For Whom Are We Responsible? Jewish Identity in a Larger World
This semester-long course is designed to build on the students’ previous experience with the Talmud. Students continue to study traditional Jewish texts, building their critical-thinking skills, and furthering their understanding of rabbinic thought. Through topical study of Jewish texts, students explore their identity as Jews. They are pushed to question the roles they play and…
Read MoreThe Growth of a Nation
The book of Bamidbar (Numbers), will be the basis of study as students discover how the Torah instructs the Israelite community to be in relationship with God and each other. Starting after the giving of the commandments, the journey of our people to nationhood and autonomy is not linear but passes through many stages of…
Read MoreNeviim: The Story of a People in Its Land
With the death of Moshe in Devarim (Deuteronomy), the role of leader takes on new forms. Leaders face new challenges as the Israelites leave the wilderness and establish themselves amidst foreign nations in the promised land. The books of Neviim (Prophets) grapple with the questions of how the new nation will be governed, worship God,…
Read MoreOnline Courses via Virtual High School (VHS)
Interested students can enroll in online courses through our partnership with Virtual High School (VHS). The courses are asynchronous (students can log on to do their coursework on their own schedule rather than at a fixed time) and teacher led (all work is assigned with due dates and graded by the VHS teacher, and students…
Read MoreCon Law I: Foundations of Authority and Constitutional Design
This Advanced Agora Seminars seminar course investigates the deep historical and ethical roots of Western governance, treating the U.S. Constitution not as a static document, but as the culmination of a millennia-long dialogue regarding justice and power. The course begins by analyzing the transition from ancient legal codes and covenantal structures to the modern social…
Read MoreInternational Relations: Anarchy, Order, and the Global Pulse
This Advanced Agora Seminars seminar course provides an introduction for understanding the “Grand Strategies” and hidden forces that drive global politics. Students are introduced to the major theoretical frameworks used to analyze state behavior, exploring the persistent tension between national interest and international cooperation. The course moves from the historical mechanics of balance-of-power diplomacy to…
Read MoreClassical Mythology
Moving beyond the Mediterranean canon, this Advanced Agora Seminars course treats mythology as the fundamental “software” of human civilization. Students engage in a rigorous comparative study of diverse origin stories, hero cycles, and ethical myths from across the globe to identify universal archetypes and distinct cultural variations. The seminar investigates how these foundational narratives encode…
Read MoreCon Law II: The Bill of Rights and the Supreme Court
This Advanced Agora Seminars course functions as an analytical laboratory for the evolution of individual rights and the mechanics of the American judicial system. Using a case-study methodology, students trace the narrative of civil liberties through the shifting interpretations of the Bill of Rights and subsequent amendments. The seminar focuses on the “Great Debates” of…
Read MoreGeneral Physics
Physics is the study of the natural world. The topics covered include motion, forces, energy, momentum, electricity, and waves. The concepts are presented in a descriptive and less quantitative manner. Laboratory experiments and computer simulations are used to introduce and reinforce concepts. General Physics provides students with more support in the classroom to solve problems…
Read MorePhysics
Physics is the study of the natural world. The topics covered include motion, forces, energy, momentum, electricity, and waves. Laboratory experiments and computer simulations are used to introduce and reinforce topics. Mathematical problem solving is an important component of this course. The math skills required include solving algebraic equations, graphing lines. Deriving equations of a…
Read MoreHonors Physics I
Physics is the study of the natural world. The topics covered include motion, forces, energy, momentum, electricity, and waves. There is an emphasis on quantitative problem solving. Students are expected to apply physical concepts to solve abstract problems that are different from those they have previously encountered. Laboratory experiments and computer simulations are used to…
Read MorePhysical Education
The Leffell School’s physical education classes for High School students are scheduled for two periods per week. Each student can choose activities which will last three to four weeks. Students can choose from tennis, basketball, floor hockey, football, soccer, softball, pickle ball, volleyball, ultimate Frisbee, and more. Each student must pass each semester of physical…
Read MoreStudy Hall
Study Hall is designed for students who want a quiet and structured time during the school day to complete school work under the supervision of a faculty member.
