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Upper School

The Pace Academy Upper School is a place of connections. In the past 65+ years, we've grown in size and stature, but one element remains fixed—the relationships between our talented, nurturing faculty and our students.

With approximately 125 students in a grade and class sizes that average 13, the Pace Upper School is a place where students know their teachers as professionals and as people. Developing this connection is the core of what we do.

Students are challenged and grow in a supportive setting. Our faculty inculcates in students both the joy of learning and the worthiness of intellectual excellence. Pace graduates often return to campus describing how well prepared they were for their college academic careers, but mostly they come back to visit with their former teachers and spend time with the people they consider mentors and friends.

Pace is a place that presents numerous opportunities for each student. More than 85% of our students participate in athletics; we stage three outstanding theater productions annually; our chorus, vocal ensembles, band and orchestra are second-to-none; and through the Isdell Center for Global Leadership, students pursue their passions with the help of our supremely talented faculty and our global and community partners.

Our students are involved in the life of their school and in the world around them. They want to succeed—but they want to do so while making a difference. We think that’s the measure of a true education.

Michael Gannon

Head of Upper School

Michael Gannon

Head of Upper School

By the Numbers

500

Students in the Upper School

25

AP classes and 20 honors classes offered

37

Debate state championships

100

Percent of students enrolled in AP course in 2024 took the AP exam; 82% scored 3 or higher

Curriculum

Academic rigor is the name of the game in the Pace Upper School—and while we set the bar high, we provide the support students need to exceed expectations.

Students may choose to follow a path toward Advanced Placement in one department while taking less rigorous courses in another. These individual choices, guided by caring and knowledgeable deans in consultation with parents, speak to students’ interests and talents. Elective courses offer opportunities for additional exploration, ensuring students find their place in the classroom and beyond.

Our faculty are the heart of the Upper School academic program, and they have the freedom to create challenging courses that unfailingly prepare students for college, for their roles in a civil society and for the challenges of a global community.

Types of Courses

College Preparatory (CP) Courses 
These courses provide the core content that will prepare students for the college of their choice.

Honors Courses
These advanced courses require more extensive reading and preparation, taking students beyond the college preparatory courses. Students must satisfy the following requirements for admission to an honors-level course:

  • Superior performance on aptitude and achievement tests

  • Superior past performance in a specific subject area

  • Combined recommendations of teachers, department chairs and division head.

Advanced Placement (AP) Courses
AP courses provide an opportunity for acceleration and/or credit in college. Students enrolled in AP courses are required to take AP examinations developed by the College Board.

Support and Resources

At Pace, we believe that the key to a successful education is the appropriate balance of challenge and support; we set the bar high, and then help students jump over it.

Our faculty and staff provide multiple layers of support to assist students in navigating the social, emotional and academic challenges they may face in high school. Our goal is for every child to have the opportunity to reach his or her full potential.

Graduation Requirements

Pace requires 46 total units for its diploma—42 of which must be academic, four of which may be satisfied with academic or non-academic electives. In addition, students must satisfy a non-unit physical education requirement (either by participation on an interscholastic athletic team or a personal fitness course) as well as a non-unit requirement for 40 hours of community engagement.

The curriculum is planned for maximum benefit to each student and not merely for the satisfaction of minimum requirements. A normal schedule consists of six classes per semester. The student’s dean and the Head of the Upper School must approve variation from this norm. A unit is one semester of study in a course.