Courses

Middle School

Philosophy & Requirements

Middle School

Philosophy & Requirements

Arts (10 trimesters)
English (4 years)
Environmental Practices (2 trimesters)
Math (4 years)
Physical Education (9 trimesters)
Science (4 years)
Social Science (4 years)
Spanish (4 years)
Technology (3 trimesters)

Students entering EPS for 5th and 6th grade will take a minimum of two Visual Arts, two Theatre, and two Music courses over their MS career. Students entering as 7th graders must take one course from each Fine & Performing Arts area. Students entering as 8th graders must take one course from two different areas (e.g. one course from Visual Arts and one course from Theatre).

Environmental Practices is taken for one trimester in 7th grade and one trimester in 8th grade

Middle School courses are designed to give students opportunities to practice the habits of mind employed in each academic discipline. Critical thinking skills are emphasized. Integration plays an important role in tying ideas together, and teachers collaborate on specific units when it makes sense to do so. Faculty infuse each day in (and out of!) the classroom with enthusiasm and hands-on learning.

Students arrive in the Middle School as children and leave as young adults, having progressed through profound biological, social, and cognitive changes. Our program is effective because it fosters and supports student growth in language use, problem solving, memory development, ethical maturity, and social presence.

Our courses coordinate not only with interdisciplinary content, but also to teach important skills consistently throughout the Middle School experience. Upon completion students are able to:

Use the academic disciplines as a framework for critical thinking,
Solve complex problems within a variety of disciplines and topics,
Communicate written ideas thoughtfully and creatively
Confidently present ideas to large and small audiences,
Effectively employ technology to enhance learning,
Lead compassionately as a respectful member of our global community.

The ultimate goal of the Middle School Program is to equip students with the necessary academic and social skills for a more robust disciplinary study in the EPS Upper School.

Where appropriate, coursework is guided by grade-specific Big Questions.

Grade 5: Who Am I?
Grade 6: What Is The World Made Of?
Grade 7: How Did We Get Here?
Grade 8: What Does It Mean To Be Human?

Upper School

Philosophy & Requirements

Upper School

Philosophy & Requirements

Arts (5 trimesters)
English (4 years)
Math (3 years)
Physical Education (5 trimesters including PE Wellness)
Science (3 years)
Social Science (3 years)
Spanish (3 years or completion through Spanish 4)

As the "preparatory" part of our name indicates, a central intent of the Upper School experience at EPS is to prepare students for college.

This process entails gaining mastery and command in the traditional academic disciplines, developing skills to excel in today's competitive institutions of higher education. To this end, Eastside Prep students:

Become technologically literate, honing their ability to use tools effectively in research and presentation of knowledge
Engage sophisticated, complex coursework as a preparation for the future, wrestling with questions of high complexity
Integrate thinking from each of their classes, learning to apply knowledge mastered in one field to enhance learning in another
Practice academic collaboration with teachers, with the expectation that this will be a continued and important part of their college experience
Navigate a robust collection of course offerings, learning to discern their personal academic interests and choose a relevant path

Physical Education courses must include Wellness taken during the 9th grade year. Up to 4 of the 5-trimester PE distribution requirement may be satisfied by substantive participation on a sports team or in a non-sport activity.

English

Philosophy & Requirements

English

Philosophy & Requirements

MS Course Requirements (4 Years)
US Graduation Requirements (4 Years)

The mission of Eastside Preparatory School's English Discipline is to empower students in self-directed exploration and analysis of literature, writing, and discussion. Our pedagogy is founded in rigorous inquiry, student choice, empathy, creativity, relevance, and play, and we believe in giving students opportunities to make personal connections to literature so they can better understand their own world and how to have agency within it. We proudly commit to standing for the principles of equity, inclusion, representation, diversity, respect, and empowerment.

Middle school students explore what it means to be literary thinkers by focusing on the principal skills of reading, writing, and speaking. Students read a wide range of literary forms and genres, use the writing workshop model to practice writing skills, and share ideas verbally through a variety of discussion techniques. In the Upper School, students continue to build on these skills and processes, and also begin collegiate-level writing and analysis of literature. Across the discipline, students graduate prepared for life-long critical thinking, reading, and writing.

Yearlong | 9^th

Literature 9

English

Yearlong | 3.0 Credits | 9^th

Literature 9

Paired and Integrated with History 9

Coursework introduces students to foundational reading and writing skills that set them up for success in future courses in the English discipline. Coursework aims to build a community of writers where students explore their own voices, build confidence in writing skills, and cultivate an enjoyment of reading, writing, and sharing ideas. Students explore a variety of genres such as poetry, nonfiction, and literary fiction, through the lens of a literary thinker.

