OUR HIGH SCHOOL CURRICULUM
New Roots is a leader in an international movement devoted to preparing young people to live well in a future characterized by rapid change: change in the climate, change in technology, changes in economic opportunity.
Integrating work-based learning for all students, our college and career preparatory curriculum meets and exceeds New York State graduation requirements, and is aligned with Education for a Sustainable Future (EfS) standards.
Our four-year sequence of study connects core courses through interdisciplinary anchor themes and projects each semester, reinforcing learning necessary for success on New York State Regents exams.
Our Four-Year Learning Sequence
To prepare students for college and the workplace, courses are one semester long, allowing for in-depth study and extended time for project- and community-based learning. The sequence below is designed to guide students through learning, which culminates in a capstone project in their senior year:
Grade 9
Required core courses: Global Studies I, Earth Systems Science I, English Language Arts, and Algebra I or Geometry.
Anchor project themes of water and food explore the relationship between human and natural systems, and support success on the Living Environment Regents exam.
Grade 11
Required core courses: U.S. History, Global Environmental Science, Chemistry, Physics, or Energy and the Environment, Academic Writing, Statistics, plus elective math and science courses.
Anchor project themes explore how citizens can protect and regenerate essential natural resources and create thriving communities, while supporting success on English and US History Regents Exams.
Grade 10
Required core courses: Global Studies II, Earth Systems Science II, English Language Arts, and Geometry or Algebra II.
Anchor project themes explore how people can work towards a more sustainable future in an era of global climate change, and support success on the Global History Regents exam.
Grade 12
Required core courses: Participation in Government, Economics, College Writing and Literature, Energy and the Environment (or other elective science courses), Personal Finance, Capstone, plus elective math and science classes.
The Senior Project Capstone requires students to research and develop an action plan on an issue related to a U.N. Sustainable Development goal in our community.
Students choose from a wide array of visual, media, performing arts, music, technology, and physical education electives each semester to round out their required core courses.
Each semester ends with a Celebration of Learning, at which students showcase their knowledge to an audience of their peers, teachers, caregivers, and community members.
For more information about the curriculum and courses offered, we encourage you to look through the Program of Studies.
NEW ROOTS BY THE NUMBERS
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College acceptance rate for New Roots graduates
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Students feel New Roots encourages them to be their best
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Teachers received an A+ rating from their students
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Students earn college credit during high school
CURRICULUM AND PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
Anchor Projects
Interdisciplinary theme projects related to sustainability standards each semester connect traditional academic learning with real-world projects and presentations to authentic audiences.
College and Career Success Seminar
Also known as “crew,” CCSS is a four-year course that inspires strong connections with peers while teaching essential “soft” skills that support success in life, college, and career. Crews meet daily to engage with school governance, service learning, and academic projects, learning teamwork and consensus-based decision-making skills while consciously building community across the divides of gender, age, race, and class. The faculty mentor monitors each student’s academic progress and serves as the liaison between school and home.
Community Programs
Special programs such as the Cayuga Wetlands Project, Rootstock (a youth music festival offered in collaboration with the Grassroots Festival), the Youth Entrepreneurship Market (YEM), and Kestrel Perch Farm provide real-world experiences that provide the opportunity to turn passion and interests into confidence, knowledge, and skills.
Earn SUNY College Credit
All of our students earn college credits through our collaboration with SUNY TC3’s CollegeNow Program. College credits are earned along with high school credit for select courses taught by New Roots faculty, at no cost to the student.
EarthForce
All New Roots students receive work-based learning experience and have access to internships, environmental literacy and job skills training. We call this aspect of our curriculum “EarthForce” because of our unique focus on exploring opportunities in the green workforce, a growing employment sector in New York State.
Intensives Week
Held in May, Intensives Week engages students in an in-depth course of their choice, emphasizing community engagement and our local ecosystems. Popular Intensives Week courses include ecological restoration, local history and hiking, community art studio, mural painting, local agriculture and food systems, documentary filmmaking, and regional college tours.
Senior Capstone Project
The culmination of four years of community-based learning, capstone projects focus on applying solutionary thinking to local community issues of personal concern to students.
Service Learning
All students participate in service learning weekly through Service Crews, held on Wednesdays. Service activities include supporting and encouraging school recycling efforts, motivating others through school spirit projects, representing their crew in Student Council, or participating in our free grocery store or clothing exchange programs. Students can earn more hours of service learning credit outside of school for time worked on their project.