Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy
Encyclopedia
The Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, or IMSA, is a three-year residential public high school located in Aurora, Illinois
, USA, with an enrollment of approximately 650 students. Enrollment is generally offered to freshmen, although 8th graders who have had the equivalent of one year of Algebra, and a 9th grade Science credit may be invited to skip ninth grade and enroll as sophomores. All applicants undergo a competitive admissions process involving grades, recommendations, essays, and the SAT
. Rising sophomores are usually chosen over rising freshmen if IMSA has to decide between two applicants. Historically, nearly one third to one fifth of all applicants in any given year are admitted. Due to its nature as a public institution, there are no charges related to tuition or housing; however, there is an annual student fee which may be reduced or waived based on income.
, director emeritus of nearby Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory
in Batavia, Illinois
, was among the first to propose the school in 1982, and together with Governor Jim Thompson
led the effort for its creation. Thompson has noted with pride that he chose to build IMSA instead of competing for the ill-fated supercollider
project.
The school was established by the Illinois General Assembly
in 1985, and opened to students in 1986. The academy is housed in a building constructed in 1978 as the north campus of West Aurora High School
, with seven outlying dormitories built after IMSA took over the campus. IMSA's first class graduated in 1989, with the commencement speech delivered by Lederman. IMSA is one of the few high schools in the country to possess a .edu
second-level domain.
The founding president of the school is former Batavia
Superintendent Stephanie Pace Marshall
, winner of the Lincoln Laureate Award, who was involved with the project from the start and helped write IMSA's original legislation. Marshall retired from the position on June 30, 2007, and was later named President Emerita by the Board of Trustees. She still has an office on campus and continues to position IMSA on the national and international stages. Marshall serves on the board of several non-profit and for-profit institutions, including nearby Tellabs
.
Although the school received a budget cut in financial year 2002, its budget has since increased, with the support of House
Minority Leader Tom Cross
.
Prospective students, who are usually freshmen in high school but in some cases can be students in eighth grade, fill out an application to gain admission to IMSA. The application can be completed online at here.
The applications consists of an official transcript from the student's last 2½ years of school, scores on the SAT I
, several long and short essays totaling roughly four to five pages, three teacher recommendations in science, mathematics, and English, and a list of awards and extracurricular activities. Since it draws students from across the state, it is sometimes considered a magnet school
.
In order to draw greater numbers of applications and "transform teaching and learning," IMSA has an outreach network run by The Center for Advancement and Renewal of Learning and Teaching (The Center@IMSA). Some students who are invited to attend IMSA are admitted on the condition that they successfully complete a three-week, intensive preparation course, known as EXCEL, over the summer. IMSA has a fairly low retention rate; the average retention rate per class is 85%. The reasons for this may include the difficulty of the IMSA curriculum, home-sickness, disciplinary expulsion, student's family moving out of state, and the inability for Illinois students to matriculate to IMSA after their sophomore year.
In addition to the academic program, IMSA also offers over 50 clubs ranging from political groups and religious clubs to volunteer organizations http://students.imsa.edu/org/sc/files/files/Club%20Head.pdf. All these clubs are chartered by the Student Council, colloquially referred to as StudCo.
IMSA bills itself as an "educational laboratory", and as such tries out experimental teaching techniques. These range from how classes are laid out to what is taught and even to who takes them; in the early 1990s IMSA received national attention for an exploratory study on whether girls learned physics better in single-sex or co-ed environments, as conducted by charter physics faculty, Dr. David Workman. IMSA's main math sequence, entitled "Mathematical Investigations" and in development by IMSA faculty since 1991, was published in handbook form in 2005 and is beginning to be adopted by other school districts in the state of Illinois, such as Community Unit School District 303
in St. Charles (at St. Charles East
& St. Charles North
). IMSA's core science curriculum has been through a number of ground-up restructurings, its implementation divided the old scientific inquiry curriculum into four classes: Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Methods of Scientific Inquiry.
IMSA does not use report cards, but uses an online "student information service", PowerSchool
. All grades and attendance are recorded in PowerSchool, where both the student and the parents can view these at any time.
Unlike conventional public high schools, a student does not have the same class schedule for every day. The days are instead divided into A, B, C, D, and Inquiry (I) days, each with their own class schedule. For the most part, A days are Mondays, B days are Tuesdays, C days are Thursdays, and D days are Fridays. IMSA students usually only attend class for four days per week, with most Wednesdays considered I days, days reserved for research and co-curricular activities. A given class may meet all four days, but need not meet for the same amount of time nor even begin at the same time each day. However, some classes may meet three, two, or in some special cases, only one day per week. Generally, A & C days have the same schedules and B & D days have the same schedules, although for students, usually sophomores, this is not the case. The pattern for each class is usually reduced to a pair of numbers: a 3-2 class meets for 3 mods on A and C days, and only 2 on B and D days, while a 0-4 meets only on B and D days, for 4 mods each day. As a result, there is considerable variation as to how many classroom minutes each course has per week:
There are a small but growing number of courses which vary even from this structure.
There is also a two semester additional requirement that can be filled by either math or science electives. Once these requirements are complete, students are free to take electives in any area. Most students take a full six semesters of foreign language, for instance, and despite its nominal status as a "math and science academy", IMSA offers a variety of electives in English and History as well.
The computer science courses are considered math electives. Courses on Web Technologies, Object-Oriented Programming, Assembly Language Programming, Advanced Placement Computer Science, as well as various others are offered.
Students who exhaust a significant portion of the elective curriculum are eligible to take advanced courses that are offered on a by-need basis. Examples include Linear Algebra, Abstract Algebra, and Group Theory, among others. If a student wants, he/she may also conduct an independent study of his or her choice under a member of the math faculty. Popular independent studies include Group Theory, Game Theory, Set Theory, in addition to various others.