Coursework is anchored in three trimester-long themes and writing styles: Building Community — Personal Expression (Fall) Forming Identity — Analysis (Winter) Reconciling Differences — Persuasion (Spring)

Coursework engages critical exploration of major cultural and artistic ideologies from the past thirty years, with an emphasis on science fiction, or speculative fiction. Students engage the fragmentation and ambiguity of postmodernism as a cultural-aesthetic movement. Authors and philosophers considered include Thomas Pynchon, William Gibson, Neil Stephenson, Jacques Derrida, Jean-Francois Lyotard, and Jean Baudrillard. Students write fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry, and read and respond to the work of both published writers and each other to strengthen aspects of writing, including narrative structure, sentence fluency, and clarity of expression.

English

Trimester | 9-12^th

Creative Writing

English

Trimester | 9-12^th

Advanced Creative Writing

English

Trimester | 1.0 Credits | 9-12^th

Advanced Creative Writing

Pre-requisite: Creative Writing
This course may be taken in multiple trimesters for credit
Does Not Satisfy Graduation Requirement for English

Building on the skills learned in Creative Writing, students in this course will engage in the exploration of a particular genre, such as science fiction/fantasy, graphic novels/cartoons, or playwriting/screenwriting. This class offers an in-depth exploration of topics within the larger field of creative writing via both reading and producing work in a particular genre. The class will run on a workshop model, which requires students’ investment in sharing their work with others, critiquing others’ work, and keeping on track with their writing process. Students will produce one large piece in the genre being studied, or a portfolio of shorter pieces.

History/Social Science

Philosophy & Requirements

History/Social Science

Philosophy & Requirements

MS Course Requirement (4 years)
US Course Requirement (3 Years in Grades 9-11)

At Eastside Preparatory School a foundation of historical, cultural, ideological, and geographical literacy and the ability to think like a social scientist is fostered through a diverse curriculum and progressive pedagogical methods.

History/Social Science

Trimester | 1.0 Credits | 12^th

Public Policy

Does Not Satisfy Graduation Requirement for History/Social Science

This course introduces the study of public policy, including the contexts for public policy, the reasons and methods for government intervention, the identity of actors involved, and methods of evaluation for public policy. Where applicable, the lens of race, class, and/or gender is applied to explore the specific impact of public policy on particular segments of American society. Public policy issues studied span local, state, and federal concerns, including education, homelessness, and public health. As part of the course, students learn to draft policy memos advocating for public policy positions of their choice.

Mathematics

Philosophy & Requirements

Mathematics

Philosophy & Requirements

MS Course Requirement (4 years)
US Graduation Requirement (3 Years in Grades 9-11)

The purpose of the Math Discipline at Eastside Prep is to equip students with the number sense and problem-solving skills required to succeed in advanced work in math and other disciplines, to be discerning consumers of quantitative information, and put these to practical use in their lives.

This is achieved through a combination of direct instruction and hands-on investigation, stressing process and context as much as solution. Understanding is assessed through the application of knowledge and skills to a new context, and whenever possible, stress is put on application to the real world.

Prior to enrollment, students are placed at a math level commensurate with their past course experience and current skill level. Placement decisions are based on a placement exam/interview and/or the discretion of the Math Discipline Faculty and the Upper School Head.

Mathematics

Yearlong | 5-8^th

Mathematical Thinking 1

Mathematics

Yearlong | 3.0 Credits | 5-8^th

Mathematics

Yearlong | 3.0 Credits | 11-12^th

Advanced Calculus

Prerequisite: Calculus

Advanced Calculus is a year-long course that expands on ideas in Calculus and introduces other advanced topics. Coursework encourages collaboration and requires active and consistent focus as students derive standard results and techniques by answering questions and solving problems that lead them to core ideas. The class includes advanced integration techniques, volumes through integration, closed-form solutions to separable differential equations and numerical solutions to others, infinite series including convergence tests and Taylor series, polar coordinates, vectors in three dimensions including scalar and vector products and parametrizations for lines and planes, geometric transformations of the plane using matrices, and complex-valued functions of a complex variable.

