Curriculum

Brentwood Academy believes that spiritual growth is fundamental to the broader development of each member of the Brentwood Academy family. However, the school is not under the direction, influence, or support of any particular church, and the Brentwood Academy family represents various denominations and beliefs.

The leadership of the school understands that the approach to spiritual growth must be significantly different from its approach to academic and physical development. While the school does offer various classes and programs through the Christian Life Department, we recognize that God is the one who works through his Spirit to bring about change and growth in our students. Christian life at Brentwood Academy involves the classroom, the playing field, and the halls everyday, in addition to the programs and classes that are available.

Fundamental to the development of this type of atmosphere are the Christian values presented by the character and conduct of the headmaster, the faculty, and the leadership of the school. While the religious beliefs of each individual will be respected, the school continuously seeks to offer an environment of love and acceptance, in which each individual is given the opportunity to express his faith freely in an appropriate setting.

In this environment of sharing and caring—rather than by the teaching of specific, individual religious or denominational beliefs—spiritual growth is fostered. While each student is required to take the equivalent of one and a half years of Bible and attend spiritual life assemblies, participation in other spiritual activities is voluntary.

Purpose of the Christian Life Department

In order to foster spiritual growth, we teach and encourage:

Love and acceptance (John 13:34; 1 Cor. 16:14; Eph. 4:2)—loving a person just for who God says they are, not by any standards we may put on them; doing all we do in a spirit of love; seeking the highest good of the other person.
Honesty and humility (Phil. 2:3; Eph. 4:15,25—developing a completely open, honest, and trusting relationship with one another.
Concern and restoration (Gal. 6:1-2; 2 Cor. 5:18-19)—learning not to judge those who have strayed, but to pray for them and spend time with them for the purpose of restoring them.
Confession and forgiveness (James 5:16; Col. 3:13)—courageous willingness to admit our own wrongdoings and deep needs to others, all in an atmosphere of freedom and security and that same courage and willingness to forgive when wronged.
Encouragement and availability (Heb. 3:13; 10:24)—mutual support of one another, replacing the competition within our ranks with cooperation.


Contact Information:

Freddie Scott, Director of Christian Life

615-373-0611 x132

freddie_scott@brentwoodacademy.com

The English Department offers students a broad range of reading, reasoning, responding, and writing to guide them toward
becoming literate, thinking adults.

Beginning in sixth grade and moving through twelfth, students do close readings of major works of literature; learn the
nuances of the English language through grammar, spelling and writing; and grapple with clarity and style in both written and
spoken expression. The ultimate purpose for the study of grammar, literature, and writing is to enable students not only to
reason well but also to feel deeply and to respond with discernment and compassion toward others. Beginning in seventh grade,
students study a Shakespearean play each year as part of their curriculum.

For summer reading and supply lists click the resources link below and scroll down to bottom of the page.

https://brentwoodacademy.com/current-families/resources/

English Department Handbook
Contact Information:

Cameron Phillips, English Department Chair

615-373-0611 x167

cameron_phillips@brentwoodacademy.com

At Brentwood Academy, we believe that each student has unique God-given talents and abilities, and we are committed to helping students discover and explore those gifts to their fullest potential. A dedicated fine arts faculty of nineteen full-time and part-time instructors offer more than thirty visual and performing arts opportunities for our students.

The Academy Singers performance group is Brentwood Academy’s premiere mixed vocal ensemble. This auditioned group features
12 -16 of the most talented students, who perform for various school, church, and community events throughout the year.

Band

Band courses and performance opportunities are offered in Middle School and Upper School. Utilizing a sectional approach to
music education, our band faculty offer specialized attention in small group settings.

Chorus

Students in the Middle School and Upper School are offered an opportunity to study the discipline of choral singing, as well
as increase their knowledge in music theory, sight reading and performance.

Dance

Offered for girls with a strong interest in dance, the Brentwood Academy dance course emphasizes the basics of dance with
concentration on conditioning, dance moves and routines, and performance techniques. This class presents a spring recital
during the school year. Classes are offered on both the upper school and middle school levels.

Drama

Brentwood Academy offers several opportunities for students to express their creativity through drama. Plays, musicals,
workshops and elective courses create an environment where students receive instruction in all aspects of theatrical
production.

Set Design and Theatre Arts

Students learn to envision and create set designs for school theatrical productions through the study of appropriate
materials, hardware and technique.

Speech and Debate

Speech classes allow students the opportunity to gain confidence in expressing themselves in ways that are
engaging, inspiring and unique.

Visual Arts

From the principles and theories of art to thematic concentration portfolios, Brentwood Academy offers a myriad of
opportunities for students to explore beauty and creativity through visual art.

Fine Arts Department middle school course descriptions

Acting course description

Theatre Appreciation course description

Contact Information:

Matt Nygren, Fine Arts Department Chair

615-373-0611 x117

matt_nygren@brentwoodacademy.com

The History Department has course offerings available to all students in grades 6-12. The courses are varied and provide the student with an opportunity to study history and the social sciences. Through outside reading, papers, and classroom instruction, students are not only receiving educational instruction but are also being taught to analyze material. Department-sponsored extra involvement in local and national educational programs provides students with the opportunity to apply theoretical concepts learned in the classroom. The underlying premise of all departmental courses and programs is that the study of history should be a learning lab for the complete development of a responsible, productive citizen.

