Kingswood Oxford School Viewbook

UNPACK YOUR potential.

Get smarter. Get stronger. And still get home for dinner.

ARE YOU

To demonstrate honesty, integrity and respect

To take personal responsibility

To embrace intellectual curiosity

To care beyond oneself

READY ?

To learn with passion and perseverance

To work hard, take risks, become involved

During the next few years, you’ll have the chance to find out who you are. You’ll try new things. Your imagination will be stretched. Your learning curve may be steep but it’s time to push yourself, to take responsibility, to achieve.

You’ll be tested. You’ll make mistakes. But you won’t be alone. The faculty and staff will guide you. So will your fellow Wyverns.

They’ll help you reach your potential. KO is a place where you can grow and learn alongside students who are as motivated as you are.

The values you’ll learn and the bonds you’ll create within this welcoming community will last a lifetime.

60%

JUST THE

FACTS

502

5

faculty with more than 10 years at KO

44%

students who receive need-based tuition support

Students enrolled

diversity

faculty with advanced degrees

400 pounds of chicken wings prepared on wing day

91%

minutes it takes to walk to blue back square

% 29

64%

62

towns served

100

Percentage of students who attend a four-year college

students who enroll in at least one APÂŽ class before graduation

100 percentage of seniors who write a thesis paper

13,770

12

pounds of dining hall food scraps diverted for composting

average class size

ESSENTIAL

RELATIONSHIPS

Students, Advisers, Parents A Community of Connections

Strong, Supportive Relationships Students achieve great success at KO due to the highly interactive partnership with an advisor who serves as an advocate for the student and family. In addition to overseeing a student’s academic progress, advisors also provide informal and personal guidance in all areas of school life. They collect and receive information from faculty about advisees and serve as a liaison between parents and the school.

Guidance throughout the KO Journey In many ways, advisors function as “life coaches” — they see what happens in the hallways, on the sports field, in the classroom, and more. They use this big picture perspective to guide and support all aspects of a student’s life: academic, athletic, social, and extracurricular.

Bridging the Gap between School and Home The biggest advantage of a day school is the close connection KO establishes with its parents. We want to hear from you and see you on campus. Throughout the year our dynamic Parent Association, faculty and staff continually strengthen the parent-home relationship with regular check-ins, forums with educational specialists and mental health experts, casual coffees and special topic movies. And if you can’t make those meetings, just pick up the phone and tell your parent representative, advisor or administrator what’s on your mind.

“ My son started at Kingswood Oxford as a 10th grader and it was a big change for him: from a small school where he was class president to KO where he didn’t know anyone. His advisor was a godsend and made his transition seamless. She got to know him and helped him integrate into the community. By his junior year, he was elected president of his KO class and is having a great high school experience.”

Michelle Gibson, Parent

EXERCISE YOUR MIND

Engaged Liberal Arts

Communicate Effectively, Think Critically At KO, we don’t just teach what to learn, we teach you how to learn—and how to think, write, speak and question. As you grow, you’ll find satisfaction in being challenged to do your best.

Through our broad-based curriculum, you’ll learn methods for creativity, risk taking and growth in small, lively classes of give-and-take with your peers and teachers. You’ll learn active listening as well as ways to develop and support your ideas in a collaborative environment. Extended class schedules allow for thoughtful, deep analysis not mere recitation of facts and figures.

Develop public speaking skills through: • Middle School “Shark Tank” projects • Weekly school wide assemblies • Competitions like the 7th grade Geography Bee • 10th Grade Speakers Forum • Middle School and Upper School mock trial • Debates • Model U.N. • Performing arts Senior Thesis The culmination of four years of KO’s rigorous writing curriculum is a final research project. Seniors demonstrate their writing and research mastery and their ability to take on—with clarity and precision—the long format research papers that colleges demand.

“ One especially valuable aspect of a KO education is its emphasis on writing. From Middle School on, I learned to evaluate others’ ideas and synthesize my own. That will serve me well in all facets of my life.” enjamin Waldman, Class B of 2016, Yale Class of 2020, National Senior Thesis Winner by the National Cum Laude Society

• Two KO Forensic Union students advanced to the worldwide Forensic Union competition in Sydney, Australia.

