Achieving Academic Excellence

from Viewbook 2020 – Trinity Episcopal School

Our Mission

“Trinity shares my values — things like inclusion, equity, the importance of healthy balanced lives, and socialemotional health. This is, unfortunately, hard to find, and from the moment I visited for my interview, I knew it was the warm, welcoming community of staff and students I was looking for

and thrive in. Our Classroom Dynamics ”

M O N ICA H E R N A N D E Z , MIDDLE SCHOOL MATH

At Trinity Episcopal School, our academic programs are rigorous, research-based, and rooted in best practices. Inspiring teachers engage and empower students to indulge their curiosity, take intellectual risks, express ideas effectively, and think critically to solve problems collaboratively or independently. Trinity’s low student-teacher ratio, rich learning environment, and thoughtfully designed curriculum offer each child the right mix of caring attention and independence so they have room to grow and thrive.

Community of Learners

Research shows that high-quality professional development for school faculty translates directly into higher student achievement. Trinity allocates generous resources toward professional development opportunities for faculty and staff. Trinity educators travel to workshops across the country and even around the world, learning from top researchers and thought leaders in every field. We also host national and local experts on our campus to coach us as we continually refine our craft. And we carve out time at least once each trimester for teachers to collaborate across disciplines in order to identify and implement the most effective practices in education.

Lower School Academics

Lower School [K–4] provides children with a supportive community and a sense of belonging that helps

them master reading, writing, and

mathematics, as well as social and

emotional skills vital to their success

in the world beyond the classroom. We call this approach “joyful rigor.”

The curriculum promotes a deep

understanding of numeracy, creative problem solving, the scientific method, and literacy skills. Core subject

areas are supplemented with world languages (Mandarin and Spanish begin in kindergarten), art, music, PE, STEM, and robust after-school programs.

We believe young students learn best

through active learning and positive reinforcement. That’s why we give them opportunities to explore information,

make meaningful connections, and

solve problems both independently and

collaboratively. We prioritize academics,

but we also celebrate successes and

applaud perseverance. These essential

skills and habits begin in Lower School, flourish during Middle School, and serve them well after their time at Trinity.

Middle School Academics

The Middle School [5–8] curriculum offers students an engaging and developmentally appropriate educational experience, as we balance the demands of a rigorous educational program with the needs of growing

adolescents. Our curriculum and scheduling are based

on leading research as well as proven best practices, creating a learning environment that is forward-thinking and evidence-based. Breaks from classroom instruction

are spaced strategically throughout the day, and our advisory program is purposeful, guiding older students

as they navigate a complex world and learn skills vital to

their success beyond Trinity. Middle School teachers have expertise and passion for

working with adolescents, creating an environment where learning can be both serious and fun. They promote the best in our older students through meaningful lessons,

challenging standards, and a supportive community to help them express ideas effectively and think critically across disciplines. Our core academic programs are complemented by a variety of elective options, including visual and performing arts, world languages, STEM,

drumline, service leadership, and yearbook. Extracurricular

opportunities include Model UN, theater, and PSIA

competitions. Electives and after-school programs enrich

the learning experience and enable students to pursue passions or explore new areas of interest.

Dream, design, discover. That’s what D-Lab is all about! It’s an innovation makerspace outfitted for hands-on, creative problem solving. Whether sewing fabrics or soldering circuits, programming drones or composing soundtracks, woodworking or 3-D printing, students can bring their ideas to life. “Design thinking” is at the core of all tinkering in D-Lab classes. It starts with an idea, followed by a cycle of empathy, ideation, rapid prototyping, feedback, and revision to identify innovative solutions to actual problems before committing to a chosen medium or media to produce high-resolution products. In Lower School, students gain exposure to basic fabrication and design skills during select time block. There are also extracurricular opportunities, like a weekly drop-in class for kids who want extra time to tinker after school, or a Robotics team for students who love to create and compete. In Middle School, fifth and sixth graders experience D-Lab as part of their Creative Arts rotation. Seventh and eighth graders have the option to choose D-Lab as an elective that meets every other day. Our Middle School Robotics Team competes each year, and coding electives are available in 7th and 8th grades. And Middle School students can enjoy open-format D-Lab “drop-ins” during lunch and activity periods. DesignFest is Trinity’s annual multifaceted school-wide learning event that harnesses the design thinking framework to create innovative solutions to real-life challenges. Trinity’s Library-Research-Technology team provides plans, resources, and instructions, and the entire student body participates each spring.

World Languages

We introduce Spanish and Mandarin to all students in kindergarten. In first grade, parents select which language their child will continue to pursue for the remainder of their time at Trinity. Seventh and eighth graders may also choose to Trinity’s capstone projects offer our fourth and eighth grade students the opportunity to spend a “mini-mester” deep-diving into the research process with a focus on design thinking. In Inquiry Seminar, our fourth grade capstone course, students engage in multiple rounds of research, designed to change their perceptions of themselves and the world around them. Reinforcing the design thinking framework, students learn to collaborate, begin to recognize the status quo, challenge existing assumptions, check resource reliability, and understand the design process. In Innov8, Trinity’s eighth grade capstone project, students identify a real-world problem and use the design process to formulate a plan for delivering a sustainable solution. Reinforcing the design thinking framework, students work in teams to collaborate, think critically, communicate, creatively define the problem, consider/refine/select a solution, and present their research and ideas in various modalities.

High School Matriculation

Successful high school placement begins with an exceptional K–8 experience. Trinity’s focus on the K–8 model provides a challenging yet safe environment where students can spread their wings as adolescents. By eighth grade, Trinity students are well prepared, well rounded, self-assured, and ready to play an active role in choosing their next educational experience. Trinity employs a full-time director of high school placement, who collaborates with parents and guides students to find their best fit among several high school incorporate Latin as an elective course.

options. Our director works personally with each Trinity family beginning in the spring of seventh grade to discuss options and help oversee the application process. In 2020, 62 grads were accepted into 20 high school programs.

In 2020, 62 grads were accepted into 20 high school programs. Over the past five years, Trinity students have matriculated to the following high schools:

Alpha Academy for Classical Studies, Austin HS Academy for Global Studies, Austin HS Academy for Science and Innovation, Austin HS Academy of High Tech, Austin HS Anderson High School Anderson High School IB Program Asheville School (North Carolina) Austin Tennis Academy Burlingame High School (California) Cate School (California) Chatham Hall(VA) Choate Rosemary Hall (CT) Culver Academies (Indiana) Dripping Springs High School Episcopal High School (VA) Harker School (California) Hotchkiss School (Connecticut) Kent School (Connecticut) Leander High School Liberal Arts and Science Academy Manor New Tech Academy McCallie School (Tennessee) McCallum Fine Arts Academy Middlesex School (Massachusetts) Phillips Exeter Academy (New Hampshire) Proctor Academy (New Hampshire) Rawson Saunders School St. Andrew’s Episcopal School St. Michael’s Catholic Academy St. Stephen’s Episcopal School Thacher School (California) Westlake High School Westtown School (Pennsylvania)