SCHOOL PROFILE 2016-2017 School and Community Severn School, founded in 1914, is an independent, coeducational, college preparatory day school located in Anne Arundel County, between Baltimore and Annapolis, 36 miles from the United States Capitol. Admission is selective. Qualified students are admitted without regard to gender, race, ethnicity, economic status, religion, physical ability, or sexual orientation. Severn School is accredited by the Association of Independent Maryland Schools and approved by the Maryland State Board of Education. The school holds membership in NAIS, NACAC, AIMS, CASE, CEEB, ERB, ACCIS, and NASSP. Mission Severn School challenges its students to pursue excellence in character, conduct, and scholarship, to marshal the courage to lead, and to develop the lasting desire to serve and achieve. We believe this is best realized in a community where adults model these qualities and where each student is known and valued.
ability to synthesize ideas and to create new fields of inquiry in the application of several skills and knowledge bases that they have developed in their time at Severn. The project culminates in a presentation to the Severn community. Approximately ten students each year are selected to be Fellows. Malone Schools Online Network – Severn School is a member of the Malone Schools Online Network (MSON). MSON provides upper-level students at the twenty Malone Schools with a variety of courses offered in an online classroom that enhances each member school’s existing curriculum. Each course takes a blended approach, combining synchronous instruction (real-time video conferencing seminars) with asynchronous instruction (recorded lectures and exercises students complete outside of the class). These courses appear on the Severn transcript with a “Course ID” of MSON.
Students and Faculty There are 835 students in grades PS through twelve. The graduating class totals 102. In the Upper School, 81% of the teaching faculty hold an advanced degree. The Upper School faculty-to-student ratio is approximately 1 to 9 and the average class size is 12.
Calendar The school year is divided into two semesters that end in midJanuary and early June. The day is divided into five 60 minute periods, and the schedule operates on a seven period rolling basis. Time is reserved at the end of each day for extra help and activities.
Graduation Requirements Students in 9th grade carry six credits, five of which must be in core academic areas. They also pursue a year-long, uncredited Health & Wellness seminar which does not appear on the transcript. All students should carry six courses (at least five academic) each semester. Students with two AP courses (or one AP and two honors courses) have the option of taking only five classes. Students are not permitted to take more than six courses in a semester.
Advanced Courses and Weighting All courses are college preparatory. Honors and Advanced Placement courses are given an extra value of .33 and .67, respectively, to determine a weighted grade point average. All MSON courses are given an extra value of .33 or .67. Grades appear on transcripts as earned, before any weight is applied. Students are invited into advanced courses, and rarely carry more than three AP courses per year.
Graduation from Severn requires a minimum of 21 credits, distributed accordingly:
Grade Point Average A cumulative, weighted GPA is computed after each semester, and includes all grades earned in all courses at Severn School.
• • • •
English – 4 Mathematics – 3 Foreign Language – 3 History – 3
• Lab Science – 3 • Fine Arts – 1 • Electives – 4
Students must participate on an athletic team or pursue an approved athletic activity each year, and be certified in CPR before they graduate. All Upper School students are required to fulfill a community service requirement each year.
Rank in Class Due to the small size and strong quality of our graduating classes, we do not rank our students. Postgraduate Plans Typically, 100% of our seniors enter four-year colleges or universities upon graduation.
All seniors (other than Fellows, see below) complete a two-week Independent Senior Project in May, which is then presented to the School.
Honor Code Severn School abides by its Honor Code, created by the students to foster and maintain a culture of trust in our community. Students pledge not to lie, cheat, or steal. The faculty pledge to uphold the Honor Code and its guidelines.
Distinctive Curricular Features Severn Fellows Program – Rising seniors may apply for this year-long, independent, intellectual pursuit. Fellows enter into this experience with the understanding that their project will receive neither a grade nor academic credit. Students are encouraged to demonstrate their
Reporting Disciplinary Actions Severn School does not report disciplinary infractions to postsecondary institutions. Students will disclose and explain any serious disciplinary infractions, in accordance with Severn’s Honor Code.
Students also complete a four-year leadership seminar sequence upon graduation. These seminars meet ten times each year.
