The Key to Self-Discovery
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about The Key to Self-Discovery
Welcome to the Upper School
An Expansive Adventure
Schools that urge high school students to follow the expected path, check only the right boxes, and polish their resumes are failing our students -- and breeding stress and anxiety.
At King School, we set a better standard by encouraging students to see learning as a personal adventure; one without a defined beginning, middle, or end. Our students engage deeply with the experience of education -- not just mastering material, but also inviting collaboration, applying knowledge, and making unexpected discoveries.
A Better Standard for Upper School
When young adults are cheered on as they begin to take ownership of their ambitions and achievements, they feel like stars of a team designed and built for their drive for excellence. As a private high school located in Stamford, CT, King school empowers students to unleash their greatness by emphasizing self-knowledge, expansive learning, and courageous thinking -- the very qualities that lead to happy, healthy, and purposeful lives.
LEARN HOW KING SETS BETTER STANDARDS
Learn more about Upper School: Grades 9-12
The Tools for Greatness
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about The Tools for Greatness
“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, Associate Head of School for Program and Head of Upper School
“Conducting my own scientific research in the Advanced Science Program for Research and Engineering (ASPIRE) is an incomparable experience.”
— Ashley X., Upper School student
"It’s fascinating to learn the stories of others, and how aspects of people's experiences have come to formulate what they believe. To me, there's always something to be learned from every person and their experiences."
— Will H., Upper School student
Meet our Community
Upper School in Action
With one full week of KingIsHome Remote Learning behind us, Advanced Art 2 students have found themselves in a new line of work: they are now children's book illustrators. Ran Lapolla, Chair of Visual Arts, assigned the task, which requires students to use Photoshop and follow specific steps outlined in a google doc. Students continue to engage deeply with the experience of education and make unexpected discoveries, from home.
On Monday, March 30, 2020, King School implemented our KingIsHome remote learning program. Our campus may be closed, but our learning community continues. There are many commitments that we will make to our students and their families across all divisions, all of which are rooted in our commitment to prioritizing the student experience through active engagement.
We thought now would be a good time to share with you some reminders of what you can do to keep yourselves - your body and mind - healthy during this pandemic.
The week-long fair was slated to occur on March 9-14 at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, CT, but the global coronavirus pandemic forced fair directors to convert the fair from a traditional in-person event to a virtual science fair for the students' safety. Collectively, King students had a Top 10 finisher in every category in which we competed and King School occupied 10% of the finalist positions – a truly impressive showing!
Ryan Heaton '21 earned second place in the Health & Medical category for his Computer Science-based cancer research project for which he wrote code and taught a computer to discern detailed differences between subtypes of renal cell carcinoma (kidney cancer). Alex Lim '21 was chosen as a finalist for the Office of Naval Research (ONR) Specialty Award for his drone-based automated security system for schools and other brick-and-mortar establishments that will deter armed assailants without putting the human life of a security guard in harm's way.
Hear from Sarah and Nico on how Performing Arts at King has inspired them to follow their passions and develop self-confidence, perseverance, imagination, reflective thinking, and intuition. Watch them in action in the US Musical 'The Addams Family'
Philosophy students are exposed to the nature of philosophical thinking such as questioning the nature of reality, the good, beauty, knowledge, and experience. Students engage in daily dialogue and occasional formal debate, as well as writing essays on the nature of philosophy and the character of the philosopher.
Our Model UN team had another successful conference at Harvard in early February. The conference was highlighted by a very productive participation of 22 students from all US grades and seniors Diana Degnan and David Shattan winning two prestigious awards. There were over 4,000 students from 55 countries creating a true international atmosphere that accentuated the hands-on global experience while the students debated their topics based on their positions. Our delegation represented Ukraine in the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council, and we had several specialized assignments that enriched the overall experience of our team.
PA King Cares Co Chairs are grateful for our generous community and volunteers: "On January 24, a dedicated and enthusiastic group of nine PA King Cares parents and three very generous faculty members loaded up the King vans and headed into New York City for a 10:00 p.m. rendezvous with a Midnight Run representative."