MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTER SCIENCE The department’s mission is to develop in each student a love of mathematics and computer science, confidence in their abilities and a sense of responsibility for their academic achievement. The mathematics and computer science curricula combine the best of the rich cultural tradition of both disciplines with applications to modern problems. While preparing students for the most rigorous college programs, the curricula also expose them to the history and beauty of both disciplines. The wide range of course offerings enables students to complete four years of mathematics at the Upper School. Ability grouping allows students to be successful as well as challenged. The pace of the course and the depth of study of various topics differ between courses offered at multiple levels. Graduation Requirement: Students must complete three years of mathematics at the Upper School. A minimum grade of C- is required to advance to the next sequential course. Any student earning below a C- in a sequential course must either repeat the course the following year or enroll in an approved summer school program and earn a minimum grade of C- in the course of study. Students may not take the same course twice at different levels, such as Geometry and Geometry Honors. Acceleration Policy: Students entering ninth grade from MKA’s Middle School who wish to accelerate through Geometry may do so only with the recommendation of their current MKA teacher and the prior approval of the Middle School Department Chair. All incoming ninth graders wishing to accelerate through Geometry must obtain approval from the Upper School Department Chair for their specific summer course in advance. Any student who wishes to accelerate through Geometry must complete and submit a Course Acceleration Form in May. The Course Acceleration Form includes important information pertaining to this process and specific requirements for acceleration. Courses taken prior to ninth grade do not appear on the transcript and do not count towards the graduation requirement. Acceleration in computer science may be possible for students that already have extensive background or experience in the subject. Students interested in pursuing these options should contact the Upper School Department Chair. Any student who wishes to accelerate in computer science must complete and submit a Course Acceleration Form in May. The Course Acceleration Form includes important information pertaining to this process and specific requirements for acceleration. The following chart shows possible sequences a student may take during grades 9 -12; it does not display all possible course sequences. Enrollment in each course is dependent upon fulfillment of all prerequisites.
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