Dana Hall School The Middle School
DANA HALL LOVES THE MOMENT WHEN A GIRL DECIDES TO BE FEARLESS
AND YES, WE SEE THAT MOMENT EVERY DAY Dana Hall: a first look 1881, the year Dana Hall was founded
12 students in the average class
30-ish clubs and organizations
55 acres, 12 miles outside of Boston
465 girls, grades 5–12
6-to-1 student to faculty ratio
34-foot-high climbing wall in the Shipley Center
90 elected/selected leadership positions
110 in Middle School, grades 5–8 135 boarding students from 15 countries and 15 states
17 AP, 12 Honors level courses offered each year 1:1 iPad program
13 interscholastic athletic teams
100% of graduates enroll in four-year colleges 86% of faculty/staff hold advanced degrees
It’s the moment when the girl who always thought she hated math suddenly realizes that she’s obsessed (in a good way) with algebra. It’s the moment when the quiet girl from the small neighborhood talks by videoconference with girls in South Africa. And starts thinking about the world—and what she can do in it— in a thrilling new way. It’s the moment when, oh, about half the class decides to run for class representative. And
gets up on stage to make a speech. And cheers for the competition. You don’t see this kind of empowerment, this kind of energy, this kind of communal support, at every middle school. You see it at Dana Hall every hour, every day, every year. It’s our pride; it’s who we are; and we’re glad to share it with you.
SCIENCE LIVES!
A SECTION OF LIFE SCIENCE. EVERY SEVENTH GRADER TAKES IT. THERE IS DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS, THERE ARE EXPERIMENTS AND LAB REPORTS. YOU EXAMINE A CRIME SCENE. YOU GET DEEP INTO GENETICS AND BIODIVERSITY. YOU MAKE YOUR OWN SODA. AND AT THE END, THE WORLD LOOKS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. LIZZIE (IN A DIFFERENT SECTION OF THE COURSE) IS A HUGE SHERLOCK HOLMES FAN. CATEY (WITH BOWLING BALL) WAS PRETTY IMPRESSED WITH HER BATCH OF ROOT BEER. TEACHER MIKE WHITE IS NEITHER BOWLING NOR A GIRL.
Lizzie: “Science is everywhere. It’s more than a microscope. It’s part of daily life. Why do I look like my mom? Why do I throw better with my right arm than my left? Those are scientific questions. It’s all about paying attention and discovering new things.” Catey: “You have to ask a lot of questions—and you have to be OK with the idea that
the answer won’t be obvious. You have to dig deep.” Mr. White: “This class is tangible, it’s hands-on. We get into the world and find the tools we need to understand it. Dana students are a perfect match for that kind of experience. They take risks, they’re excited about learning, and they love the process of discovery.”
THE FIRST FIVE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT OUR ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE
IT FEELS LIKE EXPLORING. Our fifth-grade classroom, designed to be a model of 21st-century teaching and learning, features flexible furniture, IdeaPaint surfaces, and access to contemporary (and appropriate) media and technology. That pretty much sets the tone for our academic program: collaborative, hands-on, engaged with the world, always open to discovery.
IT’S ADAPTABLE. We teach essential skills and foundational habits of mind in the major fields: math, science, English, languages, social studies, the arts. But we’re flexible enough to incorporate new ideas and new technologies. Our “plug-in” teaching model allows a teacher in one class to bring in a teacher in another field to talk in more depth about a related topic. One example: When our seventh grade social studies class studies westward expansion, an art teacher joins the class to work with students on landscape paintings of areas they’ve researched—and then the students use an iPad app to make a film that shows the techniques they used.
IT’S BIGGER THAN IT LOOKS. We have our own building—a warm, sunny space with busy hallways, decorated lockers, window seats, and well-stocked classrooms. But we also have access to Dana Hall’s extensive (and impressive) resources: the high-tech Helen Temple Cooke Library; the advanced labs and classrooms in the Science Center; the bustling School of Music; the Karen Stives ’68 Equestrian Center; the state-of-the-art Shipley Center for Athletics, Health and Wellness; and our brilliantly renovated, glass-walled Student Center.
IT STARTS WITH GREAT TEACHING. We keep our classes small (average size: 12 students) and our student to teacher ratio low (6-to-1)—and then we hire exceptionally talented, broadly experienced women and men who understand what it means to teach girls, at this age, at this moment, in this school. That matters.
