The Bellarmine Chamber Orchestra (BCO) is a performance-based ensemble for individuals who have previous experience playing string instruments that are bowed, which only include violin, viola, cello and double bass. Students wishing to take the course will be asked to submit a three-minute video as their audition for acceptance into the ensemble. The BCO is designed to build knowledge of string performance techniques and theory. Students must provide their own instrument with the exception of the following school-owned instruments, which may be available for students to use during the year (Cello and String Bass). Prerequisites are previous music ensemble experience or concurrent enrollment in studio private lessons.

This course will focus on either, hand-building or wheel throwing (student's choice) for the entire semester. Hand-builders will create projects using advanced techniques such as hard slab construction, organic abstraction, and figuration. Wheel throwers will create projects including: lidded jars, pitchers, casseroles, and teapots. Students will continue to study contemporary ceramics artists as well as ceramics art history to inform and connect this research to their own art making practice.

Social norms pull our desires toward consumerism and consumption, and income inequality makes this reality more glaring. Saint Ignatius, however encouraged the use of discernment to seek and find God in all things. This course uses Ignatius' Spiritual Exercises and portions of Scripture, especially Prophets and the Book of Ecclesiastes, to explore some of life's biggest questions: Why is there evil in the world? Why do bad things happen to good people? What is the meaning of life? Is justice possible? What are the effects of income inequality? Where is God in the midst of our daily lives?

Students adopt the engineering design process, where initial design, manufacture, review and re-design establishes continuous improvement and mastery of design and manufacturing skills. Utilizing web-based CAD and makerspace equipment, this hands-on course immerses students in project-based-learning, starting with simple functional systems and progressing to more complex, microprocessor controlled systems. Students steer the application and design for each project and show progress through regular engineering design reviews. Supporting the hands-on learning will be instruction on 2D & 3D Design, basic mechanical and electronic skills, makerspace equipment and physical computing with microcontrollers.

The course is designed to further improve the students’ proficiency in speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills. Students will develop more advanced linguistic skills, expand on vocabulary and idiomatic expressions, and systematically review previously studied materials. In addition to the basic textbook, students will also read more extensively on a variety of topics adapted from authentic texts. Students will practice spoken and written Chinese in complex communicative activities, using practice sessions to fine-tune pronunciation, expand vocabulary, and internalize more complex grammatical constructions. They will also develop a more in-depth understanding of Chinese culture through projects and presentations. This course will be conducted primarily in Chinese.

This intensive course is designed to provide students with a learning experience equivalent to that of a fourth-semester college course. The aim of the course is to refine the students' interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational communicative skills in Mandarin, expand on vocabulary and idiomatic expressions, and develop an in-depth understanding of Chinese history and contemporary society. Students will practice spoken and written Chinese in complex communicative activities, using practice sessions to fine-tune pronunciation, expand vocabulary, and internalize more complex grammatical constructions. Extensive speaking assignments on various topics, reading of authentic texts and writing in different genres and registers are required. They will also develop a more in-depth understanding of Chinese culture through projects and field trips. This course will be conducted primarily in Chinese. Students are required to take the AP Chinese Language and Culture Exam at the conclusion of this course.

This course is designed to be comparable to advanced level college/university French language courses and to prepare students to the College Board AP French exam. It provides students with extensive opportunities to improve all language skills (writing, speaking, listening and reading) through conversations, discussions, debates, readings of news, literary texts and short stories, and through videos and movies. Students are required to take the French Language Advanced Placement exam. This course is conducted in French.