NWP Courses 2025-2026
Northwest Prep Charter School's curriculum is integrated toward building each semester's various long-term projects and is designed to address a school-wide Driving Question (theme). Past semester Driving Questions examples include: Is Progress Worth The Price?, What's My Message to the World?, and How can conducting experiments on our own bodies help us understand how they function? How do Society and Water Interact?, Who are the homeless, how did they get there, and how can we help those in Sonoma County? All NWP coursework in each semester is designed to facilitate the exploration, development, and understanding of the project driving question. All core academic courses are UC-approved.
Language and Communication (ELA 7-12)
English Language Arts courses explore the world through the written word. Our curriculum is designed to help students think deeply and analytically about the world they live in through three core writing domains: argument, informational, and narrative writing.
Our English classes are reading- and writing-intensive. Whenever possible, core texts align with students’ history studies to support and deepen understanding across disciplines. Students learn to identify patterns and systems and to make meaningful connections between themes encountered in literature and social studies.
Students read, analyze, and grapple with a wide range of high-quality texts across genres, cultures, and historical eras. Course themes by grade level include:
Through sustained reading, writing, discussion, and inquiry, students develop transferable skills—critical thinking, effective communication, and evidence-based reasoning—that support lifelong learning and empower them to advocate for themselves, engage thoughtfully with the world, and exercise agency in their personal, academic, and civic lives.
Mathematical Systems (7/8th grade Math, Algebra 1, Algebra 2, Geometry, Data Science, Personal Finance) At NWP our mathematics program is designed to build strong problem-solving skills, conceptual understanding, and confidence in applying mathematics to real-world situations. Students progress through a thoughtful sequence of courses that prepare them for advanced mathematics in high school, college, and beyond.
7th-grade math, 8th-grade math, Algebra 1, Geometry, and Algebra 2 use the Amplify Desmos Math curriculum. This curriculum follows a structured, problem-based approach that builds on students’ curiosity and encourages deep mathematical thinking. Instruction intentionally connects conceptual understanding, procedural skills, and application, helping students make sense of mathematics rather than memorize isolated procedures.
Together, these courses form the foundation for higher-level mathematics in college. Students who successfully complete Algebra 2 are prepared to move on to Precalculus.
Data Science is a semester-long mathematics course that introduces students to the key ideas and tools used to analyze and interpret data in the modern world. Developed by Youcubed in collaboration with Stanford University, the course aligns with California’s evolving mathematics framework and is approved as an A–G mathematics course for UC/CSU admissions.
Students explore topics such as data analysis, sampling, probability, correlation and causation, bias and uncertainty, and data-based modeling. Using real datasets and digital tools, students learn how data influences decisions and society, while developing strong analytical and critical-thinking skills.
Financial Literacy is a semester-long course that blends essential personal finance concepts with standards-aligned mathematical reasoning. Building on students’ prior learning from Algebra 1 and Algebra 2, the course emphasizes using mathematics to understand the financial landscape and model real-world financial decisions.
Students apply algebraic thinking to topics such as budgeting, saving, investing, credit, and financial planning, strengthening both their quantitative skills and financial awareness.
Social Systems (7/8th grade history, World history, US History, Ethnic Studies, Government and Economics)
Students will analyze different topics and issues from various points of view. Social Systems serves as a lens to look at everything through multiple perspectives and is applicable across all school disciplines. By exploring, analyzing, and synthesizing many different available points of view, students can create their own well-rounded and educated opinions about issues that affect our world today. The goal is to help students develop not only academic skills that will help them in later grades, but also citizenship and life skills that they can use in situations and experiences outside of the classroom.
Natural Systems (7th grade Science, 8th grade Science, Integrated Science 1-3, Health)
Move It (PE)
Move It takes place three days per week. The goal of this course is to promote active student involvement, critical thinking, development and reinforcement of positive health behaviors. Through movement, this class advances the physical, mental, emotional and social well being of each student in the pursuit of lifelong health. Students will have an opportunity to participate in a variety of activities leading to lifelong enjoyment of physical activity. Students are introduced to the benefits of exercise and how to achieve a level of fitness that improves both physical and mental health, providing an opportunity for the enjoyment and challenge of being physically active. Some of the ways this will be achieved is through:
exercises for cardio respiratory endurance, muscular strength, muscular endurance, and flexibility; identifying preferences for physical activity to be pursued over the long term (i.e. walking, hiking, bowling, dance, biking); and learning about and participating in PE sports such as Soccer, Ultimate Frisbee, Basketball, Volleyball, Badminton, Softball and Flag Football and more. Students also explore Social Emotional Learning activities also take place during Move-it allowing students be more mindful and develop skills to positively impact their mental health.
