High School Academics and Extracurriculars

Small Class Sizes
With a maximum of 12 students per class, High School classes at MIS allow for greater community-building, deeper learning, individualized feedback, and more meaningful relationships among peers and instructors.
Teaching Philosophy
At MIS, we recognize that the high school experience can more fully support the advanced cognitive and/or creative abilities of gifted learners by implementing these strategies across the curriculum:
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  • Exploring content in depth.
  • Navigating the complexity and interdisciplinary nature of content.
  • Thinking about the content’s abstractions and mysteries.
  • Creative application of learning.
  • Critical assessment of information and sources.
  • Accelerated delivery of content.
  • Authentic and meaningful connections to the world.
Dual Enrollment
11th and 12th grade students may also be eligible to enroll in dual-enrollment courses  - in most cases free of charge! - in order to receive both high school and college credits when they have exhausted the course offerings at MIS in a particular subject area. 

MIS is currently partnered with Oglethorpe University for in-person and remote dual enrollment classes, as well as Georgia Tech and their all-remote Distance Math and Computer Science Programs.
Problem-Based Learning
With problem-based learning, students employ research, inquiry, and collaboration to formulate solutions to global, academic, and intellectual problems.

At MIS, problem-based learning:
  • Begins with the assumption that learning is an active, integrative, and constructive project.
  • Maintains a student-centered approach, where teachers act as facilitators rather than disseminators.
  • Employs open-ended problems that serve as the initial stimulus and framework for learning.
  • Sparks students’ intrinsic interest in the subject matter.
  • Emphasizes authentic learning as opposed to recall, promotes teamwork, and helps students become self-directed learners.
Academic Rigor
​All core High School classes in English, Social Studies, Science, Mathematics, and World Languages are offered at both the Standard and more rigorous Honors levels. Honors courses also come with a 0.5 boost to a student's weighted GPA (Grade Point Calculation).
What about Advanced Placement (AP) Courses?
Although MIS does not offer Advanced Placement courses, students still have the opportunity to self-study for certain exams and take them right here at MIS. Thanks to our small class sizes, students find that teachers are often available to provide additional support in their AP exam preparations. ​

High School Clubs

Each year, we hold a High School Club Fair for students to learn about and commit to different extracurricular offerings led by our amazing faculty. Club meetings may take place before school, during lunch, or after school. 

While clubs may change from year to year, some of our past offerings include:
  • Beta Club
  • Black Student Union
  • Gavel Club
  • High School Music Ensemble
  • High School Yearbook
  • Key Club
  • Mu Alpha Theta
  • National History Day
  • Podcasting Club
  • Robotics Club
  • Science Bowl
  • Teachers’ Aide

In addition to our faculty-led offerings, High School students are encouraged to initiate and create their own clubs for their High School community to enjoy.

Busting Some Myths About High School:

Myth:
​​My child will have a better chance of getting into college if they attend a school with as many AP course options as possible. 
Fact:
Not necessarily. Colleges will evaluate students by looking at the classes they choose out of the ones available to them at their specific school. Not out of what’s available at other schools. 
Myth:
The MIS grading and teaching style will not prepare my student for what will be expected of them in college.
Fact:
The grading structure/scale for the High School at MIS strikes a balance between middle school and college expectations so that students can gradually build their skills and capacities.
Myth:
​My child will not have the opportunity to get involved in clubs and extracurricular activities.
Fact:
The High School at MIS offers a variety of clubs and extracurricular opportunities, as seen above. In addition, students enrolled in dual enrollment can also engage in activities at the participating college.
Myth:
The MIS High School student body is too small. There’s no way my student will know how to handle a big college campus.
Fact:
​Based on our graduates’ experience, this has not been the case. In addition, we provide opportunities such as local, regional, and national college tours, as well as dual enrollment to help students get a better sense of what a college campus is really like.
Myth:
Because the High School at MIS is so new/small, my student won’t be accepted into top tier/Ivy League schools.
Fact:
The high school that a student attends is not a factor in the college admissions process, except to provide context for the student’s education and opportunities. Students are evaluated based on their achievement and choices within the context of their high school. In fact, some might see a large school as a negative factor, as more students are applying to the same top tier schools.