New Student
Course Selection 2025-2026
Dr. Rachel Clouser
Assistant Head of Upper School
WELCOME,
NEW TORREYS!
Overview
Review of Courses
Selection Process
Questions
Tonight’s Agenda
01
02
03
04
General information and graduation requirements
2025-2026 courses by department
Specifics and placement test info
Time for general questions
LJCDS Graduation Requirements
English: 4 years
History: 3 years (world history, US history, seminar)
Science: 3 years (Physics, Chemistry, Biology)
Math: 3 years (including Math III)
World Language: 2 years and complete level III
Service Learning: 4 year integrated program
Experiential Education: 3 years
9th Grade Foundations (waived for new 10th & 11th)
Athletics: 1 team sport in 9th grade
Arts: 1 year
Things to Consider
Number of Courses*
Students must take
a minimum of
5 classes and a maximum of 6 classes.
Time/ Balance
Is this a balanced course load in terms of everything, including clubs, arts, and athletics?
Big Picture/ Future Studies
How do these classes lead to desired future courses? What classes are your “must takes”?
*It is very unusual for a 9th grader to take less than 6 classes
Sample
Academic
Map/Plan
9th
10th
12th
11th
English I
Global Studies
Math I
French I
Physics
Studio Art I
English II
United States History
Math II
French II
Chemistry
Elective?
English III
AP Euro History
Math III
French III
Biology
Elective?
English IV
Elective 1
Elective 2
Elective 3
Elective 4
Elective 5?
by department
Course Offerings
Full descriptions can be found
in the 2025-2026 Curriculum Guide
English
Requirement: 4 years
10th Grade Options
*This is a DUAL BLOCK class (2 back-to-back blocks) that covers both United States literature and history. The class satisfies both the English II and the US history requirements.
11th Grade Options
12th Grade Options
Honors/AP English classes require a portfolio review
Honors 11/12 English courses are denoted on transcript as being the equivalent as an AP level course
9th Grade: English I
9th grade: Global History
10th Grade:
United States History
American Studies
This is a DUAL BLOCK class (2 back-to-back blocks) that covers both United States literature and history. The class satisfies both the English II and the US history requirements.
United States History Honors
AP United States History
History
Requirement: 3 years
(Global, United States, seminar)
Honors/AP history classes require a recommendation
*Psychology Honors does not satisfy the history seminar requirement
11/12th Grade Options:
Civil Rights & Popular Culture
Contemporary World History: Latin America and the Caribbean
Contemporary World History: Middle East
Global Cultural History: Sports
United States Government and Politics
-----
Global Cultural History: Food and Culture (H)
United States Government and Politics (H)
AP African American Studies
AP European History
AP World History
-----
Psychology* (priority 12th gr.)
Psychology (H)* (priority 12th gr.)
Math
Requirement: Minimum 3 years and completion of Math III
Math III
Math III AB
Math III BC (H)
Math I
Math I (H)
Math II
Math II (H)
Honors/AP math classes require a recommendation
2025-2026
Post-Math III Options
12th Grade Only Options:
Math of Finance
Physics
This course promotes conceptual understanding of major physics principles through interesting and thought-provoking experiments, demonstrations, and unifying projects such as a projectile launcher and a rollback vehicle. Students employ the scientific method to make observations and measurements, graphically analyze data, and describe those relationships both in words and mathematical equations. These skills are used to explore, develop and apply scientific ideas about motion and forces, momentum and energy, and electricity and magnetism.
Honors/AP science classes require a recommendation
Accelerated Physics
This course explores major physics principles through experiments and demonstrations with an emphasis on applied concepts quantified by more-advanced mathematics. Therefore, students must have a mastery of algebra. This course goes into greater depth and at a faster pace than in the Physics course.
Science
Requirement: 3 years
(Physics, Chemistry, Biology)
10th Grade:
Chemistry
Chemistry Honors
11th Grade:
Biology
Biology Honors
AP Biology
11/12th Grade:
AP Chemistry
AP Physics 2
Anatomy and Physiology Honors
Biotechnology (Semester 2) (12th only)
Environmental Systems (priority 12th)
Marine Biology (Semester 1) (12th only)
Neuroscience Honors (12th only)
Organic Chemistry (regular & Honors)
World Language
Requirement: 2 years AND completion of level III
French
Spanish
Mandarin
Mandarin I
Mandarin II
Mandarin III
Mandarin III (H)
Mandarin IV
Mandarin IV (H)
Mandarin V
Mandarin V (H)
AP Chinese Language and
Culture
Spanish I
Spanish II
Spanish III
Spanish Intensive (H)
Spanish IV
AP Spanish Language and
Culture
Spanish Cinema I
Spanish Cinema II
Spanish Literature and
Culture (H)
French I
French II
French III
French Intensive (H)
French Cinema & Culture I
French Cinema & Culture II
AP French Language and
Culture
Cultural Topics in French
Discourse (H)
Honors/AP world language classes require a recommendation
Arts
Requirement: One year (most students take in 9th grade)
Studio Art I
Studio Art II
Studio Art III
AP Studio Art: 2-D Design
AP Studio Art: Drawing
AP Studio Art: 3-D Design
Graphic Design
Digital Photography
Advanced Photography Honors
Ceramics I
Ceramics II
Ceramics III Honors
Independent Filmmaking
Independent Filmmaking Honors
Concert Choir
Madrigals Honors
Band
Band Honors
Percussion/Drumming
Percussion/Drumming Honors
Chamber Orchestra
Orchestra Honors
Studio Acting
Advanced Play Production Honors
Technical Theater
Production Design and
Management Honors
Honors/AP art classes require a recommendation
Design & Innovation
No requirement (electives)
Honors/AP DnI classes require a recommendation
Placement Tests
All new students are required to take a math placement test.
Students who would like to enroll in a level II or higher world language class will need to take a world language placement test.
You will receive information about how to register.
Dates:
MATH (on-campus):
Saturday, May 17 from 9:00 - 10:30am OR Tuesday, May 20 4:00-5:30pm
WORLD LANGUAGE (online):
Self-proctored online testing opens on Saturday, May 17th at 8am and closes Sunday, May 25 at 3pm
Course Selection Process:
By the end of day tomorrow you will receive
via an email:
Please complete the course selection form NO LATER THAN Friday, May 2 at 3pm.
General questions?