Graduation Requirements

This programme is designed to satisfy requirements for admission to American and other colleges and universities. The programme is enhanced for talented students by IB certificate courses, preparing students for admission to the most selective institutions of American higher education.

a. Students must successfully complete at least five academic subjects each year.
b. The minimum requirements for the College Preparatory Diploma in the last four years of secondary school are as follows:
--- 4 years of English
--- 3 years of Social Studies, including Art History
--- 3 years of Mathematics, through Mathematical Studies
--- 3 years of Lab Science
--- 3rd year proficiency in a Foreign Language, or 4 years of Modern Greek for native Greek speakers
--- 1 year of Fine Arts
--- 2 years of Physical Education
--- 1 year of Information Technology

Course Offerings by Grade

*elective
Placement in language classes is based on placement examinations

11th and 12th graders may choose courses from the IB curriculum, with the option of sitting the IB examinations and gaining certificates, with the approval of the teacher and Academic Dean.

Course Descriptions by Department

ENGLISH

English 10
This course for tenth grade students continues to develop literary analysis and composition skills as students continue to study a variety of literature in all genres. Students are encouraged to think critically about the literature they read and are expected to write analytically about it. In addition, more complex research skills are introduced and developed.

Texts:
Prentice-Hall Literature, Grade Ten
Writers Inc. – A Student Handbook, Houghton Mifflin
Novel: To Kill a Mockingbird
 

English 11
This course provides eleventh grade students with a study of American literature with continued training in literary analysis and development of essay writing. Readings include poetry, drama, short stories and at least one novel from various periods of American literature. Research skills are further developed and practiced through the writing of a short research paper.

Texts:
Prentice-Hall Literature: The American Experience
Writers Inc. - A Student Handbook, Houghton Mifflin
Novel: The Great Gatsby
 

English 12
This course for twelfth grade students provides a study of British literature with continued training in literary analysis and development of essay writing. Readings include selections from major periods of British literature, a Shakespearean play and at least one novel. Research skills are further expanded and refined through the development of a formal research paper.

Texts:
Prentice-Hall Literature: The British Tradition
Writers Inc.- A Student Handbook, Houghton Mifflin
Novel: Animal Farm
 

ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE (ESL)

ESL 2 / Beginner Level
In this beginner course, students are exposed to a wide variety of reading, writing and speaking experiences which expand their communication skills. Socially sensitive readings focus on different aspects of life, as students learn how to be creative with language, and how to write more formally. Grammar is taught through the writing process.

Texts:
Here We Go 2 student text and workbook
Fundamentals of English Grammar/Longman
 

ESL 3 / Intermediate Level
Focusing on the essay, students experience the various stages of the writing process – prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, publishing – and specific strategies are taught which target common writing problems as thinking and communication skills. This intermediate course relies heavily on readings, discussions and student interaction. Beginning with personal writing, students move to more formal writing required in mainstreamed content area courses. Research skills include student-conducted interviews as well as library research. Skills in self-assessment are developed. Extensive reading supports growth in writing.

Texts:
Literature by Doing. National Textbook Company
Understanding and Using English Grammar/Longman
 

ESL 4/Advanced Level
The advanced course integrates all language skills in an intercultural, interactive and developmental way, through reading and writing. Critical thinking skills are supported as students respond to their readings (individually and in peer groups). Reading-writing tasks encompass a variety of genres, voices and moods, including stories, poems, essays, letters, myths, and folktales. Development of writing skills relies heavily on the reading-writing process.
This course is a graduation requirement for students whose English is not yet at the proficiency level required for English 12.

Texts:
Models for Writers, St. Martin’s Press
Writers Inc: A Student Handbook, Houghton Mifflin.
 

ESL Writing Skills 2/ Intermediate Level
The course aims to improve student proficiency of English used for academic purposes. Students learn to apply reading and writing strategies which help them master effective writing skills.

Texts:
Here We Go 2 student text and workbook
Fundamentals of English Grammar/Longman.
 

ESL Writing Skills 3/ Advanced Intermediate Level
The course aims to develop literary analysis and expository writing skills with a variety of literature in all genres, through activities that integrate extensive reading and writing. Vocabulary, grammar and mechanics are taught in the context of the students’ own writing. Library research skills are also taught.

