Our ninth grade curriculum is designed to help students transition to life and learning at Porter’s, while cultivating genuine curiosity, mutual respect and a deep sense of self-worth. To focus your learning around these goals, you won’t receive letter grades as a ninth grade student. Instead, you’ll receive faculty evaluations in the form of mastery ratings, which include detailed feedback on your individual growth and mastery of core skills.

Going gradeless fosters deeper, more impactful learning. In place of external rewards, students are driven by intrinsic motivators like curiosity and enjoyment. That’s why, as a Porter’s student, you’ll spend your first year exploring your interests, recognizing your unique strengths, and building your confidence and a strong work ethic.

The ninth grade seminar program invites students to build the foundation of their Porter’s education around self-discovery and personal inquiry. 

• • Academic Seminar: You’ll dive into the core concepts and beliefs that define  Porter’s academic program. You’ll also explore who you are as a learner and how you can set clear goals for yourself and track your growth over time.
    

• • Introduction to Inquiry: In this course, you’ll learn how to ask good questions, seek knowledge and find reliable and valid answers. A heavy emphasis on media literacy enables students to engage with perspectives different from their own and ultimately consider what it means to know something.
    

• Health and Wellness: Through hands-on projects, journal reflections and class discussions, you’ll explore multidimensional approaches to health and wellness and consider what your mind and body need to support your learning. You’ll also explore skills and strategies for improving your social and emotional well-being and learn about sexual and reproductive health. 

Before and after class, you’ll take part in structured activities that support your growth and needs as you transition to life at Porter’s. During the fall trimester, you’ll kick off each school day with Breakfast Club, where student leaders run fun, easygoing activities designed to help you build connections and immerse yourself in your new community. And Monday-Thursday evenings, you’ll end your day with a proctored study hall. It’s a structured, quiet setting where you can focus on your studies and complete assignments.

In 10th grade, you’ll expand and deepen your learning through interdisciplinary coursework that sparks critical thinking and meaningful inquiry.

In mathematics and science classes, you’ll sharpen your analytical and problem-solving skills, build confidence in the lab and tackle complex topics and concepts. Meanwhile, you’ll investigate the ideas, events and narratives that shape our world through integrated humanities coursework spanning history, literature, religion, art and philosophy. And your world language will help you broaden your global perspective and cultural fluency. You’ll also have the option to take more art and TIE classes, as well as explore electives in subjects that interest you.

Your 10th grade coursework will help you identify your academic passions and prepare you for AIS courses during your junior and senior years. At the end of your second year, you’ll explore future course options with a dedicated advisor who will help you map out your academic journey and determine what classes align best with your long-term goals and interests.

To deepen your understanding of pressing global issues—and your role in helping address them—you’ll spend part of a trimester engaged in interdisciplinary learning related to a region of the world that you travel to for two weeks. Your work will center on an issue deeply relevant to your host country.

You’ll choose from three countries and challenges focusing on global issues such as conservation and the environment, preservation and innovation, the use of art for social justice, and productive interactions between religions and cultures. By the end of your global experience, you’ll have explored complex international challenges, examined the impact of cultural and historical contexts, and taken steps toward becoming an ethical global citizen.

Get an inside look at Porter’s students’ global travel experiences.

All seniors are required to take an AIS Professional Experience course. You’ll choose from different topics, including science and technology, behavioral science and entrepreneurial finance, art and culture, and healthcare and medicine. Whatever field you choose to investigate for your AIS Professional Experience class, you’ll be exposed to the professional world through job shadowing, site visits and conversations with professionals.

In addition to exploring different work environments, you’ll practice relevant professional skills like effective communication, networking and interviewing. You’ll also develop a resume and LinkedIn profile to help you prepare for future internships and job applications.