Douglas H. Lagarde, Headmaster • Beatrice Fuller, Upper School Head David Brunk, Co-Director of College Counseling, d.brunk@severnschool.com • Kimberly Coughlin, Co-Director of College Counseling, k.coughlin@severnschool.com
Upper School Curriculum 2016-2017 The school year is divided into two semesters. A student earns one credit for a year-long course and one-half credit for a semester course. A student is required to carry a minimum of five classes each semester and needs a minimum of 21 credits to graduate. Severn adds .33 or .67 to grades in Honors and Advanced Placement (AP) courses, respectively, when calculating GPA.
Subject
Honors and AP Courses
Requirements
Elective Courses
ENGLISH
Four Credits required: • English 9 • English 10 • English 11 • English 12 (2 semester seminars from the topics listed at the right)
• The Best in American Letters+ • Comparative Cultures Across Media • Cultural Expression in Modern and Contemporary Drama • Diverse Voices Through the World’s Greatest Short Stories • Exploring Social Identity in Dystopian and Science Fiction • Global Voices in Women’s Literature* • Literary Perspectives on the Modern World+ • Self-Discovery in Literature+ • Shakespeare+ • Western and Non-Western Modern and Contemporary Poetry * • Electives Offered: Creative Writing*, Public Speaking*
• • • • •
Honors English 9 Honors English 10 Honors English 11 AP English Language AP English Literature
HISTORY
Three credits required: • World Civilizations • Global Studies (or AP European History) • U.S. History
• • • • • • • • • •
The Cold War Civil Rights* Economics Ethnic History* History of Women in America International Relations Introduction to Philosophy Introduction to Political Science Modern Middle East U.S. Constitutional History
• • • •
AP European History AP U.S.History Honors Advanced Topics in Economics HonorsWorld Civilizations
MATH
Three credits required: • Algebra I • Geometry • Algebra II or Intermediate Algebra II
• • • • • • • • • •
Algebra III* Computer Science Discrete Math+ Financial Algebra Games and Mobile App Design* New Business Ventures Passport to Programming* Precalculus Statistics and Probability Trigonometry*
SCIENCE
Three lab credits required: • Physics • Chemistry • Biology
• • • • • •
Anatomy and Physiology The Diversity of Life+ Forensics Introduction to Engineering+ Introduction to Environmental Science Introductory Robotics*
• • • • • • • •
Honors Physics Honors Chemistry Honors Biology AP Biology AP Chemistry AP Environmental Science AP Physics 2* AP Physics C: Mechanics+
FOREIGN LANGUAGE
Three credits required in one sequence of either French, Latin, or Spanish
• • • • •
French I – III French IV Conversation Latin I – III Spanish I – III Spanish IV Conversation
• • • • • • •
Honors Spanish IV Honors Latin IV Honors French IV AP French AP Latin AP Spanish Latin American Culture Through Language (AP weight)
FINE ARTS
One credit required. Students choose from the following electives:
VISUAL ARTS • AP Studio Art: Drawing • AP Studio Art: 3D • Arts Principles • Advanced Ceramics • Black and White Photography • Ceramics I/II • Digital Arts I/II • Digital Media+ • Digital Photography*
* indicates class is not offered 2016-2017
• • • • • • •
(Requires departmental approval)
• Honors Geometry • Honors Algebra II • Honors Precalculus • Honors Calculus • Honors Functions/Calculus A • AP Calculus AB
Drawing I/II Film* Introduction to Architecture Painting I/II Photography I/II* Sculpture I/II Yearbook Design and Production
+ indicates class is new 2016-2017
• AP Calculus BC • Linear Algebra/Adv. Calculus Topics (AP weight) • AP Statistics • AP Computer Science A
PERFORMING ARTS • Introduction to the Performing Arts+ • Concert Choir* • Vocal Ensemble • Chamber Music Ensemble • Instrumental Ensemble • Music Technology I/II • Fundamentals of Music Theory I/II • Independent Study • Advanced Acting+ • Music Appreciation+
Standardized Testing SAT-I Middle 50% Scores Class Reading
Math
2014 550-640 2015 530-640 2016 530-660
550-670 530-670 550-670
Writing
Advanced Placement
SAT-II Middle 50% Scores (Classes of 2014-2016)
No. Tested Subject
560-660 550-670 540-670
92 92 93
ACT Middle 50% Scores
Scores
No. Tested
Enrollment in AP courses is subject to approval and students rarely carry more than three AP courses per year. Students in an AP class are required to take the respective AP exam.