Read MoreComputer Science VI
The beginning of this course will cover the basics of video game history, this includes the technologies and companies responsible for what we have today. We will then cover the basics of video game development through the use of the C# programming language in the Unity game engine.
Read MoreAlgebra II
Students will learn about relations, functions, equations and inequalities, algebraic fractions, polynomial operations, absolute value, rational and irrational expressions, logarithmic and exponential functions, arithmetic and geometric sequences and series. Throughout the course students will develop learning strategies, critical thinking skills, and problem-solving techniques that can be used to model and solve real-world problems. Graphing calculator…
Read MoreAlgebra II/Trigonometry
This is the third mathematics course of the Algebra I and Geometry sequence. The course further develops the algebraic skills developed in the students’ previous algebra coursework and re-examines topics from Algebra I with an added level of depth and sophistication. Graphing calculators are integral to the course. Topics include: • Complex numbers • Polynomial,…
Read MoreAccelerated Pre-Calculus
Students extend their learning from Geometry and Algebra II / Trigonometry to prepare themselves for topics in Calculus. Pre-Calculus uses the language of mathematics to express ideas precisely through reasoning, representations, and communication. • Students investigate and identify the characteristics of trigonometric functions, polynomial functions and rational functions in order to graph these functions and…
Read MoreHonors Pre-Calculus
Prerequisite: Successful completion of Algebra 2/Trig Honors or Accelerated Algebra 2/Trig, with recommendation of the Mathematics Department. Pre-Calculus Honors is a rigorous, fast-paced course designed for students who have demonstrated strong mathematical ability and are prepared for an advanced level of study. The course begins with an in-depth exploration of pre-calculus topics and transitions into…
Read MoreHonors Calculus AB
Calculus is the “mathematics of change” and therefore has applications to all fields of endeavor, including the natural sciences, social sciences, economics, and business. This course is roughly the equivalent of a first semester college calculus course to help students understand and apply the big ideas of calculus. Prior to entry into the course students…
Read MorePersonal Finance
This one-semester course is an option for any high school senior who has successfully completed a second-year course in Algebra.In this course students will begin to develop the skills and strategies that promote financial responsibility. • Real-world topics covered will include personal financial planning, banking, the wise use of credit, credit scores, savings and investments,…
Read MoreSpanish IV
This course provides students with numerous opportunities to continue to discover, learn, and use Spanish in meaningful, creative, and engaging contexts. Authentic reading materials are used to further develop proficiency in the four skill areas of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Grammar is reviewed and used not as an end in itself, but rather as…
Read MoreSpanish V
This advanced-level course further hones and develops students’ writing and speaking skills. Critical-thinking skills are utilized to analyze literary selections, films, and different readings. Personal reflection is incorporated in the form of a journal. Students are encouraged to question, interpret, synthesize, and integrate the Spanish language into their present and future lives while acquiring lifelong…
Read MoreEngineering & Entrepreneurship III: E2 Start-Up Year 2
In E2 Start-Up Year 2, students, as they did in the prior year, form mock companies consisting of three- or four-member teams and develop a product that employs multiple technologies, techniques, and tools to address social challenges in the world. In this second year of Start-Up, expectations for products, prototypes, and other deliverables are higher.…
Read MoreLeffell Space: Satellite Communications
This immersive engineering course is designed for students passionate about science, technology, and hands-on innovation. Students will explore core concepts in radio communication, satellite signals, and wireless technologies while designing and operating a satellite ground station. The course also introduces key space subsystems — such as power, thermal, and communication systems — and examines how…
Read MoreComputer Science I
This course introduces students to the basic principles of computer science using the Java programming language. We explore the basic foundations and fundamentals of programming to solve problems and create tools. Students learn to create efficient and effective programs through a series of in-class labs. This course (or equivalent experience) is required to take Computer…
Read MoreComputer Science II
This course expands on the fundamentals of computing that are introduced in Computer Science I. Students study the data structures and algorithms that make their everyday life possible, as well as a new focus on Object-Oriented Programming (OOP). Prerequisite: Computer Science I or instructor’s permission.