Electives include Advanced Chemistry, Biochemistry, Organic Chemistry, Environmental Chemistry, Advanced Physics, Calculus-Based Physics, Modern Physics, Planetary Science, Electronics, Molecular and Cellular Biology, Microbes and Disease, Physiology and Disease, and Bioinformatics.
Students may take elective courses after completing the core requirements, although this is not required. Electives offered include International Relations, European History, Political Theory, Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, History of Philosophy, History of Biology, History of Astronomy, as well as various others.
There are multiple bands, choirs, and orchestras in which a student can be placed depending on playing ability.
A complete list of IMSA course offerings can be viewed on the IMSA website, in a document titled Learning Opportunities.
During the week before the second semester students are required to participate in Intersession, a week they choose from among dozens of enrichment sessions and off-campus trips. Most students choose to participate in two half-day or one full-day on-campus course(s), while a small number travel abroad on faculty-sponsored trips to countries including France
, Spain
, and Russia
, and others perform a week of mentorship. Classes range from "Build Your Own Computer" to studying lighthouse keeping at Washington State. Alumni often teach Intersession courses and lead overseas trips along with faculty members. Clubs are also allowed to take trips and do activities during this time. The scuba club takes a trip to the Caribbean, while the FIRST Robotics team 2022 spends the week building a robot.
Student Inquiry and Research
Most Wednesdays are "I Days" (for "inquiry") and are usually reserved for research in the SIR programs. http://www.imsa.edu/learning/inquiry/ These programs give students the opportunity to develop their own scientific research and/or to work with scientists, primarily from around the Chicago area. Popular research locations include the University of Illinois at Chicago, the University of Chicago, Illinois Institute of Technology, the Adler Planetarium, Fermilab, and Argonne National Laboratory. All IMSA students are encouraged to participate in this program, and several every year present their research results in academic conferences and in scientific publications. Also, all students who have participated in research are required to present their research in April on a day called IMSAloquium, with students presenting posters and powerpoint presentations to visitors.
Usually, only students in grades 11-12 participate in these programs. Sophomores go to Navigation (first semester) or other required activities, usually seminars, (second semester) from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM, where they are helped with adjusting to residential life and other affective issues; they then have the rest of the day off to work on assignments from their classes.
Other Program Notes: IMSA PBL runs one summer program for middle school students called Summer Sleuths, in which students are challenged to solve a serious problem affecting the state of Illinois; to formulate a solution with the assistance of newly certified PBL teachers, the Sleuths must develop research and analytical skills as well as scientific and mathematical knowledge. IMSA FUSION is an after-school enrichment program that aims to stimulate schools and students in the instruction of math and science. All PFS Programs place a special emphasis on students who are historically under-represented and under-served in math and science.
Many IMSA students contribute time and energy to external programs. IMSA Students deliver a popular STEM program called "IMSA on Wheels (IoW)" that provides an educational and entertaining STEM enrichment demonstration to Illinois schools. Additionally, IMSA Students provide facilitation and coaching to participants in the IMSA Summer programs. These opportunities enable IMSA students to hone the skills developed in the academic program by facilitating the learning of younger students (Summer@IMSA students range from 3rd to 10th grade).
Uniquely, Professional Field Services, also operates three Field Offices in Illinois. Field Offices are regional sites that enable IMSA to assess targeted community needs, then develop collaborative interventions to enable local school districts and community organizations to enhance student achievement in targeted communities. IMSA Field Offices are located in the Metro-east Community, Rock Island, and Chicago.
Professional Field Services (PFS) also manages the transfer of IMSA's unique Inquiry-based pedagogy and STEM curricula to other Illinois educational institutions.
There are seven residence halls on campus. Each hall is composed of four wings housing up to 24 students each. Three halls are all-male, three are all-female, and a seventh contains two all-male wings and two all-female wings. All rooms have their own attached bathroom and standard residence hall furniture for two students. Furniture includes a desk, wardrobe, bed frame, mattress, and desk lamps for each student. Two pairs of rooms in each wing ("quads") have connecting doors that the residents can petition to have opened. One room per wing is built to be more accessible to disabled students, with a different room layout and a larger bathroom. One room per hall has a hypoallergenic room, with tile flooring instead of carpet.
Each wing also has a lounge area with a kitchenette
and a television. Many wings have accumulated a variety of other furniture, including chairs, couches, and entertainment centers.
In addition, as a graduation requirement, each student at IMSA is expected to complete a mandatory amount of service/volunteer work for the school that total 200 hours, 75 of which must be completed in an off-campus environment. Like the federally-funded college work-study program, a variety of jobs are available, both skilled and unskilled.
The program is in place to ensure the development of students' skills not only within the classroom, but also as a part of the community, whether it be local or global.
One example of a campus-organized program is the Residential Student Leadership program. It consists of Students taking upon the responsibility of creating an atmosphere within the residential aspect of the students' careers at IMSA. This can be achieved by creating and organizing events, either academic-based such as study sessions, or stress-relief based such as movie nights or special dinners.
An example of an off-campus activity commonly participated in by IMSA students is Habitat for Humanity. (See the Wikipedia article Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity)
IMSA students also produce the Heliotrope, an art and literature magazine that produces an annual edition.
The Acronym is IMSA's newspaper. In 2008, the publication began publishing online, ceasing paper publishing in the 2008–2009 school year and turning the newspaper into more of a blog format. During the 2011-2012 school year, The Acronym deviated from the blog-esque publishing style and returned to something more akin to a newspaper.
IMSA's Yearbook, The Gallimaufry, was featured in the 2006, 2007, and 2008 "Yearbook Yearbook", Taylor Publishing's books of exemplary work.
