Admission supplement 2014

Step Inside

Admission Supplement 2014-2015

Welcome Greetings!

As some of you may know, I just recently assumed my new role as 13th Head of The Agnes Irwin School after a rewarding career in higher education. In my initial weeks at school, I not only enjoyed the warm welcome of many members of this remarkable community, but also had the opportunity to engage with scores of people who contribute to continuing this historic and pioneering institution’s legacy of achievement.

Nearly 150 years of success, the vision and innovation of twelve Heads of School, a thousand exemplar educators and dedicated staff, the bounty and treasure of hundreds of benefactors forged in the crucible of time to create the Agnes Irwin we see today – a place where our mission is continually realized: to empower girls to learn, to lead, and to live a legacy.

Agnes Irwin is impressive from any perspective—from exquisite new space for athletics, student life, and innovation to greater interdisciplinary teaching and learning and increased opportunities for creativity and leadership at all grade levels. The Center for the Advancement of Girls has brought important new programs and partnerships to Agnes Irwin that are distinguishing the school as a national leader in girls’ education. I feel fortunate to take on the headship of an institution in such a strong position.

What I have affirmed in a very short time is that Agnes Irwin is an environment where girls work hard, conquer inevitable bumps in the road, and realize success – in the classroom, on the athletic field, on the stage, and in diverse communities around the world. They embrace leadership roles and volunteer opportunities. They undertake higherlevel math and science courses year after year, and often pursue these fields after graduation. They achieve all these things while remaining positive, joyful, and open to learning from and supporting one another.

Our many accomplished alumnae will attest that an “Agnes Irwin education” transforms lives and inspires girls to become women of confidence, character, and heart. Since 1869, we have graduated self-assured and successful young women who go on to lead fulfilling professional and personal lives.

I’m delighted that you have chosen to learn more about The Agnes Irwin School. I hope that the information in this supplement to our viewbook will give you a sense of why we have become a leading institution in the education of girls. And I hope you’ll consider this letter as an open invitation — to ask questions, to tell us your aspirations for your daughter, and to get to know us better.

Our door is open. I welcome you and your daughter to step inside a very special community.

Wendy L. Hill, Ph. D. Head of School

The Agnes Irwin School Admission Supplement 2014-2015

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Section

Table of Contents ADMISSION..................................................................................................................... 3 ABOUT AIS . . ..................................................................................................................... 7 SIGNATURE PROGR AMS.............................................................................................. 9 ACADEMICS.................................................................................................................. 12 COLLEGE COUNSELING. . ........................................................................................... 27 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY................................................................................. 29 LIFE AT AIS.................................................................................................................... 31 BOARD OF TRUS TEES , Administration & FACULT Y...................................... 36 VISITOR INFORMATION. . .......................................................................................... 4 0

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The Agnes Irwin School Admission Supplement 2014-2015

A dmission

Admission How to Apply Lower School (PreK–Grade 4) • parent visit: The parent visit is the first step in the application process and includes a campus tour and interview with an admission officer. You may arrange an individual parent visit by calling 610.523.7986.

• a pply: Mail the completed application with a current photo and $50.00 fee to The Agnes Irwin School, or apply online at agnesirwin.org/apply.

• s tudent visit: Upon receipt of the application, we will schedule a student visit during which your daughter will spend time getting to know our students, faculty and campus. PreK and Kindergarten applicants spend a morning at the Lower School in a group visit, while applicants to grades 1–4 attend a full school day. Student visits should be scheduled by December 15, 2014.

• s chool forms: Recommendations and records from your daughter’s current school are an important part of the application process. If your daughter is applying for PreK–Grade 1, please submit the Teacher Recommendation Form to your daughter’s homeroom teacher after November 1, 2014. If your daughter is applying for grades 2–4, please submit the Teacher Recommendation Form and the Release of Records Request Form to your daughter’s school after November 1, 2014.

• t esting: Testing is required for all applicants.

PreKindergarten applicants receive an individual assessment performed at Agnes Irwin. Applicants to Kindergarten–Grade 4 are asked to provide the results of the Wechsler Preschool & Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI), an aptitude test for children under six years of age, or the Wechsler Intelligence Test (WISC-IV), an aptitude test for children six years of age and older. Testing must be received by Agnes Irwin no later than December 15, 2014, to be considered for the first round of admission.

• t imeline: Candidates who complete an application

by December 15, 2014 will receive written notification from the Admission Committee by January 24, 2015.

Families have until March 1, 2015 to accept an offer of admission. Applications received after this date will be considered if any space remains after the first round of admission decisions.

• f inancial aid: Financial Aid is available to families who demonstrate need. There are no merit-based scholarships. The Financial Aid process is separate from the Admission process and applying for aid will not jeopardize a girl’s opportunity for admission, however it may impact her ability to enroll. Because Agnes Irwin often admits more students that require Financial Aid than we are able to fund, some admitted students do not receive aid even if they qualify. Financial Aid decisions are made by the Financial Aid Committee on the basis of demonstrated need and availability of funds. Financial Aid applications are due January 3, 2015. Information and applications are available through the Admission office. See page 6 for more information about applying for Financial Aid.

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A dmission

How to Apply (Continued) Middle and Upper Schools (Grades 5–12) • Family visit: The family visit is the first step in the application process. This visit will take approximately one hour and fifteen minutes. It includes a student-led tour followed by a conversation with an admission counselor. You may arrange a visit by calling 610.526.1667.

• a pply: Mail the completed application with a current photo and $50.00 fee to The Agnes Irwin School, or apply online at agnesirwin.org/apply.

• s tudent visit: Upon receipt of the application, your daughter should attend one of our scheduled visit days. She will have a chance to spend time with our students, meet our faculty in classes, as well as interview with an admission counselor. Applicants in grade 9 will spend half the day in grade 8 and the other half in grade 9. All other applicants will spend the day in their current grade.

• s chool forms: Recommendations and records from your daughter’s current school are an important part of the application process. Please submit the Teacher Recommendation Form and the Release of Records Request Form to your daughter’s school after November 1, 2014.

• t esting: Testing is required for all applicants.

Applicants to grade 5 are asked to provide the

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The Agnes Irwin School Admission Supplement 2014-2015

results of the Wechsler Intelligence Test (WISC-IV).

Applicants to grades 6–12 are asked to provide the results of the Independent School Entrance Exam (ISEE) or the Secondary School Admission Test (SSAT).

Testing results must be received directly from the testing organization by Agnes Irwin no later than December 15, 2014, to be considered for the first round of admission.

• t imeline: Candidates who complete an application

by December 15, 2014 will receive written notification from the Admission Committee by January 24, 2015. Families have until March 1, 2015 to accept an offer of admission. Applications received after this date will be considered if any space remains after the first round of admission decisions.

• financial aid: Financial Aid is available to families who demonstrate need. There are no merit-based scholarships. The Financial Aid process is separate from the Admission process and applying for aid will not jeopardize a girl’s opportunity for admission, however it may impact her ability to enroll. Because Agnes Irwin often admits more students that require Financial Aid than we are able to fund, some admitted students do not receive aid even if they qualify.

Financial Aid decisions are made by the Financial Aid Committee on the basis of demonstrated need and availability of funds. Financial Aid applications are due January 3, 2015. Information and applications are available through the Admission Office. See page 6 for more information about applying for Financial Aid.

A dmission

Admission Contacts

Affording AIS

Lea Emery Director of Enrollment Management 610.526.1667 lemery@agnesirwin.org

The Agnes Irwin School offered more than $3.1 million in financial aid awards to 26% of its student body for the 2014-2015 school year. Financial Aid is available for PreK–Grade 12, although 50% of the budget is awarded to Upper School students. Request financial aid materials by calling Claire Lewis at 610.526.1667 or by email: clewis@agnesirwin.org.

Middle and Upper Schools Lauren Sullivan Associate Director 610.672.1271 lsullivan@agnesirwin.org Tiffany Kelly Associate Director 610.523.7988 twkelly@agnesirwin.org Claire Lewis Admission Assistant 610.526.1667 clewis@agnesirwin.org Lower School Linda Solomon Associate Director 610.526.1672 lsolomon@agnesirwin.org Bonnie Clark Associate Director 610.672.1258 bclark@agnesirwin.org Lynn Willson Admission Assistant 610.523.7986 lwillson@agnesirwin.org

Tuition 2014-2015 PreK....................................................... $21,900 Kindergarten. .......................................... $23,400 Grades 1–4. . ......... ................................... $25,900 Grades 5–8. . ......... ................................... $29,700 Grades 9–12. . .......................................... $32,900

Payment Non-refundable and non-transferable deposit due with contract. plan 1 Balance of tuition paid by August 1 plan 2 60% of balance of tuition paid by August 1

and the remaining 40% by January 2 plan 3 Balance of tuition paid in 10 monthly

installments beginning May 1 This option is offered through Higher Education Services, Inc., for a fee of $55. A brochure is enclosed with your contract.

tuition refund insurance: This insurance is

optional and billed separately at a rate of .10% of tuition.

A brochure is enclosed with the enrollment contract. student accident insurance: This insurance is optional and billed separately at a rate of $25 per school year. A brochure is enclosed with the enrollment contract. financial aid: Financial Aid is available to families who demonstrate need. There are no merit-based scholarships. Financial Aid applications are due January 2, 2015. Information and applications are available through the Admission Office.

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A dmission

Textbooks (estimated) PreK–Grade 4. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Included in tuition Grades 5–8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $0-$150 Grades 9–12. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $275-$800

Applying for Financial Aid Step 1: Indicate your intention to apply for financial aid on the admission application When prompted on the admission application, indicate that you intend to apply for Financial Aid. The Admission Office will send to you a New Family Guide to Financial Aid in the early winter, which will help you gather necessary financial information for the online financial aid application.

Step 2: Complete the online financial aid application Complete the online financial aid application through School and Student Services (SSS) by logging on to sss.nais.org. You may submit your financial aid application between November 1, 2014 and the financial aid deadline of January 3, 2015.

Step 3: Send requested paperwork directly to SSS Send copies of the following directly to SSS by the financial aid deadline of January 3, 2015.

• Agnes Irwin Financial Aid Request Form* • Copy of your 2013 federal income tax return • Copy of your 2014 W-2 and 1099 forms. If you do not have your 2014 W-2 and 1099 by this date, please send your year-end pay stub as you await receipt of these forms.

• Business/Farm Statement* if you own a business and/or a farm • IRS Form 4506T*, signed and undated *Forms are available at www.agnesirwin.org/financialaid Important note: All Financial Aid applications must be submitted by January 3, 2015 in order to give you full consideration for Financial Aid. Step 4: School’s review and notification Agnes Irwin’s Financial Aid Committee reviews each request for financial assistance and determines the financial aid grant based on the family’s need and the school’s budget. Awards are made in late February and early March. Late requests for financial aid will only be considered if funds are still available.

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Step 5: Submit 2014 taxes In order to confirm a financial aid reward, all applicants must submit their 2014 federal income tax return and accompanying schedules by April 20, 2015.

Applications for aid will be reviewed when all required information is received. This procedure is repeated each year assistance is needed. Awards are made in late February and early March, and all information is kept in strict confidence.

Open house dates Wednesday, October 8 Lower School Open House 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Tuesday, October 14 Middle and Upper School Open House 8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

Sunday, October 26 All School Open House 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Wednesday, November 12 Athletics Open House 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Thursday, January 22 Lower School Open House 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Wednesday, April 8 All School Twilight Open House 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, April 30 Middle and Upper School Spring Open House 8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

Thursday, May 7 Lower School Spring Open House 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

A bout A I S

About AIS Mission Statement The Agnes Irwin School empowers girls to learn, to lead and to live a legacy.

To Learn: Agnes Irwin provides girls with a deep foundation in the humanities, mathematics and science, wellness and athletics. In an inclusive setting that values diversity, students develop skills in critical and analytical thinking, self-expression, effective communication and collaboration. A rich and varied approach to instruction, team and individual endeavors, inquiry and assessment enables girls to solve problems, design solutions, create meaning, and prepare for a complex and challenging world.

To Lead: We believe that all girls and young women have the capacity to lead, and that leadership can take many forms. Therefore, through our instruction, our community interactions and our daily choices, we affirm this belief and provide an environment that challenges girls to develop the core values of leadership: empathy, integrity, resilience, independent thinking and commitment to action.

To Live a Legacy: Agnes Irwin students are a part of the global community of girls and women. They are also the trustees of our School’s heritage and traditions. By adopting values that foster equity, justice, social responsibility, civic mindedness, and integrity and, by nurturing positive relationships and intentional decision making, our students and alumnae engage in bold and meaningful ways to impact our interconnected world.

AIS Facts and Figures

Location

School History

Rosemont, PA. 10 miles west of Philadelphia and two miles from Exit 13 on Route 476. Our campus borders Villanova University and is just minutes from Bryn Mawr.