IT KEEPS GOING. The experience of studying here, growing up here, growing here in countless ways stays with our students for the rest of their lives. They see it when they work and play with our Upper School girls. They feel it at our Moving Up Ceremony, when eighth graders share a memory of their time in the Middle School. It’s a chance to honor where they’ve been—and where they’re going.
MAKE IT NEW
A MEETING OF THE SMART TECH CLUB. IT STARTED WHEN THE GIRLS IN MS. GUERARD’S TECH-Y MAKERS CLUB KEPT GOING TO THE ART STUDIO TO FIND MATERIAL FOR THEIR PROJECTS. NOW IT’S DOING WHAT INVENTORS AND ENTREPRENEURS ARE DOING: COMBINING ART AND SCIENCE TO MAKE SOMETHING NEW. LINDSAY HENDRICKS (RED STRIPES) TEACHES VISUAL ARTS. NINA (RED PLAID) WANTS TO BE A HEART SURGEON. Ms. Hendricks: “I’m always asking myself: How can students experience art in a new way? I love helping the girls combine and apply knowledge and skills from different fields. They’re hungry for it, and it’s part of what we do in Middle School.” Nina: “We’re designing a plush doll with LED lights that can simulate a heartbeat or make eyes twinkle. I start with the art—the design— and then I figure out how to make it real.” Ms. Hendricks: “The girls are so quick to incorporate their creative ideas into what they’re making. And the great thing is, they can just keep going—into more advanced projects in the club, or into Upper School classes like physical computing.” Nina: “When I came to Dana, I was scared to do all these things. Once you realize that Dana is so open, you figure you can do something new. That’s really what this club is about: creating something no one has ever thought about before. Now I’m this courageous girl.”
TEN WAYS OUR STUDENTS ARE MEANINGFULLY ACTIVE THEY’RE REACHING OUT. Service is a big deal here. Recent opportunities: donating and sorting clothes for Cradles to Crayons; helping children with special needs take riding and climbing lessons; preparing snacks for the Bristol Lodge Soup Kitchen; and joining Amor Caritas Day, our annual worldwide day of service.
THEY’RE GETTING TOGETHER. Our list of student clubs and organizations gets longer or shorter (usually longer) depending on student interest. A few recent entries: Get Moving Club, Community Service Club, Computer Club, Current Events Club, Yoga Club.
THEY’RE GOING AROUND THE WORLD. Literally—on faculty-led trips to France and Spain. And figuratively—during International Week, when dozens of Dana Hall’s international students produce a series of events: a food festival, a performance showcase, and much more. This is one of the many benefits of being part of an institution with an Upper School boarding program that attracts students from around the world.
THEY’RE GOING TO NEW YORK CITY. On the eighth grade’s annual trip to one of the world’s cultural, diplomatic, and intellectual capitals. Sample itinerary: the New York Public Library, the Natural History Museum, the Museum of Jewish Heritage, Broadway (and off-Broadway), and the United Nations.
THEY’RE CROSSING BOUNDARIES. Our curriculum is interdisciplinary, starting in the fifth grade. So when our fifth graders study environmental science, they’re also keeping notebooks (English), making sketches (art), and visiting the New England Habitats exhibit at the Museum of Science (everything).
THEY’RE PLAYING LIKE DRAGONS. Which is to say: fiercely. The Middle School squash and volleyball teams, for example, recently celebrated undefeated seasons. Our athletes have full use of the School’s astounding, 93,000-square-foot Shipley Center for Athletics, Health and Wellness. The Dana Dragon is the School mascot, by the way.
THEY’RE IN THE BARN. At our state-of-the-art Karen Stives ’68 Equestrian Center, home to some of the most innovative educational initiatives on campus: a curriculum focused on horsemanship, an internship program, an animal project for seventh grade science, and a partnership with a therapeutic riding program. It’s a touchstone for many girls who ride, whether competitively or for physical education; it’s also the training center for our championship equestrian teams (regularly successful at Regionals and Nationals). Our riders also compete individually, with impressive results in local and A-rated shows throughout the Northeast and in Florida.
