From the analytical focus of the Dialectic years to the polished communication of the Rhetoric stage, the Upper School equips students to think deeply, articulate ideas thoughtfully, and engage the world with wisdom and humility.
Dialectic: Grades 7 - 9
Where students learn to make connections and find their voice.
The Dialectic years mark a natural shift in how students think and learn. As they move into Grades 7–9, curiosity deepens and questions multiply. Rather than treating this as a challenge, we welcome it. These are the years when students begin to ask why ideas matter and how they fit together—and we guide them as they learn to reason with clarity, humility, and confidence.
Building on the foundation laid in the grammar years, Dialectic students learn formal logic and begin applying it across the curriculum. Whether they’re analyzing a historical event, interpreting Scripture, solving algebraic problems, or writing a persuasive essay, they practice identifying assumptions, weighing evidence, and forming sound conclusions.
Students at this age love to debate; our goal is to help them do it well. Teachers coach them to listen carefully, ask thoughtful questions, and express disagreement with respect. These habits shape not only their academic work but their relationships and character.
Most importantly, students learn to connect their studies with their faith—seeing how truth, beauty, and goodness illuminate every discipline. By the end of the Dialectic stage, they have grown in discernment, intellectual humility, and independence of thought. They step into the Rhetoric years ready to communicate their ideas with maturity and grace.
Rhetoric: Grades 10 - 12
Where students learn to communicate with wisdom, clarity, and grace.
In the Rhetoric years, students move from analyzing ideas to expressing them. Grades 10–12 focus on helping students become skilled communicators—young adults who can speak and write clearly, think generously, and engage others with confidence grounded in truth.
Students continue to explore literature, history, theology, mathematics, and the sciences, but now with an eye toward articulation. They write analytical and persuasive essays, lead discussions, present research, debate challenging questions, and practice communicating with both conviction and charity. They learn to see complexity, welcome dialogue, and express disagreement respectfully—essential skills for life.
The heart of this stage is our Augustine Humanities sequence: Great Ideas I & II and Great Works of Theology. These courses invite students into the great conversation of the Western tradition, helping them engage timeless questions about human nature, virtue, justice, and the good life through a Christian lens.
The culminating experience is the senior thesis. Under close mentorship, each student researches a topic of personal interest, writes a 30-page thesis, and defends it before a faculty and community panel. It is a rigorous process, but one that students complete with deep satisfaction and genuine growth.
By the time they graduate, Augustine students have practiced the habits of clear thinking, gracious communication, and thoughtful leadership. They leave well-prepared for college—and ready to contribute meaningfully to their churches, communities, and the world.
The Augustine Experience By Grade
An Augustine education is thoughtfully built year by year, with each stage preparing students for the next. Explore what students experience at each grade level.
7 North Main Street | Mechanicville, NY 12118 | 518.541.2089
Augustine Classical Academy does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, or national or ethnic origin in the administration of its educational or administrative policies, financial aid and scholarship programs, athletics or other school-administered programs. Students are enrolled based on evidence of their ability to thrive in Augustine Classical Academy's Christian, classical course of studies and culture. In addition, subject to the Constitution of the United States and all applicable state and federal laws, Augustine Classical Academy does not discriminate in its employment practices.