The Agnes Irwin School was founded in 1869 by Miss Agnes Irwin, great-great-granddaughter of Benjamin Franklin. It was one of the first schools in the United States devoted to the education of women. The Agnes Irwin School opened its doors at 2011 Delancey Street in Philadelphia. In 1894, Miss Agnes Irwin left the position as the Head of School to become the first Dean of Radcliffe College. In 1933, the school moved west to the Wynnewood campus, followed by a move in 1961, to our present Rosemont campus. This rich heritage and the legacy of a challenging curriculum and independent thinking for girls and young women as Miss Agnes Irwin envisioned continues at Agnes Irwin today.

Campus Eighteen acres in a suburban setting, including a self-contained Lower School with its own gym, dining room, library, and arts, science and music rooms. The Middle School, Upper School, Arts and Science Center, Libraries and Gym/Fitness Center are interconnected buildings. The campus also includes five tennis courts, three playing fields, three playgrounds and an outdoor dining area.

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about ais

Student Body Enrollment PreK–Grade 12: 700 Lower School (PreK–Grade 4): 189 Middle School (Grades 5–8): 214 Upper School (Grades 9–12): 297 Students of color represent 20 percent of the student enrollment. More than 50 girls have parents for whom English is a second language.

Twenty-six percent of the student body receives financial aid. The School is not religiously associated, and all faiths are honored and respected. The global perspective that families bring to our School when relocating to this area is highly valued.

Academics Agnes Irwin offers a rigorous liberal arts program.

Upper School requirements include English (4 years), history, math, science and language (3 years), arts (1 year), community service and physical education.

Accreditations Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools, National Coalition of Girls’ Schools, Cum Laude Society, Multicultural Resource Center, National Association of Independent Schools.

Center for the Advancement of Girls The Center for the Advancement of Girls (CAG) is a collaborative initiative that focuses – through research, innovative programming and community engagement– on four domains of girls’ lives: leadership, wellness, global citizenship, and teaching and learning in the 21st century.

CAG believes these pillars are critical in the development of healthy, balanced, fulfilling lives for the next generation of women. Through the Center’s solution-focused work, the pillars are continually embedded in academic and student life at Agnes Irwin. Everyday classroom instruction, extracurricular activities and Signature Programs are informed and shaped by these tenets.

CAG Pillars • leadership: What does it mean “to be a leader who is also a girl?” CAG works systematically to identify the skills, values and attributes of girl leaders, reinforcing The Agnes Irwin School’s belief that girls everywhere have the capacity to lead and make a positive impact on the world.

• g lobal citizenship: Girls today are inheriting a complex global environment in which socio-political understanding and an intellectual awareness will make a significant difference. By understanding their responsibility to lead informed lives, students are encouraged to engage in acts of social justice and to affect change in their communities.

• t eaching and learning in the 21st century: The Center advocates for a studentdriven approach to teaching that allows girls to follow their passions, take risks and develop creative problem-solving skills. The progressive nature of the Center encompasses research and program development, seeking out cutting edge pedagogical approaches that lead to a relevant and engaging learning experience for all girls.

• wellness: Social, emotional and physical wellness are essential to authentic success. Through the Center’s programming, we advocate that girls embrace a balanced life of curiosity, joy and insight – engaging deeply in their academic pursuits and participating fully in extracurricular activities.

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S ignature P rograms

Signature Progr ams Lower School Kindergarten Invention Convention The Kindergarten Invention Convention is an example of how design thinking, at its most basic level, can be taught and understood at the earliest of ages. The Convention caps off a science unit focused on tools and inventions.

During this unit, students learn that inventions grow out of a need to solve a problem or make a task or life easier. The Kindergarteners each make a list of problems they would like to try to solve, and then each pick one to address. Over the years, the problems have ranged from tennis shoes that continually untie themselves, to cats that jump to the top of a bunk bed and need a way to get down. The girls are also introduced to the steps of the scientific method and commit them to memory through a song learned in music class.

Once the problem has been established, the girls are each encouraged to use the scientific method to figure out a solution to her problem. She then creates a prototype of her solution or invention. The unit culminates in the Kindergarteners presenting their prototypes to the broader Agnes Irwin School community. The Invention Convention is one way in which we as educators commit to our charge to prepare our girls for life beyond Agnes Irwin. We know that even five and six-year-old girls

possess the critical thinking skills that will be necessary to succeed and contribute to the creation of a better world in the future. They are able to define a problem, research by talking to others, brainstorm ideas and create a model of their thinking, all because we give them the opportunity to rise to our expectations and also gently nudge and support them along the way.

Grade 4 “Women in Wax Museum” “Women in Wax Museum” is another signature Lower School interdisciplinary experience for grade 4.

Throughout the year, the girls explore the essential question, “What does it mean to be notable?” They learn the key elements of a biography, both as literature and as a group read. Finally, the girls choose a biography of a famous woman to read independently. The students use their learning about writing paragraphs and writing in the first person to create a monologue of their chosen woman. They each memorize the monologue, and work at home to create an outfit appropriate for the woman they have picked. On the final day of the unit, the gym is transformed into a “Wax Museum” where, for a penny, each girl takes on the persona of her famous woman and recites her monologue to a rapt audience.

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signature programs

Middle School Grade 6 “Medieval Night” Following the curriculum of grade 6 history, music, theater and English, the girls prepare for “Medieval Night,” an evening in which they present a dinner banquet for their parents complete with motets and songs written by one of the most prolific composers of the Dark Ages — “Anonymous.” The Manor Hall is richly decorated in medieval-style paintings, gargoyles and flags, all created by the students. Dressed as peasants, lords and ladies, they perform Gregorian chant, jester dances and ballads based upon music of the thirteenth century. Recorder playing, dancing, swordplay and costumes complete the evening.

Grade 8 “Immigration Study” Girls in grade 8 study the topic of immigration in English, history, science and the arts, helping them gain an understanding of its impact on the past, present and future. Subsequent to being divided into geographically diverse “family groups,” students research the religion, history, economy, geography and conflicts of their assumed countries to identify what “push” factors would cause them to emigrate from their home, and what “pull” factors might have drawn them to the US. On a class trip to New York City, students role-play the experience at Ellis Island by passing through stations set up by their teachers in the Great Hall: as a family group, they must pass inspections by teachers portraying medical doctors, psychiatrists and immigration officials.

To add an element of disorientation, no English is spoken, and communication is through gestures and words in foreign languages. Additionally, students visit the Tenement Museum in the Lower East Side to see where an immigrant might have lived during the immigration wave, and they tour the Eldridge Street Synagogue to learn about Jewish immigrant community life in NYC at this time.

Students work cooperatively in their family groups to use the subway and a small budget to travel around Manhattan and locate the following: a place of worship that their family could have attended, a restaurant serving food from their home country, a building erected during the year they immigrated and some artifact related to a job they may have held. Students also connect to their Earth Science curriculum by touring Central Park, examining ancient geologic history through Umpire Rock, considering how the geography of Manhattan made it an appealing place for early settlers and noticing that various types of rock were used for different buildings in New

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York City depending on the time period.

While in New York, students are treated to a Broadway play relating to immigration, such as In the Heights, West Side Story or Memphis.

After the trip, students take time in English classes to create documentaries about everything they learned leading up to and during the trip. They also write reflections about the trip and their experience problem-solving in a group.

Throughout the year, the topic of finding a home is discussed in English: for example, Jane Eyre must move from home to home to find happiness and belonging, and the Younger family takes a stand against segregation to move to a better home in A Raisin in the Sun. As with the immigration unit, students discuss and write about these journeys in terms of movement, growth, belonging or exclusion and finding one’s place.

Upper School C21 Challenge The C21 Challenge is a two-week immersion program in interdisciplinary problem-solving for grade 9. Each spring, the freshman class is presented with daily challenges that draw on the curricular work they have mastered throughout the year. The program focuses on 21st-century skills, implemented through smalland large-group work. Each challenge draws on creativity, innovation, reasoning, communication, collaboration, time management, technology, adaptation, goal setting, leadership and working effectively in diverse teams.

At the end of each day, there is a guided reflection on how the students managed to reach their goals. Outcomes include understanding the application of academic work to real-world problem-solving, managing group dynamics, class bonding, knowledge of career choices, public speaking and project presentation, and the ability to self-evaluate.

signature programs

Special Studies Program (SSP), Experiential Learning Initiated in 1971, the Special Studies Program (SSP) is an interdisciplinary extension of the curriculum designed to deepen each student’s personal and professional growth. For two weeks during the spring term, sophomores and juniors leave campus to explore special opportunities in the greater classroom of the “real world.” Students can choose one of the schoolsponsored courses, design an independent program or a combination of the two. The goals of SSP are to enrich the student’s educational experience by: 1. Expanding her understanding of the world beyond Agnes Irwin through internships, community service, cultural immersion and interdisciplinary studies; 2. Developing independence and self-reliance; and 3. Providing opportunities for the pursuit of special talents and possible career interests.

School sponsored SSP courses vary from year to year but always include a variety of local and both domestic and international travel options.

Recent offerings have included: • Exploring the world of business and finance on Wall Street • A classics study in Greece • Volunteering for Habitat for Humanity in South Carolina

Typically, 10 percent of girls design an independent SSP, which must be approved by the SSP committee. These options almost always allow a student to explore a career interest or passion.

Examples of independent choices last year include: • Shadowing a cognitive psychology lab at Temple University • Interning with People’s Light and Theater • Shadowing a civil rights lawyer • Interning with a New York-based jewelry designer Senior Assembly One of our treasured traditions at Agnes Irwin is the Senior Assembly. Each senior is required to prepare and present a 10-minute multimedia presentation before the Upper School student body and faculty (approximately 300 people) on a topic of her own choosing working with a faculty team to ensure a polished performance. The students embark on a month-long research and preparation process, with the support of faculty in an independent study format. Our students prepare for this moment, starting with the mystery “grab bag” in PreKindergarten, with class projects, and in public speaking classes in grade 7. During seniors’ presentations, speakers are articulate and exhibit poise and confidence.

• Studying marine biology in the Florida Keys • Language immersion trips to France and Spain

Sample Assembly Topics

• A firsthand look at the criminal court system in Philadelphia

•S earch for Life Beyond Earth

• Deadly Animals of Australia

• A visual arts workshop in Ireland

•N orth Korean Prison Camps

•E xploring the Spread of Rumors and Lies

•G oal Setting and Happiness

•T he Legacy of JFK’s Assassination

•T he Power of Comedy

•T he War on Drugs

•C ultural Norms

•T he GoPro Camera

•T he Rolling Stones

•C ulture Shock

•3 D Painting

•T he Electoral College

•P ropaganda in the Third Reich

•T he Events of 9/11

•D omestic Violence

•T he Gaokao Examination

• Community Service in Belize associated with The Agnes Irwin Dream Flag Project® • Externships with the National Constitution Center

•M otown

•P uppy Mills

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A cademics : L ower school

Academics Lower School

Daily Schedule

(PreK–Grade 4)

The school day begins at 8:15 a.m. for all students in Kindergarten–Grade 4. Girls may arrive between 7:30–8:10 a.m. Girls must be in their classrooms ready to begin the day by 8:15 a.m. PreKindergarten students may arrive between 7:45–8:45 a.m. Dismissal is at 2:35 p.m. for PreKindergarten, 2:50 p.m. for Kindergarten, 3:05 p.m. for grades 1–2, and 3:20 p.m. for grades 3–4.

Overview Incorporating knowledge about how the brain works, how girls learn, and best practices in the classroom, the Lower School program strives to empower girls by helping them to look outward and inward in their learning. By reflecting back — and valuing — different facets of girls’ identities, the program helps girls gain self-confidence. By guiding girls to look beyond themselves to see the world at large, it encourages them to broaden their horizons. As students in grade 1 study what it means to be a member of a community, for example, beginning with their own classrooms and then with the Inuit community in Alaska and the Aboriginal community in Australia, girls become comfortable with both their own perspective and the perspectives of others — an important goal throughout the Lower School years.

Uniform Daily Uniform • Navy or yellow jumper* • Yellow polo shirt with collar • White polo shirt with collar • Plain yellow turtleneck • Plain white turtleneck • Yellow cardigan sweater • Navy cardigan sweater • Solid yellow, white or navy socks • Solid navy or white tights • Sturdy plain sneakers

AIS Lower Schoolers are continually given opportunities to make connections. Content areas are often interrelated and learning in several subjects combined, since girls learn Gym / Athletic Uniform best when they are able to make connections and see • Navy shorts relationships between ideas and concepts. Grade 4’s study • Navy sweatshirt (Athletics only — not in the classroom) of fractions, dyeing techniques, African art and chemistry • Navy sweatpants may be worn over shorts or navy comes together in a scarf designing lesson. Frequent leggings under shorts field trips and service-learning activities connect in-class • Outdoor jacket that does not inhibit running learning to real-life experiences, and a focus on outdoor • Plain sneakers** education helps girls understand the interrelatedness of Special Occasions / Concerts their environment and their responsibility to preserve • Navy jumper* it. A technology integration specialist collaborates • Yellow polo shirt or yellow turtleneck with teachers to help girls use technology such as • Navy or white socks/tights PowerPoint and iMovie to augment their academic studies. For example, students in grade 3 work in pairs to There is no dress code requirement for PreKindergarten with the exception of shoes. Girls should wear sturdy, plain sneakers. research a country in Africa, take notes on the resources Shoes must be worn at all times. and economics of the country, then design a digital presentation that uses technology and demonstrates their *Items available for purchase at the AIS Shop new learning. Close connections forged between teacher **Please note: Sneakers do not have to be white, but the soles must and student also facilitate girls’ growth. Ultimately, all protect the gym floors. that students learn is connected back to their increased understanding of who they are in the world.