Mathematics

Yearlong | 11-12^th

Statistics

Mathematics

Yearlong | 3.0 Credits | 11-12^th

Statistics

Prerequisite: Algebra 2

Statistics is about the study of data. Coursework asks students to learn how to collect, organize, and interpret data. Students begin by building their base knowledge and vocabulary, as they learn how to use statistics to describe and make sense of large data sets. Study builds toward learning how to use a sample of data to make inferences about greater populations. Students also focus on how to effectively design and conduct a study, and the role that probability and chance play in statistics-gathering. Numerous data sets and real-world scenarios are explored throughout the course using graphing calculators, Desmos, and spreadsheets as tools for computing statistics.

Mathematics

Yearlong | 12^th

Science

Yearlong | 3.0 Credits | 8^th

Marine biology is the study of living things in an oceanic environment. In this rigorous course, students explore a variety of topics, including abiotic factors, oceanic productivity, biodiversity, as well as the adaptations that allow marine organisms to succeed in their environments. Field trips and dissections further support this content. Students utilize peer-reviewed primary literature to gain a deep understanding of a species of their choosing and then develop their scientific writing skills to create a literature review. This research informs the culminating project: a grant proposal in which students design a study to answer a current “unknown” about their organism.

Spanish

Philosophy & Requirements

Spanish

Philosophy & Requirements

MS Course Requirement (4 years)
US Graduation Requirement (3 Years in Grades 9-12 or through Spanish 4)

All students at Eastside Prep study the Spanish language. Spanish is spoken in more than twenty-three countries, is one of the official languages of the United Nations and is the second most spoken language in the United States.

The goals of the Spanish Program at EPS are: (1) to introduce students to the joy and beauty of world language learning and to help them develop their communicative abilities through the consistent application of the four language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing; (2) to prepare students to eventually live, work, or study in a Spanish-speaking environment; (3) to prepare students for placement into university-level Spanish classes; (4) to develop intercultural awareness by exploring the diversity of the Spanish-speaking world; (5) and to support our school's heritage speakers’ unique experiences and needs in our classrooms.

At the time of enrollment in the Upper School program, students are placed at a Spanish level commensurate with their past Spanish experience and current skills. Placement decisions are made based on a placement exam and/or at the discretion of the Spanish Faculty and Upper School Head.

Prerequisite: Spanish 4

Coursework develops each student’s ability to communicate thoughtfully and with a deepened awareness of current political and social climates in the Hispanic world. Topics may include economic, human rights, and educational issues relevant at the time the course is offered. Students also spend time exploring topics of personal interest. Throughout the course, students are equipped with vocabulary and cultural/historical context to engage with authentic Hispanic sources in print and media, examining them through in-class conversation, independent investigation, and project work. Grammar and vocabulary lessons are integrated into the study of each theme.

ALL ADVANCED SPANISH COURSES at Eastside Prep are designed and taught to maximize verbal and written proficiency. While the curricular core of each option is unique, all courses focus on communication and conversation to support the development of the four language skills: speaking, listening, reading and writing.

Fine & Performing Arts

Philosophy & Requirements

Fine & Performing Arts

Philosophy & Requirements

MS Course Requirement (10 trimesters)
US Graduation Requirements (5 trimesters)

Across the stages and studios of the Fine & Performing Arts, students create a trusted community of friends and learn lifelong lessons of expression, resilience, and collaboration. At EPS, all students are art students. Central to our curriculum in visual art, theatre and music is the artistic process: to create, respond, connect, and present. This learning process is present in other areas of the school as well as life: how to communicate, give and receive feedback, refine work, and present it to an audience. As Arts Faculty, this is our contribution to the mission-driven experience that makes up the EPS education: to think, act, lead and innovate.

In this course, students integrate performance skills with text. They study and practice vocabulary derived from various acting methods (including but not limited to Stanislavski, Meisner, Hagen and Adler), and apply knowledge, personal experience, and imagination to a variety of scenes and dialogues. Students practice character development, textual analysis, and rehearsal methods. As a culmination of this class, students present a public performance of a one act play or series of one act plays.

Fine & Performing Arts

Trimester | 7-8^th

Stagecraft (7/8)

Fine & Performing Arts

Trimester | 1.0 Credits | 7-8^th

Stagecraft (7/8)

This course may be taken a maximum of two trimesters for credit

There are many things that happen behind the scenes to bring a play to life. Production designers, carpenters, technicians and artisans spend many hours designing, building, and creating all aspects of what is seen and heard in any given production. This course introduces the basic concepts and skills needed to build for the stage. Students learn simple construction and design techniques, as well as how to identify the technical needs of a production. Since the best theatre-making is always collaborative in nature, students work together in “Production Teams” to create and design work. When possible, this course supports and builds for EPS Theatre Productions.

