UPPER SCHOOL
CURRICULUM SUMMARY I THE STEWARD SCHOOL
Steward’s Upper School
is that perfect blend of challenging yet manageable academics, opportunities for exploring interests, appropriate guidance from a respected faculty and staff team, and learning to balance demands — a combination that fosters independence in a comfortable environment due to our small class sizes. Our students thrive in an atmosphere that values character, allowing each student’s confidence to develop. The Upper School is large enough for students to have multiple friend groups yet small enough to encourage deeper relationships.
BOBBY POLLICINO
Director of Upper School
Mr. Pollicino earned a B.S. in biology from Washington College and an M.A. in secondary science from The College of William & Mary. In addition, he earned an Executive Certificate in Leadership from Cornell University. Before leading Steward’s Upper School, he served as Head of Upper School at Bullis School, an independent, co-educational college preparatory school for grades K-12 in Potomac, MD. Mr. Pollicino has taught public speaking, leadership, environmental science, and biology courses and has coached girls and boys lacrosse since 2003. Mr. Pollicino believes in fostering students’ growth and development through well-rounded educational experiences and strong community relationships.
KEY ADMISSION DATE
Applications for First Round due by: January 15, 2025
UPPER SCHOOL VIRTUAL TOUR
UPPER SCHOOL OPPORTUNITIES
VIDEO
INSPIRE THE FUTURE VIDEO
SCAN
SCAN
SCAN
Our three children all attended Steward starting in kindergarten. Our oldest is now at The University of Virginia. Steward meets your children where they are and helps them become the best versions of themselves. Our children have thrived in Honors and AP classes, varsity athletics, band, theatre tech, and student government. Steward’s college counseling is also absolutely incredible. With small classes and a small overall school size, your child will feel seen, heard, and cared for at Steward.”
– STEWARD PARENT
LITERACY AND LANGUAGE
In Upper School English classes, students are exposed to important, diverse, and unusual works of literature to allow them to experience the world on a page. Through reading, writing, and discussion, they explore aspects within the identities of literary characters, their peers, and themselves, with an eye toward increasing
empathy and connection within our community. Good writing is essential, and our faculty specialize in guiding the development of this important skill incrementally each year, with vocabulary and grammar instruction as key components. Upper School English classes are available at the college preparatory and honors levels, plus AP offerings and twelfth-grade seminar courses in specialty topics.
MATHEMATICS
A small-school environment is ideal for studying math; students are able to focus on lessons and ask questions easily, which is critical for understanding mathematical concepts. Classes include geometry, function analysis, algebra I and II, precalculus, calculus AB and BC, and statistics. We are able to provide a challenging curriculum at all levels,
including college preparatory, honors, and AP.
UNDERSTANDING THE WORLD
As Upper School students prepare to assert themselves in the world, they need a foundational knowledge of history, geography, and social studies. The Upper School curriculum is expansive for a small school, offering classes at multiple levels in world studies, U.S. history,
government, economics, and even specialty topics as single-semester options. The combination of these classes gives students a working appreciation as they grapple with the complex issues facing our society. Part of understanding the world is comprehending more than one language; our world languages curriculum focuses on Spanish, with classes for brandnew to experienced speakers. The benefit of a JK-12 singlelanguage program is that we can integrate Spanish throughout the curriculum because everyone is being exposed to the same language.
SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND ENGINEERING
Physics, chemistry, biology, environmental science, and human anatomy are offered at multiple levels in the Upper School. All of these classes include laboratory components, and the Bryan Innovation Lab serves as a place to break barriers and expand horizons. Access to technological resources is critical in our everchanging world, and engineering design processes are incorporated into lessons to allow for mastery of core concepts.
LEADERSHIP PROGRAM
This unique opportunity is the first of its kind among Richmond-area independent schools. The Leadership Program combines hands-on learning with academic studies and focuses on group dynamics, conflict resolution, global engagement, and social justice.
SEMINARS AND COLLEGE COUNSELING
The Upper School curriculum includes seminar courses for each grade level, allowing students to explore non-traditional classroom topics, including research writing, foundations in design and innovation, wellness, and public speaking. Since Steward’s mission includes preparation for future educational opportunities, the College Counseling Office spends two full semesters assisting juniors and seniors, and develops strong relationships with each student along the way. One-hundred percent of our seniors are accepted into college, and 98-99% of them report that they are attending a school they consider to be a top choice.
EXPRESSIVE ARTS
The arts are an essential part of personal development for teenagers, and the Upper School opportunities for expression abound. With classes in photography, studio art, choral music, instrumental music, acting, and theatre tech, students are able to try something new or dig deeper within their comfort zones. The performing arts, visual arts, and the constructive arts offer a variety of opportunities for students to display their talents, including three mainstage productions each year.
ATHLETICS
Steward’s athletics program provides competitive outlets for both the love of sports and school pride. With JV and varsity teams in 12 sports for boys and
girls, the fields and courts are full of young athletes every season. The Spartans have a winning tradition with 15 state championship titles, and also compete regionally in the Tidewater Conference of Independent Schools. Good sportsmanship and character are the mainstays of Steward’s athletics program, with the hope of creating lifelong interest in a healthy lifestyle.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP STUDIES
Steward offers an entrepreneurship diploma endorsement for students who complete the required credentials. This optional program runs throughout the school year, and participation is open to students in grades 9-12. Field trips, interaction with local business leaders, and hands-on activities are designed to expose students to the field of entrepreneurship and to encourage them to think like innovators.
SERVICE LEARNING
Part of being a good citizen is learning to be a good steward. Upper School students have numerous opportunities to participate in service projects large and small, including organized school activities and clubs that specialize in service. Community service hours are required annually, and service learning is a focus of Minimester for freshmen.
MINIMESTER
All Upper School students participate in Minimester, which is an opportunity to learn outside
of the classroom. Freshmen complete community service and tour colleges, while sophomores and juniors participate in travel or internships. Seniors use the week to finish researching their Senior Projects.
EXTRACURRICULARS
From yearbook to student council
and guitar club to Model UN, extracurricular activities allow students to develop their interests, and the Upper School has more than 30 clubs that are student run with faculty guidance. Club meetings are generally held during the school day so as not to conflict with after-school commitments, and Steward encourages the establishment of new clubs, provided students can obtain a faculty sponsor.
ADVISORY PROGRAM
The Upper School advisory program is an important component of our students’ success. Advisory groups include 8-12 students from a single grade, and the groups meet weekly, usually guided by a lesson but sometimes just to hang out. The goal of this program is to provide a casual outlet for the students, guidance from another adult who is invested in their lives, and a touchpoint for parents.