Read MoreComputer Science III
This course continues to build on the foundation of the previous classes. Students cover advanced topics that open new paths for their projects. The class learns more about how Java functions as a language through the use of interfaces, abstract classes, associations, generics, and collections. Prerequisite: Computer Science II or instructor’s permission.
Read MoreComputer Science IV
This course places students in an environment to explore a selection of advanced topics in computer science. The class works with exceptions, multithreading, and databases. There also is a focus on reading documentation to solve more advanced problems. Prerequisite: Computer Science III or instructor’s permission.
Read MoreComputer Science V
The class will adapt their previously learned Java skills into new projects and ideas. Students will then build new skills through the use of GUI (Graphical User Interface) development to make visually interactive desktop applications. We will explore the use of images, sound, and other assets in our software. Prerequisite: Computer Science IV or instructor’s…
Read MoreSpanish I
Spanish I emphasizes how to learn a foreign language. Students begin by learning the basic regular and irregular conjugations of simple present- and past-tense verbs. The vocabulary presents cognates, family members, numbers, academic subjects, days of the week, months of the year, clothing, seasons, and descriptive adjectives. Students are also exposed to common idiomatic expressions…
Read MoreSpanish II
In the first part of Spanish II, students review grammar from Spanish I. They then proceed to new verb tenses, including the imperfect, future, and present perfect. They also study irregular verb forms and idiomatic expressions. Students are asked to improve their skills in understanding and expressing their points of view appropriate to the second-year…
Read MoreSpanish III
Level III begins with a rapid review of the previous two years’ grammar and vocabulary, after which it focuses on the present and pluperfect tenses, commands, and double-object pronouns. The main grammatical unit is the subjunctive mood, both present and past, with many of its uses. The vocabulary studied is diverse—some of it centered on…
Read MoreHonors US History II: The United States Since 1945
The end of World War II ushered in a period of profound change marked by a shift in the global order. The course will emphasize the rise of the United States as a global superpower while examining the forces at home and abroad that led to and perpetuated this ascent. Students engage in meaningful conversations…
Read MoreAn American Melting Pot: Immigration and Multicultural America
This class is an American history course based on the experiences and perspectives of the many racial, ethnic, and religious groups that make up the American cultural tapestry. Beginning with the first encounters between Europeans and Indigenous groups, we will learn from the struggles and successes of African, Irish, Chicano, Jewish, Italian, Chinese, Hawaiian, and…
Read MoreModern Israeli History and Society
Since its founding over 70 years ago, Israel has struggled to become both a nation like all other nations, and at the same time the Jewish state; a democratic nation of the world while at the same time the national homeland for the Jewish people. Israeli society is complex and multi-dimensional, comprised as it is…
Read MoreOrder in the Court: Law, Crime, and Punishment in Global History (Honors)
No singular room has had more influence on the development of history than the courtroom. Order in the Court will explore the corridors of power, the back alleys of history, and the minds of our world’s most notorious figures, as we explore the ways in which their quest for justice (or evading the law!) played…
Read MoreVive la Révolution: Social and Political Change and Rebellion
“Revolutions are the locomotives of history,” wrote Karl Marx, but what exactly does that mean? Revolutions have the power to reshape the political order of the world more than any other social, economic, or cultural forces, and most states today were born out of a revolution. But what exactly is a revolution? Is it, like…
Read MoreWives, Workers, and Warriors: American Women’s History from the Revolution to the Present
In the words of the vanguard Eleanor Roosevelt, “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” This course will use primary and secondary sources and literature to traverse the world and seminal works of U.S. women from the time of the American Revolution through the twentieth century. Students will begin with an introduction…