Fine & Performing Arts

Trimester | 9-12^th

Acting 1

Fine & Performing Arts

Trimester | 9-12^th

Acting 2

Fine & Performing Arts

Trimester | 1.0 Credits | 9-12^th

Acting 2

Pre-requisite: Acting 1

Building on the experience and skills gained in Acting 1, students explore and apply advanced acting technique to plays with elevated texts. Students deepen their understanding of the actor's toolbox by examining and building complex characters in dynamic situations. Continued attention is paid to vocal work, body awareness, textual analysis, and working as an ensemble. Students in the Acting 2 class integrate all of their learning into a public performance of a full play.

Fine & Performing Arts

Yearlong | 7-12^th

Chamber Music Ensemble

Fine & Performing Arts

Yearlong | 3.0 Credits | 7-12^th

Chamber Music Ensemble

Prerequisite: Enrollment is by Audition
This course may be taken in multiple trimesters for credit
Meets before school during “0” Period

Chamber Music Ensemble explores music through rehearsal and performance on a traditional band or orchestra instrument. Geared towards students with previous experience and proficiency in their instruments, this course aims to refine skills of musicianship, instrument technique, and music theory. This course culminates in one or more public performances.

Well-Being/Physical Education

Philosophy & Requirements

Well-Being/Physical Education

Philosophy & Requirements

MS Course Requirement (9 trimesters)
US Graduation Requirement (5 trimesters)*

Eastside Prep offers a new perspective on well-being and physical education, emphasizing self-knowledge, movement, wellness, and mindfulness. We encourage and inspire students to take responsibility for their own well-being and fitness as they develop lifelong skills for healthy living. We believe that personal reflection, team building, mindfulness, and athletic skills help students become more interested in lifelong well-being, sports, and other physical activities.

The US graduation requirement for Physical Education is met through a combination of the following:

Credits

Well-Being 9 (required)
PE trimester courses (up to 4 credits earned)

Waivers

A season of an EPS sport (US level) (up to 4 PE credits waived)
A season of a sport that EPS does not offer (US level) (maximum of 3 PE credits waived)**
A PE trimester course or a season of an EPS sport is required if 3 PE credits are waived in this fashion

**Students seeking pre-approval of a waiver for a season of a US-level sport that EPS does not offer must email a request to the Executive Assistant to the Upper School Head the previous to the trimester in which the student is seeking the waiver; retroactive waivers are not granted. Questions about other athletic activities that EPS does not offer should be directed to Leah Swenson (lswenson@eastsideprep.org).

Well-Being/Physical Education

Trimester | 5-6^th

Physical Education (5/6)

Well-Being/Physical Education

Trimester | 1.0 Credits | 5-6^th

Physical Education (5/6)

This course may be taken in multiple trimesters for credit

In this course, students engage in sports, games and challenge activities from around the world. Classes focus on teamwork, sportsmanship, skills, technique, rules, court/field awareness, and overall fitness. Participants are also introduced to strategy and leadership opportunities. A goal throughout the trimester is to inspire and encourage students to participate in physical activity and healthy living outside of the classroom.

This course may be taken multiple trimesters for credit

In this course, students engage in sports, games and challenge activities from around the world. Classes focus on teamwork, sportsmanship, skills, technique, rules, court/field awareness, and overall fitness. Participants are also introduced to strategy and leadership opportunities. A goal throughout the trimester is to inspire and encourage students to participate in physical activity and healthy living outside of the classroom.

Well-Being/Physical Education

Trimester | 7-8^th

P.E. Customized Training to Maximize P...

Well-Being/Physical Education

Trimester | 1.0 Credits | 7-8^th

P.E. Customized Training to Maximize Performance (7/8)

This course may be taken multiple trimesters for credit

Coursework focuses on individuals designing and engaging their own approach to physical fitness and wellness based on their needs and interests. The experience equips students with fitness literacy and physical fitness skills through one or more of the following domains: 1) sport-specific training and athletic conditioning; 2) customized non-traditional activities that encourage physical wellness; and/or 3) an adaptive approach to movement based on a need for physical therapy activities (including those related to prior injuries or medical conditions) or adaptive exercises to compliment the recovery process.