(IHSA), the organization which governs most sports and competitive activities in the state of Illinois. Teams are stylized as the Titans.
The school sponsors interscholastic teams for young men and women in basketball
, cross country
, golf
, soccer, swimming & diving
, tennis
, track & field, and volleyball
. Young men may compete in baseball
, while young women may compete in bowling
, cheerleading
, and softball
. While not sponsored by the IHSA, the school also sponsors a dance team for young men and women.
competitions. In the class of 2009, five students were named Siemens Regional Finalists and ten others as semifinalists.
Six mathematics teachers have been honored with the Edyth May Sliffe Award
: Titu Andreescu
(1994), Ronald Vavrinek (1995), Micah Fogel (2001), Steven Condie (2002), Michael Keyton (2003), Don Porzio (2004), and Steven Condie (2nd award) (2007). Asteroid 21441 Stevencondie is named after Dr. Condie.
IMSA has repeatedly been included on Newsweek's annual list of "Best High Schools in America" under "Public Elites" for the fifth straight year, due to the above-average SAT and ACT scores of exiting students.
IMSA was also one of the top four High Schools in the Mandelbrot Competition
in the 2003–2004 school year.
IMSA was named the nationwide winner of the 2009 Intel Star Innovator Award.
Aurora, Illinois
Aurora is the second most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois, and the 112th largest city in the United States. A suburb of Chicago, located west of the Loop, its population in 2010 was 197,899. Originally founded within Kane County, Aurora's city limits have expanded greatly over the past...
, USA, with an enrollment of approximately 650 students. Enrollment is generally offered to freshmen, although 8th graders who have had the equivalent of one year of Algebra, and a 9th grade Science credit may be invited to skip ninth grade and enroll as sophomores. All applicants undergo a competitive admissions process involving grades, recommendations, essays, and the SAT
SAT
The SAT Reasoning Test is a standardized test for college admissions in the United States. The SAT is owned, published, and developed by the College Board, a nonprofit organization in the United States. It was formerly developed, published, and scored by the Educational Testing Service which still...
. Rising sophomores are usually chosen over rising freshmen if IMSA has to decide between two applicants. Historically, nearly one third to one fifth of all applicants in any given year are admitted. Due to its nature as a public institution, there are no charges related to tuition or housing; however, there is an annual student fee which may be reduced or waived based on income.
History
Nobel laureate Leon LedermanLeon M. Lederman
Leon Max Lederman is an American experimental physicist and Nobel Prize in Physics laureate for his work with neutrinos. He is Director Emeritus of Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory in Batavia, Illinois, USA...
, director emeritus of nearby Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory
Fermilab
Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory , located just outside Batavia, Illinois, near Chicago, is a US Department of Energy national laboratory specializing in high-energy particle physics...
in Batavia, Illinois
Batavia, Illinois
Batavia was founded in 1833, and is the oldest city in Kane County, Illinois, with a small portion in DuPage County. During the Industrial Revolution, Batavia became known as ‘The Windmill City’ for being the largest windmill producer of the time...
, was among the first to propose the school in 1982, and together with Governor Jim Thompson
James R. Thompson
James Robert Thompson, Jr. , also known as Big Jim Thompson, was the 37th and longest serving Governor of the US state of Illinois...
led the effort for its creation. Thompson has noted with pride that he chose to build IMSA instead of competing for the ill-fated supercollider
Superconducting Super Collider
The Superconducting Super Collider was a particle accelerator complex under construction in the vicinity of Waxahachie, Texas that was set to be world's largest and most energetic, surpassing the current record held by the Large Hadron Collider. Its planned ring circumference was with an energy...
project.
The school was established by the Illinois General Assembly
Illinois General Assembly
The Illinois General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Illinois and comprises the Illinois House of Representatives and the Illinois Senate. The General Assembly was created by the first state constitution adopted in 1818. Illinois has 59 legislative districts, with two...
in 1985, and opened to students in 1986. The academy is housed in a building constructed in 1978 as the north campus of West Aurora High School
West Aurora High School
West Aurora High School, or WAHS, is a public four-year high school located in Aurora, Illinois. It is part of West Aurora Public School District 129. The school is also referred to as "West," and "West High,".- History :...
, with seven outlying dormitories built after IMSA took over the campus. IMSA's first class graduated in 1989, with the commencement speech delivered by Lederman. IMSA is one of the few high schools in the country to possess a .edu
.edu
The domain name edu is a sponsored top-level domain in the Domain Name System of the Internet. The "domain is intended for accredited post-secondary educational U.S. institutions" and this intention is strictly enforced....
second-level domain.
The founding president of the school is former Batavia
Batavia, Illinois
Batavia was founded in 1833, and is the oldest city in Kane County, Illinois, with a small portion in DuPage County. During the Industrial Revolution, Batavia became known as ‘The Windmill City’ for being the largest windmill producer of the time...
Superintendent Stephanie Pace Marshall
Stephanie Pace Marshall
Dr. Stephanie Pace Marshall is an educator and the founding president of the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy. She is also the founding president of the National Consortium for Specialized Secondary Schools of Mathematics, Science and Technology .-Education:Marshall received a BA from...
, winner of the Lincoln Laureate Award, who was involved with the project from the start and helped write IMSA's original legislation. Marshall retired from the position on June 30, 2007, and was later named President Emerita by the Board of Trustees. She still has an office on campus and continues to position IMSA on the national and international stages. Marshall serves on the board of several non-profit and for-profit institutions, including nearby Tellabs
Tellabs
Tellabs, Inc. is a telecommunications company that designs and manufactures equipment for service providers.Ranked among the BusinessWeek InfoTech 100, Tellabs is part of the NASDAQ-100 Index, NASDAQ Global Select Market, Ocean Tomo 300 Patent Index and the S&P 500...
