPICAL ACADEMIC PROGRAMS:

9th-12th: A typical schedule in any term consists of three academic courses requiring final exams and one low homework bearing course with no final exam. Back-to-back terms may vary in the weight of the academic programs.

9th: The 9th grade program includes of English, Math, Intro to Physical Science, World Cultures, Foreign Language, Intro to Visual Art, Intro to Music and/or Intro to Theater, Upper School PE, and Today's Living.

10th: The 10th grade program includes English, Math, European History, Biology, Foreign Language, Intro to Visual Art, Intro to Music and/or Intro to Theater, Upper School PE, plus electives.

11th: The 11th grade program includes English, usually Math, US History, Upper School PE, and Junior Seminar. Juniors may elect to continue their foreign language and/or start a second foreign language. They may take additional science courses. Fine Arts courses may be taken this year and next to meet graduation requirements. To find for-interest electives, please check the course descriptions in each department.

12th: The 12th grade program includes English, Upper School PE and other requirements that still need to be fulfilled, plus electives to complete their schedules.

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