Inquiry Class (Visual Performing Arts)
Inquiry Class (IC) is a fully integrated, inquiry-based course that brings together Visual and Performing Arts with English, Social Studies, Math, and Science into a single learning experience. Rather than treating these subjects separately, students explore big questions and real-world problems that connect across disciplines. NWP’s Inquiry-Based Learning program emphasizes inquiry as both a process and a habit of mind. Students learn how to ask strong questions, investigate information thoughtfully, and communicate their ideas clearly. Through this approach, IC helps students develop empathy and perspective-taking as they analyze and apply information from multiple points of view, and gives students a platform and opportunity to practice the Northwest Prep Leadership Skills
Crossroads Class (College and Career Readiness/Portfolio Development and Defense)
NWP's Crossroads program is a six-year individualized course in career development for all of our students. Crossroads is also where various school community-building exercises and activities occur. The focus of this Career Exploration program is on obtaining skills, attitudes and values that are essential for success in the workplace. The emphasis is on building explicit connections between what we learn in school and how it can be applied to the outside world. Students will explore career fields that they are interested in and learn the process of creating a professional portfolio and resume, learn interviewing skills, and learn how to apply for jobs, colleges, scholarships, and other types of post secondary school training. Students also learn how to set up and participate in job shadows, internships and various work experience opportunities.
Crossroads class is where students design and defend their student portfolios. These portfolios contain responses to the UC Personal Insight Questions, a resume, six reflective analysis documents showing growth in the NWP Leadership Skills, and a closing document stating upcoming goals. Students defend their growth and portfolios to a panel of students and teachers in their 10th, and 12th grade years.
Students in high school Crossroads class also go on two college tours each year, get support completing college applications, filling out financial aid forms as well as getting support with scholarships and grants for college.
World Languages
NWP offers Spanish 1, 2, and 3 to all high school students. Students wishing to take other languages including ASL are able to do so by using the Schools PLP online blended learning platform. Many students also take dual enrollment language courses at the SRJC.
Art 1 (11th Grade Art)
Students work with both 2D and 3D mediums. Throughout the year, this visual arts program offers students a diverse range of art experiences, including in-depth explorations of traditional media such as painting, drawing, printmaking, ceramics, and sculpture. Along with building confidence and skills in various media, students will also learn about art history, critique, vocabulary, and how to interpret art. Art 1 students will learn about materials, proper techniques, and skills to create art, as well as ideas, concepts, and planning strategies, art criticism, aesthetics, and how to incorporate their personal interests and ideas into their work. Students will also participate in discussions and think analytically about art in an art history context.
Career Technical Education (CTE) Pathways
NWP offers many CTE course pathways by utilizing Schools PLP Blended Learning Courses in different CTE sectors. A CTE pathway is a sequence of courses (usually 2–4 years) that allows students to specialize in a specific industry. Unlike traditional electives, these courses are interconnected, building in complexity and often culminating in industry-recognized certifications or college credit.
Schools PLP Catalog
Health/Sex Education
This course is offered to all 7/8th grades students each year through the middle school science curriculum using the Positive Prevention Plus curriculum. Each 9/10th grader also receives Health Education during one year of their high school Science sequence utilizing the Health Connected curriculum.
Health Education topics that may include:
-Nutrition, Mental and Emotional Health, Dealing with Stress, Improving Healthy
-Behaviors, Preventing Food Borne Illness, Reading food labels, Reproductive Health including HIV, STI and Pregnancy Prevention, personal care and body systems understanding and promotion of safe and healthy relationships.
Schools PLP Blended Learning Classes
We offer nearly 300 courses ranging from Credit Recovery to Career Technical Education to Elective Courses using this blended online program with classroom teacher support. Link
Elective opportunities determined each semester:
Music Class- Guitar, Ukulele, Bass, Keyboards
Film and Video Production Class
Garden Class- Seed to Table
Fine Arts
Performing Arts
Mindfulness, Meditation, and Yoga Class
Woodshop Class
Culinary
Language and Communication (ELA 7-12)
English Language Arts courses explore the world through the written word. Our curriculum is designed to help students think deeply and analytically about the world they live in through three core writing domains: argument, informational, and narrative writing.