Well-Being/Physical Education

Trimester | 7-8^th

P.E. Yoga (7/8)

Well-Being/Physical Education

Trimester | 1.0 Credits | 7-8^th

P.E. Yoga (7/8)

This course may be taken multiple trimesters for credit

This Middle School physical education course focuses on movements found in Yoga and Pilates. Students are exposed to "what is Yoga?" - primarily in the form of experiencing different physical postures (asanas). On our mats, students explore movements that come from different modalities - Yoga (primarily), Pilates, natural movement. Emphasis is on proper alignment as well as learning safe ranges of motion and delving into themes of mindfulness and various breathing practices. This is an all-levels class where students learn the basics of yoga in a safe and supportive environment.

This course guides students to--

• establish healthy breathing patterns that can relax and energize the body and mind

• develop focus, gain self-awareness and self-control through meditation

• build strength, release tension and increase flexibility through asana practice

• learn techniques to calm the nervous system and emotions from mindfulness practices

Well-Being/Physical Education

Trimester | 9^th

Well-Being 9

Well-Being/Physical Education

Trimester | 9-12^th

Physical Education (US)

Well-Being/Physical Education

Trimester | 9-12^th

P.E.: Customized Training to Maximize ...

Well-Being/Physical Education

Trimester | 1.0 Credits | 9-12^th

P.E.: Customized Training to Maximize Performance (US)

This course may be taken multiple trimesters for credit

Coursework focuses on individuals designing and engaging their own approach to physical fitness and wellness based on their needs and interests. The experience equips students with fitness literacy and physical fitness skills through one or more of the following domains: 1) sport-specific training and athletic conditioning; 2) customized non-traditional activities that encourage physical wellness; and/or 3) an adaptive approach to movement based on a need for physical therapy activities (including those related to prior injuries or medical conditions) or adaptive exercises to compliment the recovery process.

Well-Being/Physical Education

Trimester | 9-12^th

P.E. Yoga (US)

Well-Being/Physical Education

Trimester | 1.0 Credits | 9-12^th

P.E. Yoga (US)

This course may be taken in multiple trimesters for credit

This Upper School physical education course is designed to give students a holistic overview of “Yoga”. This is an all-levels class, where students will learn how to build a healthy "asana" practice by incorporating breathing practices, and mindfulness. The majority of the class time is spent on learning, adapting and enhancing different physical postures (asanas) in a safe and supportive environment. Part of the class time is dedicated to exploring connections to Eastern philosophies in terms of learning an abbreviated version of the history of yoga as well as discussing some topics in yoga philosophy.

The ultimate goals of this course are to guide students to--

• establish healthy breathing patterns that can relax and energize the body and mind

• develop focus, gain self-awareness and self-control through meditation

• build strength, release tension and increase flexibility through asana practice

Data changes how we understand the ways that humans interact with other people, devices, and the world around us. Cell phone records, stock transactions, targeted ads and fake news, power utilization of the electric grid, designing autonomous vehicles, predicting future temperatures in a warming climate; data is everywhere.

Data Science is the process of acquiring, processing, and learning from data. Coursework asks students to learn how to acquire data from publicly available data repositories, manipulate data tables (and “clean” the data for easy processing), utilize Python to ask questions and create visualizations that both interpret and tell stories about specific data.

In addition, students use basic machine learning (ML) algorithms to extrapolate and make predictions based on available data. A student-directed project culminates the course, with each student identifying, acquiring, and learning from a data set in an area of interest, and the presenting of the data story.

Recommendation: Includes elements of computer programming and mathematical regression modeling. Prior experience with coding, an introductory computer science course, and/or Precalculus recommended.

Interdisciplinary

Trimester | 10-12^th

Data Science 2

Interdisciplinary

Trimester | 1.0 Credits | 10-12^th

Data Science 2

Prerequisite: Data Science 1
Does Not Satisfy Graduation Requirement

Building upon the material and ideas in Data Science 1, students engage commonly employed machine learning and deep learning techniques for classification, image recognition, decision-making, sentiment analysis of text and chatbot. Students consider the societal and ethical benefits and perils associated with our increasingly data-driven lives. An independent or group project and presentations culminates the term.

Interdisciplinary

Trimester | 10-12^th

Evolution of Society: Economics & Tech...