THEY’RE PUTTING ON A SHOW. Like Pirates of Penzance. Or A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Or Chaos Carnival, an original script by one of our teachers. Or they’re performing in a musical or choral ensemble, or a dance workshop. Or—you get the idea.
THEY’RE AT THE CENTER OF CAMPUS. Which would be our recently (and dramatically) updated Student Center. Glass-walled, light-filled, expansive, and welcoming. Home to snack breaks, meals from around the world, social events, a café, a patio, and the people you most want to see every day.
THEY’RE WORKING AT THE FRONTIER. During the annual Hour of Code, when they use computer code to create their own iPad games. Or at on-campus workshops and panels with trailblazing scientists (meteorologist Mish Michaels) and athletes (World Cup soccer champion Kristine Lilly) and entrepreneurs (Indiegogo vice president Liz Wald ’85, who happens to be a Dana Hall alumna). In other words, they’re being Dana Hall students.
Fitness/Athletics FALL
WINTER
SPRING
Cross Country Dance Field Hockey Riding Rock Climbing Soccer Volleyball
Basketball Dance Fencing Fitness Ice Hockey Riding Rock Climbing Squash Swimming
Dance Lacrosse Riding Rock Climbing Softball Tennis
THE BIG TIME
A REHEARSAL FOR THE UPPER SCHOOL PRODUCTION OF URINETOWN. (THE TITLE: WE KNOW. BUT THE SHOW— A TONY AWARD-WINNING MUSICAL—IS BRILLIANT.) THE PRODUCTION INCLUDES COMPLICATED STAGING, BOYS FROM BELMONT HILL, A DIRECTOR WITH VERY HIGH STANDARDS, AND, ON THE TECH CREW, TWO MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS. THIS IS JUST ONE OF THE WAYS IN WHICH THE MIDDLE SCHOOL IS BIGGER THAN IT LOOKS. CARISSA (PLAID SHIRT) WORKS THE LIGHT BOARD. MAYA (NON-PLAID DRESS) HANDLES THE SPOTLIGHT. Carissa: “I’d never done a theater production before. But I love technology, and I love seeing how things work behind the scenes. It’s a pretty sophisticated light board. And you have to be aware of what’s happening in the play at every moment.” Maya: “In sixth grade I ran the spotlight for a Middle School show. I’m proud to have the chance to work on an Upper School show. I’m following the narrator with the spotlight. If you don’t know who the narrator is, you can’t follow the story. Without a light, you don’t have a show.”
Carissa: “It was nerve-wracking on the first day. But everyone was so accepting, so welcoming. I’ve been given so many opportunities at Dana. Now I’ve worked with Upper Schoolers, and I’ve discovered something I love to do.” Maya: “I was shy when I was younger. Now I’ve made a strong connection with the girls here. I’m also better at communicating with adults. Everyone is here to support you. All you have to do is take that first step.”
IT’S ABOUT INDEPENDENCE— AND COLLABORATION. We ask our students to think for themselves, test their limits, discover new possibilities. We also ask them to work together, help their peers, reach out to other students.
IT’S ABOUT SUPPORT—AND FREEDOM. We give our students an extraordinary amount of support: teachers, coaches, and advisors who know them as full, complicated, singular people; and dedicated programs and resources (Writing Lab, Math Lab, Conference Period, 1:1 iPad program). We also give students the freedom to make mistakes, take smart risks, and evaluate their own decisions.
IT’S ABOUT RESPECT. Respect for yourself and your community. One example: Our required Forum class meets once a week to talk about complex, pressing issues (stress, diversity, personal health, human sexuality, media literacy, peer pressure), all of which in some way come down to respect. Another example: We don’t allow students to use mobile phones during the school day. Why? In part so they can give their peers and their work their full attention, which is, after all, another way to show respect.
IT’S ABOUT BEING IN THIS MOMENT. Meaning the long moment that starts in fifth grade and ends in eighth grade—a stage of life that is chaotic and beautiful and revelatory. It demands an extraordinary amount of attention and energy and flexibility and, frankly, wit. We’ve got all of that.
IT’S ABOUT BEING A GIRL. Our entire Middle School program is designed explicitly for girls, by people who’ve spent their lives working with girls. It starts with Dana Hall’s motto—Amor Caritas, Love and Caring— and then it goes very, very far.
