Upper School

What's Possible When Wonder Leads the Way?

In King's high school years, grades 9-12, learning is driven by curiosity and exploration. Our inquiry-based approach encourages students to ask meaningful questions, solve real-world problems, and engage deeply across disciplines. With a flexible schedule and diverse academic offerings, students are empowered to pursue their passions, explore new interests, and shape a learning journey that reflects their unique strengths and goals.

How Do Big Questions Shape Bright Futures?

Upper School students drive their learning, fueled by the desire to know more in the areas that interest them most, whether it's aerospace engineering, art history, or artificial intelligence. Together, students think courageously, learn expansively, and work collaboratively, building skills that will serve them for the rest of their lives. King graduates are ready to thrive in a rapidly changing world. The sky's the limit—and then some.

See the Upper School Curriculum

Learning Through a Global Lens

Global Education is woven through all disciplines, empowering students to think critically, act ethically, and engage meaningfully with the world. Through interdisciplinary coursework and real-world experiences, students may pursue a Global Studies distinction, culminating in a capstone project that tackles complex global issues. Travel programs deepen this learning—whether performing at the Fringe Festival in Scotland, exploring physics at CERN in Switzerland, participating in a school exchange in Japan, or supporting social and environmental initiatives in Costa Rica with the Orphaned Starfish Foundation.

How Does a Nurturing Environment Fuel Student Success?

Students are supported every step of the way by a caring and experienced team. Each student is paired with a Personal Advisor who stays with them all four years, offering guidance on academics and student life. Grade Deans and School Counselors provide additional support, helping students navigate challenges and stay on track socially, emotionally, and academically. Learning Specialists work one-on-one with students to build on their strengths, while College Counselors—introduced in Grade 9—offer expert, personalized guidance throughout the college journey, helping each student find their best-fit path after King.

Learn more about our College Counseling Program

Inquiry-based learning can be found throughout the Upper School.

The Advanced Science Program for Independent Research and Engineering (ASPIRE) places students in internships at the most prestigious labs in the country. Our Leadership program provides students with opportunities to interact with school administrators to make improvements to the King community. We have ongoing assessment and instruction meetings for faculty in which we focus on teaching practices and student assessments that bolster our inquiry-based approach in real time. The Upper School is rich with clubs, including the Math Team, Model UN, and the Odyssey of the Mind, all of which emphasize inquiry and research. Our interdisciplinary electives further extend the possibilities available to our students. 

Everything in the inquiry-based approach to learning in the King Upper School cultivates curiosity and fosters self-discovery.

At King, we emphasize that an excellent education takes students where they want to go. We also believe that courage and compassion are essential components in the search for purpose, a key element of a King education. Our students support one another as they begin to bring their ambitions into sharper focus and work to achieve their goals, cheered on by the whole community.

Marnie Sadlowsky, Head of Upper School

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