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Wooster School provides a superior educational experience because
- Wooster fosters academic and intellectual excellence in each and every student.
- Wooster builds character by inspiring responsibility, respect, and confidence.
- Wooster is a diverse, welcoming, caring community of students, parents, and faculty members.
Wooster fosters academic and intellectual excellence in each and every student.
Wooster teachers challenge their students to reach high academic standards. Our faculty specifically works to discover the best ways of stimulating the intellectual curiosity of each student. Students learn to think critically and analytically, to question and to stretch their thinking. Wooster builds lifetime learners by emphasizing love of learning over learning motivated by outside pressure.
- College Preparatory Environment provides a rigorous academic curriculum to all students. Wooster students are well prepared for the challenges at the next grade level and, ultimately, to succeed in college and beyond. Wooster graduates return to report that they were notably better able to manage their time and the difficulty of their courses than their peers. Advanced Placement and Honors sections are offered to all qualified students.
- College Acceptance— Since its founding, Wooster has intentionally accepted a broad range of students and its college acceptances reflect this diversity. 100% of Wooster graduates are accepted at a four-year college. Recent graduates have chosen to attend Princeton, Dartmouth, Columbia, Duke, Cornell, NYU, Boston College, and Carnegie Mellon among other institutions. Over the last five years, 18% of Wooster graduates have attended schools ranked “most competitive” in Barron’s Profiles of American Colleges, and over 50% attended schools ranked “most competitive” or “highly competitive.” More than 1/3 of our students scored over 1300 on the SAT. Individual meetings with the Director of College Guidance begin in 11th grade.
- Small Classes require student participation, promoting active learning, questioning, and debate rather than rote memorization. It is as if every student has a front row seat. The average class size in the Lower School is 12 students, in the Middle School it is 13 students, and in the Upper School, the average is 10 students.
- Gifted and Dedicated Faculty—50% of the faculty hold master or doctorate degrees. The Wooster faculty includes three Fulbright Award winners, a Klingenstein Fellow, and a PhD from Cambridge, England.
- Educational Resource Program – This program is designed to enable students to maximize their educational skills and better prepare them for the next level of academic challenge. Wooster has two Learning Specialists on staff who work with students Pre-K-12 to develop better organization, improve note-taking, learn test taking strategies, and enhance the other academic skills necessary for each child to successfully meet the rigorous academic expectations of each grade level.
- Integrated Technology – Our Director of Educational Technology works with our faculty to make the best use of Wooster’s information technology resources to augment student learning. The use of course management web sites, computer based labs, electronic communication, internet research, and our fully-automated library are woven into the curriculum and into classroom instruction. Computer usage and instruction begins in kindergarten, and electives in web design, computer graphics, and AP Computer Science are offered in the Upper School.
- Foreign Language—Language training begins in kindergarten, and continues until a student is competent in both speaking and writing and has a deep understanding of a culture other than his or her own. The Wooster Year Abroad program is available to qualified Upper School students; each year several students spend the academic year in France or Spain.
- Art, Music, and Drama are offered through the Wooster School Art Center, the Department of Music, and in afternoon programs. Many classes are taught by professional artists and musicians, and art and music are required subjects through graduation. Among dozens of options, the Madrigal Singers, who have performed at Carnegie Hall, and the Contemporary Improvisation Ensemble, Art History, and Photography are noteworthy. Starting in Middle School, both musical and dramatic theater performances in Wooster’s Black Box Theater perform to sold out crowds each season.
- Independent Work—At all levels, students are encouraged in age-appropriate ways to learn to work independently. Most seniors engage in a Senior Independent Study in the spring of their last year at Wooster. Students are encouraged to explore areas of academic interest, participate in community service, or pursue a personal challenge. The experience culminates in a formal presentation to peers, faculty, and parents about the value of the work to their personal growth.
- Opportunities to shine—Wooster students have a multitude of opportunities to demonstrate academic and intellectual achievement. Competition in academics and non-academic areas is introduced at age-appropriate levels so that students learn to seek their personal best. Students feel safe to push themselves to a higher standard. Showing intelligence is socially accepted at Wooster, and students earn respect from their peers for academic success.
Wooster builds character by inspiring responsibility, respect and confidence.
Wooster educates the whole person and is dedicated to instilling a set of values that are best stated in the words of the Wooster School prayer: “Make us gentle, generous, truthful, kind, and brave.” Civility and respect for others are central to the school community. Daily interaction with adults builds maturity and individual presence. Wooster is a place of both physical and emotional safety for its students. Student personal responsibility and leadership are cultivated at all levels of the school.
- Honor Code—Wooster operates under a clearly articulated and frequently discussed social and academic Honor Code. Students treat the Honor Code with deep seriousness.
- Self-Help is a community philosophy centered on children and adults acting as stewards of the school. In the Jobs Program, each senior assumes a leadership role in which he or she manages a group of students in work and volunteer activities that maintain the physical facilities and contribute to the smooth operation of the school.
- Community Service—Middle School students complete 15 hours of community service and Upper School Students are required to volunteer 100 hours. Students reflect on their experiences by keeping journals and sometimes sharing what they have learned with their peers at assembly.
- Chapel—Though grounded in the Episcopal tradition, Wooster enrolls and serves students from many faiths. Students attend chapel once a week for reflection, readings, singing, and discussion. The Judeo-Christian tradition is our focus, but speakers from many backgrounds enrich our services. Our chapel services help our students explore the mysteries of life and understand that all people have value. Parents are welcome.
- Senior Seminar in Religion is a required course that prepares students for a challenging college experience by combining lectures, discussion, and independent study in an intense investigation of the nature of community and religion and their role in our lives.