Interdisciplinary

Trimester | 1.0 Credits | 10-12^th

Evolution of Society: Economics & Technology

As technology and ideas progress, our society evolves to take advantage of new media and rapidly changing economic and technological landscapes. Coursework briefly explores complexity theory and history through a number of inflection points (The Big Bang Theory, the appearance of life on earth, to The Industrial Revolution, and the shifting media and digital economics paradigms of the last thirty years--from a point where the creation and distribution of media was a tightly controlled expensive endeavor, to our current system where anyone can create a blog, YouTube video, podcast or web page, or spin up an economic enterprise for little or no cost. The central pursuit of this course is an investigation of how technological development is impacting human economies and human behavior. Course projects focus on punctuated equilibrium and acceleration, the growth and scarcity power of The Big 5 Tech Companies, and the contemporary media, economic, and technological landscapes our society might evolve with over the next five to thirty years.

Interdisciplinary

Trimester | 10-12^th

Sports Medicine

Interdisciplinary

Trimester | 1.0 Credits | 10-12^th

Sports Medicine

This class is designed for students looking for exposure to the field of sports medicine. Coursework introduces students to the foundational concepts of athletic training in sports medicine, including the prevention, assessment, and treatment of sports-related injuries. Students explore topics including anatomy, physiology, biomechanics, injury management, and career opportunities in sports medicine. Hands-on activities, case studies, videos, and optional observational opportunities enhance learning and provide students with the chance to apply their knowledge in the real world. Moreover, students are exposed to the myriad of career opportunities in the field of sports medicine and relate that to the multidisciplinary, team-based approach to healthcare.

Technology

Philosophy & Requirements

Technology

Philosophy & Requirements

MS Course Requirement (3 trimesters in grades 6-8)
US Graduation Requirement (none)

The technology discipline at EPS seeks to equip students with the skills and ways of thinking necessary to tackle complex problems using technology. We caution against chasing popular trends and instead emphasize the importance of thoughtful and deliberate decision-making keeping the people potentially affected by our designs in mind. With courses for novices through those pursing computer science in college, we place an emphasis on developing code and projects that are easy to change, communicate and contribute to. We encourage students to seek and find their own answers online and in peers, recognizing that keeping pace with technological change requires finding your own answers, reflecting on what you know and continuous learning.

Programming 1: Introduction to Program...

Technology

Trimester | 1.0 Credits | 9-12^th

Programming 1: Introduction to Programming

Students with previous coding experience should connect with the Technology faculty to determine if they can place into Programming 2

This course is designed to provide a smooth and fun introduction to programming and computer science. Coursework introduces the basic elements of programming, such as variables, loops, and functions. The course begins with text-based input and output and then moves into visual and animated programs. Student work is a mix of small programs and larger projects: students will create a choose-your-own-adventure story, a virtual pet, and an advanced final project, such as a small game. No prior experience is required.

Technology

Trimester | 9-12^th

Programming 2: Object-Oriented Program...

Technology

Trimester | 9-12^th

Programming 2: Topics in Computer Science

Technology

Trimester | 1.0 Credits | 9-12^th

Programming 2: Topics in Computer Science

Prerequisite: Programming 1 (by permission based on previous coding experience)

Building on understandings and skills from Programming 1, coursework explores the many different, real-world applications of programming in Python. The course is designed for students, not decided on the computer science progression, but still curious about the real-world applications of programming. Topics include: (1) collecting and sending sensor data to the cloud with embedded devices; (2) extracting insights from that data with machine learning algorithms and techniques; then finally (3) creating visualizations that effectively convey those insights with interactive dashboards or real-time graphs. For the final project, students work in teams or individually, to answer a data question of their choice or to explore a single topic in more depth.

Technology

Trimester | 10-12^th

Advanced Programming: Emergent Topics

Technology

Trimester | 1.0 Credits | 10-12^th

Advanced Programming: Emergent Topics

Prerequisite: Programming 2: Object-Oriented Programming or Programming 2: Topics in Computer Science
This course may be taken in multiple trimesters for credit.

This course covers a variety of topics appropriate for students who have taken either Topics in Computer Science or Programming 2. Students work with current tools and libraries, architect solutions to large problems, practice communicating about technology and design, and wrestle with the intersection of technology with real-world systems and users. One context will be tackled each term. Contexts include but are not limited to: (1) artificial intelligence and machine learning, (2) security and privacy, (3) data processing and visualization, or (4) modeling interactive worlds and spaces. The culminating project asks students to apply the tools of computer science to tackle a substantial real-world problem.