FIVE WAYS TO THINK ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A GIRL IN OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL
ACADEMICS Comprehensive coverage of the major fields, plus advanced electives (architecture, computer science, economics), 17 AP courses, and opportunities for independent study. Initiatives in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), an innovative area studies requirement in social studies, and required community service in 10th grade. Serious, sophisticated work with a lot of room to grow.
ATHLETICS, HEALTH, AND WELLNESS
A BRIEF TOUR OF DANA HALL’S UPPER SCHOOL
Thirteen interscholastic teams in the Eastern Independent League, including recent championship teams in field hockey, fencing, squash, and swimming, plus a regional champion equestrian team. Fitness programs—yoga, rock climbing, lifeguarding certification, and more—in every season.
OPPORTUNITIES An expanding list of clubs, some of which (our Model UN, for example) have gained national attention. An impressive slate of performances, recitals, and gallery shows. Also: Dana Hall is a member school of the High Mountain Institute, the School for Ethics and Global Leadership, and School Year Abroad; we sponsor exchange programs in Australia, Japan, and Spain; and Upper School faculty lead spring break trips to South Africa, China, France, Italy, Russia, and more.
THE STUDENTS They’re bright, grounded, unpretentious, passionate about their work, keenly aware that they’re part of something great, and dedicated to making the most of it. About 135 (out of about 355) of them are boarding students, some from as close as Boston, some from the other side of the world. You get the sense that they’ll do interesting things— even transformative things—with their life. A good percentage of them were once Middle School students.
BEYOND Our graduates go to some of the country’s outstanding colleges and universities (recent examples: Bates, Brandeis, Duke, Harvard, Middlebury, Penn, RPI, Stanford, UC Berkeley, Wellesley, Yale). Even more important— and impressive—is what they do when they’re there: start a fencing club, conduct major research, self-design a major, defer admission to work on a service project in rural Nepal. And then they do things like alter the course of contemporary American poetry (Sharon Olds ’60), break down the wall between technology and policy (Latanya Sweeney ’77), or establish a pioneering nonprofit that supports women’s education in developing countries (Zoe Timms ’93). In other words: They make their own way, and they make a difference.
FOUR QUESTIONS FAMILIES OFTEN ASK ABOUT DANA HALL WHAT KIND OF STUDENT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? We’re looking for girls who want—really want—to learn. Girls who want to learn about themselves, about the world, about subjects they’ve never heard of and places they’ve never been. Girls who spend a lot of time wrestling with new ideas and new experiences, not because it might get them somewhere in the future, but because that’s what they love to do. As it turns out, those girls happen to go somewhere in the future.
WHAT DO PARENTS DO? The tree doesn’t fall far from the apple—which is to say, like their girls, parents get involved. We have an active Parents’ Association, a spirited Booster Club that supports athletics, on-campus social events and educational opportunities, opportunities to raise funds and support programs, a Host Family Program that pairs day families with Upper School boarding students, and more.
WHAT ABOUT VISITING? It’s the only way to really understand who we are, what we do, and how you might feel here. A lot of current students say they knew as soon as they stepped on campus that they needed to study here; a good number of our students make extraordinary arrangements—coming by bus or train or both—to be here day in, day out. No matter where you’re coming from, it all starts with that first step. Learn more about how to take it here: www.danahall.org/admission/visit
WHY IS A GIRLS’ SCHOOL RELEVANT IN THE 21ST CENTURY? Because girls—and young women, and women—must be relevant in the 21st century. Not just relevant—powerful, visible, fully engaged in moving the human project forward. We give them that experience, starting now.
THE MIDDLE SCHOOL MOMENT MIDDLE SCHOOL IS AN EXHILARATING, BEWILDERING, REVELATORY MOMENT. IT’S A DECISIVE STAGE IN A GIRL’S INTELLECTUAL AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT. WE EMBRACE IT. THE JOY, THE WISDOM, THE CHALLENGE, THE FRIENDSHIP, THE STRUGGLE, THE STUMBLES, THE HAND OUTSTRETCHED TO PULL YOU UP— THAT’S ALL HERE. WE OFFER IT OPENLY, PROUDLY, FEARLESSLY.
Dana Hall School 45 Dana Road Wellesley, MA 02482-9010 781.235.3010 www.danahall.org