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A cademics : L ower school

alter girl on left

Lower School Fast Facts Assembly: Every Friday at 2:00 p.m. Parents are welcome to attend.

Art: Kindergarten has art twice a week; grades 1–4 once a week.

Class Size: 13–17 girls

Music: Twice a week

Facility: Self-contained LS facility and staff.

Physical Education: PreK–Kindergarten has PE three times a week; grades 1–4 four times a week and an additional Wellness course.

Playgrounds: One for PreK–Kindergarten, another for grades 1–4.

Prepaid Lunch Program: Grades K–4 bring lunch from home or participate in the optional prepaid lunch program. Fees are available on the school’s website. Tables are assigned by grade; a peanut-free table is available. PreKindergarten and Kindergarten girls eat lunch in the classroom with their teachers and 4th grade helpers.

Recess: 1–2 times a day; morning snack provided.

Support Services: Provides academic and social/emotional support: • Let’s Care: Grades K–4 Social Skills program • Feedback: Grades 3–4 Communication Program For additional information, see full description on page 33.

Library: Kindergarten has library twice a week; all other grades once a week. Information literacy and online safety are taught as part of the library and technology curricula. All grades have scheduled times to check out and return books.

Science: PreK–Grade 1 integrates Science on a thematic basis by homeroom teacher. Grades 2–4 has Science two to three times a week.

World Language: Instruction in Spanish every day for grades PreK–Grade 3. Grade 4 takes French, Spanish, American Sign Language and Mandarin Chinese.

PreKindergarten: No uniform, lunch in classroom, separate entrance.

After School Care: The school offers two options for after school childcare: • After Session: Available for a fee on school days until 6 p.m.; available as a drop-in or full-time basis.

• Extra Session: After school enrichment classes available for a fee Monday–Thursday; registration required for each of the three seven-week sessions.

For additional information, see full description on page 35.

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A cademics : L ower S chool

Lower School Curriculum (PreK–Grade 4) Language Arts The Lower School language arts curriculum capitalizes on girls’ typically more advanced language ability at this age. Students are taught to see reading and writing not just as words on a page, but as a rich way to communicate with the world. By the time they move on to Middle School, girls are reading and writing at an appropriate level and love doing it. Reading is taught both in mixedability groups as well as individually and in a leveled program, in which teachers meet with small groups (3–5 girls) at the same level. Moving beyond the mechanics of writing, AIS’ writing program encourages girls to notice what’s around them, discover the rich possibilities in written language, find their voice and hold onto it, and see themselves as writers. Writing conferences help students refine their writing. Public speaking, both in small venues and for the entire Lower School student body, is also incorporated throughout the curriculum.

Girls share current events, act out stories in Reader’s Theater, present projects and share monologues, enabling them to build confidence as well as public speaking, acting and reading skills.

Mathematics AIS provides girls with a strong foundation in math basics such as number sense and computation and challenges them to extend their thinking and engage in more complex problem solving. Our math curriculum uses Math Expressions (Houghton Mifflin), a program created in conjunction with the National Science Foundation. Daily mental math exercises go beyond pencil and paper, and an emphasis is placed on real-life word problems. Students make use of manipulatives (geoboards, Cuisenaire rods, counters) to learn geometry, place value, regrouping, fractions and long division. Students are encouraged to think critically about math concepts and given opportunities to work cooperatively — another particularly effective way for girls to learn. The ultimate goal is for girls to be excited about math, rather than intimidated by it.

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Science Using the TRACS curriculum, Lower School science is a hands-on, collaborative program that focuses on the process of scientific inquiry and investigation. Girls are encouraged to take risks and ask questions.

An experiment that doesn’t go as planned is viewed not as a failure but as a learning opportunity. From PreK–Grade 1, science is conducted inside the regular classroom — or outside, since science lessons frequently use the outdoors as a lab. In grades 2–4, science becomes a “special,” and students attend class in the Lower School lab. Typical science projects include Kindergarten’s Invention Convention, in which students literally build solutions to problems they’ve identified, and present them in a science fair–like fashion. The creation of electric cities in grade 3 caps off their study of circuits.

Social Studies The Lower School faculty launched a new social studies curriculum in the fall of 2012. This new curriculum is grounded in the Oxfam Standards for Global Citizenship and the elements of 21st-century learning. The goal of the revised social studies program is for Lower Schoolers to think critically about global issues from a cultural, historical and regional perspective. Students study content that creates opportunities for them to develop specific knowledge, skills, values and attitudes, all of which will prepare them to lead and enrich the world.

A cademics : L ower school

World Languages In grade 4, the world languages program introduces girls to French, Spanish, Mandarin Chinese and American Sign Language. Over the course of the 2010-2011 school year, a committee of administrators and teachers reviewed the most current research available on foreign language learning for elementary school children. As a result of this intensive process, students in PreKindergarten and Kindergarten began studying Spanish daily in the fall of 2011, and an additional grade is added to the program each year with students in grade 4 studying Spanish daily beginning in the fall of 2015. Spanish will also be integrated into other aspects of Lower School student life. The emphasis of this revised program of instruction is cultural exposure to various Spanishspeaking countries around the world, as well as language acquisition. Because research indicates that this is an age when children’s brains are able to absorb languages easily at younger ages, our belief is that such a program will enhance our girls’ facility with a second language.

Visual Arts and Music Exploring varied media from painting to three-dimensional work, Lower School art has an interdisciplinary focus, often dovetailing with what students are learning in social studies, science or language arts. A focus on art history includes a featured woman artist each month. Students in grade 4 delve deeply — not only learning about each artist, but also keeping a journal and sketching in the artist’s style. In music, the singing-based curriculum follows the Kodaly Method, which emphasizes ear training, pitch, and singing skills. Through a vast repertoire of songs, games, and rhymes, the elements of music are identified, learned and applied. Students sing almost daily (often in different languages) in music classes and assemblies, and dance and movement are also explored. From the annual grade 4 musical to the yearly winter and spring concerts, girls delight in musical performances. Recorder instruction is introduced in grade 2, and a voluntary strings and percussion program is offered for no charge to students in grades 3–4.

Library Students from PreK–Grade 4 all have time in the library.

A class unto itself, library aims to foster a love of reading in girls and to teach them how to find information efficiently and effectively — all while having fun. Students learn about the difference between fiction and nonfiction, parts of a book, reference resources and Internet safety.

Using 21st-century skills, library class is intended to be an extension of classroom learning where the librarian helps students to understand how to obtain information in print or online, comprehend their reading selections and apply them to their classroom projects.

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A cademics : lower school

Academic Technology Students in grades K–4 experience technology in an integrated curriculum and project-based manner regularly through the year. Instructional focus is on keyboarding (beginning in grade 3), the use of technology as a tool rather than an end unto itself, and safe, appropriate use of technology. Students receive individual school email accounts beginning in grade 4. Wireless laptop carts and desktops are available for use in the classroom.

Physical Education and Wellness Dedicated to meeting the needs of the whole child, Agnes Irwin provides significant time for physical education, plus one day devoted to wellness. Gym class provides the physical activity and skill-based instruction that growing bodies need. Girls work collaboratively and cooperatively and are encouraged to go beyond their comfort level. Students in grades 3–4 learn a variety of team sports, including field hockey, volleyball, soccer and basketball. All grades end each year with a dance unit and dance at the Mayfair celebration, with grade 4 dancing the Maypole dance, a long-standing AIS tradition. Whereas physical education focuses on teaching girls how to use their bodies in healthy ways, the wellness program teaches them how to take care of their bodies in healthy ways, from how to brush their teeth to the importance of good hygiene.

Good self-esteem and body image are stressed as a way to counteract negative images girls see in the media.

PreKindergarten Curriculum The Agnes Irwin PreKindergarten was designed by early childhood specialists to provide a developmentally appropriate education for young girls. The large classroom, the enclosed outdoor playground and the grounds of the school provide spaces for exploration, interaction and observation. The full-day program enables preschoolers to examine a variety of integrated themes in depth.

Throughout the day emphasis is placed on social, emotional, cognitive and physical growth. The schedule includes long blocks of uninterrupted time for play, individually and with others. Group experiences, snack, lunch and outdoor play provide time for the development of relationships with the teachers and other girls.

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Emerging literacy stands at the center of the Pre-Kindergarten program. Young girls are guided to see the connections between speaking, reading and writing.

Daily activities with language, books, poetry, rhymes and listening skills help foster a love of stories and reading. The writing center and journal program offer opportunities to use drawing and print to represent ideas. Alphabet-related activities foster familiarity with letters and sounds. The girls begin to identify simple words in the print-rich environment.

Mathematical concepts and skills are introduced by using counting and numbers in both play and real-life situations. Patterns, designs, graphing and problemsolving activities with concrete objects build knowledge of mathematical concepts and language. Girls begin to recognize and write numbers, count and solve simple computations. Girls encounter ways that numbers are used in the real world to represent quantities, time, dates, age, measurement and money.

Science and social studies concepts are included in each of the curriculum themes. The science program emphasizes observation and recording of the natural world around the girls. Weekly activities are planned to encourage exploration of the outdoors; observation of plants, trees, birds and animals; documentation of changes in weather; and discoveries about the properties of water, sand and soil. The girls have opportunities to learn about themselves, their families, the AIS community and the neighborhood around the school. Library, physical education and music experiences are part of the daily schedule. The girls visit a farm, garden, nature center, museum and zoo during the PreKindergarten year.

For Lower School curricular specifics by grade, go to the Academics section of www.agnesirwin.org.

A cademics : M iddle school

Middle School (Grades 5–8) Overview Helping students make the transition from little girls to young women, the Middle School curriculum is rooted in skill development. In all subjects, girls are given daily opportunities to build basic skills, such as problem solving, reading for understanding and expressing themselves orally, in writing, graphically, numerically and artistically.

At each age, skill building is developmentally appropriate and capitalizes on girls’ strengths. In adjusting to the move from the small universe of the self-contained classroom, students in grade 5 learn how to take care of themselves and to take greater responsibility for their learning. Demands gradually increase, and by grade 8, girls develop the complex skills they will need for success in Upper School. Layered on top of skill development, content also broadens over four years, and girls look beyond the school to the community and the world.

What is studied also becomes more abstract, as girls’ brains mature and they are able to take in and express information with greater sophistication.

Overlaying both skill development and content are the purposeful, girl-oriented teaching methods used at AIS. The Middle School curriculum provides plenty of opportunities for creativity, verbalizing, critical thinking, social interaction and collaboration — ways that research shows girls learn especially well. Further, because girls thrive on topics, themes and projects that are interdisciplinary in nature, a wealth of connections among the arts, humanities, sciences and math are integral to the design of the curriculum. Overnight trips, starting in grade 5, enable students not only to engage in hands-on learning connected to academic subjects but also to bond with classmates, challenge themselves, try new things and become more independent. Students in grade 7 examine “culture” from a variety of perspectives, including a trip to Washington, D.C., while students in grade 8 take an interdisciplinary look at New York City by studying its history, demographics and environment. The approach to service also changes. Beginning in grade 5, service learning transitions from school-based activities to trips into the local community. With face-to-face interactions, students come to understand the importance of the reciprocal nature of service — that those who give and those who receive both benefit.

Technology is taught both as a tool used in core courses and in separate classes on keyboarding and research skills. Familiarity with the research process, including evaluation of sources, organization of information and articulate presentation of findings, is a skill practiced at all four grade levels.

Middle School Highlights • Every Middle School class takes an overnight class trip during which students experience hands-on learning and class bonding. Grades 5–8 also participate in an annual Science Symposium.

• Each grade features an interdisciplinary class project that integrates the arts and core classes: the grade 5 Opera and Greek Day; Medieval Night in grade 6; Culture Week in grade 7; and the Immigration Project in grade 8.

• All Middle School students participate in a challenging P.E. and/or after-school athletics program.

• All Middle School Students have music, visual art and theater at least once per cycle.

• Students in grades 7–8 take Latin in addition to the modern language began in grade 5.

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A cademics : M iddle school

Daily Schedule The school day begins at 8:05 a.m. for girls in grades 5–8.

Girls may arrive between 7:30 a.m. and 8:05 a.m. Dismissal is at 3:35 p.m. for grades 5–8. After school (no fee) options include seasonal sports, supervised study from 4:00-6:00 p.m. and Lego Robotics.

