With course registration for the 2026-2027 school year well underway, North students can browse the Opportunities course catalog and select electives that align with their passions and interests. For this upcoming year, students have six additional new courses to choose from, ranging from science to PEHW courses.
Advanced Placement Business with Personal Finance
AP Business with Personal Finance is a new full-year course that allows students to learn about the basics of business, as well as marketing, accounting, entrepreneurship, and personal finance, according to business teacher Andrew Spear.
The course is available to seniors and juniors, with priority given to seniors. Spear added that students will have the opportunity to take the AP exam associated with this class in May.
Sophomore Naina Rao, who is interested in business, said, “Before when they had the business certificate I was really interested in that, and I already knew I wanted to do something with business. I definitely want to take this class because of that.”
According to Spear, there are several benefits to AP Business with Personal Finance compared to other business courses at North. “We will go into more detail than other classes at North do. This class will have more opportunity to understand how the various functions we cover overlap with each other,” he said.
Spear added that the class will also focus on leadership and how to be an effective team member.
According to Spear, only one section of this course will meet next year, but it may be available to more students in years to come.
Advanced Placement Environmental Science
AP Environmental Science is a new full-year course created in response to student requests to study climate change through an interdisciplinary, science-based approach, according to Science Department Head Heather Hotchkiss.
According to Hotchkiss, “You’re not just studying science, you’re also looking at public policy documents and how chemistry and biology impact things like climate, air, and water. That combination is something our current courses don’t offer, which is where AP Environmental Science fills the gap.”
Junior Alicia Qiu, a Green Team club officer, said that she plans to take the course next year. “I want to understand climate change from a more scientific perspective and learn how it connects to real world issues,” Qiu said.
Hotchkiss said that the class covers topics such as ecosystems, biodiversity, energy use, and pollution, while developing skills in data analysis, research, and problem-solving.
According to Hotchkiss, the course will demand strong academic rigor, similar to other AP courses. She added that students must complete chemistry and biology at any level prior to taking AP Environmental Science, meaning that the course will be available exclusively to seniors.
Adventures in Italian-American Culture
Through a semester-long Adventures in Italian-American Culture, students will have the opportunity to explore the impacts of Italian culture in Newton through guest speakers, field trips, readings, and self-driven projects, according to World Language teacher Silvia Dupont, who teaches Italian.
“It offers insights into a historically important culture that has had major influences in art, music, food, fashion, design, science, politics, and many other aspects of global culture,” Dupont said.
Sophomore Lili Isenberg, a student of Italian heritage, added, “I’m really interested to hear about the kind of things being taught or talked about. It’s really one of the main heritage roots to come from European immigration to the U.S., and I think more people should be knowledgeable about the immigrants that made the U.S.”
Dupont said, “The class is designed for everyone—students who are not taking a language, students who have already satisfied the language requirement, or students who just want to add a little extra to their education.”
According to Dupont, Adventures in Italian-American Culture is an unleveled semester course that is taught in English, does not require prerequisites, and offers general elective credits rather than world language credits.
Spanish for Heritage Learners
Spanish for Heritage Learners is a new full-year course specifically created for heritage Spanish speakers, according to Language Department Head Christopher Wood.
“This new course aims to address one consistent problem in language education—most existing language courses are designed for students who are learning the language for the first time,” Wood said.
He added that heritage learners may not fit into the curriculum because they often have strong listening and speaking skills, but lack formal training in reading and writing. According to Wood, the course aims to address these skills and challenges, and an assessment is required to determine whether it is the best fit for each student, regardless of grade level.
Sophomore Matheus Gerbes Alliey said, “I always felt out of place in regular Spanish classes since it came naturally to me, but this course finally feels like a space where my background is valued.”
According to Wood, students will also have the chance to study topics such as Hispanic identity, community, and the history of Spanish-speaking countries.
Intro to A.I.: The Societal Impact of Technology
Intro to A.I.: The Societal Impact of Technology is a semester-long course created due to the growth of generative AI in recent years, according to history teacher Robert Greenfield, who will also teach the course.
According to Greenfield, the course aims to raise awareness about the individual and social impacts of AI, including ChatGPT and Claude. “We created this course to help students better understand how AI has different kinds of functions and systems that are shaping our daily lives and broader society,” he said.
Greenfield added that the class will explore the use of AI across social media, surveillance, workplaces, and the government.
According to Greenfield, “This course will fill the gap of curiosity on technology and the societal impact of AI giving students a chance to study AI directly.”
According to sophomore Katherine Xing, she is interested in taking the course and learning about the real-world impacts of AI. “He’s my history teacher, and I really like how he explains things. Learning how AI actually affects things like what we see online or how people make decisions, and doing that with him, sounds really interesting,” she said.
The course is available to sophomores, juniors, and seniors, with no prerequisites required, according to Greenfield.
Prevention and Care of an Athlete
Prevention and Care of an Athlete is a new quarter-long PEHW class geared toward students who are interested in sports medicine, according to PEHW Department Head Courtney Albert.
According to Albert, students will have the opportunity to learn hands-on skills with PEHW teacher Jesse Warren, a licensed athletic trainer.
Freshman Sasha Milanowycz, a student interested in the course, said, “I play multiple sports and get injured a lot. I think it would be helpful to learn how to prevent getting injured more.”
Albert added, “They explore the athletic training room downstairs, and they’ll get to learn what athletic trainers do and their role in sports medicine.”
According to Albert, students will also do case studies of sports injuries and learn about first aid, injury prevention, and basic rehabilitation skills.
Prevention and Care of an Athlete was a class that was run during previous years, but was discontinued after the previous athletic trainer retired, according to Albert.