.
Although the school received a budget cut in financial year 2002, its budget has since increased, with the support of House
Illinois House of Representatives
The Illinois House of Representatives is the lower house of the Illinois General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Illinois. The body was created by the first Illinois Constitution adopted in 1818. The state House of Representatives is made of 118 representatives elected from...
Minority Leader Tom Cross
Tom Cross (politician)
Tom Cross is a Republican member of the Illinois House of Representatives, representing the 84th district where he has served since 1993...
.
Admission
The applications consists of an official transcript from the student's last 2½ years of school, scores on the SAT I
SAT
The SAT Reasoning Test is a standardized test for college admissions in the United States. The SAT is owned, published, and developed by the College Board, a nonprofit organization in the United States. It was formerly developed, published, and scored by the Educational Testing Service which still...
, several long and short essays totaling roughly four to five pages, three teacher recommendations in science, mathematics, and English, and a list of awards and extracurricular activities. Since it draws students from across the state, it is sometimes considered a magnet school
Magnet school
In education in the United States, magnet schools are public schools with specialized courses or curricula. "Magnet" refers to how the schools draw students from across the normal boundaries defined by authorities as school zones that feed into certain schools.There are magnet schools at the...
.
Historic admission statistics
| Admission statistics | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class | Number of students invited | Number of students graduated | Average incoming SAT CR score | Average incoming SAT math score |
| 2013 | 224 | N/A | 612 | 675 |
| 2012 | 252 | N/A | 590 | 665 |
| 2011 | 253 | 200 | 577 | 637 |
| 2010 | 231 | 177 | 587 | 652 |
| 2009 | 242 | 201 | 594 | 634 |
| 2008 | 242 | 204 | 595 | 644 |
| 2007 | 253 | 203 | 658 | 715 |
| 2006 | 240 | 184 | 601 | 649 |
| 2005 | ? | 208 | ? | ? |
| 2004 | 246 | 199 | 590 | 638 |
| 2003 | 230 | 189 | 601 | 648 |
| 2002 | 220 | 177 | 595 | 650 |
| 2001 | ? | 224 | ? | ? |
| 2000 | ? | 191 | ? | ? |
| 1999 | ? | 187 | ? | ? |
In order to draw greater numbers of applications and "transform teaching and learning," IMSA has an outreach network run by The Center for Advancement and Renewal of Learning and Teaching (The Center@IMSA). Some students who are invited to attend IMSA are admitted on the condition that they successfully complete a three-week, intensive preparation course, known as EXCEL, over the summer. IMSA has a fairly low retention rate; the average retention rate per class is 85%. The reasons for this may include the difficulty of the IMSA curriculum, home-sickness, disciplinary expulsion, student's family moving out of state, and the inability for Illinois students to matriculate to IMSA after their sophomore year.
Academics
Students at IMSA take rigorous college preparatory courses, with all classes being taught at the honors level, though IMSA philosophically spurns the Advanced Placement curriculum. Each student must fulfill a set of specific credits in order to graduate. This set of credits is broken down by academic subject. Each semester-long class counts for 0.5 credits, unless it meets with greater-than-normal frequency.In addition to the academic program, IMSA also offers over 50 clubs ranging from political groups and religious clubs to volunteer organizations http://students.imsa.edu/org/sc/files/files/Club%20Head.pdf. All these clubs are chartered by the Student Council, colloquially referred to as StudCo.
IMSA bills itself as an "educational laboratory", and as such tries out experimental teaching techniques. These range from how classes are laid out to what is taught and even to who takes them; in the early 1990s IMSA received national attention for an exploratory study on whether girls learned physics better in single-sex or co-ed environments, as conducted by charter physics faculty, Dr. David Workman. IMSA's main math sequence, entitled "Mathematical Investigations" and in development by IMSA faculty since 1991, was published in handbook form in 2005 and is beginning to be adopted by other school districts in the state of Illinois, such as Community Unit School District 303
Community Unit School District 303
Community Unit School District 303 is a comprehensive K-12 public education system covering in the Fox Valley, west of Chicago.District 303 serves about 13,590 students from the City of St...
in St. Charles (at St. Charles East
St. Charles East High School
Saint Charles East High School is a public four-year high school located in St. Charles, Illinois, a western suburb of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States. It is part of Community Unit School District 303 which also includes Saint Charles North High School....
& St. Charles North
St. Charles North High School
Saint Charles North High School, or SCN, is a public four-year high school, located in St. Charles, Illinois, a western suburb of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States...
). IMSA's core science curriculum has been through a number of ground-up restructurings, its implementation divided the old scientific inquiry curriculum into four classes: Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Methods of Scientific Inquiry.
IMSA does not use report cards, but uses an online "student information service", PowerSchool
PowerSchool
PowerSchool is a student information system product of Pearson's Assessment & Information group.-History:PowerSchool was purchased by Apple Inc. on March 13, 2001....
. All grades and attendance are recorded in PowerSchool, where both the student and the parents can view these at any time.