• At St. Sebastian Forensic Union Tournament in Massachusetts, KO received “Best Speaker” award and won the overall “First Place Novice Team” against the other top-notch schools.

• Best Delegate at Russian Model U.N. and Best Delegate at Yale Model U.N.

College Advising

ALL THE

Student-Centered and Individualized At KO, college advising is another step in a student’s journey of self-discovery. Students are assigned a college advisor during their junior year, but, every year, students have access to developmentally appropriate programming and information necessary to a successful college search. Advisors work with a small group and know them as individuals – their character, interests and aspirations – so the college choice is a perfect fit for their future goals.

Our goal is to help students become their best selves, to guide them in discovering and fulfilling their greatest potential.

SUPPORT YOU NEED

College preparation includes:

Build Long-Term Success

• Participating in VQV–“Vincit Qui se Vincit” (One conquers by conquering oneself)– college advising classes which cover a range of topics related to the college search and application process

College advising at KO reflects the school’s holistic approach to student success: student participation in the college search and application process reinforces the habits and skills needed for longterm success. In short, our advisors focus as much on preparing students to succeed in college as they do on getting into college.

• Meeting regularly with a college advisor, both individually and with parents • Identifying a range of potential colleges and universities • Working on application materials, including the college essay • Taking the PSAT and PreACT and developing their standardized testing plan • Meeting with admissions representatives from over 100 colleges/universities who visit KO annually

“ My advisor was an incredible mentor and role model. He taught me how to go about work, how to do things the right way. The comments he gave me still help me — I review them even now. I learned a lot from being around him, not only as a student but as an adult.”

Chris Giottonini, Class of 2015, Trinity College Class of 2019, Summer intern at the Rochester Institute of Technology in extragalactic background light

DIG

DEEP

Real World Connections Learn in and out of class

At KO, learning happens in and out of the classroom. It takes place during conversation and activities, whether on the Green or in the cafeteria. Forums led by world-class writers, scientists, activists, and athletes help you examine various disciplines and prepare you to be an informed global citizen.

Each year, KO hosts a distinguished Speakers Series where students hear about big ideas from the best and the brightest.

For over thirty years our Baird Symposium Writer Series has invited notable writersin-residence—like Arthur Miller, John Updike, Tony Kushner, Jonathan Faran Foer, Tim O’Brien, Elizabeth Strout (pictured here)— to workshop with seniors and address students about the writing craft.

There’s a can-do spirit on the KO campus.

One person (you) can make a difference.

Jump in.

Dig deep.

Community Garden: Rose’s love of the outdoors and her desire to have fellow students disconnect from technology, inspired her to create the Red KOw Community Garden whose produce is used in the dining hall.

On the Grind: With their entrepreneurial spirit and quest for great coffee, Jack and Ryan opened a profit-making coffee stand serving strong cups of java.

Wyverns in Space: Connor had a novel idea to launch the school mascot, the Wyvern, into near space.

Why? Why not. With an intrepid team, some fundraising, a weather balloon and a GoPro, the Wyvern reached 83,000 feet.

Cars Against Colon Cancer: Benjamin raised $6,000 for colon cancer research by organizing a luxury car show on campus.

Go Global Change your perspective without a passport. KO is a member of the prestigious Global Online Academy, a worldwide consortium of 50+ schools, that adds to the vitality of KO’s curriculum offerings. Bioethics, gender studies, game theory, medical problem solving, Japanese to name a few. While learning with students from around the world, you’ll develop confidence, independence and self-advocacy.

Experience Beyond Model U.N. and Debate teams travel to Russia, England, Australia to compete with other students.

June term – two week, travel study experiences led by KO faculty to the Island School in Eleuthera, Bahamas to deepen understanding of environmental issues.

Team Tobati 70% of KO’s Upper School students participate in this signature service-learning opportunity in Paraguay.

“ This school is so supportive.

Anytime I’ve had an idea I wanted to pursue, a teacher has backed me up — and then helped me make it work! You won’t be limited here, you can try and do so many things. It’s transformative.”

