Math
Mathematics at Beacon offers an array of college preparatory courses, each designed to be a hybrid of the theoretical and applicative nature of mathematics. In each course, students learn to investigate, explore, discover, conjecture, reason, argue, justify, explain, prove, and apply knowledge.
Our courses progress with a focus on both meeting our students where they are and creating opportunities for them to advance. We place our incoming 9th-grade students into either Algebra 1 or Geometry based on a skills assessment we administer in June of their 8th-grade year. The typical progressions are:
Algebra 1 → Geometry → Algebra 2 → Precalculus or other elective
Geometry → Algebra 2 → Precalculus → Calculus, AP Calculus, or other elective
All students at Beacon have a four-year pathway to a calculus class. Students who enter 9th grade in Algebra 1 are offered a summer intensive in Precalculus during the summer between 11th and 12th grades so they are ready for Calculus in 12th grade.
Students are invited to apply for AP Calculus in their 12th-grade year if they would like. We administer a skills assessment and use teacher feedback to create an AP Calculus environment that moves quickly to build a deep and rich experience of mathematics.
A breakdown of required core courses and electives is below:
Core Courses: Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2
Elective Courses: Precalculus, Calculus or AP Calculus, Probability and Statistics*, Architecture*, Economics & Finance*
Each elective is a full year course.
*available for 12th grade students depending on student interest and teacher availability