Philosophy

The curriculum in all academic courses is rigorous, and designed to prepare students for four-year colleges. Classes are heterogeneously grouped and the academic expectations are the same for all students. Students have the option of taking any course as an honors course by meeting additional requirements that include additional work and/or taking additional exams or writing additional papers.

ACC teachers use a variety of instructional approaches that enable students to be independent thinkers and cooperative learners. Strategies include a constructivist approach to learning and a focus on seminar-style discussions that enable analysis and analytical writing. In the constructivist approach, students create and shape their own understanding of the work at hand, while being challenged by their teachers and fellow students for sound argument, depth of analysis, and thoughtful evaluation.

Through a variety of instructional methods and assessments, students make meaningful connections between their personal experience, background knowledge, nightly reading, and class work. Teachers design curriculum that aim for a balance of breadth and depth in subject matter. The teaching staff works to enrich students with an expanse of cultural literacy, and gives them the power to focus their research, analytical and evaluative skills for depth of understanding.

To further engage students, teacher created curriculum is encouraged and valued. An engaged teacher leads to engaged students. Giving teachers the freedom to craft their own curriculum, guided by the high expectations of the school’s college preparatory mission, helps to create energy in the classroom, job satisfaction among teachers, and achievement in our students.

Departments

Art
Art is a graduation requirement at ACC. Arts at ACC is woven through the academic curriculum. In 9th grade all students take Art Exposure. This course builds on students prior exposure to art. Students have an interdisciplinary curriculum which is closely woven into both ELA and Math. Students study an artist and craft interdisciplinary projects based on the coursework in ELA and Math. 10th and 11th grade students take a course call Open Studios. This course is for students who have taken an interest in art and want to independently develop their skills in a variety of media. Volunteer artists from the community (professors, independent artists, community artists) come in and share their art and style with students. Projects are tied to both ELA and Math. AP Art is offered to a class of seniors who are looking to create a portfolio for college entry.

Digital Art and AP Art Hilary Crane-Stern 

Foundations of Visual Arts April Nguyen

English Language Arts (ELA)
While all students will be required to meet the 4-year English requirement, students will be carefully taught how to go beyond writing reports and learn how to write college-level analytical papers as well as read and analyze a variety of genres. An analytical writing class is required for grades 10-12 to help students transition to the intensive writing requirements at ACC.

AP Language and Composition and English 12 Theo Dunksy

English 11 Marina Eve

English 10 Kamanampata Dibinga

English 9 Candra Dixon

ESL / LAT-F Dorian Bertics

Writing Workshop Gabrielle Jean-Jacques

History
The humanities focus at ACC will allow students to gain a well-rounded understanding of history and to also sharpen their skills as writers. Students will learn how to write research based analytical papers in all history courses. ACC requires four years of history for all students. ACC offers US History I and US History II at the 9th and 10th grade level respectively, and World History in the 11th grade. Seniors select from Humanities electives from a variety of topics.

World History (Grade 11) Togbah Wleh

U.S. History 1 (Grade 9), BUILD Entrepreneurship (Grade 9) Christopher Mee

U.S. History 2 (Grade 10) and AP U.S. Government Allison Rigney

Humanities (Grade 9) and AP U.S. History Ezekiel Mercer-McDowall

Black Studies

African American Literature Togbah Wleh

African American Studies Gabrielle Jean-Jacques

Humanties 3 (HBCU) Candra Dixon

Mathematics
ACC offer a variety of college prep math courses including Algebra I, Geometry, Advanced Algebra, Precalculus, and Calculus. The goal of the mathematics program is to prepare as many students as possible for Calculus. In order to move students from Advanced Algebra in their junior year to Calculus in their senior year, ACC collaborates with Northeastern University for a summer precalculus program.

Integrated Math 1 (Grade 9) Gagandeep Singh

Integrated Math 2 (Grade 10) Jay Hargis

Integrated Math 3 and Advanced Algebra/Precalculus (Grade 11) Katrina Miaoulis

Precalculus (Grade 12) Dr. Barbara Savage

Physical Education
At ACC our students take part in Physical Education programming that is centered around teamwork, communication, trust and student voice. Students begin the year with team building activities before hopping into a rotation of sports (from Soccer to Omnikin Ball) and they end the year by selecting the sports they want to play. Daily activities are determined by students which incorporates student led learning, an important tenet at ACC. Finally, all students take the Fitnessgram twice during the year.

Physical Education Coach Marcus Brown

Science
ACC offers a variety of college prep science courses including Active Physics, Biology, Behavioral Science, Chemistry, and Advanced Physics. The scientific method will be introduced in the 9th grade curriculum. In addition to learning the content of the different sciences, students practice scientific inquiry, independent research, and problem-solving skills necessary for success in college and technical career fields, as well as for being scientifically literate citizens.

Biology and Psychology, Behavioral Science Johanna Waldman

Chemistry (Grade 11), AP Environmental Julie Tran

Physics 1 (Grade 9), Engineering Physics Dewitt Tolbert

Modern Foreign Languages
ACC offers Spanish I and II as well as French I and II to our sophomores and juniors with adjusted instruction for native speakers. Students become more aware of the world around them and learn to understand, respect, and appreciate other cultures, both our international counterparts and our next-door neighbors. Authentic materials are used in order to gain more exposure to the language in its most natural form and setting.

Spanish I and Spanish II, AP Spanish Mayra Figueroa

French I and French II Roodly Jean

Technology
ACC will integrate teaching technology throughout the curriculum with the primary focus in the analytical writing classes. Students will be expected to learn many applications of technology and to demonstrate their knowledge through various course assignments. Upon graduation, ACC students will have a thorough knowledge of word-processing, database applications, Internet research, and using technology as a tool for presenting information and reports.

In addition, ACC has Computer Science Principles and Computer Science Honors A, in partnership with the Microsoft TEALS program. “Technology Education and Literacy in Schools (TEALS) is a Microsoft Philanthropies program that builds sustainable CS programs in high schools. We focus on serving students excluded from learning CS because of race, gender, or geography. TEALS helps teachers learn to teach CS by pairing them with industry volunteers and proven curricula.” To read more information about the TEALS program, please visit their website: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/teals

Computer Science Principles and Computer Science A Honors (Grade 12) Kenny Jean-Baptiste