Our English classes are reading- and writing-intensive. Whenever possible, core texts align with students’ history studies to support and deepen understanding across disciplines. Students learn to identify patterns and systems and to make meaningful connections between themes encountered in literature and social studies.
Students read, analyze, and grapple with a wide range of high-quality texts across genres, cultures, and historical eras. Course themes by grade level include:
- English 7: Medieval World Tour
- English 8: The Story of the U.S. (Early American Literature)
- English 9: Finding Our Voices (Cultural Studies, Poetry, and Narrative)
- English 10: Modern World Literature
- English 11: Modern American Literature
- English 12: Civic Literature
Through sustained reading, writing, discussion, and inquiry, students develop transferable skills—critical thinking, effective communication, and evidence-based reasoning—that support lifelong learning and empower them to advocate for themselves, engage thoughtfully with the world, and exercise agency in their personal, academic, and civic lives.
Mathematical Systems (7/8th grade Math, Algebra 1, Algebra 2, Geometry, Data Science, Personal Finance) At NWP our mathematics program is designed to build strong problem-solving skills, conceptual understanding, and confidence in applying mathematics to real-world situations. Students progress through a thoughtful sequence of courses that prepare them for advanced mathematics in high school, college, and beyond.
7th-grade math, 8th-grade math, Algebra 1, Geometry, and Algebra 2 use the Amplify Desmos Math curriculum. This curriculum follows a structured, problem-based approach that builds on students’ curiosity and encourages deep mathematical thinking. Instruction intentionally connects conceptual understanding, procedural skills, and application, helping students make sense of mathematics rather than memorize isolated procedures.
Together, these courses form the foundation for higher-level mathematics in college. Students who successfully complete Algebra 2 are prepared to move on to Precalculus.
Data Science is a semester-long mathematics course that introduces students to the key ideas and tools used to analyze and interpret data in the modern world. Developed by Youcubed in collaboration with Stanford University, the course aligns with California’s evolving mathematics framework and is approved as an A–G mathematics course for UC/CSU admissions.
Students explore topics such as data analysis, sampling, probability, correlation and causation, bias and uncertainty, and data-based modeling. Using real datasets and digital tools, students learn how data influences decisions and society, while developing strong analytical and critical-thinking skills.
Financial Literacy is a semester-long course that blends essential personal finance concepts with standards-aligned mathematical reasoning. Building on students’ prior learning from Algebra 1 and Algebra 2, the course emphasizes using mathematics to understand the financial landscape and model real-world financial decisions.
Students apply algebraic thinking to topics such as budgeting, saving, investing, credit, and financial planning, strengthening both their quantitative skills and financial awareness.
Social Systems (7/8th grade history, World history, US History, Ethnic Studies, Government and Economics)
Students will analyze different topics and issues from various points of view. Social Systems serves as a lens to look at everything through multiple perspectives and is applicable across all school disciplines. By exploring, analyzing, and synthesizing many different available points of view, students can create their own well-rounded and educated opinions about issues that affect our world today. The goal is to help students develop not only academic skills that will help them in later grades, but also citizenship and life skills that they can use in situations and experiences outside of the classroom.
Natural Systems (7th grade Science, 8th grade Science, Integrated Science 1-3, Health)
- Understand, identify, and interpret the interrelationship between humans and ecological cycles
- Develop scientific literacy to become informed and engaged citizens
- Enliven cognitive awareness around natural resource and materials production, consumption, and use
- Encourage innovative thought about the pressing environmental challenges of our era
- Understand the organization of functioning, healthy systems (from the micro to the macro level) and identify factors that threaten their integrity.
Move It (PE)
Move It takes place three days per week. The goal of this course is to promote active student involvement, critical thinking, development and reinforcement of positive health behaviors. Through movement, this class advances the physical, mental, emotional and social well being of each student in the pursuit of lifelong health. Students will have an opportunity to participate in a variety of activities leading to lifelong enjoyment of physical activity. Students are introduced to the benefits of exercise and how to achieve a level of fitness that improves both physical and mental health, providing an opportunity for the enjoyment and challenge of being physically active. Some of the ways this will be achieved is through:
exercises for cardio respiratory endurance, muscular strength, muscular endurance, and flexibility; identifying preferences for physical activity to be pursued over the long term (i.e. walking, hiking, bowling, dance, biking); and learning about and participating in PE sports such as Soccer, Ultimate Frisbee, Basketball, Volleyball, Badminton, Softball and Flag Football and more. Students also explore Social Emotional Learning activities also take place during Move-it allowing students be more mindful and develop skills to positively impact their mental health.
