Academics
Departments & Programs
In accordance with our Integral Student Outcomes, our Mission Statement and our Philosophy, the Academic Program at Servite High School strives to develop students who:
- Develop a lifelong desire for learning that culminates in wisdom.
- Demonstrate mastery of the academic curriculum in order to succeed in post-secondary education.
- Exhibit intellectual maturity by evaluating multifaceted challenges and opportunities and creating innovative solutions.
- Demonstrate proficiency in the use of current technologies relevant to higher education and the workplace.
- Develop insight into Sacred Scripture so as to find personal meaning.
- Gain the knowledge of humanity which fosters a reverence for life.
- Demonstrate, in word and deed, the Primacy of Faith.
We strive to achieve these outcomes with the charism of the Order Friar Servants of Mary as our foundation, with the Blessed Mother as our example, and with Christ as our model.
Ninth and tenth graders follow a core academic curriculum enhanced by courses in visual and performing arts. In addition to required courses, juniors and seniors choose from a wide variety of elective offerings including Advanced Placement (AP) and Honors (HP) course options.
The core requirements include English, fine arts, world languages, health and physical education, mathematics, theology, science, and social studies. Students are encouraged to broaden their educational program through electives.
College Preparatory (CP) Courses
These courses are designed to be a challenge to the student preparing for a college education. Material covered in these courses is presented in a detailed fashion at a pace designed for all students.
Honors Placement (HP) Courses
The course content is essentially the same in most honors sections as it is in the college preparatory classes. Honors sections, however, are conducted at a more accelerated pace and with greater intellectual intensity. Honors courses are traditionally more competitive. Honors placement is determined by departmental standards.
Advanced Placement (AP) Courses
The College Board offers advanced placement curricula and exams in numerous academic disciplines. These curricula are college level and students often receive some college credit or advanced standing once entering college. Students take AP exams in early May. Performance is evaluated on the basis of 1 (no recommendation) to 5 (extremely well-qualified). While the criteria for placement in AP courses may vary slightly by department, general criteria include honors grades, strong teacher recommendation, a previous record of timely and successful completion of assignments, or above-average standardized test scores. Due to the rigorous nature of AP course work, it is imperative that students meet minimum placement standards and be committed to completing comprehensive reading and writing at the college level with success.
AP Courses Offered:
Art History
Biology
Business
Calculus AB
Calculus BC
Chemistry
Chinese Language & Culture
Computer Science A
Computer Science Principles
Cybersecurity
English Lang. & Composition
English Lit. & Composition
Environmental Science
European History
French Language & Culture
Human Geography
Macroeconomics
Music Theory
Physics C: Mechanics
Psychology
Research
Seminar
Spanish Language & Culture
Statistics
US Government & Politics
US History
World History
Click a department below to explore
English
English
The English Department strives to foster and promote students' critical thinking skills, literary appreciation, and ethical development in a way that excites each student. Servite's English department plays a vital role in forming faith-filled leaders who are eager to learn from great classics of Western Literature. Our English teachers employ a variety of learning strategies to ensure that their instruction meets the needs of all learners. Students will dive into masterpieces such as Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, Homer's The Iliad, Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, J.D. Salinger's Catcher in the Rye, and Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. Students hone their comprehension, writing, and editing skills by analyzing these texts through the lens of Servite's formation themes and Marian devotion.
Program Highlights
• Analytical writing, rhetoric, and literary interpretation
• Honors and AP English pathways
• Public speaking and research integration
• Creative writing and publication opportunities
Fine Arts
Fine Arts
Servite High School boasts a robust fine arts program with a varied curriculum. Classes offered include subjects such as Classical Guitar, Concert Choir, Piano, Drawing, Film, and Art History. Many students involved in the fine arts also participate in tandem with the Trinitas Arts Conservatory. The purpose of the fine arts curriculum is to develop students into lifelong learners with an understanding of how the arts shape culture, reflect historical movements over several centuries, and provide students with the opportunity to showcase their work as they advance in both skill and knowledge. For those students who have an interest in studying the arts at the university level, Servite has a long history of placing students at top programs throughout the United States.
Program Highlights
The Servite Spectrum
The Servite Spectrum is a collection of projects from students in our Visual Arts program. This includes sketches, oil paintings, short stories, sculptures, and so much more!
Select a Fine Arts Discipline:
Classical Guitar
For two decades, the Servite Classical Guitar Program has been among the best in the United States. Students learn to play and find success regardless of previous musical experience, building comprehensive performance skills that also ground them in composing.
Event Showcase Recap
Men's Choir
Offered to students looking to build their vocal production, breathing techniques, and pitch alignment. The choir provides opportunities to explore basic music theory and performs several high-quality concerts each year.
Performance Highlights
Film Production
This creative program guides students through scriptwriting, editing, and cinematic language. Advanced coursework lets students develop visual storytelling through multiple short film formats.
Music Theory
This area of study unlocks the structure, mechanics, and notations of musical compositions. Students learn elements of ear-training, transcription capabilities, and advanced harmonic analysis.
AP Art History
From monumental feats of architecture like the Great Pyramids of Giza and the Acropolis of Athens to the sculptures, paintings, and inventions that changed the world during the European Renaissance, the history of art demands we investigate with fresh perspective our understanding of the ways in which the world has changed (and in many cases, remained the same). A unique course, AP Art History is situated at the intersection of history and culture. An introductory college-level art history course, students will cultivate their understanding of art history through analyzing works of art and placing them in historical context as they explore concepts like culture and cultural interactions, theories and interpretations of art, the impact of materials, processes, and techniques on art and art making, and understanding purpose and audience in art historical analysis. In order to successfully analyze art in context, we invariably have to engage a diverse array of subjects, from geography, sociology, and economics, to language, religion, and the long history of warfare that has pushed societies to change. There is truly something for everyone in Art History.
