Identity & Skill Development with Digital Portfolio •
Middle School Mosaic. Students in grades 6-8 will curate their work to document their acquisition of critical skills. This work will be placed in a digital portfolio that accompanies the student into the upper school.
•
Pathway Program for grades 8-12 will be developed to identify and cultivate students’ strengths, interests, and experiences. Aspects of character and leadership skills will be developed through advisory, athletics, and extracurriculars. Students will document their understanding of themselves through the pathway map and with curated materials they add to their digital portfolio. The pathway map will be revised by the student and advisor as the student learns more about him or herself.
Calm the Pace of School • Develop a daily schedule that calms the pace of the day (i.e. consider fewer transitions, later start time, and longer passing times) without reducing the academic program. Design the Best Possible Top Level Courses •
The decision has been made to replace the AP curriculum with better courses for our most advanced students.
•
These top-level courses may include: problem-solving (quantitative and qualitative), interdisciplinary content, original student research, public presentation, and embedded service or field work. We will have an engaging, individually challenging curriculum which also allows students to do original and inspiring work. We will have guiding principles but leave space for faculty creativity, because we know that the judgment and expertise of our Derryfield faculty will make these courses remarkable. We will be better able to meet the mission of inspiring bright, motivated students to be their best.
•
These advanced courses will help differentiate our students in the college process.
Departmental Vision Work In addition to these larger initiatives, departments are working on their vision work. For example, the history department is exploring the concept of an Environmental Studies course for every upper school student. As those plans emerge this year, they’ll be incorporated into this academic vision and the ISM schedule work.
For more information contact: Co-Deans of Academic Programs Lindley Shutz, lshutz@derryfield.org Brent Powell, bpowell@derryfield.org
Academic Program Vision
oral, and visual means. For example, students have to know how to generate data tables and interpret them as part of presentation and writing.
Over the last two years Derryfield faculty and staff have engaged in a focused review of our teaching practice, program and schedule. Building upon the best of who are, we have explored 21st Century skills, researched ideas from other independent schools, and developed departmental visions. We are excited to share with you the Derryfield Academic Vision which will be implemented over the next three years. We will keep you updated on our progress; please let us know if you have questions or ideas to share with us.
•
Principles Guiding Our Program Vision
New Required Courses (to be taken by all students) We believe all students must have formal learning in the following areas.
Character: Derryfield will prepare graduates who are ethical, caring, and communityoriented leaders who excel at collaboration, communication, and innovative problem solving of real-world problems. Teaching: Derryfield will prioritize student engagement through individualized educational pathways, student-centered learning, and outstanding teaching throughout the disciplines. Curriculum: Derryfield will provide students with a 21st century education that harnesses technology to convey the innovative character of the STEAM disciplines and the enduring insights of the humanities and language study. We have a clear commitment to the 21st century skills of: critical-thinking, collaboration, creativity, communication, and curation. Wellness: Derryfield will achieve these goals within a school culture that teaches students how to care for and cultivate their own mind, body, and spirit. 21st Century Skills Program These skills will include a sequence of assessments and projects of growing complexity through a student’s years at Derryfield. •
This sequence of communication skills, with an emphasis on writing and media literacy, would be constructed and articulated holistically and within each department. This will include quantitative and qualitative expression through written,
This sequence of quantitative and qualitative problem-solving/design thinking skills would be constructed and articulated holistically and within each department. Problem-solving means equations as we typically think of them as well as real life problem analysis and solution development.
•
Continue to teach STEM and design thinking (at least one term) in 6th grade.
•
Computer Science (at least one term) in 7th or 8th grade and (at least one term) in 10th grade. Courses will be conceptual and technical.*
•
Visual Foundations (one term), required for 9th grade (or 10th for those who enroll in 10th grade). Students will learn to communicate ideas with visual aesthetics, using elements of art and principles of design. It will be a foundation for learning in the visual arts and develop skills for becoming a more effective communicator in courses such as Language, English, History, STEAM and beyond.
•
Ethics & Wellness in 9th, 10th, and 11th grades (one term for each year) to include character, social-emotional learning, and leadership development.
* Computer science is ever-expanding, with sub-topics ranging from coding and robotics, to virtual reality and data analytics, to artificial intelligence and machine learning. It is critical for students to have a foundation in this subject for later study. It is key that this learning starts at a young age and is required so that girls and students from lower socio-economic groups are poised to be successful and competitive for later jobs in the technology sector. Experiential Programs •
Interim Program for grades 6-11. This two week experience will enable students to follow their curiosity and choose experiences ranging from a case study/single topic mini-course to a global trip with a curricular component to a local service project that includes in-depth study. This will culminate with an all-school community exhibit.
•
Independent Senior Project (ISP) Program for all seniors for five weeks, including a health and college transition educational component. ISP’s are typically internships or deep projects (i.e. composing music, obtaining a pilot’s license, building a car). A teacher-directed, problem-based or original research project will also become an option.
oral, and visual means. For example, students have to know how to generate data tables and interpret them as part of presentation and writing.