Winter 2026-27 Understanding Computers from the Transistor Up

Spring 2026-27 Interactive 3D Worlds and Games

Winter 2027-28 Cyber Security

Spring 2027-28 AI Unleashed

Technology

Trimester | 10-12^th

Advanced Programming: Artificial Intel...

Technology

Trimester | 1.0 Credits | 10-12^th

Advanced Programming: Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

Students are expected to have completed Programming 2: Object-Oriented Programming or Programming 2: Topics in Computer Science prior to enrolling in this course.

Coursework examines the foundations of AI and expands on prior experience in a project-based format. Student exploration begins with classic AI agent design before surveying modern LLM-based AI agents and selected ML/DL techniques and libraries. Over the course of the term, students work to compose multi-layered solutions to large problems, practice communicating designs, and wrestle with ethics, bias, and real-world implications of AI. The culminating project asks students to apply AI to a problem facing our school or wider community.

Technology

Trimester | 10-12^th

Advanced Programming: Algorithms and D...

Technology

Trimester | 1.0 Credits | 10-12^th

Advanced Programming: Algorithms and Data Structures

Prerequisite: Programming 2: Object-Oriented Programming

This course is aimed at students considering the study of computer science in college, taking students beyond elementary flow control and simple logic into the toolset required to solve real programming problems efficiently. Fundamental data structures, including lists, queues, stacks, trees, and graphs, are discussed along with major algorithms, starting with sorting and searching. Along the way, elementary complexity theory is used to judge the efficiency of the approach at hand. Time permitting, coursework explores topics such as operating system concepts, parallelism, databases, and transactions. The course culminates in a meaningful, real-world programming or modeling problem.

Seminars

Facilitator: Anand Arumugam (Microsoft Programmer)

Students delve into the intricate process that occurs from the moment they type a URL in the address bar to the instant the web page is rendered on your screen. Students explore how the HTML page is parsed, the creation of the DOM, the role of CSS and CSSOM, and how they are combined to form the render tree. Additionally, coursework explores the layout and paint processes, culminating in the final web page that is painted on the screen.

Seminars

Seminar | 0.5 Credits | 10-12^th

Human-to-AI Partnerships: Tech Development to Educational Policy

Facilitator: Min Sun (Colleague AI)

Coursework explores an important partnership between human and artificial intelligence. Students progress from foundational concepts of human-centered AI partnership to advanced topics, including AI product development, research, evaluation, and policy. Through hands-on activities such as evaluating AI technologies, conducting classroom-based impact studies, and conducting policy analysis, students develop both theoretical understanding and practical skills for navigating AI technologies responsibly. This seminar prepares students to be informed digital citizens who can thoughtfully engage with AI technologies while maintaining focus on human agency and decision-making in their academic and future professional lives.

Faculty Facilitator: Briggs

ESSENTIAL QUESTION: How do different programming paradigms encourage us to think about problems differently?

Throughout the history of programming, computer scientists have attacked design problems with different paradigms of computing. Depending on the abstraction, some problems become easier or harder. The majority of programming that students encounter will be Object Oriented in nature but there are many insights to be gained from expanding your programming repertoire. In this course, students are exposed to the functional programming paradigm which aggressively avoids relying on the current state of our program or changing the values of variables. This makes for more declarative programs and encourages looking at problems differently.

It is expected that students have some experience programming in a language prior to starting this course. Students use the elixir language to explore this domain of programming.

Seminars

Seminar | 10-12^th

Language Change

Seminars

Seminar | 0.5 Credits | 10-12^th

Language Change

Faculty Facilitator: Yezbick

ESSENTIAL QUESTION: What are some different methods and approaches to studying language change?

What are some of the typical sources for new words entering a language? (sneakers, xerox, ghetto blaster, canoe.) Are there patterns to the way the meanings of words shift around? (cool, gay, literally, like.) What causes a language to undergo deep, structural changes? Knowest thou? Is texting making the language deteriorate or just evolve? Howso? Whereto? I know you can verbify a noun -- I googled it -- and get a new word, but when's the last time someone coined a new preposition? How come that seems so much harder? The seminar will take a closer look at English as it has changed over time, dictionaries, spelling and orthography, slang, and the impact of the internet and globalization.

Faculty Facilitators: Briggs & Delaney

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS: What does a well-articulated worldview look like in the 21st century, and how do I start to build my own?