Students are expected to display academic and personal maturity along with strong analytical writing and communication skills. The course -- which is built around studying 250 works from around the world and throughout recorded history -- naturally leads to students sitting for the AP exam in May, potentially earning college credit. Although it is not required to take the test, it is highly encouraged. In addition to studying and discussing the works in class, students will have the opportunity to visit major museums and they are encouraged to encounter the subjects we study out in the real world where art lives.
Mathematics
Mathematics
The Mathematics Department does its part to form faith-filled leaders by teaching mathematical principles and theories from a Catholic perspective. Servite's Mathematics department ensures that each student not only understands the material, but also appreciates the complexity of each algorithm and formula. Classtime and assignments are meant to exercise students' analytical and problem-solving skills. The development of these skills will prepare students for post-secondary education, as well as benefit them beyond the classroom.
Program Highlights
• Foundational algebra through advanced calculus
• AP and honors pathways
• Emphasis on problem‑solving and mathematical reasoning
• Integration of technology and data literacy
PE & Health
PE & Health
The goal of Physical Education and Health at Servite is to instill a value for active, intentional, and balanced lifestyles within our Faith-Filled Leaders. Servite's P.E. and Health classes teach students about basic health, safety, and fitness development through lecture and in-class competition. Servite also offers classes for students to explore their interests in sports medicine.
Program Highlights
• Fitness, conditioning, and lifelong wellness
• Health education grounded in personal responsibility
• Sports performance and movement training
• Formation‑centered approach to physical development
Social Studies
Social Studies
The mission of the Servite Department of Social Studies is to form young men into faith-filled leaders by providing the analytical thinking skills and factual knowledge necessary to confront critical, contemporary issues facing the local, state, national, and international community so as to serve these communities as competent and constructive participants. The Department accomplishes this goal through its core curriculum in the fields of World History, United States History, and Civics Program (combined curricula of United States Government and Macroeconomics). Microeconomics and European History curriculums are available to substitute when desired and at the appropriate grade level.
Program Highlights
• Global history, geography, and civic engagement
• Honors and AP pathways in history and government
• Critical analysis of primary and secondary sources
• Economics and societal studies application
Science
Science
The Servite Science Department provides students with a sound foundation in the principles of science. Our curriculum strives to develop critical thinking skills, foster curiosity, and instill an appreciation for the sciences. We incorporate the principles of the Servite formation program (primacy of faith, mastery of self, necessity of the other, and centrality of Christ) to develop student’s ability to apply these foundations to real-world scientific inquiry.
Program Highlights
• Hands‑on laboratory science
• Biology, chemistry, physics, and advanced electives
• AP science opportunities
• Emphasis on scientific inquiry and experimentation
Theology
Theology
The Theology Department at Servite High School plays a critical role in carrying out the school’s mission of forming faith-filled leaders. The department's academic curriculum aligns with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Doctrinal Curriculum Framework, which is designed to teach academic principles and theories of theology while challenging students to live out their faith. Students are encouraged to develop a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ through liturgical celebrations, retreat experiences, and Christian service opportunities.
Program Highlights
• Curricula conforming with USCCB Framework guidelines
• Focus on Scripture, Christology, Ecclesiology, and Sacraments
• Morality, Social Justice, and Christian Vocations integration
• Alignment with school liturgical life, retreats, and community service
World Languages
World Languages
The World Languages Department at Servite High School prepares students to navigate, connect, and collaborate across global and diverse cultures. Offering immersive coursework in languages such as Spanish, Mandarin, and Latin, the department emphasizes linguistic proficiency, cultural literacy, and global perspective. By integrating technical grammar with real-world conversational application, we cultivate young men who lead with empathy and cross-cultural competence.
Program Highlights
• Comprehensive conversational and writing proficiency tracks
• Global cultural integration and classic literature study
• Multi-year immersion sequences in Spanish, Mandarin, and Latin
• Honors and AP language pathway opportunities
• Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica ("Los Frailes" Chapter)
Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica
Selected Spanish students who take AP are able to attain an invitation to their subject honor society called Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica (SHH). The Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica is a prestigious national organization. The chapter of SHH at Servite High School is named "Los Frailes" and recognizes all bylaws of the national society. The purpose of this chapter is to recognize high achievement in Spanish by students of secondary schools and to promote continuity of interest in Hispanic studies.
As one of their services to the school community, the SHH members work together on a newsletter for all Spanish students.
View Latest Newsletter EditionComputer Science Pathway
Servite's Computer Science Pathway, developed in partnership with Project STEM, equips students with the technical knowledge and problem-solving skills needed for college and future careers in technology. Along the way, students develop computational thinking, programming, collaboration, and real-world problem-solving skills that prepare them for success in an increasingly digital world.
Curriculum Progression
- • Honors Introduction to Computer Science
- • AP Computer Science Principles
- • AP Computer Science A
- • Cybersecurity
- • Game Design & Development
Pathway Requirements
- • Summer before freshman year: Complete a Fine Art course
- • Eligible for Algebra 2/Trig by the end of freshman year
- • Completion of capstone project by the end of senior year
Academic Resources
Course Catalog
This course catalog conveys information about course offerings at Servite High School and helps students/parents to select and plan course schedules. Parents are urged to study the course catalog and consult counselors, and teachers as appropriate.