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OUR CURRICULUM
High school is a powerful time of exploration—when teenagers consciously shape their identities, cultivate new and existing passions, and become more defined versions of themselves. JCHS implements an academically challenging and developmentally appropriate curriculum that ensures exposure to areas of intellectual inquiry, aesthetic expression, spiritual development and physical exercise. Students generally maintain a minimum course load of seven courses in grades 9 through 11 and six courses in grade 12. To accommodate and empower more choices by its students, JCHS offers a range of elective courses. Those who wish can
take a deeper dive into a given subject area about which they are passionate—for example, science or art, social justice, computer science—JCHS course offerings allow students to immerse themselves in what they want to learn while demonstrating to selective colleges and universities authentic academic depth. Freshmen have the option to choose between “Past in the Present” (our 9th grade history course) or “Foundations of Computer Science” (our 9th grade computer science course). We are excited to offer more opportunities for JCHS students to choose courses that align with their passions and grow our already thriving computer science and robotics programs!
TYPICAL STUDENT SCHEDULE BY YEAR
HUMANITIES
MATH & SCIENCE
JEWISH STUDIES
WORLD LANGUAGE
9th GRADE
10th GRADE
WORLD LITERATURE
AMERICAN LITERATURE
ELECTIVES***
OTHER REQUIREMENTS
12th GRADE
WRITING & RHETORIC
SENIOR SEMINAR: ENGLISH
AP ENGLISH LANGUAGE
AP ENGLISH LITERATURE
OR
OR
US HISTORY
PAST IN THE PRESENT THE PAST IN THE PRESENT
OR
OR OR
AP US HISTORY
MATH YEAR 1
MATH YEAR 2
MATH YEAR 3
PHYSICS
CHEMISTRY
BIOLOGY
JS: INDIVIDUAL AND THE COLLECTIVE
JS ELECTIVE
JEW IN THE MODERN WORLD
INTRODUCTION TO OF FOUNDATIONS COMPUTER SCIENCE COMPUTER SCIENCE
SENIOR SEMINAR: JEWISH THOUGHT OR
JEWISH THOUGHT HONORS MISHNA & GEMARA
INTRODUCTION TO RABBINIC LITERATURE
YEAR 1
VISUAL & PERFORMING ARTS
Electives are drawn from all departments
11th GRADE
JS ELECTIVE
YEAR 2
YEAR 3 *
UP TO 3 ELECTIVES
UP TO 3 ELECTIVES
V&P ARTS COURSE **
UP TO 1 ELECTIVE
FRESHMAN SEMINAR
* Two year-long courses through at least level three. Three years recommended. ** Students take a Visual & Performing Arts course during 9th or 10th grade.
*** Students typically take between 4-8 electives over their four years at JCHS. The number of electives changes year by year.
UP TO 4 ELECTIVES
SENIOR KEYSTONE PROJECT
Math & Science
Humanities
ENGLISH 4 CORE
WORLD LITERATURE
Jewish S
6 CREDITS REQUIRED
6 CREDITS REQUIRED HISTORY 1 CORE & 1 ELECTIVE
SCIENCE 3 CORE
MATH 3 CORE
US HISTORY OR
AP US HISTORY
FUNDAMENTALS OF ALGEBRA
CONCEPTUAL PHYSICS
ALGEBRA I
CHEMISTRY
AMERICAN LITERATURE
may be taken concurrently
SENIOR SEMINAR: ENGLISH OR
INTRODUCTION TO R
O
GEOMETRY ADVANCED
JEW IN THE MO
ALGEBRA II
SENIOR SEMINAR:
OR
ALGEBRA II ADVANCED
AP LITERATURE & COMPOSITION
JEWISH S INDIVIDUAL & TH
BIOLOGY
OR
AP LANGUAGE & COMPOSITION
4 CORE & 2
MISHNA &
GEOMETRY
WRITING & RHETORIC OR
6 CREDITS
PRECALCULUS HONORS
PRECALCULUS
O
SENIOR SEMINAR: JEWI STATISTICS
AP CALCULUS AB AP CALCULUS BC
AP ART HISTORY
CREATIVE WRITING
AP BIOLOGY
