Upper School

Upper School

Upper School (grades 9-12) is a formative time — a period for students to discover who they are as young adults and build the confidence to chart their own path. HBHA's Upper School pairs a rigorous, individualized academic program with hands-on Jewish learning, real leadership opportunities, and experiences that extend well beyond the classroom. Every student works with faculty and our college guidance team to build a personalized path, enabling each student to thrive in their own way.

Students are taught "beyond the test," developing strong academic skills alongside self-advocacy, leadership, and a lasting connection to Jewish life and Israel.

Academics

HBHA's college-preparatory curriculum challenges students while giving them room to pursue their own interests. Students choose from a full slate of Advanced Placement courses — AP Literature, AP Language, AP US History, AP US Government, AP Pre-Calculus, AP Calculus, AP Statistics, and the newly added AP Research and AP Capstone — and can go further through National Honor Society, Kansas Scholar and Distinguished Scholar designations, dual enrollment at JCCC, KU, and UMKC, and internships through CAPS and the Shawnee Mission Signature program.

Because every student's goals are different, pathways are built around the individual. In math, for example, students build a foundation through Algebra II, then choose among AP Precalculus, Applied College Mathematics (a practical, HBHA-designed course focused on college readiness), and — on a rotating schedule — AP Statistics or AP Calculus. Students ready to go further can take higher-level math at JCCC or another local college. That same flexibility runs throughout English, science, social studies, and our elective offerings.

➤ See full Graduation Requirements

Jewish Studies

Jewish Studies remains a core part of every student's schedule throughout Upper School, continuing a course of study that begins in Lower School — deepening into topics like Jewish leadership through the Prophets, life-cycle rituals, and advanced Torah study.

➤ See the Jewish Studies curriculum map

Leadership

At HBHA, leadership isn't confined to a single class — it's something students practice daily. Through Student Council, club leadership, mentorship roles, community service, and school-wide initiatives, every student is encouraged to find their voice, take initiative, and make an impact — inside HBHA and in the wider community.

➤ Learn more about Mentoring

Experiential Learning

Travel is one of the most powerful ways HBHA students learn. Each year, all Middle and Upper School students share a Shabbat experience at the HBHA Shabbaton. On a biennial rotation, 9th and 10th graders take an eight-day journey retracing the Civil Rights Movement across the South, and 11th and 12th graders travel to Germany, Poland, and Israel on the 17-day Jewish Heritage Trip — the culmination of an HBHA education and part of the curriculum for more than 25 years.

➤ Read about Student Trips

College Guidance & Post-Graduation Pathways

Our College Guidance Program involves four distinct phases: exploration, selection, application, and the transition to college. College planning begins early — from course-selection guidance in 9th grade to a dedicated College & Career Planning curriculum starting junior spring. Students meet one-on-one with our college counselor to explore their goals, and families are supported throughout the application and financial aid process. 

For students considering another path after graduation, HBHA also offers expanded guidance around gap year programs in Israel — through yeshiva, seminary, or other meaningful pathways — helping students grow Jewishly, personally, and intellectually before starting the next chapter.

➤ College Guidance Program information

Community Service

Guided by the principle of tikkun olam, HBHA students complete a minimum of 70 hours of community service by graduation — with required hours increasing annually from freshman through senior year. 

➤ Learn more about Community Service at HBHA

Extracurriculars & Electives

Beyond the core curriculum, students shape their Upper School experience through electives like Art, Music, Drama, Creative Writing, Jewish Literature, Tech Club, Yearbook, and RampageWired (our student-run online news source) — plus extracurriculars including no-cut sports (basketball, cross-country, soccer, volleyball), Student Council, National Honor Society, and Holchim Yarok (Environment Club).

Each January, students also take a break from the regular schedule for Winterims — a week of student-chosen courses on everything from Israeli cooking to meditation to MathCounts.

➤ Learn more about Winterims