Academics

The Oliverian academic program helps students find their purpose, explore passions, and build competence. Our engaging and challenging academic curriculum prepares students for college, while remaining responsive to their individual strengths, special needs, and diverse learning styles. Oliverian teachers inspire a love of learning through a focus on engagement, student choice, and experiential and applied learning. We support students in identifying, gaining access to, and transitioning into appropriate post-secondary opportunities.

"The teachers at Oli are some of the smartest and most knowledgeable people I’ve ever met and all of them bring all sorts of really cool experiences and amazing new things to learn." -Oli student

Core Curriculum

Our college-preparatory academic curriculum exceeds state standards and provides a high degree of flexibility and rigor, allowing our students to pursue admission to a wide variety of colleges and universities. We offer a diverse array of courses, including humanities, science, Spanish, math, electives, week classes, travel classes, pillar classes, and senior projects, all designed to create a comprehensive, enriching, and well-rounded academic experience.
Humanities

Humanities

Humanities classes look at works of literature in the context of the cultures and societies from which they have emerged. Students practice critical thinking, close reading, analytical writing, research, and discussion as they delve into the central questions of what it means to be human through both literature and history.

Science

Science at Oliverian is a process, not simply a series of facts to be learned. Students are taught to question and think critically, approaching new information with the skepticism and thirst for evidence that characterizes the scientific mind. In every level of their science education, Oliverian students engage in the scientific process, continually building skills and understanding. In their first year, students may focus on formulating scientific questions and developing basic skills and abilities necessary for scientific inquiry. By their third and fourth year, they are designing and conducting scientific investigations, as well as formulating and revising scientific explanations based on logic and evidence.
Science
math

Math

At the core of the Oliverian mathematics curriculum is the concept that students develop their mathematical thinking by applying abstract concepts in real and meaningful ways. Oliverian offers a mathematics program comprised of the traditional sequence of high school mathematics classes — Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2/Trigonometry, Precalculus, and Calculus, with electives such as Linear Algebra and Statistics offered on a rotating basis. Our small class sizes, coaching-heavy approach, and the inclusion of projects and real-world application makes math approachable even for those students who have struggled with the subject in the past.

Spanish

Oliverian’s foreign language program explores communication, cultures, connections, comparisons, and communities. In their study of the Spanish language, students are taught to speak, read, and write with increasing proficiency. Students also learn to problem-solve, as they are encouraged to negotiate meaning and develop the skills of circumlocution in order to communicate with a limited vocabulary. Students who have already made substantial progress in their study of a language other than Spanish, and who wish to continue that progress, may be able to engage in an independent study.
Spanish

Elective Weeks and
Travel Classes

Three times in each school year – once each in fall, winter, and spring – we set aside our typical schedule for a week of intensive short courses. Often highly experiential, interactive, and project-based, Electives Week courses tackle new and interesting topics, sparking student interest while also conferring academic credit. We also offer travel classes during some Electives Weeks, including international trips and wilderness expeditions.
Tahoe Ski Trip
climbing
Camping Spring Electives Week
Dog Training
Printmaking

Sample Electives Week Classes:

Bikes, a Book, and Breakfast

We read, hop on our bikes in the morning, and pedal to a local breakfast spot to discuss the reading with an eye towards how we move about in the world. Each day’s ride is in the neighborhood of 20 miles so be prepared to spend some time in the saddle.

Introduction to Acting

In this class, students awaken their emotion, imagination, and intellect by uncovering the motivations behind a character, discovering the “who, why, where, when, and how” to best serve the vision of a play. This is an experience-based course that helps students gain a critical understanding of the art of acting, developing the techniques of characterization, role analysis, stage movement, voice, and body control. We explore acting through theater games, structured improvisations, and a theatrical performance at the end of the week.

Climbing

In this course, students explore the sport of climbing and practice various skills: proper belay technique, knot tying, footwork, fluid movement, pacing, and risk assessment and management. Students also develop good climbing etiquette.

Senior Projects

The Senior Project is a program that provides each Oliverian senior with the opportunity to design and carry out a personally meaningful educational program, one that demonstrates a senior’s ability to: select and identify a challenge of personal interest, problem solve, manage time, organize, research, document learning, communicate, and reflect.

The end of high school marks a transition from the confines of a compulsory education system, in which every individual is expected to follow the same general curriculum, to the freedom and flexibility of higher education. After high school, individuals have the option to choose their path, seeking the specific education or training required for them to achieve their goals. In choosing a college, a trade, or a specialized training program, individuals choose their own, personally meaningful educational program. In recognition of and preparation for this transition and the motivation, self-discipline, and vision it involves, Oliverian School requires every student to complete a Senior Project in order to graduate.

The foundation of a good Senior Project is the student’s own interest, excitement, enthusiasm, and/or passion for the topic. Past Senior Projects have involved art, music, community service, fashion, construction, web design, health education, outdoor leadership, public performance, personal challenge, and engineering. Past students have: recorded an album of original music; painted a portrait; constructed a musical instrument; taught an electives week class; constructed and donated a Little Free Library; built a sweat lodge and conducted a sweat lodge ceremony; built a woodshed for our stewardship program; organized and led an off-campus volunteer group; and much more. The Project is an opportunity to both express yourself and challenge yourself.

pillars
Group 1851
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