Connor O’Loughlin, Class of 2017, Oberlin College Class of 2021

“ The supportive nature of the faculty, as well as the tolerant atmosphere of the students, allowed me to take on the risks that permitted me to discover where my passions lie and what kind of leader I want to be.” abrielle Ruban, Class of 2018 G Executive Committee Member, Shield and Dragon

A Systematic Approach to Leadership Development

Many ways to learn in many settings • Community Engagement: In workshops and clubs, you develop programs as part of the wider community.

• Internships: Develop diverse skills and a better understanding of possible career fields.

• Global Experiences: Better understand the world through travel and hands-on learning.

• Required programs for school leadership positions: As prefects, senior advisors, members of student government, club leaders and sport captains, you and your fellow students learn about yourselves as leaders and how best to serve your community, class or team.

• Lunch and Lead: Informal opportunities for you to learn about the journeys of alumni leaders from a variety of fields.

• VQV (Vincit Qui Se Vincit) program: You’ll learn to reflect on and develop your own ideas, choices and actions as well as identify your own leadership style.

• Monthly Workshops: Address relevant, real-world topics like networking, Budget 101, interviewing skills, managing stress, professionalism, public speaking, and etiquette.

FIND YOUR

VOICE Tap Into a Powerful Tool The Henry R. and Margaret E. Roberts Center for Leadership compliments our dynamic academic program by offering outside-the-classroom learning.

Each student is given the means to develop his or her own principlecentered leadership style. KO will cultivate your potential so you can make a real difference in the world around you.

“ One of my favorite things about KO is how we are encouraged to try new things.

I never thought of myself as a singer until my freshman year advisor suggested I try out for the girls’ choir.

I was nervous so the choir director offered to meet with me before the audition and that really calmed my nerves. Now I’m in my second year with the choir and I love it!”

Abby Eberle, Class of 2018

Embrace Your Inner Artist

NO LIMITS

That means you

Don’t limit yourself. It’s time to discover and take advantage of what you didn’t know you had in you. At KO, you’ll find all kinds of opportunities to create, collaborate and to think outside the box.

The arts extend the possibility of innovative thought across disciplines. If a calligraphy class inspired Steve Jobs to create beautiful typography on the Mac, how might a printmaking class inspire you?

You won’t know until you try.

35 Arts Courses, including: • Music • Instrumental, Vocal (Ensemble and a cappella), Digital • Theater • Acting, Public Speaking, Stagecraft/Theater Design • Visual Arts • Painting, Drawing, Sculpture, Printmaking, Ceramics • Media Arts • Photography, Filmmaking, New Media • Two major theater productions •L iterary magazine, student newspaper, yearbook • Black Box Theater performances • Digital art • Photography • Goodman Banks and Composer Colloquy Series • Artists of national and international stature conduct residencies that illuminate the creative process and demonstrate how it fits into daily life.

At the sold out Wyvern Invitational A Cappella Festival, one of KO’s two a cappella groups performs.

FEEL THE

SPIRIT “ My four years at KO taught me to approach every goal with determination, motivation, enthusiasm, and perseverance.

Most importantly, KO has taught me that there is no limit to your success if you have the courage to fail first.”

Manisha Satheesh, Class of 2017, University of Connecticut Honors Program, STEM Scholar Class of 2021

Wyvern Nation Each one of us is a Wyvern student athlete. We offer 33 interscholastic teams, as well as a rich array of intramural and noncompetitive teams. On the playing field, that’s where you’ll see the KO ethos—perseverance, commitment and teamwork—come alive. It’s more than winning; it’s learning.

KO participates in the Founders League.

KO students regularly earn honors such as: • All New England and All State athletes • 2016 Football New England Champions • 2016, 2017 Boys’ Swimming and Diving New England Champions • 2016, 2017 Girls’ Track and Field New England Champions • 2016 Boys’ Tennis New England Champions • 2016 Girls’ Tennis New England Champions • 2017 Boys’ Basketball NEPSAC semifinalists • 2017 Golf Peddie Cup

20%

an average of 20% of our graduates go on to play sports at the Division I, II and III levels, compared to the national average of 4%

Push beyond what you think you can achieve.

Come visit and discover your potential.

Contact us at 860-727-5000 or admissions@kingswoodoxford.org to schedule an interview or campus tour.

A college preparatory co-ed day school • Grades 6 - 12 170 Kingswood Road West Hartford, CT 06119-1430 860-727-9631 www.kingswoodoxford.org