Inquiry Class (Visual Performing Arts)
Inquiry Class (IC) is a fully integrated, inquiry-based course that brings together Visual and Performing Arts with English, Social Studies, Math, and Science into a single learning experience. Rather than treating these subjects separately, students explore big questions and real-world problems that connect across disciplines. NWP’s Inquiry-Based Learning program emphasizes inquiry as both a process and a habit of mind. Students learn how to ask strong questions, investigate information thoughtfully, and communicate their ideas clearly. Through this approach, IC helps students develop empathy and perspective-taking as they analyze and apply information from multiple points of view, and gives students a platform and opportunity to practice the Northwest Prep Leadership Skills
Crossroads Class (College and Career Readiness/Portfolio Development and Defense)
NWP's Crossroads program is a six-year individualized course in career development for all of our students. Crossroads is also where various school community-building exercises and activities occur. The focus of this Career Exploration program is on obtaining skills, attitudes and values that are essential for success in the workplace. The emphasis is on building explicit connections between what we learn in school and how it can be applied to the outside world. Students will explore career fields that they are interested in and learn the process of creating a professional portfolio and resume, learn interviewing skills, and learn how to apply for jobs, colleges, scholarships, and other types of post secondary school training. Students also learn how to set up and participate in job shadows, internships and various work experience opportunities.
Crossroads class is where students design and defend their student portfolios. These portfolios contain responses to the UC Personal Insight Questions, a resume, six reflective analysis documents showing growth in the NWP Leadership Skills, and a closing document stating upcoming goals. Students defend their growth and portfolios to a panel of students and teachers in their 10th, and 12th grade years.
Students in high school Crossroads class also go on two college tours each year, get support completing college applications, filling out financial aid forms as well as getting support with scholarships and grants for college.
World Languages
NWP offers Spanish 1, 2, and 3 to all high school students. Students wishing to take other languages including ASL are able to do so by using the Schools PLP online blended learning platform. Many students also take dual enrollment language courses at the SRJC.
Art 1 (11th Grade Art)
Students work with both 2D and 3D mediums. Throughout the year, this visual arts program offers students a diverse range of art experiences, including in-depth explorations of traditional media such as painting, drawing, printmaking, ceramics, and sculpture. Along with building confidence and skills in various media, students will also learn about art history, critique, vocabulary, and how to interpret art. Art 1 students will learn about materials, proper techniques, and skills to create art, as well as ideas, concepts, and planning strategies, art criticism, aesthetics, and how to incorporate their personal interests and ideas into their work. Students will also participate in discussions and think analytically about art in an art history context.
Career Technical Education (CTE) Pathways
NWP offers many CTE course pathways by utilizing Schools PLP Blended Learning Courses in different CTE sectors. A CTE pathway is a sequence of courses (usually 2–4 years) that allows students to specialize in a specific industry. Unlike traditional electives, these courses are interconnected, building in complexity and often culminating in industry-recognized certifications or college credit.
Schools PLP Catalog
Health/Sex Education
This course is offered to all 7/8th grades students each year through the middle school science curriculum using the Positive Prevention Plus curriculum. Each 9/10th grader also receives Health Education during one year of their high school Science sequence utilizing the Health Connected curriculum.
Health Education topics that may include:
-Nutrition, Mental and Emotional Health, Dealing with Stress, Improving Healthy
-Behaviors, Preventing Food Borne Illness, Reading food labels, Reproductive Health including HIV, STI and Pregnancy Prevention, personal care and body systems understanding and promotion of safe and healthy relationships.
Schools PLP Blended Learning Classes
We offer nearly 300 courses ranging from Credit Recovery to Career Technical Education to Elective Courses using this blended online program with classroom teacher support. Link
Elective opportunities determined each semester:
Music Class- Guitar, Ukulele, Bass, Keyboards
Film and Video Production Class
Garden Class- Seed to Table
Fine Arts
Performing Arts
Mindfulness, Meditation, and Yoga Class
Woodshop Class
Culinary