Read MoreJewish History: Major Trends in the History of Jewish Civilization
In this course, students investigate the major trends in Jewish history between the fall of the Second Commonwealth in the middle of the first century and the emergence of the Zionist movement at the end of the nineteenth century. Students uncover and examine these trends by performing the job of the historian: analyzing and synthesizing…
Read MoreFacing History and Ourselves
People make choices. Choices make history. What factors lead people to make the choices they make? What are the inherent aspects of human beings that can result in either being perpetrators of evil, bystanders, or upstanders? To begin answering these questions, we “face history” by discussing human behavior in the Holocaust and in events leading…
Read MoreHidden Stories in Scripture
This course is designed to introduce students to some salacious stories that are part of our Biblical tradition and thereafter investigate how the Midrash, commentaries, and Talmud resolve inherent tensions and problems in the canonical text. We explore how biblical and rabbinic literature address basic human impulses and imperfections, and we discuss how power dynamics…
Read MoreJewish Medical Ethics
Scientists and doctors can do things today that were inconceivable only a few years ago. But just because things can be done, does it mean that they should be done? Furthermore, our ways of understanding humans continue to develop and evolve. This class explores how our traditional, yet dynamic, religion has been confronting some of…
Read MoreContemporary Hebrew History & Literature (CHHL)
This course is designed for students at the Advanced to Superior levels of Hebrew language acquisition. Taught entirely in Hebrew, it explores the intersections of Israeli history, society, and literature by studying authentic texts, media, and historical sources. Students engage with a wide range of genres. Emphasis is placed on developing interpretive and presentational skills…
Read MoreHebrew Language & Culture (HLC)
Hebrew Language and Culture (HLC) is a course of study designed for students who struggle with language acquisition and are designed based on the needs of the students in each class. HLC classes use both English and Hebrew as the language of instruction and follow the program outlined above while progressing at a deliberate pace.…
Read MoreUS History II: The United States Since 1945
The end of World War II ushered in a period of profound change marked by a shift in the global order. The course will emphasize the rise of the United States as a global superpower while examining the forces at home and abroad that led to and perpetuated this ascent. Students engage in meaningful conversations…
Read MoreHebrew I
Hebrew I is for students with little to no prior knowledge of Hebrew (fewer than 150 vocabulary words or struggles with reading and writing). Upon completion of this level, most students will be able to listen, view, and read with comprehension, and write and speak with emerging fluency and accuracy about the following topics: basic…
Read MoreHebrew II
Hebrew I-X progress along the track toward Hebrew proficiency. ACTFL, (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Language,) defines levels of proficiency as Novice (beginners), Intermediate, Advanced and Superior. Each level is divided into three subcategories, low, mid, and high. Our Hebrew program is designed to advance students in three or four subcategories over the…
Read MoreHebrew III
Hebrew I-X progress along the track toward Hebrew proficiency. ACTFL, (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Language,) defines levels of proficiency as Novice (beginners), Intermediate, Advanced and Superior. Each level is divided into three subcategories, low, mid, and high. Our Hebrew program is designed to advance students in three or four subcategories over the…
Read MoreHebrew IV
Hebrew I-X progress along the track toward Hebrew proficiency. ACTFL, (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Language,) defines levels of proficiency as Novice (beginners), Intermediate, Advanced and Superior. Each level is divided into three subcategories, low, mid, and high. Our Hebrew program is designed to advance students in three or four subcategories over the…
Read MoreHebrew V
Hebrew I-X progress along the track toward Hebrew proficiency. ACTFL, (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Language,) defines levels of proficiency as Novice (beginners), Intermediate, Advanced and Superior. Each level is divided into three subcategories, low, mid, and high. Our Hebrew program is designed to advance students in three or four subcategories over the…
Read More