Texts:
Inspired to Write – Readings and tasks to develop writing skills
Writers Inc. – A Student Handbook, Houghton Mifflin
 

ESL Writing Skills 4/ Advanced
This course for advanced students builds on language skills already mastered, and supports academic needs through reading and writing activities requiring increasingly complex analytic and critical thought. Students learn successful research and composing process strategies as they move from expressive vwriting to more structured essays for specific academic audiences.

Text:
Models for Writers, St.Martin’s Press
 

FOREIGN LANGUAGES

Level III – Greek as a Foreign Language III, French III, Spanish III
Level 3 completes the acquisition of basic listening, speaking, reading and writing skills through the introduction of more complex structures and a wider variety of situations. Emphasis is placed on communication in authentic situations and more complex grammatical forms as well familiarization of the culture and traditions of the respective country.

Texts:
Greek Επικοκοινωνήστε Ελληνικά 2A
French Bravo! 2, Didier
Spanish Sueρa 2, Anaya
 

Level IV – Greek as a Foreign Language IV, French IV, Spanish IV
This level aims at the acquisition of oral, reading and writing skills through conversation, oral drills, grammar practice, composition and text comprehension exercises. It also provides an introduction to literature in the language studied.

Texts:
Greek Επικοκοινωνήστε Ελληνικά 2B
Επιτυχάνοντας στα Ελληνικά, Επίπεδο Α
Μύθοι, Δέλτος
Ήρωες, Δέλτος
French Bravo! 2, Didier
Exercises de grammaire en contexte
Exercises de oral en contexte
Spanish Sueρa 2, Anaya
 

Modern Greek 10
This course is intended for students whose mother tongue is Greek who are able to read and write the language with fluency. It is aimed at improving and strengthening the student’s linguistic and cultural background through reading a literary work, the writing of literary summaries and descriptive compositions, and the study of extracts from the works of various Greek authors. The course aims at holistic education, intercultural awareness, and improvement of communication skills.

Texts:
1) Κείμενα Νεοελληνικής Λογοτεχνίας, Β’ Λυκείου
2) Η Κόντρα, Σαμαράκης
 

Modern Greek 11
The objective of this course is to enrich and reinforce the knowledge of Greek as mother tongue. It is aimed at improving and strengthening the student`s linguistic and cultural background through thorough study of extracts from novels and poems of various Greek authors and through constructive class discussion aiming to develop students` critical thinking and composition writing. Students also thoroughly practice their listening, speaking, reading and writing skills as part of their preparation for the Certificate of Attainment in Greek.

Texts:
1) Θέατρο, Ξενόπουλος
2) Κείμενα Νεοελληνικής Λογοτεχνίας Β’ Λυκείου
3) Εξετάζοντας τα Ελληνικά, επίπεδο Δ’
 

Modern Greek 12
The objective of this course is to enrich and reinforce the knowledge of Greek as mother tongue. It is aimed at improving and strengthening the student’s linguistic and cultural background through: thorough study of extracts from various Greek authors, constructive class discussion aiming to develop students’ critical thinking and composition writing. The students are also exposed to Modern Greek literature by reading, summarising and analyzing novels, in order to be better prepared for the Certificate of Attainment in Greek.

Texts:
1) Η Φόνισσα, Α. Παπαδιαμάντης
2) Κείμενα Νεοελληνικής Λογοτεχνίας, Γ’ Λυκείου
3) Past papers of the Certificate of Attainment in Greek
 

SOCIAL STUDIES

History 10
The students in grade 10 are exposed to a great variety of fundamental issues, concepts and skills, this will allow them to easily cope with the demanding needs of any future exam programme. In particular, the course aims at the development of essays along with thorough primary/secondary source evaluation. Moreover, the students will examine the rise and rule of Stalin and Hitler, important case studies, for the understanding of single party political systems. Furthermore, international relations in the 1920s and 1930s will be assessed in depth, along with early Cold War events.

Text:
Essential Modern World History, Nelson Thornes
 

Modern World History
This course is designed to address the needs of students that do not wish to participate in any exam programme. Moreover, the course encourages students to develop essay and source evaluation skills. The students will examine the Chinese Civil War along with Mao’s rise and rule. In addition, Cold War events will be further assessed with the culmination of the Vietnam War and its implications. In addition, International Organisations, such as the U.N.O and the European Union, will be in detail discussed.

