Everything we do in the Upper School is driven by relationships. As our students learn new things, we encourage them to explore relationships between new discoveries and the things they already know. Between what they’ve learned and their own experiences in the world, they learn the lifelong skills of finding, evaluating, synthesizing and applying new knowledge in their lives. Our Upper School faculty knows that the foundation of our character is realizing the value of our relationships with students, and we recognize that our ability to guide young people in their preparations for college requires the support of a network of interconnected relationships where students, teachers, parents, and staff are all involved.
We believe that these relationships create a culture where young people can pursue their passions with a goal of excellence, whether it is in academics, athletics, or the arts. Students engage in a rigorous but flexible curriculum that includes 33 Advanced Placement (AP) courses. Over 50 of our students are recognized each year by the College Board as Advanced Placement Scholars for their high performance on the exams associated with these courses, and our students’ performance on AP exams consistently exceeds the state and global average - in Spring 2018, our students’ qualifying percentage was 82%, compared to 56 percent at the state level and 61 percent globally.
In the arts, we help students explore different modes of expression through music and the visual arts. At the introductory level, students learn through engagement in painting, drawing, photography, acting, singing, and playing, with the goal of developing a lifelong appreciation for the arts. Students with a passion for the arts are able to further refine their craft through advanced-level coursework including AP courses and our Music Conservatory.
Recognizing the important role that evolving technology will play in our students’ futures, we ensure that students develop an understanding of not only the effective use of technology but also the principles that drive its development. In addition to the practical experience students gain with technology via our one-to-one iPad program, they also learn about web design, programming, and computer science in our two computer labs. Our Chen Family International Language Laboratory supports students in our English as a Second Language (ESL), Spanish, French, and Mandarin Chinese programs with state-of-the-art tools for language development.
A look at our daily life in the Upper School will reveal students and staff who are driven by a shared commitment both to excellence and to each other. We hope you'll join us!
Sincerely,
David Bernatavitz
Dean of the Upper School