Uniform Daily Uniform • Navy kilt* • All shirts must be plain with no insignias or logos, and they must be yellow, not gold: yellow polo shirt with collar; yellow turtleneck shirt; yellow oxford-style shirt (Grade 8 may also wear white) • Navy sweater with no insignias or logos (except AIS) • Navy, gray or white sweatshirt with AIS logo • Navy fleece or quilted vest* • Yellow, white or navy knee socks, or any color ankle socks • Navy tights or navy sweatpants (plain or AIS)** • Navy AIS shorts (under kilt)* • Shoes must have backs (no flip-flops or clogs) • AIS bookbag or backpack* Gym / Athletic Uniform • AIS gray T-shirt* • Navy mesh AIS shorts* • Navy or gray hooded AIS sweatshirt* • Navy sweatpants • White socks • Sneakers Shoes must be worn at all times.

No logos or insignias other than AIS. Solid colors only. *Items available for purchase at the AIS Shop **Must be in original condition — hemmed and without slits

middle school values statement The AIS Middle School community embraces respect, honesty, dedication and understanding.

Through these core values, we build positive relationships, develop intellectual curiosity and encourage creative expression so that we may thrive in and contribute to a diverse world.

Middle School Curriculum (Grades 5–8) English The Middle School English program is rooted in literature and writing, with writing — creative and expository — growing out of reading. Students analyze works of literature, including writers’ techniques, characters, motivation, and plot, in class discussions as well as written assignments.

Regardless of the form of the writing, from poems to skits to essays, emphasis is on process. Drafts and revisions are the norm, enabling students to write freely and experiment with language before turning a more critical eye to their work and focusing on spelling and grammar. Much of the reading in Middle School English is connected with what students are learning in history or art, and English and history classes work hand-in-hand on research projects. For example, students in grade 6 dress up in period costume for a field trip to Philadelphia during a unit on the historical fiction novel Fever 1793, while students in grade 8 read A Raisin in the Sun while they study and write a research paper on the Civil Rights Movement.

Mathematics The math curriculum emphasizes problem solving, risk taking, growth and confidence. Girls are guided to feel that they can do math, that math is useful, and that it is an important means for taking in and communicating information. In grades 5–6, students become proficient with computational skills and learn techniques to solve word problems. As their brains develop, older Middle Schoolers are able to tackle more abstract concepts, conceptualizing such topics as algebra and the relationships among numbers. Beginning in Middle School, math classes are organized by ability, and all students are exposed to the fundamentals of algebra by the end of Middle School.

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A cademics : M iddle school

Science Science at Agnes Irwin is hands-on and inquiry-based.

Science classes are noisy and active, with far more time spent engaged in small-group activities than in lecture. A strong emphasis is placed on the way that people interact with the natural and built environment.

Wherever relevant, engineering and design thinking are integrated throughout the science curriculum.

The grade 5 curriculum emphasizes physical science, including motion, force, energy, and weather through the lens of several branches of engineering. Grade 6 focuses on human biology from a systems perspective with a particular emphasis on bioengineering. Grade 7 continues the focus on human biology with an in-depth study of genetics before segueing into chemistry and chemical engineering related to foods in the second half of the year. Grade 8 science covers many elements of earth systems science, including geology, plate tectonics, and astronomy. Much of the second semester in grade 8 is devoted to a long-term study of natural resources.

As a culminating collaborative project, girls design and model plans for an original community that provides for water, food, energy and waste while protecting the local environment. A spring Middle School Science Symposium features the project-based learning done by all students: students in grade 5 develop prototypes for their ideas using littleBits electronic modules, students in grade 6 design amusement park rides to model body systems, students in grade 7 research and present on the chemistry of foods, and students in grade 8 share the many sustainable practices and technologies they selected for their communities.

History Middle School history is viewed from a cultural standpoint. The curriculum focuses on the interactions of people, their environment and their times; cause and effect; how civilizations evolved; and why groups made the decisions they did. Teachers make history come alive through stories of people who lived in the time being studied, and students bring it further to life through special celebrations, such as grade 5’s Greek Day and grade 6’s Medieval Night. The history curriculum also emphasizes the development of skills such as note taking, analytic and expository writing, and using technology for research and presentation.

Modern and Classical Languages Open the door to an AIS modern language classroom and you will see our Middle School students learning a French chanson or singing along to a pop song by Juanes or Shakira; you will see students learning to dance a Cuban salsa or eating a French croissant with beurre et confiture. To the task of learning a new language, AIS fifth- and sixth-grade teachers bring age-appropriate techniques, fun learning experiences and rich cultural content. Here language learning is always contextual and taught to students with pedagogies appropriate to their learning styles, emphasizing speaking skills first, with increasing emphasis on the formal aspects of language in grades 7–8. Cognizant of the multiple ways Middle School students learn language, teachers appeal to the artistic, kinesthetic, global and idealistic instincts of Middle School learners, and use technology to bring authentic experiences of the language to the classroom on a regular basis. By grades 7–8, students do more reading and writing and are mature and organized enough for an additional language: Latin. Latin reinforces concepts related to grammar, vocabulary and language structure and teaches girls a more disciplined way of thinking and approaching a language — or any subject.

The texts used by our Latin students were written for them by AIS classics faculty, with a focus on female protagonists.

Visual Arts, Music and Theater Middle School students have full-year classes in the visual arts as well as a full year of music and theater in grades 5–7 and quarter-long classes in music and theater subjects in grade 8.

Visual art skills, including those of art production, history and criticism, are developed, repeated and enhanced each year. Connections to the academic curriculum continue: grade 6, in studying the Middle Ages, makes illuminated letters, prints with Islamic designs and creates decorations for the Medieval Night banquet. By grades 7–8, new media such as computer graphics and digital photography are added, and girls are encouraged to express themselves confidently through their art.

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A cademics : middle school

The objective of the Middle School music program is to help students develop an enjoyment of listening to, performing and composing music. Choral music is still the focus, though grade 7 adds instruments, including hand bells. Musical theory and styles are introduced and explored through listening, creating, research, singing and movement. Chorus and instrumental ensemble are optional activities.

In grades 5, 6 and 8, theater classes work on theater games and skills, improvisation, character development and theater history. Students perform monologues and short plays, including original works crafted by the girls themselves. Grade 7 curriculum is devoted to public speaking, including articulation and expression in making speeches to inform, persuade and entertain. Several Middle School productions combine art, music and theater. In grade 5, for example, girls write and notate an opera, make costumes and perform it.

Recent musicals in grades 7–8 have included Annie, The Pirates of Penzance and High School Musical, Jr.

Ph ysi cal Ed uc ati on an d Te am S ports With a rich history of achievement, The Agnes Irwin School Athletics Program instills a life-long commitment to teamwork, leadership and reaching one’s personal best. Each athlete is guided in the transition from skill-building to mastery, solidifying a foundation of discipline, dedication and confidence that fuels institutional pride and spirit. By providing a range of opportunities, our program supports the precollegiate athlete and encourages all students to continue a healthy lifestyle. The cornerstone of our philosophy centers on character, confidence, commitment and competitiveness.

The Middle School physical education program emphasizes good sportsmanship, lifetime fitness, the joy of being part of a team and physical and emotional health. By becoming comfortable in their bodies and competent in one or more physical fitness areas, girls gain confidence that spills over into their other pursuits.

Students in grades 5–6 have P.E. class in which they develop personal fitness skills, team skills and fundamental playing skills in competitive sports. In grade 6, interested students may try out for an interscholastic sports team. In grades 7–8, the P.E. period becomes a sports period, with most students choosing one of the interscholastic sports offered in Middle School (cross country, field hockey, soccer, tennis or volleyball in fall; basketball, squash or swimming in winter; and lacrosse or softball in spring). These teams practice during the school-day sports period and compete after school. Those students not interested in team sports may take fitness or dance during the sports period.

W e lln e ss Wellness Classes cover a wide variety of topics centered on the healthy physical and emotional development of girls and young women. Each year’s curriculum includes topics that fall into broad categories, such as relationship skills, personal health practices, individual well-being, self-advocacy and good decision-making. For example, in looking at physical wellness, students in grade 6 examine growth during adolescence, while students in grade 7 analyze the importance that fitness and proper nutrition play in overall well-being. The curricula in grades 7–8 begin to look beyond the perspective of individual health to issues of environmental and community wellness.

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A cademics : upper school

Upper School (Grades 9–12) Overview The Upper School program provides a foundation in liberal arts and sciences as well as opportunities for elective focus. Most courses provide multiple levels of challenge from grade level to honors to advanced placement (AP). Students must enroll in a minimum of five courses and maximum of six.

In grade 9, each student is assigned an advisor.

Often, this advisor will remain with her until graduation, however, students are given an opportunity each spring to request a change in advisory for the following year.

Advisors create a safe, confidential community within the larger school community. They act as a liason between school and home, discuss curricular and co-curricular balance with students and families, examine the ethics and values of the school community, and, when necessary, redirect students to the School’s core values. Grade 9 curriculum builds a foundation in critical thinking and writing, with an emphasis on analysis. Students may continue to study two languages, either modern and/or classical, with flexibility built in to accommodate meeting the one-year requirement in the arts. Grade 10 continues to build on these foundation skills.

More independence becomes the norm in grades 11–12, with a greater variety of electives and Advanced Placement available. Students may also choose to do independent work in multiple courses of study, most commonly through the Independent Science Research option. The student’s advisor, the college counseling staff and the Upper School director are all available to discuss course choice and planning with an eye to the college admission process. Complementary to the academic program is Transitions, a required enrichment seminar that meets once in each seven-day cycle. Transitions addresses academic and non-academic topics appropriate to each grade level, such as the role of friendship building, study skills, CPR training, computer safety, the college admission process, nutrition, health, self-defense and financial literacy.

In the spring, students participate in a variety of twoweek programs. Grade 9 spends two weeks immersed in an experiential problem-solving program which teaches 21st-century skills through interdisciplinary group work, technology use and cooperative planning and implementation. Students in grades 10–11 take part

in the Special Studies Program, which offers seminar classes, language immersion experiences through travel and homestay, community service options and independent projects. In May, students in grade 12 enroll in Senior Seminars on high-interest topics as well as classes on the transition to college life. The Upper School program is designed to encourage in our young women analytical thinking, creativity, an understanding of the world, collaborative problem solving, independence and confidence.

Daily Schedule The academic day begins at 8:05 a.m. with advisory, assembly or class meeting. Girls may arrive beginning at 7:30 a.m. The academic day ends at 2:50 p.m.

Students who are in good academic standing and/or do not need to use the last period for academic conferences or making up work are permitted to leave campus at 2:50 p.m. Girls involved in after-school sports or arts generally leave between 5:00-6:00 p.m. depending on their schedule.

Uniform Leg Wear • Navy, yellow or plaid kilt* (must be at least mid-thigh in length) • Navy Chinos Optional Leg Wear (worn under kilt) • Opaque tights or leggings (solid navy blue or black) • Fitted yoga pants (solid navy blue or black)* Shirt • Shirt with sleeves and collar (solid white or navy blue)* • Turtleneck (solid white or navy blue) • AIS rugby shirt* If undershirt is worn, it must be white.

Footwear • Closed-toe shoes only Optional Outerwear • Sweaters (navy blue or white) • AIS blazer* • Sweatshirts: AIS or Plain (navy blue or white)* • Fleece or vest: AIS or Plain (navy blue or white)* No logos or insignias other than AIS. Solid colors only. *Items available for purchase at the AIS Shop

Friday Dress Code On Fridays, uniforms are optional. Friday dress must be school appropriate and in good condition. See Student Handbook for Upper School Friday Dress Code.

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Upper School Course Offerings by Grade

Dept./Years Required

Grade 9

Grade 10

Grade 11

Grade 12

English – 4

English I English I Honors

English II English II Honors

English III English III AP

CHOICE: English IV (Taken as two half year electives) OR English IV AP

Classical Language through Latin III or Greek III

Latin Ancient Greek

Latin Ancient Greek

Latin Ancient Greek

Latin Ancient Greek

Modern Language Either 3 OR Classical (see above)

Chinese I French French Honors Spanish Spanish Honors

Chinese I French French Honors Spanish Spanish Honors

Chinese I French French Honors Spanish Spanish Honors Spanish IV Honors

Chinese French French AP Spanish VI Honors Spanish AP

History – 3

Modern World History

Modern European History

United States History United States History AP

European History AP Middle Eastern History International Relations America Film through History Art History Global Health and the Girl Child

Math – 3

Algebra I Geometry Accelerated Geometry Honors Algebra II Honors

Geometry Algebra II Accelerated Algebra II Honors Computer Science (Elec.)

Algebra II PreCalculus PreCalculus Honors Advanced Algebra/ Trigonometry Computer Science (Elec.)

Advanced Computer Science (Elec.)