School day
The school day at IMSA runs between 7:30 am and 4:15 pm; however, most students do not have classes for all of the school day. Every school day is divided into 20 mods of equal length. They are 20 minutes long with a 5 minute break between mods. Therefore, 2-mod classes are 45 minutes long, 3-mod classes are 70 minutes long, and 4-mod classes are 95 minutes long. Currently, there are no 5-mod classes, although there have been in years past. Between mods 10 and 11, there is a 35 minute break, the midday break, usually utilized for eating lunch.Unlike conventional public high schools, a student does not have the same class schedule for every day. The days are instead divided into A, B, C, D, and Inquiry (I) days, each with their own class schedule. For the most part, A days are Mondays, B days are Tuesdays, C days are Thursdays, and D days are Fridays. IMSA students usually only attend class for four days per week, with most Wednesdays considered I days, days reserved for research and co-curricular activities. A given class may meet all four days, but need not meet for the same amount of time nor even begin at the same time each day. However, some classes may meet three, two, or in some special cases, only one day per week. Generally, A & C days have the same schedules and B & D days have the same schedules, although for students, usually sophomores, this is not the case. The pattern for each class is usually reduced to a pair of numbers: a 3-2 class meets for 3 mods on A and C days, and only 2 on B and D days, while a 0-4 meets only on B and D days, for 4 mods each day. As a result, there is considerable variation as to how many classroom minutes each course has per week:
| Configuration | Minutes per week |
|---|---|
| 3-0 class (or 0-3) | 140 (2h20m) |
| 2-2 class | 180 (3h) |
| 4-0 class (or 0-4) | 190 (3h10m) |
| 3-2 class (or 2-3) | 230 (3h50m) |
There are a small but growing number of courses which vary even from this structure.
Course requirements
IMSA students have a fairly rigid set of requirements at a departmental level, but within each department (especially in math and the sciences), they have many options for meeting each requirement. The class requirements are as follows, along with the typical meetings times of courses in that department (for clarity the symmetric alternatives are omitted---e.g. "3-2" below means "either 3-2 or 2-3"):- Math: 3-2 for six semesters, though a small number of upperclass math electives are 3-0.
- Science: two 4-0 classes for two (sophomore) semesters, but some classes can be tested out of, then four semesters of electives. Most electives are 4-0, but some are 5-0, and some are 3-2.
- Foreign language: 3-2 for four semesters.
- English: 3-3-2 for two (sophomore) semesters(new as of the 2006–2007 school year one day a week without English), then 3-0 for four semesters.
- History and social science: 3-3-2 for two (sophomore) semesters (same as sophomore English), then 3-0 for three semesters.
- Wellness: 3-2 for one (sophomore) semester, then 3-0 for one semester.
- Fine arts: 3-2 or 4-0 for one semester.
There is also a two semester additional requirement that can be filled by either math or science electives. Once these requirements are complete, students are free to take electives in any area. Most students take a full six semesters of foreign language, for instance, and despite its nominal status as a "math and science academy", IMSA offers a variety of electives in English and History as well.
Course offerings
IMSA offers a wide variety of rigorous courses spanning a number of academic fields. For all core academic disciplines (math, science, history, and English), there are core academic requirements. Once these are met students are free to take electives in that subject. Some electives may be taken concurrently with core classes.Math
Core curriculum includes the Mathematical Investigations (MI) series, from MI I to MI IV, which is a four semester series covering topics in Algebra II/Trigonometry to Pre-Calculus, and the AB and BC Calculus series. Students may be placed into either the AB or the BC Calculus tracks depending on performance in the MI courses or based on a placement test. Many elective options are offered including popular ones such as Multi-Variable Calculus, Differential Equations, Discrete Mathematics, Number Theory, and Statistics. However, there are also various others on a which cover a variety of mathematical topics including Advanced Geometry, Graph Theory, Polyhedra and Geodesics, Problem Solving, Advanced Problem Solving, and Mathematica.The computer science courses are considered math electives. Courses on Web Technologies, Object-Oriented Programming, Assembly Language Programming, Advanced Placement Computer Science, as well as various others are offered.
Students who exhaust a significant portion of the elective curriculum are eligible to take advanced courses that are offered on a by-need basis. Examples include Linear Algebra, Abstract Algebra, and Group Theory, among others. If a student wants, he/she may also conduct an independent study of his or her choice under a member of the math faculty. Popular independent studies include Group Theory, Game Theory, Set Theory, in addition to various others.
Science
Core curriculum includes the Scientific Investigations (SI) series, which are a series of four semester-long courses taken during a student's sophomore year. They include SI Physics, SI Biology, and SI Chemistry, classes which introduce students to the respective courses subject matter, and Methods in Scientific Inquiry, a course which teaches scientific writing, basic experimental methodology, and basic statistical analysis. After a student's sophomore year, they are free to take science class so long as they meet the prerequisites and graduation requirements.Electives include Advanced Chemistry, Biochemistry, Organic Chemistry, Environmental Chemistry, Advanced Physics, Calculus-Based Physics, Modern Physics, Planetary Science, Electronics, Molecular and Cellular Biology, Microbes and Disease, Physiology and Disease, and Bioinformatics.
History
Core curriculum includes American Studies and World Studies, year-long courses taken during a student's sophomore and junior years respectively. These courses cover various aspects of American and World history and focus on using primary source documents in analysis.Students may take elective courses after completing the core requirements, although this is not required. Electives offered include International Relations, European History, Political Theory, Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, History of Philosophy, History of Biology, History of Astronomy, as well as various others.
Fine arts
There is no core fine arts curriculum. Electives include Band, Orchestra, and Choir, as well as Photography and Ceramics.There are multiple bands, choirs, and orchestras in which a student can be placed depending on playing ability.
English
English core curriculum includes the Literary Explorations (LE) series, a series of courses spanning three semesters covering topics in American and British literature. Electives students may take include Romantic Poetry and Prose, Idea of the Individual, Portraits of Creativity, IMSATube: Film, Graphic Novels, Film Studies, as well as others.Foreign language
Foreign language courses are year-long courses in which students are "immersed" in the language. Languages offered include Spanish, French, German, Chinese, Russian, and Japanese. Spanish, French and German are offered up to level 5 while Russian, Chinese, and Japanese are only offered to level 3. Students who are native speakers of any language are not eligible to take that language. Additionally, a linguistics course is offered to interested students.A complete list of IMSA course offerings can be viewed on the IMSA website, in a document titled Learning Opportunities.