- Faculty Interaction occurs throughout the day, at the lunch table over family style meals, on the sports fields, as well as in the classroom, offering multiple “touch points” for faculty to influence student development. Each upper and middle school student has a faculty advisor and meets at least once a week with a small group of students to discuss issues of importance. Wooster students interact closely with faculty and learn to seek out adult mentors. Faculty members willingly share their home phone numbers with students and parents.
- Athletics are an integral part of the curriculum and, by policy, anyone wishing to play is made a team member. Players are taught to appreciate and build sportsmanship, cooperation, commitment, determination, and confidence. All students are required to participate in team sports and/or physical activities. A full time nurse and athletic trainer are on staff. Over the last 5 years, Wooster has earned 14 league championship titles, 20 bids to New England tournaments and 16 sportsmanship awards. The school fields 33 interscholastic teams.
- Public Speaking starts as early as in kindergarten. Students are taught to present their own viewpoint and how to give and receive constructive criticism respectfully.
- Respect and Manners are taught by example. Faculty members intervene when appropriate to set the boundaries of acceptable behavior. Students learn to resolve their differences. Cliques, bullying, and other disruptive behavior are not tolerated. The Lower School playground philosophy is “You can’t say ‘You can’t play.’ Find a way.”
Wooster is a diverse, welcoming, caring community of students, parents, and faculty members.
Wooster students develop the ability to work with others that have diverse backgrounds, experiences, talents, and interests. Parents are invited to be an integral part of the community and participate on all levels—assisting in the classroom, side by side with students in volunteer activities, and as partners in education with the faculty.
o Racial and Cultural Diversity is our standard. Twenty-two percent of our students self-identify as non-Caucasian. International families from Asia, South America, and Europe are part of our community.
o Financial Aid is available and admissions are need-blind and have resulted in a socially and economically diverse student body. A significant portion of our students receive financial support.
o Diversity Coordinators initiate educational opportunities appropriate for the Upper, Middle, and Lower Schools. Each year, several events celebrate the various cultures and traditions represented in our community.
o English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) is available for students who need special instruction and is offered to adults in the evenings. Wooster provides translators for parent conferences when requested.
o Communication with Parents is frequent and two-way. For Middle and Upper School students, individual comments on student performance are presented eight times per year and conferences are held in November and upon request. Lower School parents have private meetings with teachers twice per year and receive extensive written reports twice per year. Monthly or weekly newsletters are sent from the Division Heads. Teachers post student assignments on-line. Parents are invited to contact teachers and advisors with any questions, at any time.
o Interaction Among All Students, from Pre-K-12, is encouraged and strengthened through programs such as Big Brother/Big Sister, clubs, athletic teams, and the jobs program. By engaging and connecting with children of varying ages, our younger students gain valuable friends, mentors, and role models and our older students learn their obligation to act accordingly. Wooster maintains a safe, nurturing environment, much like a large family where members provide support for each other.
o Community Participation—Wooster offers numerous opportunities to share our facilities, including sponsoring coffeehouses, jazz concerts, a summer camp, and art classes for adults and children. The Parents’ Association is very active and sponsors an annual auction, a Fall Festival and other events. Each year, current families offer to mentor incoming families.
o Generosity is practiced by students, faculty, and parents alike. The students hold bake sales and car washes, and offer services to raise money for local and national charities. The faculty donates considerable time to helping monitor, advise, and participate in charitable activities. Each year, the entire community participates in our Annual Giving drive, netting considerable funds to enhance school programs.
o Alumni continue to connect with Wooster and each other. The Alumni network persists well beyond graduation. Many alumni express their appreciation of their Wooster experience by donating to the Annual Giving fund each year.
More about Wooster School’s curriculum and co-curricular activities……
Lower School
o The curriculum emphasizes higher order thinking skills. Thematic units emphasize depth and include integration of the arts and technology.
o Math classes are differentiated in order to best recognize the learning styles of students.
o Reading is individualized, with self-paced advancement.
o Spanish (K through 4th grade) and French (5th grade) are introduced at an early age.
o Students develop the personal art of writing with clarity and cohesiveness.
o The daily schedule includes time for discussion on social and community issues.
o Students can participate in:
· Musical performances
· Book club
· Literary Magazine
· Family math or science nights
· Chess Club
· Lessons from dance to golf
Middle School
o 40% of Wooster students qualify to participate in the John Hopkins Center for Talented (Gifted) Youth talent search.
o Math is grouped by ability, with approximately 1/3 of students placed two steps above grade level. The strongest students are enrolled in Honors Geometry (usually a 10th or 11th grade course) by the 8th grade.
o Students are introduced to French and Latin, and can continue Spanish study begun in the Lower School. By mid-7th grade, many students select Upper School French 1 or Spanish 1, beginning their college entrance requirement. Latin may be continued through 8th grade.
o Study skills, organization, and personal responsibility are emphasized in each subject.
o Grades are introduced for academics, effort, and citizenship.
o Students participate in academic competitions:
· Academic Bowl
· American Junior High School Math Competition
· French, Latin, and Poetry contests
o Team sports versus other schools are introduced (optional)
o Students can opt to participate in co-curricular activities such as:
· Art Intensive courses
· Drama
· Student Council
· Chorus and Hand-bells
· Private music lessons
· Contemporary Improvisational Ensemble
Upper School
o Rigorous college preparatory curriculum.
o 13 Advanced Placement and 9 Honors courses offered (1/3 of all courses).
o Academic sessions on Saturday and extra help or instruction offered.
o Practice PSAT and SAT work.
o Students can opt to participate in co-curricular activities such as:
· Art Intensive courses
· Drama
· Jazz Ensemble
· School newspaper
· Literary magazine
· Debate Club
· Chorus or Senior Hand Bells groups
· Chess club
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