Independent Research: Computer Science (Elec.)

PreCalculus Calculus Calculus AP Discrete Math Statistics Advanced Topics in Math Advanced Computer Science Independent Research: Computer Science (Elec.)

Science – 3 (Physics, Chemistry, Biology)

Physics Independent Research

Chemistry Chemistry Honors Computer Science (Elec.)

Independent Research Engineering for the Future (Elec.)

Biology Biology Honors Biology AP Environmental Science AP (Elec.)

Bioethics (Elec.)

Engineering for the Future (Elec.)

Computer Science (Elec.)

Advanced Computer Science (Elec.)

Independent Research: Computer Science (Elec.)

Physics AP Biology AP Chemistry AP Environmental Science AP Bioethics Advanced Computer Science Independent Research

Arts – 1

Theater I Choreography Workshop Music Theory and Harmony Instrumental Ensemble Vocal Ensemble Studio Art I Photography I Media Arts I (Technology)

Theater I, II Choreography Workshop Music Theory and Harmony Instrumental Ensemble Vocal Ensemble Bel Cantos Studio Art I, II – 3D Design Photography I, II Media Arts I, II (Technology)

Theater I, II, III Choreography Workshop Music Theory and Harmony Instrumental Ensemble Vocal Ensemble Bel Cantos Studio Art I, II – 3D Design, III Honors Photography I, II, AP Media Arts I, II (Technology) New Media Narrative (Technology) Advanced Theatre Production (Technology)

Theater I, II, III Choreography Workshop Music Theory and Harmony Instrumental Ensemble Vocal Ensemble Bel Cantos Studio Art I, II – 3D Design, III Honors, IV Honors AP Photography I, II, AP Media Arts I, II (Technology) New Media Narrative (Technology) Art History Innovation through the Arts

A cademics : upper school

Upper School Curriculum (Grades 9–12) Graduation Requirements • English – 4 • History – 3 (including US) • Math – 3 • Science – 3 (physics, chemistry, biology) •L anguage (Upper School), French or Spanish – 3 OR through Level III of Latin or Greek • Arts – 1 • Community Service – 40 hours total • Physical Education – 3 trimesters/year (Grades 9–10); 2 trimesters/year (Grades 11–12) • Senior Assembly English The Upper School English program builds on the foundation for analytical reading and writing laid in Middle School.

As students progress through grades 9–12, they learn to write with greater independence and to generate their own paper topics. Students also become increasingly more responsible for leading class discussions. While emphasis remains on constructing critical responses to literature, students are introduced to different ways to present ideas. In a discussion paper format they can include various types of media in their writing — from literature to painting or film. In addition to studying literary elements, much attention is given to the craft of writing; by studying how authors manipulate sentence structure and punctuation and then experimenting with their own writing, our students become more mature writers. Beginning in grade 9, students are sectioned by ability; students in grade-level classes who demonstrate honors ability by the end of the year may advance to an honors or AP level class.

History At Agnes Irwin, we believe that a strong foundation in history is a prerequisite to understanding the complexities of the present. Guided by distinguished faculty, students undertake a critical inquiry into a wide range of historical, cultural, political and contemporary global issues. Our students are encouraged to examine and debate multiple perspectives around historical events. They frame questions,

test theses, engage in research and use critical thinking to solve problems. Emphasis is placed on close reading skills of both primary and secondary sources. Writing assignments focus on the construction of clear and cogent arguments supported by substantive historical evidence. Activities are designed to reflect authentic historical situations that help students comprehend complexities and craft solutions to real-world problems.

A variety of in-class and technology-based projects teach students how to work cooperatively as well as independently. Past student projects have included: world history papers and multimedia presentations on Asia, Africa and Latin America; oral reports on cultural topics such as Cuban music and Japanese artists; a re-enactment of the peace conference after Napoleon’s defeat; and role-playing simulations, such as a mock G-20 summit. Progression through our Upper School program is designed to foster intellectual curiosity, increase cultural awareness and encourage students to become active global citizens. Students in our program consistently excel on AP History Exams.

Mathematics At Agnes Irwin, we believe that the ability to understand and use mathematics to solve problems provides incredible opportunities for the future. The Upper School mathematics program is designed to ensure that each girl at Agnes Irwin is able to learn significant mathematics effectively.

Three levels of instruction provide each girl with the tools needed to succeed. Our freshmen master either algebra or geometry and move on to study calculus, statistics or advanced algebra/trigonometry by senior year. We teach Advanced Placement Calculus or Advanced Topics in Mathematics to those students who want a head start on college-level mathematics.

Modern Language The AIS Modern Language program balances the intellectual discovery of the principles of language with the excitement of experiencing French, Spanish and Chinese language and culture directly through literature, film, current events, music, art, technology and face-to-face contact with native speakers. The faculty is comprised of natives of China, France, Mexico, Spain and the United States, all of whom have vast experience studying, traveling and working in countries where these languages are spoken. Faculty bring these rich experiences into the classroom and engage students in using language to understand better the complex global world of the 21st century.

Students discover new cultures and ideas through

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A cademics : upper school

the use of the language. The Upper School program challenges every student to develop functional fluency in the spoken language, understand and interpret texts (whether video, Internet articles or literature) and experience the culture directly through field trips, SSP homestay experiences and service learning. The scope and sequence of the program from MS to US represents a carefully articulated progression from basic to advanced skills, encompassing interpersonal (conversational) language use, formal writing and speaking skills and interpretative skills in writing and speaking. Graduates of the AIS Modern Language program have continued to seek additional language experience in France, Spain, Bolivia, Argentina, Ecuador, Mexico and the Carribean, engaging in research, community service and medical outreach programs, all of which stem from the transformative experience of MS and US language study.

Classics Latin and Greek are taught with energy and passion at Agnes Irwin. Students experience great classical literature that forms the basis of the Western tradition — engaging stories and myths by authors such as Ovid, Vergil, Livy and Homer, and the love poetry and lyrics of Catullus and Horace. Students build translation skills and critical reading of texts while also examining the historical, cultural and literary significance of the works read in class. The senior Latin course, Latin V Honors, is run as a college seminar/discussion class, looking at the epic history of Rome through the eyes of its great poets and historians. Many students also take the opportunity to view, firsthand, the temples and art of Greece and Italy on the Classics SSP trip. By studying a classical language, students become better attuned to our own language and literary tradition throughout their lives.

Science The Agnes Irwin Upper School was one of the first schools in suburban Philadelphia to switch to a “Physics First” curriculum. Three years of Upper School science are required for graduation (physics in ninth, chemistry in tenth, biology in eleventh). Because we teach science the way girls learn it best, with plenty of practical, yet sophisticated lab experiments that foster collaboration and communication, we are proud that 90–95% of each year’s senior class opts to take a fourth or fifth science in the senior year. Science electives begin in sophomore year. Computer Science I and Advanced Computer Science (using the Python language) are open to any sophomore, junior or senior. Four AP sciences (biology, chemistry, physics-C and environmental science) are available in the junior or senior year. In addition, we offer a very popular bioethics elective that focuses on how the needs and norms of society conflict with current medical and genetic research. With the transition from trimesters to semesters, we are also offering half-year interdisciplinary science courses.

Global Health and The Girl Child, developed and taught in collaboration with the University of Pennsylvania, and the new Engineering For The Future courses engage students as problem solvers and solution seekers while introducing girls to many career options in STEM fields.

Since 2002, over 40 Agnes Irwin girls with a passion for science have conducted research projects at nearby college and university labs through our Independent Science Research elective. Through their research, a number of girls are co-authors on research papers resulting from their labs. In addition, many of their projects have won awards at local and state science fairs.

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academics : upper school

Visual Arts, Music and Theater The Department of Visual and Performing Arts at The Agnes Irwin School is the home for studio arts, media arts, photography, theater, music (vocal and instrumental) and dance.

The Theater Program at AIS gives students the opportunity to explore all areas of the art, allowing them to realize and learn its collaborative nature. As the program advances through the curriculum, so do the opportunities to deepen and refine technique and skills utilized in all aspects of this art. The Upper School Theater Program reflects a two-strand emphasis on developing both the technical and dramatic expertise of each student.

The Dance Program at AIS focuses on both the artistic values and the physical benefits of this kinesthetic art form, including non-locomotor/axial movements, locomotor movements, relationship to a musical beat and changing tempos, kinesthetic awareness, creating sequences and working effectively both individually and collectively. Upper School Dance begins with the study of strength, flexibility and technique in ballet, jazz, hip hop, tap, modern, and ethnic and social dance.

Upper School students also have the opportunity to participate in focused choreography study. Performance opportunity is available to Upper School students through Dance Motion, the AIS annual dance concert.

Vocal and Instrumental Music Program is an integral part of the life of every student at AIS, whether in PreKindergarten or in Upper School. Most visitors to Agnes Irwin’s school assemblies and gatherings are consistently impressed by the high quality of singing by the student body. Our Upper School music program offers courses in music theory and ear training. There are numerous opportunities for independent study in specialized areas of study such as musical composition and sound recording. Our Upper School chorus combines annually with the Haverford, Baldwin and Church Farm Schools in a concert of major choral work. The Bel Cantos, a select a cappella ensemble of 16 singers, perform throughout the community in concerts, benefits and interschool events. Instrumental Ensemble is open to all Upper School instrumentalists. Students develop their musicianship and instrumental skills as they learn to perform music from orchestral, band and popular genres.

The ensemble performs regularly throughout the year at school and local events.

The Media Arts Program courses at AIS introduce the elements and principles of design and how they are applied to the world of digital design and communication. Through the hands-on use of digital technologies and access to a state-of-the-art Innovation Center, students develop unique and personal expressions in design and communication with an emphasis on creative problemsolving and independent thinking skills. Students learn the history of typography as well as the major movements in the field of graphics.

The Agnes Irwin School offers an all-encompassing Photography Program that begins in the darkroom and moves into digital. Students are exposed to fundamental photographic techniques through the use of manual 35 mm SLR cameras and an in-depth study of darkroom methods.

Girls have opportunities to advance their skills in a digital course, where they learn the fundamentals of digital photography and Photoshop in the Photography MAC Lab. An AP course is available for girls who wish to build a body of work at the college level. At all levels, students learn the history of Photography, experiment with some of the first photographic processes and have many opportunities for public speaking through critiques and presentations.

The Studio Arts Program is deep and varied at AIS. Upper School students can elect to take studio art for one, two, three or all four years. Students have the opportunity to experience a sequence of studio art classes that focus on and explore the fundamentals of visual art, two- and three-dimensional design and drawing by applying knowledge gained in previous years. Students may also advance their skills in Studio Art Honors and Advanced Placement, in which individual portfolios are developed that are submission-ready for both AP art specifications and college submissions.

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A cademics : upper school

c o-cu r r i cul a r s Athletics At Agnes Irwin, participation in competitive sports encourages the development of the whole individual.

Athletics isn’t just about the game or the team or even the athlete — it’s about the valuable contribution it makes to every girl’s experience and growth as an individual and as a member of her community on and off the field. Athletes at Agnes Irwin are encouraged to harness their talents and compete at the highest levels possible, reinforcing core values of hard work and dedication. Perseverance, cooperation, compassion and commitment are taught and demonstrated through the lives of our athletes, coaches and supporters.

The Agnes Irwin School is a member of the InterAcademic Athletic League, or Inter-Ac, a high school sports league among private schools in the Philadelphia area and surrounding suburbs.

Other schools participating in the league: Academy of Notre Dame The Baldwin School Episcopal Academy The Haverford School William Penn Charter School Germantown Academy Malvern Preparatory School Springside Chestnut Hill Academy Fall Cross Country V

Tennis JV, V

Field Hockey JV, V

Volleyball JV, V

Soccer JV, V Winter Basketball JV, V

Squash JV, V

Diving V

Swimming V

Spring Crew V

Softball JV, V

Golf V

Track

Lacrosse JV, V Clubs/Boards With almost 40 active clubs, any student with an interest in leading a special program is able to do so — whether by making books to donate to an orphanage or learning

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how the stock market works. Clubs meet every week and range from demanding commitments like Model U.N., set design and Robotics to the laid-back fun of photography, bracelet making and guitar club. Students establish and run each club through their passion and faculty support.

Clubs include: Arts Workshop Asian Club Black Student Union Business Club Chess Club Costume Design Club Culinary Club Current Events Debate Educating Tanzania Girls Club Environmental Council Girls Grant-Making Club Guitar Club Interfaith Initiative Latin Club Lower School Helpers

Model U.N. Photography Pottery Club Prism Psychology Quiz Bowl Robotics Russian Orphanage Club Set Design Spanish/French Magazine Stage Crew Sudoku Tourguides World Affairs Young Democrats Young Republicans

As a complement to our club program, AIS has a comprehensive leadership arrangement. In addition to a traditional Student Government, there are six studentled boards that lead the hallmarks of our community: Arts Board, Athletic Board, Environmental Board, Honor Board, Multicultural Board and Student Outreach Services Board.