Other academic programs
IntersessionDuring the week before the second semester students are required to participate in Intersession, a week they choose from among dozens of enrichment sessions and off-campus trips. Most students choose to participate in two half-day or one full-day on-campus course(s), while a small number travel abroad on faculty-sponsored trips to countries including France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, and Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, and others perform a week of mentorship. Classes range from "Build Your Own Computer" to studying lighthouse keeping at Washington State. Alumni often teach Intersession courses and lead overseas trips along with faculty members. Clubs are also allowed to take trips and do activities during this time. The scuba club takes a trip to the Caribbean, while the FIRST Robotics team 2022 spends the week building a robot.
Student Inquiry and Research
Most Wednesdays are "I Days" (for "inquiry") and are usually reserved for research in the SIR programs. http://www.imsa.edu/learning/inquiry/ These programs give students the opportunity to develop their own scientific research and/or to work with scientists, primarily from around the Chicago area. Popular research locations include the University of Illinois at Chicago, the University of Chicago, Illinois Institute of Technology, the Adler Planetarium, Fermilab, and Argonne National Laboratory. All IMSA students are encouraged to participate in this program, and several every year present their research results in academic conferences and in scientific publications. Also, all students who have participated in research are required to present their research in April on a day called IMSAloquium, with students presenting posters and powerpoint presentations to visitors.
Usually, only students in grades 11-12 participate in these programs. Sophomores go to Navigation (first semester) or other required activities, usually seminars, (second semester) from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM, where they are helped with adjusting to residential life and other affective issues; they then have the rest of the day off to work on assignments from their classes.
External programs
Unlike many other secondary schools, IMSA boasts extracurricular and summer programs for the teachers and students of the State of Illinois. Professional Field Services (PFS), is the division of the academy that directs and manages programs serving Illinois Educators and Students. PFS offerings enable students to develop and sustain Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) skills. PFS educator offerings prepare teachers and administrators to champion and deliver quality Inquiry-based, STEM learning in their local communities. PFS Student offerings include the IMSA FUSION After School program for students ranging from 4th-6th grade, the Kids Institute (KI), Summer@IMSA programs, and ALLIES (selected High School students that lead and facilitate offerings in their community schools). PFS Educator offerings include the Problem Based Learning Network (PBLN), and IMSA FUSION (Offering professional development for educators teaching the FUSION after school program)and the annual "IMSA Teacher Institute Day" for local Mathematics and Science educators.Other Program Notes: IMSA PBL runs one summer program for middle school students called Summer Sleuths, in which students are challenged to solve a serious problem affecting the state of Illinois; to formulate a solution with the assistance of newly certified PBL teachers, the Sleuths must develop research and analytical skills as well as scientific and mathematical knowledge. IMSA FUSION is an after-school enrichment program that aims to stimulate schools and students in the instruction of math and science. All PFS Programs place a special emphasis on students who are historically under-represented and under-served in math and science.
Many IMSA students contribute time and energy to external programs. IMSA Students deliver a popular STEM program called "IMSA on Wheels (IoW)" that provides an educational and entertaining STEM enrichment demonstration to Illinois schools. Additionally, IMSA Students provide facilitation and coaching to participants in the IMSA Summer programs. These opportunities enable IMSA students to hone the skills developed in the academic program by facilitating the learning of younger students (Summer@IMSA students range from 3rd to 10th grade).
Uniquely, Professional Field Services, also operates three Field Offices in Illinois. Field Offices are regional sites that enable IMSA to assess targeted community needs, then develop collaborative interventions to enable local school districts and community organizations to enhance student achievement in targeted communities. IMSA Field Offices are located in the Metro-east Community, Rock Island, and Chicago.
Professional Field Services (PFS) also manages the transfer of IMSA's unique Inquiry-based pedagogy and STEM curricula to other Illinois educational institutions.
Residence halls
Each wing also has a lounge area with a kitchenette
Kitchenette
A kitchenette is a small cooking area.In motel and hotel rooms, small apartments, college dormitories, or office buildings a kitchenette usually consists of a small refrigerator, a microwave oven or hotplate, and, less frequently, a sink...
and a television. Many wings have accumulated a variety of other furniture, including chairs, couches, and entertainment centers.
Study hours and work service
Study hours are within two-hour block set aside from 7 pm to 9 pm on Monday through Thursday for all sophomores that ensure academic progress. Within these hours, students are expected to be working on academic material and are checked for this too. They are put in place to ensure that the transition into a new lifestyle does not affect that academic progress. After the second semester, sophomores can have the parents agree to let their students be exempt from these mandatory hours. For their Junior and Senior years, students are not required to have these hours.In addition, as a graduation requirement, each student at IMSA is expected to complete a mandatory amount of service/volunteer work for the school that total 200 hours, 75 of which must be completed in an off-campus environment. Like the federally-funded college work-study program, a variety of jobs are available, both skilled and unskilled.
The program is in place to ensure the development of students' skills not only within the classroom, but also as a part of the community, whether it be local or global.
One example of a campus-organized program is the Residential Student Leadership program. It consists of Students taking upon the responsibility of creating an atmosphere within the residential aspect of the students' careers at IMSA. This can be achieved by creating and organizing events, either academic-based such as study sessions, or stress-relief based such as movie nights or special dinners.
An example of an off-campus activity commonly participated in by IMSA students is Habitat for Humanity. (See the Wikipedia article Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity)
Publications
Hadron is IMSA's student-run math and science magazine, a periodical which focuses on science and its application to current events and popular culture.IMSA students also produce the Heliotrope, an art and literature magazine that produces an annual edition.
