The Upper School is a four-year journey of intellectual and personal growth toward greater independence.
It is a metaphorical "staircase" of increasing academic challenge, student independence and self-advocacy, social development, and success. The Upper School program is intentionally designed to meet the needs of students ages 14-18, offering a college preparatory curriculum with an emphasis on teacher-student mentoring.
Ninth Grade is an Entry Year
Ninth grade is carefully structured to help all students, whether they are coming from the Middle School at SPA or from a different school, make as successful transition to our Upper School. Teachers of 9th graders intentionally focus on and reinforce basic student strategies as well as skills specific to their discipline. By the end of 9th grade, most students really know how to “do school” effectively at SPA. We offer orientation opportunities for students and parents:
- Orientation activities for 9th graders on the first day of school.
- Throughout the first quarter orientation continues through the advisory program.
- For parents we offer the 9th Grade Parent Orientation in the evening on September 8, 2008.
- Parents also are invited to 9th Grade Parent-Principal Coffee Chats throughout the year.
Increased Choice in 9th Grade
As 9th graders, students have increased choice in terms of:
- electives (music ensembles, studio arts classes, debate, journalism program)
- student leadership and interest organizations
- athletic teams
- extracurricular drama productions.
Ninth graders also have some free time during the day through additional free periods beyond the required study hall or “D Days” (“Department Days”) in selected subjects.
Changing Parent Roles
As students become increasingly independent and take “center stage” in their own school life, parent roles are no less important, but tend to become more “off stage.” Whereas with younger students a parent may have contacted a teacher directly to ask a question on behalf of a student, in 9th grade we encourage students to take this initiative themselves. Parents may help students problem-solve, encourage students to seek out teachers, help students plan ahead and make choices, and secure support services if appropriate.
For standard expectations of students, parents, teachers and advisors in the Upper School, click on the link to this section of the Upper School Handbook.
Managing Homework
Parents can play an essential role in helping students plan ahead and balance their priorities during the week to ensure that students have sufficient time to complete homework thoroughly.
We ask teachers to assign an average of 45 minutes of homework per night for each subject. We all understand, of course, that some students will be able to complete their homework more quickly than this average, while some students may take longer than the average. Because of our system of “D Nights” (“Department Nights”), students have homework in a given subject only 4 out of 5 nights per week. This means that students should anticipate: 4 subjects x 45 minutes = 3 hours of homework per night. Most students use free periods and “D Days” (“Department Days”) during the day to complete homework for at least one subject. This leaves students with: 3 subjects x 45 minutes = 2 ¼ hours homework per night.
Helping 9th graders budget their time and balance homework, athletics, activities outside of school, and family life is a tremendously helpful parent role.