“If you feel overwhelmed and confused by the global predicament, you are on the right track. Global processes have become too complicated for any single person to understand. How then can you know the truth about the world, and avoid falling victim to propaganda and misinformation?” A contemporary thinker, and lecturer on world history, Yuval Harari, continues to have a significant impact on myriad issues facing the world today. Coursework in this seminar examines a number of his 21 Lessons for the 21st Century, including: WORK; TECHNOLOGY; TRUTH (Ignorance, Justice, Post-Truth, Science Fiction); LIBERTY; EQUALITY; COMMUNITY; RESILIENCE (Education, Meaning and Meditation); ECONOMY; and ENVIRONMENT. Each student in this seminar constructs a draft of their current worldview/stance.

Independent Options

Philosophy & Requirements

Independent Options

Philosophy & Requirements

Available to Junior Spring and Senior Year

These courses are a hallmark of EPS’s most engaged and self-motivated students. One of the most exciting and challenging options offered at EPS, independent studies provide juniors (in spring term only) and seniors the opportunity to extend their academic exploration into topics that are not currently covered in the EPS course offerings. These efforts also give students practice working one-on-one with faculty members, similar to collaboration that will be expected by many of their professors in the college setting. Interested students identify a topic or subject area that they would like to examine; find a faculty mentor to work with; and construct a ten-week curriculum including weekly meetings with their faculty mentor. A text of appropriate complexity is required for all independent studies.

Independent Options

Trimester | 11-12^th

Independent Study

Independent Options

Trimester | 1.0 Credits | 11-12^th

Independent Study

Available to Juniors (in Spring term only) and Seniors

INDEPENDENT STUDY (All Academic Disciplines including Interdisciplinary)

70% Academic Research | 30% Production (approximate)

One of the most exciting and challenging options offered at EPS, independent studies provide juniors (spring term only) and seniors the opportunity to extend their academic exploration into topics that are not currently covered in the EPS course offerings. These efforts give students practice working 1-to-1 with faculty members who often serve as content experts, similar to the collaboration that might expected by many of their professors in the collegiate setting.

Interested students identify a topic or subject area that they would like to examine, are assigned an independent curriculum facilitator, and construct a ten-week curriculum including weekly meetings with their facilitator and peer cohort. A text/resources of appropriate complexity is required for all independent studies.

Independent Options

Trimester | 11-12^th

Independent Project

Independent Options

Trimester | 1.0 Credits | 11-12^th

Independent Project

Available to Juniors (in Spring term only) and Seniors

INDEPENDENT PROJECT (Technology/Computer Science | Arts | Science)

70% Construction | 30% Academic Research (approximate)

Independent projects provide juniors (spring term only) and seniors the opportunity to engage in the design and construction of a substantive product that is not included in the experience of current EPS courses. Project work gives students the opportunity to practice project management: (1) designing and developing project plans, including building requirements and resource lists, proofs of concept evidencing that a project is doable, and its outcomes are obtainable; (2) executing and managing an independent workflow including progress reflections and updates. Interested students identify a sphere of interest and a potential product, are assigned an independent curriculum facilitator, and construct a ten-week curriculum including weekly meetings with their facilitator and peer cohort. Project efforts give students practice working 1-to-1 with faculty members who often serve as content experts, similar to the collaboration that might be expected in a collegiate or professional setting.

Independent Options

Trimester | 12^th

Senior Impact Project

Independent Options

Two Trimesters | 12^th

Senior Thesis

Independent Options

Two Trimesters | 2.0 Credits | 12^th

Senior Thesis

A Minimum of 1 Independent Study of Exceptional Quality and Demonstrated Independence (Grade 11 - Spring Term
Grade 12 – Fall Term)

Prerequisite: Students are required to complete 1 independent study of exceptional quality and demonstrated independence in Grade 11 (spring) or Grade 12 (fall) as a prerequisite for proposing a senior thesis.

The Senior Thesis is the most rigorous research opportunity in the EPS academic program, providing students the time and support to produce a substantive research product. A two-term experience, the thesis is designed to be a culmination of work in either an individual academic discipline or inter-disciplinary domain, and preparation for intensive undergraduate research.

Part 1 | Research & Research Methodologies (winter trimester) Part 2 |Thesis Production (spring trimester)

Seniors have three options for the thesis: (1) expand the scope of a previous independent study; (2) engage in new, original research; (3) engage a combination of options 1 & 2.

The Senior Thesis is a two-part offering:

Part 1 | Research and Methods Independent Study with Intent to Complete a Senior Thesis (Grade 12 - Winter Term)

Part 2 | Thesis Construction Senior Thesis (Grade 12 – Spring Term)