Upper School

Marnie SadlowskyTed ParkerDear Families,

It probably goes without saying that we continue to be in challenging times – especially for those who are committed to educating children in a school like ours, one that is so committed to student-centered learning in the context of a full range of engaging courses, clubs, and activities; a flexible schedule, with so many opportunities to discover strengths and passions; and a full slate of community activities such as assemblies, King Talks, and special presentations.  We are also aware – and many of you have said this to me personally – that it is impossible to come to consensus on the “best” way to do everything. Such is the nature of our historical moment. However, throughout our extensive research and subsequent planning, we have stayed grounded in the following:

  • Prioritizing the importance of being able to be together each day on campus.
  • Prioritizing our commitment to academic excellence and the student experience, holding our commitment to our students’ growth as learners, people, and responsible, engaged citizens of our country and world – just as we did prior to COVID-19.
  • Committing to a safe environment that follows the health guidelines we are receiving every step of the way, being prepared to pivot in and out of our schedule and program smoothly.

The results of our planning are to make significant changes to the way we use space and time in the Upper School, particularly in terms of our commitment to making it possible for students to come to campus and to be with their teachers in person as much as possible. 

Marnie Sadlowsky, Associate Head of School for Program, Head of Upper School
Ted Parker, Associate Head of Upper School, Academic Dean

 

Teaching and Learning 

UPDATE: Click here for the latest communication about the Upper School. 

Our Upper School Schedule for 2020-2021 includes the following highlights:

  • Four days learning in classrooms with their teachers and classmates.
  • Remote Connect Wednesdays, when students will engage from home in large-group activities like assemblies, King Talks, and club meetings as well as in one-on-one video-conference office hours with their teachers. Video: Remote Connect Wednesday (4:12)
  • Here is a visual of our schedule.
  • Advisory will meet daily for students and lunch provided by FLIK will be served to Advisory groups.
  • To concentrate students’ learning time, classes in four of our eight color periods will be active at a given time. After an interval of some weeks, we will alternate, running classes in the other four color periods. We plan to utilize a special schedule in May 2021 for students to consolidate their learning from classes in all eight color periods before the Summer Break. 
  • We have moved students’ “sixth” major courses (with the exception of all music and art electives) out of the schedule for this year, asking those students to take them at a later time.  Jessica Landis and her college counseling team have already begun to individually counsel those students through choosing their five majors. In addition, we are offering several AP courses fully online through a new partnership with One Schoolhouse, an online consortium of independent schools.

 

Physical Space