In Friends Select’s upper school, within our departments of English, history, science, mathematics, world languages, the arts, physical education, and health, students experience an intellectually challenging yet supportive curriculum. Each student takes our required core classes and concurrently chooses from a variety of electives that reflect students’ passions. Elective classes range from semester offerings, to full-year advanced-level classes, to interdisciplinary options, to student-designed independent studies and explorations. Through communicating, problem-solving, writing, and analyzing, our 9th graders are introduced to fundamental principles and skills, and our 10th through 12th graders learn to further refine and apply those practices in more developed and sophisticated ways. Whatever the discipline, we have an experienced support team to help students who may need further guidance, and we provide additional courses and avenues for students who want to be pushed further in their pursuit of deeper scholarship.
| English |
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| The English department believes, as stated in Friends Select’s mission, that “the aim of education is preparation for the whole of life,” and that central to this vision is “a constant search for truth.” Our goals are to provide each student with a strong literary background, to encourage proficiency in communication through rigorous, sequenced programs of writing and presentation, and to foster critical thinking. Students take English every year in upper school, including Exploration of Genres in 9th grade, World Literature in 10th grade, American Literature in 11th grade, and electives in 12th grade. Core courses and electives are meant to spark intellectual curiosity in our students. Students build empathy and learn to appreciate difference by studying literature and culture; this work helps prepare students to identify and challenge inequities in society. Courses intentionally integrate works from different time periods and value systems, and from authors of diverse backgrounds. In addition to studying works of literature, our courses explore Philadelphia as a city that offers a rich collection of stories—found in museums and other cultural sites. The English department curriculum is firmly grounded in skill development in reading, listening, writing, and speaking. At the heart of the program is our dedication to providing all students with the opportunities and resources necessary to empower them to reach their potential, pursue their life goals, and participate fully as informed, productive, ethical members of society. |
| History |
| The main focus of history in upper school is to guide students toward a better understanding of the complexities and challenges of our modern world, the richness and importance of its past, and the diverse peoples and traditions that have shaped it. The department emphasizes the skills of careful reading, respectful, focused listening, critical research and analysis, thoughtful writing, public speaking, and presentation, as well as professionalism. The history sequence also offers students a wide array of opportunities to challenge their thinking and assumptions by hearing multiple perspectives. All upper school students are required to take Modern World History I in ninth grade, Modern World History II in tenth grade, and U.S. History in eleventh grade. Additionally, all ninth grade students take a semester of Quakerism and Comparative Religion, and all tenth grade students take a semester of Peace and Social Justice. Additionally, the department offers semester electives primarily for juniors and seniors. Electives offer students a look into more specific topics in politics and the social sciences, including many that examine modern political and social issues. These elective courses are designed to attract a wide range of student interests. |
| Library |
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Friends Select’s library department is committed to providing a safe, inclusive, and welcoming space for all students, faculty, and staff. Our lower school, middle school, and upper school programs are dedicated to preparing students for the whole of life, by creating a dynamic learning environment that encourages intellectual curiosity, and empowers students to become lifelong learners, avid readers, creators, critical thinkers, and problem solvers. Librarians curate print and digital resources that reflect our school’s DEI and antiracist goals, support research and classroom subjects, and provide students with a wide range of independent reading choices. The library department program includes a variety of activities and learning experiences, including yearly author visits (both in-person and virtual) coding instruction, student-led book clubs, committees, etc. The Ruth Hallowell Gray Library serves students in grades 5 through 12. Sixth grade students meet twice weekly for a research and digital literacy class, which consists of lessons such as website evaluation, coding, database research, news literacy, and efficient library usage. Flexible scheduling for all grades provides an opportunity for collaboration with classroom teachers on research projects, lessons, and author explorations, which can vary by year and semester. The library is an active, engaging, and flexible space that supports quiet study and reading, collaborative work, classes, presentations, and more. Middle school students may come to the library for break and lunch recess or with a class at any time during the school day. Upper school students are able to use the library throughout the day. |
| Math |
