Distinctive Upper School Experiences

Make the most of yourself by fanning the tiny, inner sparks of possibility into flames of achievement.     Golda Meir

9th Grade – Ninth grade students will participate in a health and wellness seminar for one semester as a part of their weekly advisory class. This seminar will focus on maintaining a healthy lifestyle, disease and injury prevention, drug and  alcohol abuse in addition to appropriate social behavior. Students in grade nine will also benefit from Navigating True North, a program designed to encourage them to think critically about their values, goals and future endeavors.

10th Grade – Tenth grade students will have the option to participate in the highly regarded Outward Bound Program. This experiential, outdoor education program will foster personal growth and social skills by challenging students with expeditions in the outdoors. 

11th Grade – Eleventh grade students will have the opportunity to participate in JLA organized college visits to the Boston area, New York, Washington DC and Los Angeles. In addition, during the second semester every junior will spend considerable time writing and editing their college essay with oversight from the English Department and Guidance.

12th Grade– Seniors will participate in first semester college guidance seminars and representative visits held on campus. During the second semester seniors will propose, create and present a senior project as part of JLA’s graduation requirements, and they will also have the opportunity to lead Morning Joe seminars throughout the year. Moreover, seniors have the option of taking advanced classes for credit through the Global Online Academy.

Distinctive Upper School Programs:

August In Israel : High School students will spend the first 3.5 weeks of school every year studying Hebrew, Jewish History, Tanach, and contemporary Israel in an immersive, real world setting in Israel.  This annual study abroad experience will not only serve as a catalyst for student bonding to each other and to the State of Israel, but will allow for a greater focus on the school’s General Studies curriculum throughout the remainder of the year.  

JLA Wilderness Expedition:  Sophomores will participate in the JLA Wilderness Adventure, a program which employs the beauty and challenges offered by nature to promote self-advocacy, personal growth and teamwork through “Torah and the wisdom of the wilderness.” Rabbi Tani

Global Online Academy: Global Online Academy is renowned for offering courses that allow students to take deep dives into areas such as Abnormal Psychology, Entrepreneurship in a Global Context, International Relations, and Problem Solving with Engineering and Design. GOA courses earn graduation credits and are included on transcripts. 

Center for Talented Youth, Johns Hopkins – CTY is focused on challenging the very brightest minds, and as such JLA has established a relationship with John Hopkins in order to offer our students the equivalent of college level courses while in high school. Admission to the program is highly selective, and grades earned will be factored into the overall GPA.

True North: Students will participate in a one semester course during the advisory period that will encourage students to think critically about their values, goals and future endeavors. Areas of study will include high school success planning, self discovery, financial and community literacy, personal branding, and career exploration. 

Option 9: An optional block of time in the daily schedule dedicated to additional learning choices that will provide students with the opportunity to pursue study in an area of interest. 

Nesher Project: An hour of time each week devoted to project and inquiry based activities designed to encourage students to problem solve and think critically. Students will select a passion of their choice related to a school discipline. During this period, students will question, research, and develop a personal area of interest that encourages imagination, innovation and independence. 

Morning Joe: A student directed seminar held each Friday that encourages students to participate in robust discussions focused on local and global issues of importance.