UPPER SCHOOL 2022-2023
purpose
She is cultivating her
Agnes Irwin’s Upper School is intentionally designed to equip our students with the knowledge, tools and experiences they need to lead and thrive in the world beyond our classrooms. Teachers and administrators collaborate to develop a meaningful and robust academic and social experience that challenges our girls to soar as scholars, discover their purpose, and live a legacy of leadership that enriches the world around them.
Empowering Girls Since 1869
The Agnes Irwin School
The Agnes Irwin School | Upper School
Hallmarks of the
Upper School experience 9th grade
11th grade
A typical day
WHO AM I AS A LEARNER, COMMUNITY MEMBER AND FUTURE LEADER?
HOW DO I REFINE MY KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING TO ALLOW FOR DEEPER EXPLORATIONS OF MYSELF AS A SCHOLAR AND LEADER?
IN THE UPPER SCHOOL FOR A NINTH GRADER
From researching energy and matter in Physics to uncovering social, political, and economic interconnectedness in Modern World History, or grappling with the intersection of technology and design in Media Arts, 9th grade students have the ability to open new doors of understanding, while strengthening their skill sets in each subject area. At the heart of her 9th grade year is the question that each student will answer: Who am I as a learner, community member, and future leader?
10th grade HOW CAN I EXPAND THE SCOPE OF MY LEARNING AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO MY COMMUNITY?
From participating in lab work in Chemistry to deep-diving into the 20th century starting with the run-up to World War II in Global History II, to cultivating a newfound love of a modern or classical language, 10th grade students have the ability to continue to discover and explore further in their chosen interests and paths. Students are encouraged to continue to probe and analyze as the AIS curriculum allows them to do so. Each student will learn how to answer: How can I expand the scope of my learning and contributions to my community?
From learning about our nation in United States History (grade level or honors) in order to be an informed citizen, to selecting from a variety of math and science courses, juniors gain fuller knowledge and understanding of all subjects during their third year in Upper School. Electives such as Women in Antiquity, Computer Science III, Research in Microbiology, and Anatomy and Physiology are offered to our 11th graders — further expanding their knowledge in core subjects and allowing for deeper exploration of individual academic interests.
12th grade HOW DO I APPLY MY LEARNING AND KNOWLEDGE OF MYSELF TO ARTICULATE THE LEGACY I WILL LEAVE IN THE WORLD?
The 12th grade offers a plethora of courses which allow our students to focus their learning on subjects they enjoy or want to learn more about before they head off to college. Signature options include Linear Algebra, Statistics, Organic Chemistry, Advanced Engineering, Astrophysics, and our most popular course, Bioethics. The Department of History and Social Science dives deeper into subjects such as African and African American History, International Relations, Holocaust, and Middle Eastern History. The Humanities curriculum offers courses such as Artist as Entrepreneur, Production Direction, Sociolinguistics, and Irish Literature just to name a few. We allow our seniors to take ownership of their course of study, and explore subjects of interest in order to prepare them for future learning.
Agnes Irwin follows a seven-day rotation schedule, with extracurriculars meeting before, during, and after school. Sample 9th Grade Schedule 8:00 a.m. Office Hours, Fitness, Individual Teacher Meetings 8:30 a.m. Physics I Honors 9:20 a.m. Assembly, Advisory, or Class Meeting 9:50 a.m. Snack 10:00 a.m. Modern World History 10:55 a.m. Media Arts I 11:45 a.m. Flex Time: Boards/Org/Clubs/ Pub Meetings, Fitness, Community Wellness, and Office Hours 12:20 p.m. Lunch 1:15 p.m. English I 2:10 p.m. Algebra II Honors 3:00 p.m. End of Classes, Office Hours
Here she is
challenged WITH HONORS
ADVISORY
Many of our junior and senior electives offer the opportunity for students to elect to take the course “With Honors.” This represents a scholarly opportunity to dive deeper into some aspect of the material and extend personal learning beyond what is covered in the class. Students who will find success in a course “With Honors” are curious, creative, and intrinsically motivated. Students will either complete a research paper, a creative project, or a science experiment. Upon completion of the term, students will present their learnings to students and faculty. While the majority of the work is done independently, students will be supported by a faculty advisor and meet regularly with an interdisciplinary cohort of teachers and students to give and receive feedback and monitor progress.
The Upper School advisory program is the foundation of our commitment to fostering deep relationships that provide girls the strength and confidence to realize their potential. Advisory is purposefully built into the school day to allow for consistent contact between students and their advisor. The advisory curriculum, developed by the dean of students, in partnership with grade level deans, CAG and our DEIB program provides advisors with a framework for advisory time that allows for both structured activities and informal time for advisors to develop relationships with their advisees.
SPECIAL STUDIES The Special Studies Program (SSP) at The Agnes Irwin School is a signature program where students are actively involved in experiential or project-based learning around a topic or theme that is of interest to them. It is a graduation requirement that each student participate in SSP every year during Upper School. In addition to four years of participating in SSP, at least one of the SSP experiences must qualify as a “ Global SSP” as defined by the SSP coordinators. The Global SSP themes can include, but are not limited to: food insecurity, equity, women’s issues, civil rights, cultural immersion, language immersion, affordable housing, and so on. AIS also offers exchange programs and more traditional faculty-led cultural programs both in the USA and abroad. Independently created Global SSPs are allowed if a student’s proposal meets requirements.