The Acronym is IMSA's newspaper. In 2008, the publication began publishing online, ceasing paper publishing in the 2008–2009 school year and turning the newspaper into more of a blog format. During the 2011-2012 school year, The Acronym deviated from the blog-esque publishing style and returned to something more akin to a newspaper.
IMSA's Yearbook, The Gallimaufry, was featured in the 2006, 2007, and 2008 "Yearbook Yearbook", Taylor Publishing's books of exemplary work.
Athletics
IMSA, starting in the 2009–2010 school year started competing in the Northeastern Athletic Conference (NAC), and is a member of the Illinois High School AssociationIllinois High School Association
The Illinois High School Association is one of 521 state high school associations in the United States, designed to regulate competition in most interscholastic sports and some interscholastic activities at the high school level. It is a charter member of the National Federation of State High...
(IHSA), the organization which governs most sports and competitive activities in the state of Illinois. Teams are stylized as the Titans.
The school sponsors interscholastic teams for young men and women in basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, cross country
Cross country running
Cross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
, golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
, soccer, swimming & diving
Diving
Diving is the sport of jumping or falling into water from a platform or springboard, sometimes while performing acrobatics. Diving is an internationally-recognized sport that is part of the Olympic Games. In addition, unstructured and non-competitive diving is a recreational pastime.Diving is one...
, tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
, track & field, and volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
. Young men may compete in baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
, while young women may compete in bowling
Bowling
Bowling Bowling Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule...
, cheerleading
Cheerleading
Cheerleading is a physical activity, sometimes a competitive sport, based on organized routines, usually ranging from one to three minutes, which contain the components of tumbling, dance, jumps, cheers, and stunting to direct spectators of events to cheer on sports teams at games or to participate...
, and softball
Softball
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
. While not sponsored by the IHSA, the school also sponsors a dance team for young men and women.
Competitive activities
The following teams have finished in the top four of their respective IHSA sponsored state championship tournament:- ChessChessChess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
: 4th place (1997–98, 98–99, 2009–10); 3rd place (1990–91, 94–95, 2003–04, 04–05); 2nd place (1989–90); State Champions (1986–87, 87–88, 95–96, 96–97) - Scholastic BowlQuizbowlQuiz bowl is a family of games of questions and answers on all topics of human knowledge that is commonly played by students enrolled in high school or college, although some participants begin in middle or even elementary school...
: 4th place (1991–92); 3rd place (2009–10); 2nd place (1992–93); State Champions (1988–89, 89–90, 93–94, 95–96, 96–97, 97–98, 98–99, 2000–01, 2011)
Student Council
In addition to its primary role as the mediator between administrators and students, the Student Council controls large aspects of the residential life. The Student Council Website maintains a trip wiki, which lists trips to local restaurants, stores, and venues that are taken by residential conselors. The website is also used by all student council chartered clubs as a means of communication. Campus-wide events are displayed here and students have personalized calendars listing all their club meetings.Peer Multicultural Educators (PME)
As an institution with competitive admissions, IMSA has taken initiatives to improve diversity within the community. PME represents the student body's initiative to improve the condition of living at IMSA by combating racism, sexism, residence hall stereotyping, segregation, and more. PME conducts research on student perspectives, manages funds for cultural clubs chartered by Student Council, and conducts diversity work including various workshops and programs.Leadership Education and Development (LEAD)
IMSA is unique in that it is one of few high schools that has a program whose main purpose is to educate students about leadership. The LEAD program, which is mandatory to incoming sophomores, teaches essential skills and concepts that serve as an integral part of leadership. The first semester of the program consists of teaching concepts; the second semester of the program focuses on applying concepts learned in the first semester to the real-world. The 2007–2008 LEAD program introduced an organization simulation as the real-world integration. The LEAD program is almost entirely student-run, with two student co-coordinators and approximately 20 facilitators each year, in addition to a Student Life staff that simply oversees the program.Awards
IMSA consistently ranks at the top of the nation in standardized test scores (of roughly 200 students in the senior class, about 50 are National Merit Semifinalists), as well as in the prestigious Siemens and Intel ScienceIntel Science Talent Search
The Intel Science Talent Search , known for its first 57 years as the Westinghouse Science Talent Search is a research-based science competition in the United States for high school seniors. It has been referred to as "the nation's oldest and most prestigious" science competition. In his speech...
competitions. In the class of 2009, five students were named Siemens Regional Finalists and ten others as semifinalists.
Six mathematics teachers have been honored with the Edyth May Sliffe Award
Edyth May Sliffe Award
The Edyth May Sliffe Award is given annually to 20 teachers in the United States by the Mathematical Association of America . The awards are funded by a bequest from a retired high school mathematics teacher named Edyth May Sliffe, of Emeryville, California. Her purpose was to award high school...
: Titu Andreescu
Titu Andreescu
Titu Andreescu is an associate professor of mathematics at the University of Texas at Dallas. He is also firmly involved in mathematics contests and olympiads, having been the Director of AMC , Director of MOP, Head Coach of the USA IMO Team and Chairman of the USAMO...
(1994), Ronald Vavrinek (1995), Micah Fogel (2001), Steven Condie (2002), Michael Keyton (2003), Don Porzio (2004), and Steven Condie (2nd award) (2007). Asteroid 21441 Stevencondie is named after Dr. Condie.
IMSA has repeatedly been included on Newsweek's annual list of "Best High Schools in America" under "Public Elites" for the fifth straight year, due to the above-average SAT and ACT scores of exiting students.
