A program with connections across subjects.
Students learn to build an argument, follow a method, express an idea, and examine it again.
This guide describes the program’s areas of learning. It is not a course catalog or a credit audit. For current course titles, prerequisites, placement, and graduation requirements, ask the school for the information that applies to your student.
Reading, writing, and the study of people.
Humanities seminars connect close reading with historical understanding and reasoned argument. Students consider how a source was produced, what evidence supports an interpretation, and which voices need closer attention.
A useful piece of writing makes a claim the reader can follow. Preparation, discussion, drafting, and revision help students move from a first response toward an argument they can defend.
A question to practice
What would change your interpretation of this source? Identify the evidence you would need.
A family conversation
Ask your student to explain a revision: what became clearer, and what still needs work?
Mathematics and laboratory science.
Students explain assumptions, show the steps in their reasoning, and consider whether a result makes sense. In laboratory work, they connect a question with a method, examine observations, and acknowledge uncertainty.
Ideal offers honors coursework in mathematics and laboratory sciences. Course placement should account for preparation and readiness. The school does not offer AP or dual enrollment courses.
Language, culture, and creative work.
ATLAS sustains one language concentration across four years: Spanish, Portuguese, Amharic, or Chinese. Conversation, reading, translation, research, and presentation connect language learning with context.
Creative expression gives students additional ways to communicate an idea. Practice and critique help them understand the choices behind a piece of work. Explore the arts guide for examples of creative approaches, and confirm current opportunities directly with the school.
Explore ATLAS Arts & expressionPlan a sequence, not just a semester.
- Review completed work and readiness before discussing placement.
- Consider the balance of reading, writing, quantitative work, and language practice.
- Connect the ATLAS sequence with portfolio and senior capstone preparation.
- For transfers, ask how each prior course will be reviewed and what remains.
- Discuss college interests without choosing work only for an application label.
A CLOSER LOOK
Read the curriculum as a sequence
A course title is only the beginning of understanding a program. Consider the skills students bring into a subject, the work they complete during the year, and the preparation needed for the next level. In a conversation about placement, bring prior coursework and specific examples of strengths or unfinished learning.
Students should balance challenge with the time required to read, practice, revise, and seek help. Use this guide alongside a discussion of the current course offerings and prerequisites. For college planning, ask how a proposed schedule fits the student’s interests and the requirements of colleges they may eventually consider.