History department course descriptions

History department course sequence

Contact Information:

Dan Cutsinger

615-373-0611

jd_binger@brentwoodacademy.com

The Mathematics Department’s objective is for students to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to be successful in a college or university program and to develop analytical thinking skills that can be used in a lifetime of applications. Comprehensive in nature, the mathematics curriculum allows for individual abilities and interests.

Mathematics is a four-year requirement for all upper school students, who select from regular classes, honors classes and advanced placement classes based on teacher recommendation. Middle school students take mathematics each of the three years.

Without practice, students are at risk of losing new mathematical knowledge and weakening basic skills. With consistent practice over the summer months, students do not require as much review and are able to better connect new concepts with previously learned material. While Brentwood Academy does not require summer work for all students, we do highly recommend that students work practice problems for at least 30 minutes a week. Below are some resources that we would recommend to help students sharpen their skills over the summer.

Khan Academy (review topics learned in previous years)

Contact Information:

Bonnie Hall, Math Department Chair

615-373-0611 x169

bonnie_hall@brentwoodacademy.com

The Brentwood Academy Science Department is dedicated to developing the critical thinking skills of each Brentwood Academy student and to carry out the mission of the school—nurturing and challenging each person to the glory of God. With an established tradition of inquiry-based learning, students encounter each subject through experimentation. Our curriculum and instructional methods aim to prepare students for college-level study and to develop scientific literacy, so that students can form sound opinions and take effective action.

Block scheduling with ninety-minute classes and well-equipped laboratories provide for a rich laboratory science experience. Instruction with computer-based data collection is included along with traditional laboratory techniques.

Science department course descriptions

Science department course sequence

Contact Information:

Dr. Kristin Phillips, Science Department Chair

615-373-0611 x315

kristin_phillips@brentwoodacademy.com

Hands On Learning with SynDaver

Brentwood Academy has become the first school in the Nashville area to begin using SynDaver’s second-generation Anatomy Model, a full-sized, head-to-toe synthetic human, to provide students with hands-on learning opportunities for anatomy and pre-med education.

Science department faculty at Brentwood Academy plan to extend the integration of SynDaver’s technology into the curriculums of more anatomy and physiology classes offered at the school, and eventually into lower-level biology classes and middle school science classes.

Learning to learn is a lifelong experience, the foundation of which involves learning to use today’s technology tools and practicing traditional methods of learning. At Brentwood Academy, the goal is to help students understand how to control, rather than be controlled by, technology. Students are introduced to a wide variety of software tools in an atmosphere that encourages application of technology.

Today's technological tools provide access to information at such accelerated rates that a goal of learning is to anticipate how this mass of information will affect us and then devise methods to manage information rather than let it manage us.

6^th Grade - Students will be introduced to a variety of technology tools to inspire creativity and grow their knowledge of computer applications. Students will design and iterate video games, create interactive movies, create and print three-dimensional models and design and build several robots using the Lego Mindstorm EV3 robotics kits. Students will work on individual projects as well as in groups to solve problems and build confidence in their technological ability.

8^{th Grade} - The 8th Grade Robotics Curriculum is based on the ideas of Constructionism. Constructionism is a theory of learning based on experience and observation. In this class, students will work in teams that use current technologies to solve real-world problems. Students will complete 4 -6 instructor approved projects of their choosing. Technologies available for students to explore include: Raspberry pi, 3-D printing, Arduino, Makey-Makey, Vex Robotics, Scratch and Cubelets. Students will improve project management skills and continue to build confidence in the area of learning and staying current with new technologies.

Computer Science – The upper school computer science elective is a year-long course that gives students a foundation in coding using the JAVA programming language. Students learn and apply skills through projects in building video games. Topics introduced to students include basic language syntax, classes and objects, conditional statements and control flow, loops and iteration, inheritance and polymorphism, collections and data structures, object composition, project planning, and file I/O.

AP® Computer Science Principles is a course designed to be equivalent to a first-semester introductory college computing course. In this course, students will develop computational thinking skills vital for success across all disciplines, such as using large data sets to analyze, visualize, and draw conclusions from trends. The course engages students in the creative aspects of the field by allowing them to develop computational artifacts based on their interests. Seven “big ideas” in computer science are addressed in this course: creativity, abstraction, data and information, algorithms, programming, the Internet, and global impact.

Contact Information:

Chris Allen, Robotics Program Director
615-373-0611 x198

chris_allen@brentwoodacademy.com

Brentwood Academy’s World Language Department offers courses in both modern and classical languages. In our French and Spanish courses, the objectives are for students to become proficient in their target language as well as to appreciate and understand the cultures of the language they are studying. In our Latin course, our goal is for students to become proficient readers and translators to understand and appreciate the Roman and Greek culture and influence on modern life.

Students begin their study of world language in the sixth grade with a 9-week World Languages & Cultures Exploration course focused on French, Latin, and Spanish.

In seventh grade, students choose to study French, Latin, or Spanish. By studying their chosen language in 7th and 8th grade, students earn one academic credit for the first year of language study while in middle school. 

In order to satisfy Brentwood Academy’s graduation requirement, students are required to earn two credits in the same language during their high school years. We encourage our students to continue their study of world languages throughout high school and beyond.

World Language Department Course Descriptions

World Language Department Course Sequence

Contact Information:

Catherine Lawhorn, World Language Department Chair

615-373-0611 x 615

catherine_lawhorn@brentwoodacademy.com