Senior Seminars Following exams in May, seniors are involved in two weeks of seminars/mini-courses taught by senior faculty designed to parallel collegiate offerings in both context and time frame. Topics range from current events to film studies to the arts to science. Additionally, students participate in the College 101 series: workshop sessions on topics that prepare students for college life. Topics include personal finance, self-health, self-defense and “AIS Graduates Look at College Life.”

C ollege C ounseling

College Counseling At Agnes Irwin, three experienced former college admission officers steer students through an intensive selfreflection and self-presentation process over the course of high school en route to college/university entrance.

Director of College Counseling Connie McEvoy states: “After more than 30 years of dealing with this juncture in the odyssey from adolescence to adulthood, first as an alumna admission volunteer, next as an Admission Officer and now as a secondary school college counselor, I continue to feel that, despite the increased ‘numbers,’ whether applications or SAT scores, students can take certain control of their situation and achieve successful college choices through thoughtful research and presentation.” Associate Director Meg Scott added: “The AIS program is structured to be intensely focused on the individual student. We get to know students both in the classroom and in one-on-one counseling sessions to determine what each student’s goals and aspirations are and how to best reach these.”

Our college counseling program is designed to give students the knowledge and skills they need to successfully match their academic strengths and interests with an institution of higher learning. The process begins in January of junior year with seminars that focus on university life using multiple resources to conduct college/university research. Later, juniors participate in a two-hour family meeting with their

college counselor, watch a mock interview between an Admission Officer and a college-bound senior, visit colleges and get a jump- start on the application process in the summer. Senior year, students revisit colleges of interest, attend athletic recruiting weekends and participate in weekly topical seminars/working application sessions while regularly meeting one-on-one with their college counselor to review college choices and application strategies. In late May, unlike most high school programs where seniors leave campus after final exams, AIS’s seniors attend Senior Seminars, topical electives run much like college courses in duration and frequency, along with our series of “transition seminars,” including The College 101 Series, with topics such as self-defense, personal finance and self-health — all taught by outside professionals. The Insider’s Guide to College workshop brings back recent alumnae to talk about topics ranging from dorm life to internships to studying abroad.

All in all, with an eye toward escalating admission competition, the AIS college counseling program helps juniors and seniors effectively present their best online and in person, while making good decisions about their higher education through hours of personal interaction with the AIS College Counseling team.

Academic Profile for the Class of 2014 • 84% enrolled in four or more math courses; 89% enrolled in four or more science courses • 47% taking five or more Advanced Placement courses and honored by the AP Scholars Program • 50% enrolled in two or more AP science courses • 10% recruited for NCAA collegiate athletics, 3 National Letters of Intent S ATs: M i d d le 50% r an ge : • Critical Reading 550-680 • Math 590-700 • Writing 570-730

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C ollege counseling

College Matriculation 2010-2014 American University (2) Bard College Bates College Boston College (9) Boston University Bowdoin College (2) Brandeis University Brown University (2) Bryn Mawr College Bucknell University (11) Carnegie Mellon University (3) Case Western Reserve University Catholic University of America Cheyney University of PA Clemson University Colby College (3) Colgate University (2) College of William and Mary (3) Columbia University (3) Connecticut College Cornell University (4) Dartmouth College (4) Davidson College Denison University Dickinson College Drexel University (6) Duke University (9) Duquesne University Elon University (8) Emory University Fordham University Franklin and Marshall College (13) George Mason University George Washington University (4) Georgetown University (11) Gettysburg College (2)

Harvard University (4) Haverford College Hobart and William Smith Colleges (2) Howard University (3) Johns Hopkins University (2) Kenyon College Lafayette College (2) Lehigh University (10) Loyola University Maryland Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2) Middlebury College Moore College of Art & Design New York University (4) Northeastern University (3) Northwestern University Occidental College Parsons School of Design Pennsylvania State University (8) Pomona College Princeton University (6) Randolph Macon College Rochester Institute of Technology Rollins College (2) Rutgers University (2) Saint Joseph’s University (3) Salisbury University School of Visual Arts (New York City) Skidmore College (2) Southern Methodist University (5) Stanford University (2) Swarthmore College (2) Syracuse University (10) Temple University Texas Christian University Trinity College (CT) (2)

Tufts University (3) Tulane University (4) University of Chicago University of Delaware (6) University of Denver University of Edinburgh (Scotland) University of Maryland (2) University of Miami (FL) University of Michigan University of Notre Dame (2) University of Pennsylvania (24) University of Pittsburgh (2) University of Redlands University of Richmond (8) University of Rochester University of Scranton University of South Carolina University of Southern California (3) University of St. Andrews (Scotland) (4) University of Vermont (2) University of Virginia (7) Vanderbilt University (4) Villanova University (2) Virginia Commonwealth University Wake Forest University (2) Washington College Washington and Lee University (5) Washington University in St. Louis (2) Wellesley College Wesleyan University (2) West Chester University Williams College Yale University

Hallmarks of the AIS College Counseling program • Run by two former college admission officers, together with a third experienced college counselor.

• Close contact with college admissions, with 100 college representatives visiting AIS annually.

• Strategic work with students to help them showcase themselves in the application process through resumes, well-crafted essays and mock interviews.

• Extensive involvement in athletic recruiting for both AIS sports and out-of-school sports.

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• Senior Seminar program that parallels collegiate schedule and elective offerings, and AIS’s college readiness series (personal finance, self defense, self health, etc.).

• Dedicated classroom time built into the school schedule to address both the college search and application process. Application workshops held during school holidays near big deadlines (before November 1 and over winter break).

I nformation T echnology

Information Technology As a community of lifelong learners, the School realizes that the infusion of technology and information literacy skills into the learning environment will empower students and teachers to go beyond traditional boundaries and participate in a digital world. We integrate current and emerging technologies as resources for all aspects of School administration, student learning, communication and collaboration.

Technology Highlights:

Our students are given a strong foundation and receive ongoing support in information literacy and technology fluency. Girls are encouraged to cultivate resilience and perseverance in real-life problem solving through the use of technology to collaboratively gather, construct and communicate knowledge.

• Portable laptop carts travel to classrooms in the Lower, Middle and Upper Schools. Each cart is equipped with 20 laptop computers and networked printers.

To this end, the School has established programs, policies and procedures that facilitate the practical application of technology and information literacy skills for students and staff by: • Promoting the use of information technology and media literacy as fundamental skills for all.

• Advocating, modeling and teaching safe, legal, ethical and thoughtful uses of technology, media and information.

• The entire campus is equipped for wireless access to the School’s network, and all faculty have laptop computers.

• In addition to two media arts Mac labs where students develop a range of media production skills, girls work with still and video cameras for classroom projects and special events.

• Our classrooms have interactive whiteboards where students and teachers can share work and notes.

• We partner with the Online School for Girls (OSG) to offer select online classes to Upper School students, expanding their educational opportunities and preparing them for success in a digital world. In 2013-2014, students elected to take the following courses through the OSG: AP Macroeconomics; AP Psychology; AP Government and Politics and AP Comparative Government, Introduction to Engineering and Forensic Science.

• Supporting student learning via broad access to technologies in a campus-wide wireless environment.

• Fostering a learning environment that supports communication, collaboration, risk taking and hands-on approaches.

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information technology

Library Our mission is to develop students who are independent and effective users of information. These information management skills are integral to academic achievement, to responsible participation in a democratic society and to lifelong learning. The libraries supply access to thoughtfully selected materials in a variety of formats, provide instruction in their use and promote appreciation of reading with the collaboration of other educators.

Each division maintains a library that reflects the interests and needs of students in those grades. The spaces are comfortable and inviting, and students are encouraged to pursue their personal interests as well as their academic needs. Elementary students visit the library each week with their class. In Middle and Upper School, students visit the library with their class for instruction in research methods and resources for research projects in many disciplines.

Students in grades 5 and 7 learn valuable technology skills, and discuss what it means to be a responsible citizen in the digital age in the Information Literacy and Information Power courses. Students in grade 9 examine their own digital footprint, and investigate the role of the media in society in Media Literacy. A variety of contests, programs and reading clubs celebrate the joy of reading from PreK–Grade 12.

STEam—Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics We continue to be a leading proponent of STEAM education for girls. Utilizing the advantages of the all-girl environment to its fullest, our program seeks to make successful entry into technical disciplines a real possibility for our graduates.

• s cience: In each division, we strive to convey the importance of science in everyday life through developmentally appropriate laboratory investigations and opportunities for experiential learning.

We encourage our girls to think outside of the box and to discover the unknown. While doing so, they have full permission to learn from their mistakes. The Agnes Irwin Upper School was one of the first schools in suburban Philadelphia to switch to a “Physics First” curriculum.

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•T echnology: Computers and programmable smart phones dominate our culture. Our offerings in computer science prepare our girls to begin to understand what makes those devices “think” and, if they so desire, prepare them for future work in the exciting world of Information Technology. In the Middle School robotics program, we use the Alice programming environment, which has been developed especially for addressing the learning styles of girls by Carnegie Mellon University. In our Upper School, we have students enrolled in Computer Science I and Advanced Computer Science using Python language.

•e ngineering: Our signature Robotics program addresses the technology and engineering aspects of STEAM. From WeDo robotics in Lower School, through FIRST Lego robotics competitions and robotics classes in the Middle School, to building and programming full-scale robots in the Upper School, both in robotics classes and after-school clubs, learning to use tools and measurement, Computer Aided Design and various computer programming environments, our girls find comfort and confidence in this technology-driven culture.

Our Upper School FIRST robotics team, one of the first all-girl teams in the region, annually competes quite successfully against a large field of male-dominated, co-ed robotics teams.

• arts: Arts education is a key to creativity, and creativity spurs the innovation necessary to create the new solutions and new industries upon which our future economic well-being depends.

Design thinking is a means to human-centered innovation, a practice not unlike that used by industry leaders such as Apple. This crucial, right-brained approach will marry with essential left-brained thinking to imagine a whole world of social and economic possibilities.

• Math: When do girls start believing that math is not for them? At The Agnes Irwin School, we strive to make the answer to that question “never.” From Lower School through graduation, our program addresses the learning styles of girls in math. Collaborative and often project-based, yet rigorous and fun, math at The Agnes Irwin School fully prepares all students to comfortably navigate the world of numbers. And for those students inclined towards technical fields, our program offers top-of-the line preparation for entry into the country’s most demanding science and technical universities.

L ife A t A I S

Life at AIS Character The Agnes Irwin School is committed to our mission to develop each girl’s intellect, character and physical well-being. Hand-in-hand with this mission, we are equally committed to helping our girls to build strong character and solid values. Faculty promote character development starting with our youngest students. Girls are mentored to support each other as they enter the school community. Throughout the School, Codes of Conduct are posted: Respect Yourself, Respect Others, Respect School Property and Act Responsibly. The Middle School Values Statement is a guiding principle of the Middle School community, recited at the opening of each assembly. In addition, the Upper School Honor Code reflects the values of honesty and personal integrity which are upheld throughout our community. The administrators and faculty serve daily as mentors fostering character development and respect. We believe that fostering strong relationships within the School encourages our girls, as well as faculty, to give back, to develop compassion and to reach out to others.

Girls from Korea, Finland, Spain, Australia, England, Germany, China and France have recently joined us.

Many religious faiths are represented in our school, and we honor the major holy days of the Christian and Jewish faiths by closing school for Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Good Friday.

Currently, 26 percent of our girls receive financial assistance.

Scholarships, which are based on need, can range from $2,000 to full tuition. Fifty percent of the students who join us after first grade come from public schools. Our girls reside in more than 50 communities in the greater Delaware Valley, from Phoenixville to Philadelphia, Media to Morton, Bryn Mawr to Blue Bell.

Equally important as the rich diversity in our community is the friendly and inclusive atmosphere that permeates our classrooms and hallways. Agnes Irwin fosters an environment where respect for the individual, appreciation of differences, and lasting friendships are developed and nurtured.

Diversity The Agnes Irwin School recognizes the importance of diversity in the student body, faculty and curriculum in providing a richness and strength to the education we impart to our students and to the quality of our community.

Agnes Irwin is filled with a wonderful mixture of girls whose talents, interests and perspectives are wideranging and distinctive. We have promising actresses and gifted dancers, nascent scientists and championship athletes, emerging artists and budding poets.

Our students also represent an array of racial, ethnic, religious, socioeconomic and geographic backgrounds.

Twenty percent of our girls are students of color, while nearly 50 girls have a parent who was born in another country and for whom English is a second language. We welcome families relocating to this area, whether from another part of the United States or across the globe.

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L ife at A I S

Community Outreach Community outreach is an integral part of The Agnes Irwin School. It provides an opportunity for students to reach beyond themselves and their immediate environments to a larger world — a world about which many students are sincerely concerned and in which they want to make a difference. The emphasis of the program is on “hands-on” projects when possible with a minimum amount of fundraising.

