letter from the head of upper school

Though the young men who attended The Country School for Boys could never have imagined taking classes that explore the writings of James Joyce, that teach coding, or that show how to take pictures with a digital camera, what has not changed in 125 years is the expectation that the young men of today’s Gilman be instilled with the same values and morals that their forebearers were taught. In fact, the School’s mission of educating boys in mind, body, and spirit has been a constant since the School’s inception. Every boy who has walked through these halls has heard this message loudly and clearly.

Today at Gilman, our boys are challenged intellectually like never before. Through our myriad courses, the students are encouraged to learn about various subjects — those like Latin and Greek — that have been around since 1897 and others, like Medical Problem Solving and Baseball and Statistics, that have found their way into the curriculum only in the last few years. In addition, Gilman boys can take classes that build robots and 3D figures, discuss the causes and repercussions of World War II, or immerse themselves in the works of Jesmyn Ward. No matter the course or the material, we aspire to challenge the boys to think, communicate, collaborate, and create. Our curriculum reflects the ever-changing political and social landscape that provides the boys with exposure to different voices and points of view.

The final pieces to this intricate curriculum puzzle include our coordinate program with The Bryn Mawr School and Roland Park Country School and our affiliation with Global Online Academy (GOA). The coordinate program allows our Upper School students to select from more than 200 courses over four years, a curriculum equivalent to that of a small liberal arts college. GOA is a consortium of more than 65 schools from around the globe that supports online learning. It affords Gilman students the opportunity to choose from more than 45 online courses taught by teachers from the member schools.

As you and your sons initiate the process of selecting courses for next year, consider the vision of the School’s founders and our mission to teach the value of a strong work ethic, critical thinking, effective oral and written communication, active engagement in the arts, and lifelong enjoyment of intellectual pursuits. We believe that Mrs. Carey and the founders of Gilman would be proud of our commitment to lead our young men on a valuable academic journey as reflected in our current curriculum.

Regards,

Rob Heubeck Head of Upper School

In each of his first two years at Gilman, a student must carry the equivalent of six full credits from courses that meet in the first three periods of the day. (Freshmen who have taken the Gilman Summer Physics course will be placed in Academic Lab during their free period.) For his junior and senior years, he must carry a minimum of five full credits from these courses. One credit is awarded for the completion of four years of athletics. Thus Gilman students who follow the standard curriculum will have acquired a minimum of 23 credits by the end of their senior year.

The basic minimum requirements are as follows:

• English: must be completed during each semester of Upper School

• History: World Cultures in ninth grade; The Making of Modern Europe in 10th grade; U.S. History in 11th grade

• Modern or Classical Language: must complete Level III; three consecutive Upper School years of the same language

• Athletics: must be enrolled for four years; seniors may take a season off

• Art History/Music History: required courses for sophomores unless waived (see below)

• Mathematics: must complete Precalculus

• Science: Physics or Honors Physics and an additional lab science course (Chemistry or Biology)

• In addition, students must complete a total of six credits in Math and Science

Students may choose from a wide variety of courses to complete their required courses of study.