Over the last two years Derryfield faculty and staff have engaged in a focused review of our teaching practice, program and schedule. Building upon the best of who are, we have explored 21st Century skills, researched ideas from other independent schools, and developed departmental visions. We are excited to share with you the Derryfield Academic Vision which will be implemented over the next three years. We will keep you updated on our progress; please let us know if you have questions or ideas to share with us.
•
Principles Guiding Our Program Vision
New Required Courses (to be taken by all students) We believe all students must have formal learning in the following areas.
Character: Derryfield will prepare graduates who are ethical, caring, and communityoriented leaders who excel at collaboration, communication, and innovative problem solving of real-world problems. Teaching: Derryfield will prioritize student engagement through individualized educational pathways, student-centered learning, and outstanding teaching throughout the disciplines. Curriculum: Derryfield will provide students with a 21st century education that harnesses technology to convey the innovative character of the STEAM disciplines and the enduring insights of the humanities and language study. We have a clear commitment to the 21st century skills of: critical-thinking, collaboration, creativity, communication, and curation. Wellness: Derryfield will achieve these goals within a school culture that teaches students how to care for and cultivate their own mind, body, and spirit. 21st Century Skills Program These skills will include a sequence of assessments and projects of growing complexity through a student’s years at Derryfield. •
This sequence of communication skills, with an emphasis on writing and media literacy, would be constructed and articulated holistically and within each department. This will include quantitative and qualitative expression through written,
This sequence of quantitative and qualitative problem-solving/design thinking skills would be constructed and articulated holistically and within each department. Problem-solving means equations as we typically think of them as well as real life problem analysis and solution development.
•
Continue to teach STEM and design thinking (at least one term) in 6th grade.
•
Computer Science (at least one term) in 7th or 8th grade and (at least one term) in 10th grade. Courses will be conceptual and technical.*
•
Visual Foundations (one term), required for 9th grade (or 10th for those who enroll in 10th grade). Students will learn to communicate ideas with visual aesthetics, using elements of art and principles of design. It will be a foundation for learning in the visual arts and develop skills for becoming a more effective communicator in courses such as Language, English, History, STEAM and beyond.
•
Ethics & Wellness in 9th, 10th, and 11th grades (one term for each year) to include character, social-emotional learning, and leadership development.
* Computer science is ever-expanding, with sub-topics ranging from coding and robotics, to virtual reality and data analytics, to artificial intelligence and machine learning. It is critical for students to have a foundation in this subject for later study. It is key that this learning starts at a young age and is required so that girls and students from lower socio-economic groups are poised to be successful and competitive for later jobs in the technology sector. Experiential Programs •
Interim Program for grades 6-11. This two week experience will enable students to follow their curiosity and choose experiences ranging from a case study/single topic mini-course to a global trip with a curricular component to a local service project that includes in-depth study. This will culminate with an all-school community exhibit.
•
Independent Senior Project (ISP) Program for all seniors for five weeks, including a health and college transition educational component. ISP’s are typically internships or deep projects (i.e. composing music, obtaining a pilot’s license, building a car). A teacher-directed, problem-based or original research project will also become an option.
Identity & Skill Development with Digital Portfolio •
Middle School Mosaic. Students in grades 6-8 will curate their work to document their acquisition of critical skills. This work will be placed in a digital portfolio that accompanies the student into the upper school.
•
Pathway Program for grades 8-12 will be developed to identify and cultivate students’ strengths, interests, and experiences. Aspects of character and leadership skills will be developed through advisory, athletics, and extracurriculars. Students will document their understanding of themselves through the pathway map and with curated materials they add to their digital portfolio. The pathway map will be revised by the student and advisor as the student learns more about him or herself.
Calm the Pace of School • Develop a daily schedule that calms the pace of the day (i.e. consider fewer transitions, later start time, and longer passing times) without reducing the academic program. Design the Best Possible Top Level Courses •
The decision has been made to replace the AP curriculum with better courses for our most advanced students.
•
These top-level courses may include: problem-solving (quantitative and qualitative), interdisciplinary content, original student research, public presentation, and embedded service or field work. We will have an engaging, individually challenging curriculum which also allows students to do original and inspiring work. We will have guiding principles but leave space for faculty creativity, because we know that the judgment and expertise of our Derryfield faculty will make these courses remarkable. We will be better able to meet the mission of inspiring bright, motivated students to be their best.
•
These advanced courses will help differentiate our students in the college process.
Departmental Vision Work In addition to these larger initiatives, departments are working on their vision work. For example, the history department is exploring the concept of an Environmental Studies course for every upper school student. As those plans emerge this year, they’ll be incorporated into this academic vision and the ISM schedule work.
For more information contact: Co-Deans of Academic Programs Lindley Shutz, lshutz@derryfield.org Brent Powell, bpowell@derryfield.org
Academic Program Vision