All-school service events are held each year, such as The Agnes Irwin Day of Service in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. – “a day on, not a day off”– with activities including making fleece pillows for women veterans at Coatesville Veterans’ Hospital, painting murals at local elementary schools with City Year and cooking dinner at the Ronald McDonald House. The biannual Empty Bowls Project – held in partnership with The Haverford School – raises awareness about hunger. Students at all grade levels create ceramic bowls which function as soup bowls at a culminating banquet.

In Lower School, service is embedded in the curriculum at each grade level. Students study an issue or a problem and design a response to that problem with a service project. In addition, Lower School students participate in an annual day of service, Dolly Gaul Day, commemorating former LS teacher Mrs. Gaul’s extensive dedication to teaching and service learning. Workshops held include Hop-a-Thon for Muscular Dystrophy, making soup for the Ardmore Food Pantry, visiting Rosemont Presbyterian Village and assembling Jared Boxes for children in the hospital.

The Middle School service program places an emphasis on building relationships with the people that we serve.

Highlights of the program include the eighth grade year-long relationship with second and third graders from St. Ignatius School in West Philadelphia; the Winter Service Bazaar raising funds for various service projects; micro-finance through the use of KIVA, a non-profit organization with a mission to connect people through lending to alleviate poverty (currently AIS Middle School students have made 20 loans to women entrepreneurs throughout the world); fighting hunger through the organization of food drives to support a local food cupboard; and a fifth grade partnership with Cradles to Crayons, including a visit in the fall to their warehouse and a spring service project. In addition, each trimester, students organize bake sales to raise funds for projects for which they have a particular passion.

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The Student Outreach Services (SOS) program’s goal is to help Upper School students to develop leadership skills, individual responsibility and commitment, social awareness, citizenship and personal growth by providing opportunities for service in our extended community.

Upper School girls have a 40-hour service requirement to be met prior to graduation. In conjunction with AIS/EA/ Haverford Day, students collect canned goods to stock food pantries. Around Thanksgiving, students and faculty are involved in assembling Thanksgiving dinners for 100 families. A joint team of Agnes Irwin and Haverford students organize and participate in Relay for Life to honor cancer survivors.

Athletics In 2011 we adopted the following athletic philosophy statement: With a rich history of achievement, The Agnes Irwin School Athletics Program instills a life-long commitment to teamwork, leadership and reaching one’s personal best. Each athlete is guided in the transition from skill-building to mastery, solidifying a foundation of discipline, dedication and confidence that fuels institutional pride and spirit. By providing a range of opportunities, our program supports the pre-collegiate athlete as well as the individual who aspires to continue a healthy lifestyle. The cornerstone of our philosophy centers on character, confidence, commitment and competitiveness.

At Agnes Irwin, participation in competitive sports encourages the development of the whole individual.

Athletics isn’t just about the game or the team or even the athlete — it’s about the valuable contribution it makes to every girl’s experience and growth as an individual and as a member of her community on and off the field.

Athletes at Agnes Irwin are encouraged to harness their talents and compete at the highest levels possible, reinforcing core values of hard work and dedication.

Perseverance, cooperation, compassion and commitment are taught and demonstrated through the lives of our athletes, coaches and supporters.

L ife at ais

Arts The arts are fundamental to our humanity. They foster creativity, build bridges between cultures and unite us regardless of ethnicity, religion or age. Universally, the arts are a source of comfort in times of stress and sorrow. Additionally, the arts foster the skills sought by employers in the 21st-century workplace, including creativity, problem solving and conceptual and critical thinking. Those strengthening their connection to the arts often have a competitive advantage in all professional fields.

The Department of Visual and Performing Arts at The Agnes Irwin School is the home for Studio Arts, Media Arts, Photography, Theater, Music (vocal and instrumental) and Dance. Each discipline has built a rich and cohesive program through which students discover their abilities, hone their talents and perfect their skills. As one of the three A’s — Academics, Athletics and Arts — at AIS, the Visual and Performing Arts are as integral to a student’s daily schedule as the arts are to daily life. Led by a faculty of juried visual artists, published playwrights, professional musicians, dancers, actors and technicians, the Visual and Performing Arts Department strives to identify and nurture the artist in each and every student.

Student Support Services Student Support Services (SSS) works cooperatively to maintain the support of each girl in grades PreK–12 in social, emotional and academic areas. Consultation with teachers, parents and students is an essential ingredient in upholding our mission “to foster the intellectual and personal growth of girls and young women.” SSS helps students to maintain a healthy balance between the rigor of academics and their social and emotional well-being.

and encouraging each student to become her own advocate. The Lower School Reading Specialist and Learning Specialists assist teachers by differentiating instruction according to the various learning styles and needs of the students. The Specialists work with individual students and in small groups in the context of the classroom and in pullout situations. Through consultation with classroom teachers, they help cultivate the optimal environment for all learners. The Lower School Clinician provides short-term individual and group counseling, consults with parents and faculty and makes referrals for evaluation and intervention as needed.

Emotional and Social Development Student Support Services develops programs to help our girls to proactively develop social and problem-solving skills. Let’s Care and Feedback programs in Lower School, Community Cares and Courage to Be Me programs in Middle School, and Transitions in Upper School assist girls with making and fostering friendships, effective communications skills and how to give feedback. To address students’ emotional needs, SSS provides shortterm individual counseling, consults with faculty and makes referrals for evaluation as needed.

Wellness and Health Services By working in cooperation with the physical education department, SSS assesses the overlap between the health curriculum and Student Support Services. In the Upper School Transitions course, for instance, students discuss a range of topics including friendship and communication, alcohol and drug use, peer pressure, relationships and sexuality, diversity and tolerance. Health Services are provided by two school nurses (Lower School, Middle and Upper School) who promote, protect and maintain optimal levels of wellness of all students so they can fully benefit from their school experience.

Academics The SSS Learning Specialists provide academic skills instruction, teach learning strategies and coordinate classroom accommodations for eligible students. The Middle and Upper School Learning Specialists work with students individually or in groups and collaborate with parents and faculty to provide the strongest possible educational environment. The Middle and Upper School Math and Science Support Teacher provides academic support in MS/US Math and US Science for those who are eligible. The Middle and Upper School Learning Center assists all students in recognizing their strengths, understanding and articulating their learning styles,

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L ife at A I S

Transportation

Train

The Agnes Irwin School is located 10 miles west of Philadelphia in a suburban community easily accessible to public transportation. Our campus borders Villanova University and is just minutes from Bryn Mawr College and Haverford College. Twenty school districts provide free transportation. Our students come from a wide geographic range in the Delaware Valley representing over 75 zip codes.

Free van transportation is available before and after school to and from the Villanova stations for SEPTA Regional Rail Lines (Paoli local), located 1.5 miles from the School, and the Route 100 Norristown High Speed Line, .5 miles from the School.

Busing Twenty school districts provide free bus transportation.

They include: Colonial Ridley Great Valley Rose Tree–Media Haverford Springfield (Del. Co.) Lower Merion Springfield (Mont. Co.) Marple Newtown Tredyffrin/Easttown Methacton Upper Darby Norristown Upper Merion Philadelphia Wallingford/Swarthmore Phoenixville William Penn Radnor Wissahickon

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Montgomery/Chester County Transportation Agnes Irwin runs a bus for students living in the western Chester and Montgomery County areas for an additional charge. Stops and times change from year to year, depending on subscription to the bus. Typically the bus will run from the Collegeville, Chester Springs and Phoenixville areas. Please contact the Admission Office, 610.526.1667, for more information.

Dining services Students may bring lunch from home or participate in our optional dining services for an additional fee.

Emphasis is placed on providing healthy, fresh menu options with support for local farmers and farm-to-table initiatives. Complete information regarding meal plans and fees can be found on the school’s website.

L ife at A I S

After School Care Extra Session Extra Session is an optional after-school enrichment program for Agnes Irwin students in grades PreK–4.

Through constructive activities supervised by Agnes Irwin faculty and local instructors, students can learn new skills, exercise athletic abilities and discover their creativity. Classes are held Mondays through Thursdays from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. and carry registration fees. Supervision is provided between the end of the school day and the beginning of Extra Session. During the 2013-2014 school year, students engaged in such activities as swimming, futsal, yoga, hip hop/Zumba and Newspaper Club. Detailed descriptions of classes and fees for the 2014-2015 school year will be updated on the school’s website.

After Session

Summer Session

After Session provides a safe, convenient after-school program for Agnes Irwin girls in PreK–Grade 4. Our After Session is available to Lower School girls from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on any school day and parent conference days. The Director of After Session is an experienced Lower School teacher and she leads the students in a variety of planned activities, ranging from arts and crafts and baking to computer time. Homework supervision/ quiet time, free play and snack will be offered daily.

Yearly and daily drop-in fees for the 2014-2015 school year will be updated on the school’s website. Financial assistance is available for students currently receiving financial aid.

Summer Session – for boys and girls in grades PreK–12 – typically runs from mid-June to late July. Students may enroll for all weeks or for individual weeks as needed.

Instructors include faculty, local certified teachers, professional artists, experienced coaches and a few talented college students. The class size is limited in order to meet the individual needs of each student.

Boys and girls are able to choose an elective each day on a weekly basis to create a full- or part-time schedule.

Electives are available in academic subjects, arts and fitness – and include such offerings as Writing for Middle School, Cookies and Cupcakes, and Jiu Jitsu.

4:00 Study for Middle School Pick-up for Middle School students is between 3:35 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. After 4:00 p.m., any Middle School girl who is still waiting for a ride attends a no-fee, proctored study hall until 6:00 p.m. Students may be picked up from study hall any time between 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.

For students entering grades 9–12, the following courses for credit are offered: algebra, biology, chemistry, geometry, Latin, physics and studio art.

For more information, please visit www.agnesirwin.org/summersession.

4:00 Study for Upper School Study Upper School students are permitted to remain on campus for quiet study in the US Library after their school commitments until 6:00 p.m.

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Board of Trustees, Administration & Faculty Board of Trustees Carolyn C. Cullen ’87

Laura Buck Marshall ’74*

Bruce E. Terker*

Dr. Taliba M. Foster ’88

Anita L. McMullin ’81

Christopher J. Thompson

Anne Fritchman Hamilton ’74*

Robert L. McNeil

Mark Thorburn

Elinor H. Buck Susan S. Burch

Matthew H. Kamens

Polly Warren Coxe ’77**

Jennifer Kinkead ’84

Patrick P. Coyne

Joanna McNeil Lewis

Sandra S. Crockett ’77

Deanna Leicht Loughnane ’85

Ann Laupheimer Sonnenfeld ’77, Chair Lisa Sherrerd Barker

Derek N. Pew

Merritt Weber

Connie Anne Phillips ’83

Sarah Hammer Williams

Marc Richman

T. David Williams, Jr.

Kristin A. Schinella

Ginny Sharp Williams ’88

Norborne Gee Smith

Sharon C. Yoh *Trustee Emerita **Alumnae Association Representative

Administration Dr. Wendy L. Hill Head of School Douglass College, B.A. Rutgers University, B.A. University of Washington, Ph.D. Julie Diana Head of Libraries and Institutional Technology Emerson College, B.F.A. Syracuse University, M.L.S. Lea Emery Director of Enrollment Management Drew University, B.A. Charesse O. Ford Director of Diversity and Cultural Affairs Rosemont College, B.A. Drexel University, M.S.

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Joanne Hoffman Director of Upper School Marymount College, B.A. Trinity College, M.A. Mariandl M.C. Hufford Director of Academic Affairs and The Center for the Advancement of Girls Bryn Mawr College, B.A. Harvard University, Ed.M. University of Pennsylvania, M.S.Ed. Donna S. Lindner Director of Lower School University of Maryland, B.S. University of Pennsylvania, M.S. Ed. Kevin M. McCullough Director of Finance and Facilities Villanova University, B.S., M.A.

The Agnes Irwin School Admission Supplement 2014-2015

Constance T. McEvoy Director of College Counseling Williams College, B.A. Lynne D. Myavec Director of Middle School Fontbonne College, B.A.

Thomas Weissert Director of Technology US Mathematics California State University, B.A. University of Colorado, Boulder, M.S., Ph.D. Margaret P. Welsh Director of Development Randolph-Macon College, B.A. University of Virginia, M.A.

Wanda Motley Odom Director of Marketing and Communications Cornell University, B.S. Villanova University, M.A. Sheila Pauley Athletic Director Immaculata College, B.A. Pamela J. Sheeran Director of Human Resources Pennsylvania State University, B.A. St. Joseph’s University, M.S.

Faculty and Board List as of August 15, 2014

B oard of trustees , A dministration & faculty

faculty Ethan Ake US Science Drexel University, B.A. Chestnut Hill College, M.Ed.

Molly Bergh Kindergarten Immaculata College, B.S.

Elizabeth Alleva Third Grade Shippensberg University, B.S.

Anne-Victoire Bonnamour MS French Universite Jean Moulin, Lyon III, B.A., M.A., M.A.