AP PHYSICS, C: MECHANICS
ADVANCED BIBLE & COMMENTARIES I
AP COMPARATIVE GOVERNMENT & POLITICS
PSYCHOLOGY
AP CHEMISTRY
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
ADVANCED BIBLE & COMMENTARIES II
AP EUROPEAN HISTORY
THE PAST IN THE PRESENT
AP COMPUTER SCIENCE A
FOUNDATIONS OF COMPUTER SCIENCE
ADVANCED RABBINIC LITERATURE
AP COMPUTER SCIENCE PRINCIPLES
ROBOTICS & ENGINEERING
ADVANCED TALMUD
CLASS, RACE & GENDER IN MODERN AMERICA
AP ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
COMPARATIVE RELIGION HISTORY OF THE SHOAH JEWS & MODERN MEDIA
CORE
CORE
CORE
ELECTIVE
ELECTIVE
ELECTIVE
Studies
World Language
REQUIRED
2 ELECTIVES
Visual & Performing Arts 1 CREDIT REQUIRED
2 CORE OF THE SAME LANGUAGE THROUGH LEVEL 3
1 CORE
VISUAL ARTS
STUDIES: HE COLLECTIVE
HEBREW I
SPANISH I
RABBINIC LITERATURE
HEBREW II
SPANISH II
HEBREW III
SPANISH III
HEBREW IV
SPANISH IV
HEBREW V
SPANISH V
HEBREW VI
AP SPANISH LANGUAGE & CULTURE
ACTING I
POST AP SPANISH
ACTING II
OR
& GEMARA
FILMMAKING
FUNDAMENTALS OF PHOTO
ADVANCED FILMMAKING
ADVANCED PHOTO
ODERN WORLD
ISH THOUGHT HONORS
SCULPTURE
CONCEPTS & PROCESSES AP STUDIO ART
JEWISH THOUGHT
OR
MATERIALS & METHODS
HEBREW LIT HEBREW VII
PERFORMING ARTS INSTRUMENTAL ENSEMBLE
Hebrew Ulpan Program: Hebrew program for students with documented learning differences
JEWISH SOCIAL JUSTICE MISHNA & GEMARA MODERN JEWISH ETHICS MYSTERY OF CONNECTION POWER & PERCEPTION
THE ISRAELI-ARAB CONFLICT IN THE CONTEXT OF THE MIDDLE EAST
CORE Students can choose a second World Language as an elective
CORE ELECTIVE
JCHSSignature
Programs
Signature programs at JCHS bring academic learning, student passions, community service and social justice into focus. JCHS offers a curriculum designed to prepare students to be active global citizens in a complex, diverse, and fast-paced world. For more information about each of these programs, go to jchsofthebay.org.
EVERLAB
EverLab is a hands-on integration lab that uses design thinking to encourage students to coalesce ideas about different subject areas to develop tangible interactive projects.
FRESHMAN SEMINAR
Our freshman seminar helps students learn how to build relationships, make healthy decisions, manage stress, and improve executive functioning and study skills.
JOURNEYS
The JCHS Journeys combine learning with a multi-day experiential adventure designed to teach life lessons on the road.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Students must complete 1.5 credits of Physical Education to graduate. Each season counts for 0.5 credit.
TEFILLAH
Students begin each morning in a structured reflective setting, with options ranging from creative experiences to art, yoga to discussion, formal prayer to journaling.
SENIOR KEYSTONE PROJECT
The senior Keystone Project is a culminating educational exercise that provides students with the opportunity to design and implement a multi-faceted project on the topic of their choice, demonstrating the culmination of four years of learning at JCHS. Each senior then presents their Keystone Project to the school community.
COMMUNITY SERVICE
Tenth and eleventh grades complete 26 hours each year. Ninth grade students complete their community service as a group. Seniors embed community service into their Keystone Project.