Text:
Essential Modern World History, Nelson Thornes
 

Art History
The study of arts and their history, expose our students to the lives of artists and their creative expressions. In addition, students are given the opportunity to explore human cultures, both ancient and modern, hence, survey the major periods and styles of Western art. In particular, students examine: Pre-historic, Ancient Near East, Egyptian, Greek, Etruscan and Roman, Early Christian and Byzantine, along with Medieval, Islamic, and Gothic art. Finally, the course concludes with the early period of Renaissance.

Text:
Art across time – volume I, McGraw-Hill
 

Human Geography
This course allows students to understand the discipline of geography, its tools and concepts. Moreover it encourages them to critically assess geographical problems on both global and local scales and raises awareness about the diversity of global cultures and their cultural and economic characteristics. The course is designed to examine in depth the following units: Geography: its nature and perspectives, Population, Cultural patterns and processes, Political organisation of space, Agricultural and rural land use, Industrialisation and economic development along with cities and urban land use.

Text:
The Cultural Landscape: An Introduction to Human Geography, Pearson Prentice-Hall
 

Sociology
This course introduces students to key concepts and theories that will help them understand human behaviour. The aim of this course is to provide insights about the relationship between individuals and social structures. Furthermore, the course aims at promoting awareness on the following issues: Methods of research, Social Differentiation including social class, gender and ethnicity, Families and Households, Education, Religion, Crime and Deviance, Work and Leisure and finally Mass Media.

Text:
Essentials of Sociology – A Down to Earth Approach, Allen & Bacon
 

SCIENCE

Science 10
The curriculum content is divided into three sections: Biology, Chemistry and Physics. This is the second year of the two year course. The biology section covers cell structure; chemicals of living things; photosynthesis and respiration; human diet and digestion; transport in humans and in plants; co-ordination and homeostasis; sexual and asexual reproduction; humans and the environment.

The chemistry section covers atomic structure; elements, mixtures and compounds; formulae and equations; the Periodic Table; acids, bases and salts; oxidation and reduction, fuels and combustion.

The physics section covers length, mass and weight; speed, velocity and acceleration; electricity and current; heat, waves and radioactivity.

Texts:
Longman Biology for IGCSE, Longman
Complete Chemistry for IGCSE, Oxford U.P.
Complete Physics for IGCSE, Oxford U.P
 

Science 10-C
This course is intended for students who are taking intermediate ESL classes. The curriculum content is divided into three sections: Biology, Chemistry and Physics and is taught as a combined science course. Students have many hands-on activities and are introduced to laboratory work and writing lab reports.

The biology section covers cell structure; chemicals of living things; photosynthesis and respiration; human diet and digestion; transport in humans and in plants; co-ordination and homeostasis; sexual and asexual reproduction; humans and the environment.

The chemistry section coves atomic structure; elements, mixtures and compounds; formulae and equations; the Periodic Table; acids, bases and salts; oxidation and reduction, fuels and combustion.

The physics section covers length, mass and weight; speed, velocity and acceleration; electricity and current; heat, waves and radioactivity.

Text:
Modular Science (Higher), Book 1, Heinemann
 

Health Science
This is a one-year course for Juniors or Seniors
The topics studied are aimed at familiarising the students with day to day health problems. Topics studied include: Leading a Healthy Life, Self-Esteem, Drugs and Abuse, Medicines, Bullying, Contraception, Teenage Pregnancy, Sexually Transmitted Diseases and Nutrition.

Text:
Lifetime Health, Holt
 

MATHEMATICS

Mathematics 10
This course covers finite & infinite number sets, absolute values, graph theory, matrices; systems of inequalities functions, recursive sequences, graphical solution of equations, system of 2 linear equations with matrices; trigonometric graphs, sin & cos rules; circles and angle relations, vectors, loci; probabilities of combined and conditional events, data analysis including variance and standard deviation.

Text:
Edexcel GCSE Mathematics (Higher) book 2, Heinemann
 

Mathematical Studies CP
This course is designed to provide a realistic mathematics level for students with varied backgrounds and abilities. The skills needed to cope with the mathematical demands of a technological society are developed and emphasis is placed on the application of mathematics to real life situations. A substantial piece of personal research, in the form of a project, is a requirement of this course. However, students likely to need mathematics for the pursuit of further qualifications should consider an alternative IB certificate course.