Dawn Anthony MS Mathematics Ursinus College, B.S. Beaver College, M.A.

Sarah Bourne US Photography Warren Wilson College, B.A. University of the Arts, M.F.A.

Brian Baillie MS/US English Haverford College, B.A. Southern Illinois University, M.A.

Geraldine Boussion MS/US French University du Maine, Le Mans, France, B.A.

Shailla Bari First Grade George Washington University, M.A. Cabrini College, M.A. Barbara Barnett MS/US French University of Pittsburg, B.A. Villanova University, M.A. University of Pennsylvania, M.S. George Barnett US History University of Pennsylvania B.A., M.A., Ph.D. Elizabeth Barrows MS/US Learning Specialist Bucknell University, M.A. University of Pennsylvania, M.S. Kim Beamon-Morton LS/MS/US Teacher/Counselor Northeastern University, B.S. Smith College School for Social Work, M.S.W. Patrick Beasom MS/US Classics University of Richmond, B.A. University of Cincinatti, M.A., Ph.D.

Emily Brennan US Mathematics University of Delaware B.A. Drexel University, M.S. Jen Brittingham MS/US Visual Arts /Visual Arts Coordinator Philadelphia University, B.S.,M.S. Jodie Bross MS/US English Franklin and Marshall College, B.A. University of Pittsburg, M.A. Cynthia Brown Chair, Mathematics Department; US Math Albright College, M.S. University of Hawaii, M.Ed. Michelle Burns LS Librarian Cabrini College, B.A., M.Ed. Clarion University, M.S.L.S. Sara Carmichael US Physics Dartmouth College, B.A.

David Christiansen MS Science Franklin and Marshall College, B.A. Pepperdine University, M.Ed.

Cheryl Ellis MS/US Science University of Miami, B.S. San Francisco State University, M.A.

Bonnie Clark Associate Director of LS Admission Bryn Mawr College, B.A. Drexel University, M.S.Ed.

William Esher Chair, Visual and Performing Arts Department Glassboro State University, B.A.

Andrew Connally MS/US History Florida State University, B.A., J.D. St. Joseph’s University, M.S.

Michelle Esposito Third Grade Duquesne University B.S., M.S. Ed.

Joy Connelly MS Mathematics Bloomsberg University, B.S. Cabrini College, M.S. Ed. Kathleen Cooper Assistant Athletic Director; MS Science University of Scranton, B.S.,M.S. Rita Davis French Coordinator; MS/US French Ohio University, B.A., M.A. Julie Diana Head of Libraries and Academic Technology Emerson College, B.F.A. Syracuse University, M.L.S. Courtney Dougherty MS/US Learning Specialist Villanova University, B.A. University of Pennsylvania, M.S. Ed. Sarah Eckert CAG Research Support; US History New York University, B.A. The Pennsylvania State University, Ph.D.

Keri Farrow MS/US Art University of Wisconsin, B.S. University of San Francisco, M.A. Sol Fernandez MS/US Spanish Universidad Complutense de Madrid, B.S. Ariadna Fink MS/US Spanish Universidad Anahuac del Sur, Mexico B.A. La Salle University, M.A. Villanova University, M.A. Shannon Finley LS American Sign Language/ MS Learning Specialist Towson University, B.S. Gallaudet University, M.A. Jennifer Emmi Fiorini ‘97 US Dean of Students Georgetown University, B.A. University of Pennsylvania, M.Ed. Joseph Flood Second Grade Chestnut Hill College, B.S. Cabrini College, M.Ed.

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B oard of trustees , A dministration & faculty

faculty (Continued) Edward Frank Chair, History Department; US History Yale University, B.A. New York University School of Law, J.D. University of Pennsylvania, M.A. Theresa Saulin Frock MS/US Art Moore College of Art and Design, B.F.A. University of the Arts, M.F.A. Dominic Galante MS/US Classics St. Joseph’s University, B.A. University of Pennsylvania, M.A. Lisa Glazer MS Math Amherst College, B.A. University of Pennsylvania, M.S. Steven Grabania US Science Temple University, B.S. M.Ed., Ph.D. Anastasia Grillo ’05 US Counselor Vanderbilt University, B.A. University of Pennsylvania, M.S.Ed. Diane Groff MS Librarian Bates University, B.A. Mansfield University, M.Ed. Susie Hagin Fourth Grade San Diego State University, B.A. Leslie Hahne MS English Cornell University, B.S., M.P.S.

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Julie Haines Fourth Grade George Washington University, B.A. Arcadia University, M.Ed. Katherine Halton MS Art Moore College of Art and Design, B.F.A. Jeffrey Harlan MS English University of Pennsylvania, B.A., M.S. Mary Higgins US History La Salle University, B.A. Harvard University, J.D. Patricia Hill ‘71 Fourth Grade Wheelock College, B.S.Ed. Jennifer Hoffman Chair, Science Department; MS/US Science University of Massachusetts, B.S. Syracuse University, M.S. Richard Hoffman US Science University of Montana, B.A. Boston College, M.Ed. Lauren Hoopes MS Health and Physical Education East Stroudsberg University, B.S. West Chester University, B.S. Lindsey Hurst MS Science The Pennsylvania State University, B.S. Michele Kane Chair, Wellness and Phys. Ed. Dept.;LS/MS/US Wellness and Phys. Ed. Bloomsberg University, B.S.

The Agnes Irwin School Admission Supplement 2014-2015

Gerard Kapral Instrumental Music Teacher Temple University, B.M. Ashley Kaufmann Second Grade The Pennsylvania State University, B.S. Abbey Kelley LS/MS/US P.E. and Wellness Ohio Wesleyan University, B.A. Jeannine Kelly MS/US Nurse Villanova University, B.S. Tiffany Kelly Associate Director of MS/US Admission Wesleyan University, B.A. Harvard University, Ed. M. Sarah Kinder Director of Service Learning and Special Projects Trinity College, B.A. The Pennsylvania State University, M.Ed. Lorraine Lampe LS Nurse Mehodist Hospital School of Nursing, R.N. Cara Latham MS Music Oberlin College, B.M., M.M.T. Yale University, M.M. Temple University, D.M.A. Jane Liang LS/US Chinese Zhejiang Broadcasting/ Television University Youngjia Education Institution Cathy Lynch MS History Bucknell University, B.S. Villanova University, M.Ed.

David Marshall Chair, Classics Department; MS/US Classics Florida State University, B.A..

University of Cincinnati, M.A. James Mathison US Science/ Math Purdue University, B.A. Villanova University M.Ed., Tom Mattsen US Mathematics Webb Institute, B.S. University of Hawaii, M.B.A. Cabrini College, M.Ed. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, M.S. Sean McCormick US History University of Pennsylvania, B.A. Arizona State University, M.F.A. Brooklyn College, M.Ed. Roberta McGuiney Math and Science Support The Pennsylvania State University, B.S. Suzanne McInnes LS/MS Wellness/Phys. Ed. University of Delaware B.A. Cabrini College, M.Ed. Silvie Molta MS/US French Capital University, B.A. Kent State University, M.A. Genevieve Morris MS/US Dance Eastern University, B.A. Melissa Musacchio MS Classics University of Maryland, B.A. Louisa Mygatt MS History, US Diversity Coordinator Yale University, B.A. University of Pennsylvania, J.D.

B oard of trustees , A dministration & faculty

Montserrat Nomdedeu LS Spanish Cabrini College, B.A. Erica Novak MS English St. Joseph’s University, B.A. Hillary O’Connor US English La Salle University, B.A. University of Pennsylvania M.S.Ed. Elizabeth Ortiz MS Spanish Davidson College, B.A. Veronika Paluch LS Science Temple University, B.A., M.Ed. Marisa Peterson First Grade Washington and Lee University, B.A. Trinity University, M.A.T. Ann Ramsey MS History/MS Theater University of Pennsylvania B.A.,M.S. Sharon Rudnicki Chair, English Department; MS/US English University of Pennsylvania, B.A.,M.A. Elizabeth Sands ‘71 Assistant Director of LS for Student Support Rosemont College, B.A. Villanova University, M.A. Immaculata College, Ed.D. Norman Sargen Chair, Modern Language Department.; MS/US Spanish Universite de Paris IV Elizabethtown College, B.A. University of Pennsylvania, M.A.

Murray Savar LS/US Vocal Music /Music Coordinator Temple University, Mus. B. Megan Boyle Scott Associate Director, College Counseling Kenyon College, B.A. Drexel University, M.S. Kathleen Seaton PreKindergarten College of Wooster, B.A. Cabrini College, M.A. Paul Seaton PreKindergarten Assistant Teacher College of Wooster, B.A. University of Pennsylvania M.S. Ed. Corinna Segal LS French/Spanish University of Southampton (UK), B.S. University of Illinois at Chicago, M.S. Jose Sevillano US Spanish University of Seville, B.A. Villanova University, M.A. Aimee Shelton Athletic Trainer Temple University, B.A. Eastern University, M.Ed. Patricia Siembora LS Art Univerity of the Arts, B.F.A., M.A. Audrey Sikdar First Grade Franklin and Marshall College, B.A. St. Joseph’s University, M.S. Melanie Slezak Kindergarten Univesity of Delaware, B.S. M.Ed.

Linda Solomon Associate Director of LS Admission Bucknell University, B.A. University of Virginia, M.S. Alex Stait Director of Squash Wycliffe College (U.K.) Margaret Stallard US Mathematics Villanova University, B.S. Laura Stott US Mathematics Iona College, B.A. Georgia State University, M.S. Lauren Sullivan Associate Director of MS Admission College of the Holy Cross, B.A. Lesley College, M.Ed. Amanda Trayes College Counselor Albright College, B.S. University of Pennsylvania, M.A. Maya Teredesai MS English University of Pennsylvania, B.A. Tufts University, M.Ed. Ellena Vaganos MS /US Mathematics Arcadia University, B.S., M.Ed. Dolores Verdeur US English Yale Univesity, B.A. Villanova University, M.Ed., Villanova School of Law, J.D.

Kimberly A. Walker Third Grade University of Tennessee, B.A.,M.S. Joie Walsh LS Learning Specialist University of Delaware, B.S. Sara Webb US Librarian West Chester University, B.S. Mansfield University, M.Ed. Thomas Weissert US Mathematics; Director of Technology California State University, B.A. University of Colorado, Boulder, M.S., Ph.D. Karen West US English Mount Holyoke College, B.A. Villanova University, M.A. Rosann Westmeyer US Science Case Western Reserve University, B.S. University of Illinois-Urbana, M.S. Bonnie White MS History University of North Carolina, B.A. Emory University, M.A. Jennifer White MS Science Ashland University, B.S., M.S.

Helene Walker Psychologist Temple University, B.A.,M.A. University of Massachusetts, Ph.D.

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V isitor I nformation

Visitor Information

Recommended Readings Agnes Irwin recommends, among others, the following resources on educating and raising girls and single-sex education: Books: Girls Will Be Girls: Raising Confident and Courageous Daughters

by JoAnn Deak In a Different Voice

by Carol Gilligan

Directions

By Car Directions from I-76 East or West: Take Exit 331A to 476 South. Go 2.4 miles to Exit 13 (St. Davids/Villanova). Follow directions from Exit 13 below.

From 476 North or South: Take Exit 13 (St. Davids/Villanova) and go east on Route 30 (Lancaster Avenue). After 1 mile, turn right onto S. Ithan Avenue. The School is located one-half mile on your left.

From Route 1 (City Line Avenue) and Route 30 (Lancaster Avenue): Go west on Route 30 for 5.5 miles. Turn left onto South Ithan Avenue.

The School is located one-half mile on your left.

Note about GPS: If using a GPS that does not recognize intersections, please enter the following postal service address: 275 S. Ithan Avenue, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010.

By Train Free van transportation is available to and from the Villanova stations for SEPTA Regional Rail Lines (Paoli local), located 1.5 miles from the School, and the Norristown High Speed Line (P&W), one-half mile from the School.

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The Agnes Irwin School Admission Supplement 2014-2015

Packaging Girlhood: Rescuing Our Daughters from Marketers’ Schemes

by Lyn Mikel Brown Same, Different, Equal: Rethinking Single-Sex Schooling

by Rosemary C. Salamone Teaching the Female Brain: How Girls Learn Math and Science

by Abigail Norfleet James Parenting Great Girls: Giving Our Daughters the Courage to Live Authentic and Confident Lives

by Jeannie Norris Girls on the Edge: The Four Factors Driving the New Crisis for Girls...

by Leonard Sax

Websites: National Coalition for Girls Schools: www.ncgs.org 3 Great Schools: www.3greatschools.org

Ithan Avenue and Conestoga Road Rosemont, PA 19010-1042 Fax: 610.581.0495 610.526.1667 (Middle/Upper School) 610.523.7986 (Lower School)

www.agnesirwin.org

The Agnes Irwin School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religious creed, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin in administration of its admission and educational practices, financial-aid program, athletic and other school-administered programs.