US Academics

Research tells us that girls thrive in the single-sex classroom. Parents and educators agree that single-sex classrooms offer adolescent girls exceptional opportunities. The Upper School develops qualities essential to a meaningful life—qualities such as self-discipline, self-confidence, leadership, critical thinking, respect for a diversity of ideologies, and the ability to solve problems.

In the grades 9 to 12 program, nearly all girls take four years of math and science. Physics in grade 9 challenges even the most prepared science student to think in new ways and to gain a comprehensive understanding of the natural sciences. Physics, chemistry and biology are taken by all Oak Knoll students and many students take a fourth year of science in one of the advanced placement offerings or in the honors science electives program.

Oak Knoll students travel the world whether in the classroom or as an exchange student in Australia or a foreign traveler in Europe or Canada. All students take three years of a foreign language working to achieve proficiency in speaking and writing a language. Students find the curriculum encourages them to make connections as they begin to understand the world today demands “understanding and appreciation of differences.”

Students find their classes encourage “making connections” and they find learning in one discipline supports learning in all disciplines.  Explore our Upper School curriculum that meets the highest standards and provides a strong college preparatory program.


US Classes in Action

  • Students Travel to NYC to Visit a Cloisters Museum

    In May, students in grade 10 visited the Cloisters Museum, a branch of the Metropolitan Museum, in New York City on an educational field trip. “It is a wonderful opportunity for [the students] to experience the Middle Ages firsthand and see examples of art and culture that connect directly to the Church History trimester project,” says Upper School theology teacher and department head, Ms. Kathleen Lynch.

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  • Latin American Literature Class Attends Julia Alvarez Lecture at Lafayette College

    Upper School students in Kelly Ross’ Latin American literature course recently attended a lecture featuring renowned author Julia Alvarez at Lafayette College. The students had previously read Ms. Alvarez’s novel, In the Time of the Butterflies, as part of their Global Studies English elective, Latin American Fiction: Loyalty, Love, and Revolution, which covers important literary and cinematic texts with a focus on key aspects necessary to the understanding of Latin American culture.

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  • Art Major I Students Enjoy Watercolor Workshop by Guest Lecturer Jamie Allen

    Juniors in Art Major I class were recently treated to a special workshop taught by Jamie Allen, an accomplished local watercolorist and guest lecturer.

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  • Marine Science Honors Students Visit Sandy Hook

    On October 6 seniors in the Honors Marine Science course traveled to the New Jersey Marine Science Consortium (NJMSC) on Sandy Hook. The students spent the day experiencing the area and collecting samples for further study back in the classroom.

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