Text:
Mathematical Studies, Ibid Press
 

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Information Technology – 10th grade
The curriculum is spread over 2 years. It is set up so as to provide the students with the basic skills to complete the ECDL certificates at the end of the 10th grade.

The seven modules that make up the ECDL (External curriculum) are:

1. Basic concepts of IT
2. Using the computer and managing files
3. Word processing
4. Spreadsheets
5. Database
6. Presentation
7. Information and Communication

Students will complete all the modules and sit for the external certificates at the end of the 2 year period although some students can sit individual certificates when a module is complete.

This will prepare the students to use the computer as a tool to:
Solve problems
Investigate the internet
Plan projects
Present research work
Facilitate the creation of products from other disciplines

Students are exposed to a variety of software programmes (Windows XP, MSOffice, Photoshop) throughout the 2 years in order to accomplish the goals mentioned above.

Text:
How to Pass ECDL for MS Office, Pearson-Prentice Hall
 

Informational Technology
This course is an elective for 11th and 12th grade. Students follow the syllabus of the IB course Information Technology in a Global Society. They may sit the exam and earn an IB certificate if they complete the full two year course.

FINE ARTS

PERFORMING ARTS

Drama 10
A theme-based approach is used throughout this course. Drama works in conjunction with other subject areas such as English, history, art and music to create devised pieces, or, students perform scenes that are connected to other subject areas. Students are assessed by themselves, the teacher and peer evaluations as well as weekly workbook assignments.

Drama - Advanced
This course is an elective for 11th and 12th grade. Students follow the syllabus of the IB Music course. They may sit the exam and earn an IB certificate if they complete the full two year course.

Music 10
Students have the chance to study a particular instrument of voice. The course is almost entirely practical, but elementary theory is taught and composing is encouraged. Theory lessons include aural training, developing the senses of rhythm, pitch and phrasing. At the end of the year, students are required to produce a written record of songs/piece studies, together with any original compositions, as well as a historical and technical account of the instrument studied. Students are also encouraged to learn a second instrument.
Music - Advanced
This course is an elective for 11th and 12th grade. Students follow the syllabus of the IB Music course. They may sit the exam and earn an IB certificate if they complete the full two year course.

VISUAL ARTS

Art 10
Art is taught on a subject-based approach where the aims and objectives are met through structured learning and are assessed using set criteria: knowledge and understanding; application; reflection and evaluation; and artistic awareness and personal engagement.

Through the arts, students work both co-operatively and individually having opportunities to research, identify and discuss issues; to provide insights, opinions, solutions and resolutions; and to reflect on, appreciate and evaluate artwork.

The visual arts encompass techniques such as drawing, painting, mixed media, printmaking, sculpture and metalwork. Students use a combination of techniques and work in a variety of media to meet objectives. Students are expected to learn and use a visual vocabulary to express their ideas in a variety of styles as well as acquire appropriate terminology. They are taught to understand how traditions, histories and beliefs have influenced the way in which works of art are formed and valued in society.

Holistically, the arts ensure co-ordination and integration of subject matter across all the arts and other subject areas as well as interaction. Opportunities for expression are provided in different modes - oral, written, visual and aural. Students are also encouraged to visit exhibitions and to share and reflect on their experiences.

Students are required to keep a Development Workbook. This is a written and visual record of the development of a student`s artwork, as well as their own development as an artist. The purpose of the workbook is to encourage thought, improvement, experimentation and critical thinking. It also provides the opportunity for reflection.

Art – Advanced
This course is an elective for 11th and 12th grade. Students follow the syllabus of the IB Visual Arts course. They may sit the exam and earn an IB certificate if they complete the full two year course.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

Physical Education
The course is designed to enhance the students’ athletic skills of various team sports through sports specific drills and team play. The students also cover the rules and playing strategies of all the sports taught. Students are also given more responsibility for their own learning with opportunities to officiate and coach. Fitness work is incorporated in the course through a set of fitness exercises and fitness tests.

Extra Curricular Activities
The Interscholastic school teams are involved in many local and International competitions. The students can participate in Volleyball and Soccer during the first trimester, and Basketball and Track & Field during the second trimester.
In addition to our school teams we offer an Intramural programme for the students during lunchtime. Activities such as water sports and excursions are planned at various times of the year.