The advisor-led conference model, introduced in 2021, formalizes the opportunities for this team approach in order to see the big picture of how the student fits into the greater school community. Advisor-led conferences, which take place at the end of the first and third quarter, solidify the role that advisors play as the main point person for parents and, most importantly, puts the student in the driver’s seat of their learning and their engagement with the entire school community. SENIOR ASSEMBLY The Senior Assembly is a capstone experience for our students, who have an opportunity to give a talk to the upper school community on a topic that is personally meaningful to them. Students work with faculty members who guide the research and writing process and coach them in public speaking. Whether they are raising awareness of a little known problem, advocating for a cause, or sharing their point of view on an globally significant issue, this independent research-based presentation is a signature experience of the AIS senior year.
Cultivating Tomorrow’s Leaders
Continued leadership development is central to the work of the Center for the Advancement, which offers a number of programs for Upper School students. Each of these programs provide moments for girls to glean important lessons about transferable skills that support their growth as leaders. All student-athletes participate in the AthLEADs seminar series, which is designed to help girls draw connections between the leadership skills they develop through participation in team sports and translate these experiences to other aspects of their future lives including college and career. We know that mentoring supports girls in learning about themselves and their selfconcept. AIS Allied connects Upper School students with Agnes Irwin alums around the country through monthly meetings that help to build their network and understanding of life beyond AIS. This is a powerful demonstration of what it means to live a legacy. The Council for the Advancement of Girls is a student group committed to action, empowerment, and building awareness in the service of gender equity. Under the Center’s guidance, students create initiatives, campaigns, and engage with the community around issues that women and girls face around the world.
The Agnes Irwin School | Upper School
Beyond the classroom:
Student life
Meet the Director of the Upper School
At Agnes Irwin, curricular and co-curricular experiences complement each other and are designed to help girls uncover their passions. Each student encounters a variety of choices fundamental to taking risks in new areas. Our students are curious, and it is often the case that a nascent interest in the 9th grade fostered through our clubs, publications, boards, councils, and organizations, can develop into a passion-driven leadership role during senior year. CLUBS
Accountability Council Club Akilah Anime Club AIS Allied Athletes Helping Athletes Book Club Career Club Debate Club Focus For the Culture Girls Grant Making Club Cards for Covid Criminal Justice Research Lower School Helpers Mathletes Club Minds Unlimited
Mock Trial Model UN Murder Mystery Club PALs Paper Airplanes Club Produce Project Set Design Social Justice Club Spanish Club Stage Crew STEM Club Sustainable Living Club Taste of China Team Joy Walk Her Home World Affairs Club Young Democrats Young Republicans
ORGANIZATIONS
PUBLICATIONS
Asian Student Alliance Bel Cantos / Choir Black Student Union Compass Discipline Committee Empowering Girls in STEM Hispanic Student Alliance Jewish Student Union MESA Repertory Company (RepCo) Council for the Advancement of Girls Student Ambassador Leadership Team (SALT) Prom Com
Frenish Magazine Arts Council Newsletter Impulse Arts Magazine Lamp (Yearbook) SKIRT (Fashion Magazine) Wick (Newspaper) BOARDS
Arts Council Athletic Association (AA) Environmental Board (ECO) Honor Council Service Council Student Government UNITY
The Agnes Irwin School Core Values Our Core Values are the essence of our community and the code by which we live— the principles upon which we make our decisions. They are the heart and soul of The Agnes Irwin School. LEAD WITH CHARACTER We are courageous leaders who model empathy and compassion. We embody honesty, kindness, and personal integrity in all that we say and do. FOSTER TRUST AND COMMUNITY We build trust through openness and understanding fostering supportive relationships, deep connections, safe risk-taking, and the space to be our best selves. STRIVE FOR EXCELLENCE We encourage and support each other to tenaciously reach our fullest potential as we demonstrate resilience and champion greatness in all our pursuits. NURTURE PASSIONS AND WELLBEING We nurture a love of learning and academic success by cultivating individual passions and the pursuit of our own unique path, supporting the whole person in wellness and wellbeing. RESPECT AND CELEBRATE ALL We treat all with dignity and respect, welcoming differences in backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives. We foster an inclusive environment where everyone is valued, contributions are celebrated, and community is cherished.
Office of Admission | Ithan Avenue and Conestoga Road | Rosemont, PA 19010 Grades PreK-4: 610.801.1203 | Grades 5-12: 610.801.1202 | admission@agnesirwin.org agnesirwin.org/admission
Upper School Director Joy Prince began her career as an upper school French teacher at Charlotte Country Day School in Charlotte, North Carolina, then transitioned to college admission at Agnes Scott College, near Atlanta, Georgia, where, during her tenure she traveled extensively across the Eastern seaboard meeting with high school students and learning about their academics, interests and hopes and dreams for college. She became adept at reading admission applications and transferred those skills to a new role as a college counselor at Holy Innocents’ Episcopal. There, she also served as 11th grade dean and director of college counseling. She brought her breadth of college counseling experience to The Weber School and Atlanta Girls’ School, where she also enjoyed roles as director of extracurricular activities and interim middle school dean of student life. Her background in teaching, student life, college admission and college counseling gives her a unique perspective for understanding the developmental needs of students in their transition to high school and to college. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in French from Davidson College and her Master of Arts degree from Middlebury College.
2022.US.01