School Profile

Curriculum

The traditional college preparatory curriculum at Brother Rice High School requires 25 credits for graduation. Advanced Placement and Honors courses are offered in multiple disciplines.

Accreditation

Brother Rice High School is accredited by the state of Illinois and Cognia, formerly known as AdvancED. We are a member of the College Board, the Illinois Association of College Admission Counseling, the National Catholic Educational Association, and the National Association of Secondary School Principals.

Special Programs

APEX Program Academic Pursuit of Excellence is a special program designed to guide the truly academically gifted student to his full potential. Academically gifted students are admitted into APEX to offer a challenging academic environment appropriate to their talents. The Class of 2026 average APEX ACT score was 29.7.

Mount Sion Program This special education program is named after the first school established by founder Edmund Rice and has accepted its first students starting with the Class of 2028. Students will participate in self-contained classes, as well as inclusion classes with the assistance of peer mentors. A special education teacher will work with students and families to build learning goals, provide instruction, and modify curriculum for inclusion classes.

PACC Program for Advanced College Credit is a program offered through Saint Xavier University, Lewis University and Moraine Valley Community College where a number of junior and senior classes have been accredited as college level courses.

FOCUS Program offered to students in need of more individualized strategies to improve their academic skills and prepare for post-high school plans. Most students remain in the program for two years and, by junior year, many students are mainstreamed into regular academic level classes. FOCUS students are not required to take a world language.

PLTW Engineering Program Project Lead The Way is a curriculum program nationally known for introducing high school students to engineering. Starting sophomore year and ending with senior year, Brother Rice students can apply to take three engineering classes that prepare them to study engineering at the college level. Some universities offer scholarships or college credit options for the PLTW courses offered at Brother Rice.

Advanced Placement Courses Biology, Calculus AB, Calculus BC, Chemistry, Economics, English Composition, English Literature, European History, German, Government, Pre-Calculus, Spanish, Statistics, and U.S. History.

College Preparatory Courses

Engineering (PLTW)

Aerospace Engineering

Introduction to Engineering Design (H)

Principles of Engineering (H)

ENGLISH

AP English Language AP English Literature English I (H)

English II (H)

English III (H)

English IV/ British Literature (H)

English IV / Modern Literature

English IV / Journalism (H)

FINE ARTS

Art I

ArtII

Beginning Band Chorus

Concert Band (H)

Philharmonic Band (H)

Symphonic Band (H)

Theater Seminar I

Theater Seminar II

FOREIGN LANGUAGE

AP German Language AP Spanish Language German I (H)

German II (H)

German III (H)

German IV (H)

Spanish I (H)

Spanish II (H)

Spanish III (H)

Spanish IV (H)

MATHEMATICS

Adv. Geometry / Trigonometry (H)

Advanced Algebra / Trigonometry (H)

Algebra I (H)

Algebra II

Algebra II / Trigonometry (H)

Analytic Geometry

AP Calculus AB

AP Calculus BC

AP Pre-Calculus

AP Statistics

Calculus I (H)

College Algebra w/Trigonometry

Geometry (H)

Pre-Calculus (H)

Statistics

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

PE/Health Phys Ed

SCIENCE

AP Biology

AP Chemistry Anatomy & Physiology Biology (H)

Chemistry (H)

Earth Science Integrated Science Physics (H)

SOCIAL STUDIES

AP European History

APEconomics

AP US Government & Politics

AP US History

Global Studies

US History (H)

US History III / Economics

US History III / Psychology (H)

US History III / Vietnam Conflict (H)

World Geography

World History (H)

THEOLOGY

Theology I

Theology II

Theology III

Theology IV / Christian Marriage

Theology IV / Peer Ministry

Theology IV / World Cultures & Religions

ELECTIVES

Accounting (H)

Athletic Training

Broadcast Journalism (H)

Broadcast Journalism 2 (H)

Business Entrepreneurship (H)

Code HS (H)

Financial Literacy

Fundamental Concepts in Gaming Reading

Reading 2

IT Essentials (H)

Introduction to Special Education (H)

Microsoft Office

Sports Officiating

Web Page Design (H)

Honor Roll

Superior Honors = GPA of 4.5+

High Honors = GPA of 3.8+

B Honors = GPA of 3.0+

Graduation Requirements