Upper School (Grades 9 – 12

Upper School

Grades 9–12

Upper School students in the 9th and 10th grades at Lausanne benefit from continued development of critical thinking, research and communication skills while exploring the interdisciplinary studies of the last two years of the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme. Our goal is to develop students who are global-minded, collaborative, empathetic and active learners with the intellect and skills to pursue lives of purpose and meaning.

Classroom, co-curricular activities, student-organized interest clubs and community service experiences aim to help students develop their potential, explore their own learning preferences, take appropriate risks and develop a strong sense of personal identity. Through this self-reflection as well as the completion of most graduation requirements within their first two years of study in the Upper School, students are better able to design their schedules through the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme in the 11th and 12th grades to develop their individual skill sets and interests and to enhance admittance to their preferred colleges and universities.

Grade level faculty advisors, small peer groups and a structured four-year college advising process provide students the support, guidance and self-reflection opportunities to find their individual college or university of choice.

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UPPER SCHOOL: GRADES 9–12

• Middle Years Programme – Lausanne’s 9th and 10th grades are part of the Upper School while also an extension of the Middle Years

Programme of the International Baccalaureate. In addition to continuing the development of students’ Learner Profile attributes, students in the 10th grade will complete a long-term personal research project.

• International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme – The

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme is a rigorous academic program during the junior and senior years of high school. Students choose from a selection of classes offered at both standard (SL) and higher level (HL) in each of six different academic areas of study. All SL and HL classes are taught over two years. Students also write an extended essay, take a Theory of Knowledge class and participate in the Creativity, Activity and Service program (CAS). All students in the Upper School at

Lausanne benefit from participation in the full Diploma Programme or participation in two or more IB Certificate Courses. Fifty percent of the junior and senior classes participate in the full Diploma

Programme, and IB Math and English are required of all students.

The math program is integrated to make connections across the content domains leading to higher test scores, better retention and advanced studies. Students who complete IB coursework with high marks should expect to have college credit applied towards their college graduation requirements. • Flex Block – Each academic day, students in the Upper School have a 50-minute Flex Block starting at 1:25 p.m. This is a time when most teachers are in their classrooms. Students can get extra support on lessons or work with teachers and peers on various projects. National Honor Society students are also available for peer-tutoring. This is a great time for students to get one-on-one support in areas of challenge or a jump start on major projects or homework assignments. • Advisory – The academic day for Upper School begins each morning at 8:50 a.m., with a 10-minute advisory period. Each student has a grade-level advisor and a peer advisory group of seven to eight students that meet daily. Teachers build meaningful relationships with all members of their advisories and their advisees’ parents and help shepherd them through the academic and social challenges that present themselves over the year. The advisor is the primary contact for the family in the school. After the advisory period, the first class begins at 9 a.m., following best practices for the teenage brain. Lausanne's Upper School counselor organizes activities and discussions for the advisory groups throughout the year, manages any learning plans for students, and is available to meet with students and parents as needed. In addition to advisory, Upper School students are given several opportunities during the school day to focus, get centered and de-stress though the mindful moments program. These science-based techniques boost their executive functioning skills and assist them in their decision making and critical reasoning skills. • Clubs – There are over 50 student-organized clubs represented by the Upper School annually. Interests include community service efforts, academic clubs such as the Knowledge Bowl, Model UN and Health Occupation Specialists of America (HOSA), athletic and arts clubs and special interest clubs such as robotics or music history. Students can participate in two clubs during the community time block offered each Wednesday.

• Rotating Block Schedule – Upper School students rotate through six academic classes over two days. Following best pedagogy practices, academic classes are 85 minutes long, allowing students to dive deep into each subject. Students can tailor their experience with over 100+ course offerings, including but not limited to

Anthropology, Business, Computer Science, English, Languages (French, Spanish, Mandarin), Math, Psychology, Biology, Chemistry,

Physics, Environmental Science, Sports and Health Sciences, and the Performing and Visual Arts, taught through three different art studios. There are never more than 20 students in a class, and class sizes actually decrease in size as students enroll in various electives of interest. The average class size experience is 14 students. • Technology – Technology is seamlessly integrated into all academic programs at Lausanne. Supported by our campus-wide wireless network, all Middle and Upper School students use personal laptops in all of their classes. Our classrooms and innovation labs employ tools like virtual reality headsets, 3-D printers and laser cutters/ engravers to enhance lessons across the curriculum. The Upper

School’s Virtual Reality Suite offers students a multi-sensory and contextualized learning experience. • Active Learning – Utilizing our flexible furniture, our highly trained teachers use active learning strategies to keep engagement high and optimize the student learning experience with each lesson. • Class Trips and Internships – At the beginning of the school year, each class in the Upper School benefits from a unique week-long class experience designed to create a strong support system and opportunities for future planning. The freshmen go on a retreat with the 9th-grade faculty to learn about the Upper School culture and build community. Sophomores participate in a week-long internship in a local non-profit, allowing them to realize their impact on the communities in which they live. The junior class visits eight to ten colleges within a region with their college and faculty advisors to explore the differences between the types of schools.

The seniors organize a week-long internship of their choosing, although corporate internships are encouraged. This internship’s timing is important to the college application process as seniors are narrowing their choices of program interests. • College Advisory – Guidance from both faculty and Lausanne’s three-member college advising team gives students the support and encouragement needed to explore their individual passions as well as to design specific areas of academic concentration based on college and university interests. College advisors give multiple presentations to freshmen, sophomores and parents and create discussion cues for faculty advisory groups throughout the year. The college advisors work closely with each junior and senior through the college admission process, hosting over 160 recruiters each fall from various colleges and universities to visit with students.