Charlotte Catholic Introduces New 2024-2025 Classes

Charlotte Catholic tends to introduce new classes and electives each school year. This year, however, instead of implementing new classes for upperclassmen, the school is creating a new department: Philosophy. 

CCHS will require incoming freshmen to take “Human Dignity,” an introductory philosophy class that lays the foundation for all academic disciplines. The class will cover the union of body and soul, the powers of the rational soul and its immortality, human passions and temperaments, the complementarity of the sexes, and the theology of the body. The school is modeling this new course of study after the Bioethics program created and taught by the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia - Nashville. 

Vice Principal Lori Phillips believes even though most people assume Philosophy classes are reserved for college, this new addition “will have a significant impact on our students ability  to think well, to reason well, and to communicate well.” The school aims to nurture deep thought and understanding with the addition of this curriculum. Administrators expect that learning philosophy will encourage students to appreciate the profound dignity of every human person. Mrs. Phillips trusts that  “Human Dignity” will raise “the level of academic rigor, thought, and preparedness for students.”

In order to make room for this class in the  freshmen schedules, the school will combine PE and Health into a single class called “Personal Wellness.”  Unfortunately, upperclassmen will not have the opportunity to take a philosophy course next year. CCHS will offer a freshman only Philosophy class for the 2024-2025 school year, although administrators hope to create Philosophy electives for sophomores, juniors, and seniors in the future. 

The school will not create any new elective classes this year to emphasize the electives introduced in prior years, specifically the 2023-2024 school year. Students enjoy taking these electives, which include Biotechnology, Sports Ethics, Honors Latin American Studies, and Honors African American Studies. Their popularity has grown, with over 100 students taking these new electives this year. 

However, Sports Ethics prevails as the most popular new elective, with about 50 students registered for it for the 2024-2025 school year. Sports Ethics Teacher Mrs. Jo Cabana believes the reason people enjoy the class is “most student athletes would like to be better equipped to have ethical conversations that will help them navigate ethical dilemmas in sport, while allowing them to develop values important to ethical leadership and service.” Students’ also love to discuss current sports events in every level of competition, ranging from 10U to high school to college to the pros. Sophomore Emma Wittman, a Sports Ethics alumna, said, “Everyone came into class everyday excited to talk about good and bad behavior on current sports teams.” Mrs. Cabana hopes this program continues to grow and teach students important information about ethics in athletics. 

Charlotte Catholic aims to benefit its students through this new Philosophy curriculum, as well as by highlighting some current classes. The administration hopes that more students will a take advantage of all of the classes the school offers.

Photo Credit: Creative Fabrica