9th & 10th Grades

The freshman and sophomore years of high school are a big transition. Students take more intense classes, begin to learn more about themselves, create strong circles of friends and mentors, and start thinking about their futures. These years set the stage for success in high school and in university. We prepare our early high school students to be successful not only during their time with us, but also as they move out into the wider world. Things we focus on include:

Strong Study Skills
High school usually brings more homework, including multi-step projects that require some planning. When students learn how to get good grades now, they're on the right track for the rest of high school. If a student is interested in taking advanced coursework later on, now is the time to work hard and earn great grades.

Competitive Sports, Extracurriculars, and Leadership
Did your child play soccer in middle school or get involved in student government, dance, or art? Keep it up! High school is also a great time to try something new. Universities like to see students excited about meaningful activities and demonstrating leadership skills, which are built into the curriculum at TASIS Portugal.

Literacy, Knowledge, and Persuasion
Excellent writing and vocabulary skills serve our high schoolers across the board, from research papers and lab reports to assessments and university applications. Our students become well-versed in the art of persuasion and rhetoric as well as composition, developing an expansive vocabulary as they explore the best of the literary world, as well as history, social studies, science, math, technology, language, and the arts, in the IGCSE curriculum that builds seamlessly on the curriculum of their middle school years.

A Sense of Belonging
TASIS Portugal was founded on an ethos of truth, goodness, and beauty. These are reflected in the character skills we teach every single week from preschool through high school. We expect a lot from our students, and provide them with the platform they need to launch into the world and make it a better place.

The dynamics of high school are much different than in primary and middle school. While it’s common to stay friends with those you have grown up with, new classes and involvement in new activities can lead you to new friendships you may not have considered before. 

We have a zero tolerance policy when it comes to bullying and belittling. We encourage our students to explore their own minds and form their own opinions, seeing debate and discourse as markers of the higher civilization to which we all aspire.

A Place to Become Who You Are
Freshman and sophomore years are a time to get acclimated. To meet new friends and discover who you are. The healthy habits we promote at TASIS Portugal include fresh daily lunches and snacks, time outdoors, and a focus on mental and physical wellbeing. Our 9th and 10th Graders have plenty of support to get used to the new and exciting challenges they'll experience in high school.

The start of the high school experience is an exciting time. There’s no doubt that some challenges will lie ahead with adjustments to new academic and social dynamics, but it will be a fun journey. High school is meant to be educational, enlightening, and the stepping-stone to a university education. Students learn a lot about themselves in their first two high school years – which subjects they like, which subjects they don’t, which interests to pursue, and how to contribute to their high school community. This is a time of great change, so embrace it!