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The mathematics program in Friends Select’s upper school helps students master algebraic and geometric skills for college-level work. Along with skills, the mathematics department stresses the historical development of ideas and their aesthetic aspects through class discussions and projects. A focus on conceptual understanding of theory accompanies practical applications. The basic sequence is Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2. One additional course after Algebra 2 is required. These courses are Precalculus/Trigonometry, Statistics, or Discrete Mathematics. If students have advanced through the sequence and have successfully completed Precalculus/Trigonometry, they may elect to take Calculus. Other electives may be offered to enable students to explore their mathematical potential. Each spring, the Math/Science Symposium enables students to participate in science and math competitions. Upper school mathematics faculty respond to meet students who want to explore topics outside the traditional curriculum and to those who want to accelerate through the sequence. Faculty help students make connections between classroom concepts and how they relate to everyday life. We encourage tenacity, flexibility, and a willingness to try different approaches to solving problems. Sharing ideas through class discussions is a critical component of the learning experience. Technology enhances discovery and learning. |
| Physical Education and Health |
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Physical education is vital, as study after study shows a strong correlation between physical activity and overall school success. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “physical activity can impact cognitive skills and attitudes and academic behavior, all of which are important components of improved academic performance.” Upper school students are given opportunities to challenge themselves both physically and mentally. Our “play” time involves games and activities that require leadership, cooperation, and the chance to take personal responsibility for behaviors. There is also the added benefit of stress reduction and improved self-worth. While continuing to develop both individual and team sports skills, we also increase the emphasis on fitness. Using Friends Select’s fitness center for cardiovascular and strength training enables our students to understand, design, and implement a personal fitness program that will lead to a physically active lifestyle. Friends Select is committed to graduating students who have been given the opportunity to participate in experiences that encourage the development of lifetime physical skills for optimal physical well-being. This includes personal safety as it relates to the aquatic environment. Friends Select’s health education curriculum provides all students with the skills and knowledge to promote responsible lifetime decision-making and contribute to a healthy and safe society. The intent of our program is to motivate students to improve their health (physical/mental/emotional), prevent disease, and avoid or reduce health-related risk behaviors. The upper school course enables students to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to promote the lifelong goals of health and wellness. The focus of the course is to empower each student to obtain, interpret, and understand basic health information and services, and apply that knowledge to make informed health-enhancing decisions in their daily life. |
| Science |
| The science department strives to nurture students’ inherent curiosity, provide students with opportunities to develop and answer questions about the natural and human-made world, and inspire students to be creative problem solvers, informed global citizens, and lifelong learners. The upper school science program seeks to foster each student's critical thinking skills, intellectual curiosity, and appreciation for scientific discovery and design. Through dynamic discussions, problem-solving activities, and skill-building laboratory experiences, students develop a thorough understanding and appreciation of core concepts in science and engineering and make connections across disciplines. Students progress through the required-for-graduation core sciences (Physics, Chemistry, and Biology), and are able to explore more individualized interests through our variety of electives and independent studies, from Engineering to Anatomy to Environmental Science. In the city and of the city, we extend our laboratories beyond the classroom into the museums, streets, and science institutions of Philadelphia to show students how science relates to their lives in practical and inspiring ways. |
| World Languages |
| In the upper school, the world languages department offers instruction in three languages: the two languages that have, in addition to English, the widest cultural and economic reach in the 21st-century globe, Mandarin and Spanish, and a language that has one of the longest and richest intellectual traditions in world history, Latin. Mandarin and Spanish focus on the active command in everyday life, in professional interactions as well as on the current events, the history, and literatures of the Hispanophone and Sinophone worlds. Language acquisition in the Latin curriculum is focused on the ability to translate texts that provide a historical mirror which allows students to question current societal assumptions. Students learn to analyze Latin texts from Greco-Roman antiquity through the lenses of socio-cultural sensibilities of the 21st century. Each of our three curricula is incremental, and the rigor and the linguistic complexity increase with every level as do the discussions about the information that the students are exposed to in each language. All Friends Select students are required to complete two years of a language through level III (those coming from Friends Select middle school are generally placed into level II), but our teachers also offer electives in levels IV, V, and VI in all three languages. |
