Upper School Curriculum

St. Francis believes…

A student-centered experience lays the groundwork for the Upper School

Education should be balanced

Faith is foundational
Depth over breadth
Arts and athletics work together to serve student interests
Social/emotional development is as critical as solid academic principles

The best learning comes through connecting experiences

The interdisciplinary curriculum connects subjects, people, and concepts and promotes collaboration
Learning that emphasizes students’ passions promotes retention
Relevance to real-world applications means there’s always “a point”
Entrepreneurship, internships and two-week intensives provide practical and real-world experience.

In keeping with our commitment to depth over breadth, students develop their passion, focus, and talent through a challenging and collaborative curriculum. A focus on writing, analytical reasoning, and innovative problem-solving provides our Upper School students with age-appropriate instruction through a selection of advanced courses.

While thematic connections are made through collaboration across disciplines, students learn best when they also see the connections between what they are learning in school and other aspects of their lives. To that end, thematic topics are used as touchstones between subjects, the school community, and the world beyond campus—so the humanities merge with the sciences and Houston becomes our classroom.

Curriculum

Athletics

College Counseling

Computer Science & Engineering

Computer science is a core subject every student needs to thrive in an increasingly digital world. By separating computer science from engineering and weaving concepts from each into disciplinary work, we provide students with a clear picture of how current technology influences our daily lives. This gives students the tools they need to envision the future - think 3-D printed cities, creating your own virtual-reality games, and building apps.

Faith and Spiritual Life

Students continue to grow as people for others through real-world service opportunities, regular chapel attendance, and ongoing religious education throughout their high school career. While St. Francis incorporates religious and spiritual formation into daily life, we invite students of all faiths and beliefs to attend. We model and encourage respect for all people and embrace every member of our community as family.

Fine Arts

Humanities

Humanities studies the significance of cultural expression in the areas of literature, history, rhetoric, drama, music, film, and cultural studies. Drawing on the rich cultural resources available in Houston, humanities classes invite students to explore the city as a laboratory for growth as individuals, Americans, and global citizens. Students develop skills in creative and argumentative writing, dynamic group presentation, experiential learning, and interdisciplinary project work.

Immersion & Explorations

Mathematics

Whether using geometry to build a stage or learning the language of mathematics, you’ll have safe spaces to explore thought-provoking mistakes, collaboratively discover solutions, and develop reasoning skills. Students study algebra, data analysis, and geometry together, forming a deeper understanding of these concepts and creating a stronger foundation for further study in fields such as engineering, economics, statistics, and medicine.

Physical Education

Upper School physical education affords students a fitness program tailored to meet their individual goals, aspirations, and physical needs. Students work alongside a Physical Education teacher two or three times a week. The Upper School class infuses an assortment of aerobic-based workouts that aim to improve key fitness components: cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility, and body composition. This includes social and emotional wellness, too. Through a partnership with The Fontaine Center, based at the University of Georgia, our Upper School offers programming on wellness and confronting high-risk behaviors for Upper School students.

Spanish

Our Spanish language courses are designed to build student capacity in both receptive (listening and reading) and productive (speaking and writing) skills. Students use real-world tasks and authentic materials within a cultural framework to achieve ever-increasing proficiency levels. In addition, students learn about the diversity of Spanish-speaking cultures through history, geography, music, art, and literature.

Science

Using Houston as an extension of our classroom, our science program places a strong emphasis on the application and relevance of scientific concepts in the real world. From collecting samples in the bayou to studying chemical reactions, the overall experience teaches observation, exploration, experimentation, data collection and analysis, oral and written communication, and creative problem solving.

Signature Programs

Experiential Travel

Students have the chance to study and serve locally, nationally, and internationally. Freshman and sophomore travel opportunities center on the Houston community, while junior and senior years provide flexibility for national and international adventures. As part of St. Francis’s commitment to civic and local engagement, every graduate will have the opportunity to benefit from these programs.

Hands–On Entrepreneurship

Health and Wellness

Our health and wellness curriculum is a bridge across divisions that promotes education around self-care and self-awareness. Students must be prepared for an increasingly demanding world in which individuals often sacrifice personal well-being for their goals. Age-appropriate information and tools will help students make wise choices about achieving and maintaining healthy lifestyles. Integrated into formal courses, advisory, and religious education, this four-year program (designed in collaboration with The Fontaine Center and in alignment with national standards) will cultivate a link between mind, heart, body, and spirit.

Integrated Learning and Immersion Experiences

Internships

As an application-based curriculum, the St. Francis internship program extends classroom learning through practical work experience to help spark students’ career interests. These hands-on experiences help students make connections between what they are learning and how like-minded professionals apply their education in the real world. Thanks to relationships with community partners, alumni, and interested parents, high school students will thrive via internships, Shadow Days, and Career Days. Because of our emphasis on the value of real-world experience, these opportunities take place during the school year with the possibility of additional summer programs.

Leadership

Upper School students lead in all facets of campus life. They help create and direct student government and student life activities, including all clubs, sports, and fine arts organizations. Through the course of their academic and extracurricular experiences, students will forge relationships with civic leaders, business professionals, philanthropic patrons, and peers across the globe. As people for others, Upper School students will create service learning courses and seek mentors both within St. Francis and the larger Houston and global communities.

Technology

High-level instruction in coding, computer logic, and 3-D technology—plus a decidedly hands-on “maker space”—offers creative design opportunities related to engineering concepts and computer science.

Since technology is woven into the very fabric of education today, all St. Francis students research, create, design, evaluate, communicate, and present information through leading-edge technology in our STEAM learning experience. Armed with the belief that true tech savvy extends well beyond the classroom, our faculty focuses on producing responsible digital citizens—students who understand the rules of the digital world and how to stay safe within them.

In addition to tech-driven projects, St. Francis Upper School students benefit from access to online SAT and ACT preparatory courses, in advance of the college application process. Through STEAM education programs in core classes and a rigorous technology curriculum, students are challenged on all fronts to use technology to construct knowledge and build upon creative thinking.