IMSA was also one of the top four High Schools in the Mandelbrot Competition
Mandelbrot Competition
Named in honor of the Mandelbrot set, the Mandelbrot Competition is a mathematics competition founded by Sam Vandervelde, Richard Rusczyk and Sandor Lehoczky that allows high school students to compete individually and in four-person teams.-Competition:...
in the 2003–2004 school year.
IMSA was named the nationwide winner of the 2009 Intel Star Innovator Award.
Notable alumni
- Dominic ArmatoDominic ArmatoDominic Armato is a voice actor who is known primarily for his work on LucasArts games.Dominic had been a fan of adventure games, specifically LucasArts game such as the Monkey Island games...
(1993) - voice actor - Steve ChenSteve Chen (YouTube)Steven Shih "Steve" Chen is a Chinese Taiwanese American and a co-founder and previous Chief Technology Officer of the popular video sharing website YouTube.- Early years and education :...
(1996)- co-founder/Chief Technology Officer of YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
, and an early engineer at PayPalPayPalPayPal is an American-based global e-commerce business allowing payments and money transfers to be made through the Internet. Online money transfers serve as electronic alternatives to paying with traditional paper methods, such as checks and money orders....
. - Rob McCool (1991) - author of NCSA HTTPdNCSA HTTPdNCSA HTTPd was a web server originally developed at the NCSA by Robert McCool and others. It was among the earliest web servers developed, following Tim Berners-Lee's CERN httpd, Tony Sanders' Plexus server, and some others. It was for some time the natural counterpart to the Mosaic web browser in...
web server and an early NetscapeNetscapeNetscape Communications is a US computer services company, best known for Netscape Navigator, its web browser. When it was an independent company, its headquarters were in Mountain View, California...
employee who was a member of the team which invented the early web browser, MosaicMosaic (web browser)Mosaic is the web browser credited with popularizing the World Wide Web. It was also a client for earlier protocols such as FTP, NNTP, and gopher. Its clean, easily understood user interface, reliability, Windows port and simple installation all contributed to making it the application that opened...
. He also invented the forerunner of the Apache HTTP ServerApache HTTP ServerThe Apache HTTP Server, commonly referred to as Apache , is web server software notable for playing a key role in the initial growth of the World Wide Web. In 2009 it became the first web server software to surpass the 100 million website milestone...
. - Ramez NaamRamez NaamRamez Naam is a professional technologist. He was involved in the development of widely-used software products such as Microsoft Internet Explorer and Microsoft Outlook....
(1990) - software developer and author. He helped develop MicrosoftMicrosoftMicrosoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
's Internet ExplorerInternet ExplorerWindows Internet Explorer is a series of graphical web browsers developed by Microsoft and included as part of the Microsoft Windows line of operating systems, starting in 1995. It was first released as part of the add-on package Plus! for Windows 95 that year...
and OutlookMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft Outlook is a personal information manager from Microsoft, available both as a separate application as well as a part of the Microsoft Office suite...
. - Yu Pan (1995) - one of the six co-creators of PayPalPayPalPayPal is an American-based global e-commerce business allowing payments and money transfers to be made through the Internet. Online money transfers serve as electronic alternatives to paying with traditional paper methods, such as checks and money orders....
and was the first employee at YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
. - Nathan Gettings '95 - early employee of PayPalPayPalPayPal is an American-based global e-commerce business allowing payments and money transfers to be made through the Internet. Online money transfers serve as electronic alternatives to paying with traditional paper methods, such as checks and money orders....
and co-founder of Palantir TechnologiesPalantir TechnologiesPalantir Technologies, Inc., headquartered in Palo Alto, California, with offices in Tysons Corner, Virginia, New York City and Covent Garden, London, is a software company that produces the Palantir Government and Palantir Finance platforms... - Tay ZondayTay ZondayAdam Nyerere Bahner , better known by the pseudonym Tay Zonday, is an American musician, YouTube personality and voice actor. He is well known by listeners for his deep baritone voice whilst singing. He garnered mainstream exposure when his song "Chocolate Rain", and accompanying video on YouTube,...
'00 - YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
Celebrity ("Chocolate Rain") attended but did not graduate from IMSA - Clara Shih '00 - bestselling author of The Facebook Era and co-founder of Hearsay
- Sam Yagan '95 - one of the co-founders of SparkNotes and has also co-founded OkCupid, one of the largest (free) web-based online dating sites in the world.
- Russel SimmonsRussel SimmonsRussel Simmons is a co-founder of Yelp, Inc..He was previously an early employee of PayPal.- References :...
'95 - early employee of PayPalPayPalPayPal is an American-based global e-commerce business allowing payments and money transfers to be made through the Internet. Online money transfers serve as electronic alternatives to paying with traditional paper methods, such as checks and money orders....
and co-founder of YelpYelpYelp, Inc. is a company that operates yelp.com, a social networking, user review, and local search web site. Yelp.com has more than 54 million monthly unique visitors as of late 2010.- History :...
See also
- North Carolina School of Science and MathematicsNorth Carolina School of Science and MathematicsThe North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics is a two-year, public residential high school located in Durham, North Carolina, that focuses on the intensive study of science, mathematics and technology. The school accepts rising juniors from across North Carolina and enrolls them through...
- Indiana Academy for Science, Mathematics, and HumanitiesIndiana Academy for Science, Mathematics, and HumanitiesThe Indiana Academy for Science, Mathematics, and Humanities is a two-year residential public high school located on the campus of Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana, although it operates as a separate entity...
- University Laboratory High School
- Carol Martin Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in KentuckyCarol Martin Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in KentuckyThe Gatton Academy is a public academy funded by the state of Kentucky and located on the campus of Western Kentucky University. It began in the 2007-2008 school year...