Biology - E
560-650
6
Biology - M
580-680
35
Chemistry
570-740
23
In May 2016, 184 students in the Classes of 2016 – 2018 took 378 AP exams in 19 subjects: 69% scored 3 or above 40% scored a 4 or 5
English Lit
560-670
16
Percentile Results by Class:
Class
Composite Score
No. Tested
Math Level I
570-700
11
Class
3 or above
4 or 5
No. Exams
2014
25-30
55
Math Level II
620-760
69
2014
76%
46%
307
U.S. History
620-730
63
2015
78%
44%
315
2016
75%
48%
389
2015
22-29
71
2016
24-29
50
College Enrollment Members of the classes of 2012-2016 enrolled in the following four year colleges and universities. Bold indicates Class of 2016 matriculation. The numbers in parentheses indicates the total number of Severn School students from the classes of 2012-2016 that enrolled at each institution. University of Alabama (4) American University (4) Auburn University (7) Babson College Barnard College Bates College Belmont University (2) Bethune-Cookman University Boston College (8) Boston University (4) Bowie State University Brandeis University University of British Columbia Bucknell University (9) University of California, Berkeley University of California, Santa Barbara Carleton College (2) Carnegie Mellon University (2) Case Western Reserve University The Catholic University of America (4) Champlain College College of Charleston (5) University of Cincinnati Clemson University (8) Coastal Carolina University (2) Colby College Colgate University (3) University of Colorado at Boulder (10) Colorado College (3) Colorado State University Columbia University Connecticut College University of Connecticut Cornell University (2) Dartmouth College (3) University of Delaware (11) University of Denver (2) DePaul University Dickinson College (4) Drexel University (5) Duke University (2) East Carolina University Eastern University Eckerd College
Elon University (3) Emerson College Emory University (3) Flagler College Florida State University University of Florida (2) Fordham University (5) Franklin & Marshall College (3) Furman University (3) The George Washington University (4) Georgetown University Georgia Institute of Technology (2) Georgia Southern University (2) The University of Georgia (2) Gettysburg College (3) Goucher College (2) Grand Valley State University Hamilton College Hampden-Sydney College (2) Hampton University Harvard University (3) Harvey Mudd College Hendrix College High Point University (10) College of the Holy Cross Howard University University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Indiana University at Bloomington (2) Ithaca College James Madison University (7) Johns Hopkins University University of Kentucky (2) Kenyon College (3) Kettering University Lafayette College (2) Lehigh University (4) Loyola Marymount University Loyola University Maryland (5) Lynn University Macalester College Maine College of Art University of Mary Washington (2) Maryland Institute College of Art University of Maryland, Baltimore County (10)
University of Maryland, College Park (26) Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2) McDaniel College (2) Merrimack College Messiah College Miami University, Oxford (5) University of Miami (3) University of Michigan (3) Middlebury College University of Mississippi (2) University of Missouri Moravian College Morgan State Mount St. Mary's University University of New Hampshire at Durham University of New Mexico New York University (3) The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Northeastern University (4) University of Notre Dame Oberlin College (2) Old Dominion University University of Oregon The Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University Pennsylvania State University, State College (4) Pennsylvania State University, Altoona University of Pennsylvania (4) Pfeiffer University (2) University of Pittsburgh (3) Princeton University (2) Purdue University Queens University of Charlotte Quinnipiac University Radford University (2) Randolph-Macon College (2) Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (2) Rhodes College University of Richmond (2) Roanoke College Rochester Institute of Technology (3) University of Rochester Rollins College Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Rutgers University
Saint Joseph's University Salisbury University (2) University of the Sciences in Philadelphia Shepherd University Skidmore College University of South Carolina (18) University of Southern California University of St. Andrews St. Mary's College of Maryland (9) Stanford University (2) Stetson University Stevens Institute of Technology Stevenson University (2) Susquehanna University (2) Syracuse University (3) The University of Tampa (5) The Ohio State University Towson University (8) Trinity College (2) Tufts University (3) Tulane University United States Coast Guard Academy United States Naval Academy (6) Vanderbilt University (2) Vaughn College of Aero and Tech University of Vermont (4) Villanova University (2) Virginia Commonwealth University (6) Virginia Tech (11) University of Virginia (7) Wake Forest University (6) Washington and Lee University (3) Washington College (7) Washington University in St. Louis (2) Wellesley College College of William and Mary (3) Williams College (4) University of Wisconsin, Madison Wofford College Worcester Polytechnic Institute Yale University (3) York College of Pennsylvania
201 Water Street Severna Park, Maryland 21146 410.647.7700 www.severnschool.com School Code 210945