2019-2020 Forest Ridge Viewbook

FOREST RIDGE WOMEN WHO CAN

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HERE, SHE CAN. At Forest Ridge, we have over 110 years of experience empowering girls. With support, she builds her strengths.

With trust, she steps up. With love, she leaps. At Forest Ridge she will push herself and form a solid foundation.

She will be amazed by all she can do.

The Center for Girls

SHE BUILDS HER STRENGTHS Girls thrive at Forest Ridge. Our curriculum and programs are engineered to build confidence in her leadership style — and motivation to step up. She will explore different ways to lead, whether running a meeting, taking center stage in the Lee Theatre, visiting a refugee camp in Germany or innovating in the lab.

Our campus-wide commitment to girls’ leadership now has a physical hub.

The Center for Girls hosts a bustling hive of meetings, seminars and lectures focused on building leadership, emotional intelligence and social-emotional skills. The Center is also a resource that students, parents and teachers can turn to, with a dedicated staff working to weave current best-practices in girls’ leadership into everything we do at Forest Ridge.

We keep one eye on mindful balance and the other on her potential.

She will get hands-on experience in creative problem-solving, speaking with confidence and purpose, serving with strength and compassion, understanding team and power dynamics and developing resilience in the face of setbacks. Recognizing the important role of parents and other adults in her leadership journey, we also deliver family support and a robust parenteducation series. She will know her strengths and develop the skills she needs to pursue her dreams. www.forestridge.org/centerforgirls

Ridge helped me expand my global and social perspective. Now I am “ Forest aware and involved. I feel completely prepared to take on the world after attending Forest Ridge. ”

Nebiat G., Class of 2015

Ridge gave me so much confidence that I have carried with me “ Forest into the future in medical school. It was more than a high school, it was a community. I still feel part of that community today.”

Yassi M., Class of 2008

Social Justice

Schools of the Sacred Heart commit themselves to educate to a social awareness which impels to action.

Goal Three

world needs girls. The Center for Girls is all about “ The helping our girls lean into the discomfort of stepping in,

but also about helping them be mindful of balance. Girls are getting the message that they need to do it all. We want them to know themselves, be guided by their hearts and have healthy relationships with themselves and others.�

Betsy Briardy, Director of The Center for Girls

Goal Two Middle School

Middle school is a turning point for girls. At Forest Ridge, she will become a creative problem solver, in and outside the classroom.

She will gain a global perspective. Students review world religions, confront complex social justice issues and survey world history. She will study Latin and another language of her choice — at a high school level — and explore studio and performing arts in a supportive and rigorous atmosphere.

She will build essential communication and collaboration skills — listening, advocating and working together. She will hone her written voice through writing workshops across disciplines and with a dedicated writing specialist shadowing her over several grades.

She will let go of “perfect” and focus on personal growth. Our advisory program grows with her, providing ongoing social-emotional encouragement.

Supportive teachers model our conviction that mistakes are opportunities to learn and constructive feedback propels us forward. Here, she can explore who she is and where she wants to go next.

Ridge is a place that sees people as individuals and “ Forest gives each student opportunities to build on her strengths and stretch her perspective. It’s important to us to know the girls and to make sure they feel known by us. This is not a place where it’s cookie-cutter and everyone does the same thing.”

Kathi Hand, School Principal

Schools of the Sacred Heart commit themselves to educate to a deep respect for intellectual values.

She will think like a scientist. Work here is skills-driven, inquiry-based and hands-on, whether she’s programming robots, coding or experimenting with 3D printers. She will practice mathematical and analytical problem-solving and learn to take healthy risks through real-world application.

Intellectual Values

SHE TRUSTS HERSELF

High School

SHE ASKS HARD QUESTIONS High School is her laboratory for life. Our global curriculum is interdisciplinary and student-led, motivating her to make meaningful connections beyond traditional subject boundaries.

She will find creative solutions to real problems, whether programming NAO Humanoid Robots, coding, experimenting with 3D printers in our Maker Space or designing with state-of-the-art Microsoft Surface Studio devices. Here, she can explore her inspiration on stage, computer, canvas, paper, clay — or metal.

As she progresses through high school, she has increasing opportunities — through projects, experiences and enhanced studies — to explore her passions and examine greater social truths. As a senior, she can showcase project management, organizational and analytical skills through her year-long Advanced Integrated Studies (AIS) project, focusing on a topic that moves her.

100% OF SENIORS ATTEND 4-YEAR COLLEGES OR UNIVERSITIES

Every year, our alumnae report a marked advantage in writing and communication. Through rigorous and consistent cross-disciplinary feedback, she will develop a strong voice and communicate effectively to diverse audiences.

She will collaborate and challenge other students — and her teachers.

Teachers have high expectations and open office hours, mimicking a collegiate environment.

Top colleges tell us they want problem solvers, creative thinkers and cooperative learners like her. She will be ready to thrive in college — and in life.

RECENT AIS PROJECTS Examination of Development in Bilingual Children: A project investigating the intersection of language, physical development and psychosocial development.

Storytelling: An in-depth look at how coming-of-age stories are portrayed in film, culminating in a self-written comingof-age screenplay.

The Psychology of Color in Today’s Digital World: How does color influence a person’s emotions? And how can an app use this information to help people regulate their mood? By combining color-science and software development, one student will find out.

Ridge is doing all the things educators know they “ Forest should do but are afraid to do. It isn’t just interdisciplinary,

it’s integrating multiple ways of thinking and doing. The more students can see that everything is connected, the better we are preparing them for what the world actually looks like now. We don’t want girls to just get into college, we want them to succeed at college. We don’t want them to just be able to get the jobs, we want them to thrive at their jobs and be change agents in their jobs and be innovators.”

Courtney Caldwell, Director of Teaching and Learning

Residential Life

SHE FEELS AT HOME Here, she will build close bonds with a tight-knit group of sisters from around the world. Whether she’s a weekday boarder from across town or an international student, she will soon feel right at home.

Our residence house is on school grounds in a quiet, safe neighborhood. She will live comfortably with about 25 other high schoolers, sharing a room with one or two other girls. Our 19-acre woodland campus is her backyard, with sweeping mountain views, trails and gardens. A wide selection of stores are just down the hill, and weekly trips ensure she has everything she needs. On the weekends, she can enjoy planned outings like museum visits, service projects, bowling, movies, trips to Seattle and shopping at local malls.

Here, she can be herself and build her independence.

Our residential life curriculum will give her the guidance she needs to feel grounded and thrive academically and socially. Twice-monthly life-skills workshops include topics such as personal health, wellness, communication techniques and skills, while fostering life-long friendships. Residential and teaching faculty are ready to give homework help and academic support. She’s going to love living here.

CAMPUS AMENITIES 19-acre wooded campus 300-seat theater 5 high-tech science labs 3 art studios 2 gardens 14,000-volume library collection Tennis courts

Goal Four Community

Soccer field Dance studio Chapel Gymnasium Workout and weight room Digital Media Lab Fabrication and Innovation Shop

Schools of the Sacred Heart commit themselves to educate to the building of community as a Christian value.

The Arts

SHE FINDS INSPIRATION Our arts program is girl-powered. Girls choreograph and perform routines for our annual Dance Company show. They design sets in Drama Tech Crew. In the Digital Media Lab, they create digital posters for the fall musical, and edit audio and film productions. In The Shop, they bring ideas into form using laser engravers, sewing machines, stop-motion animators and 3D printers.

We want every student to play a part. Our no-cut drama program puts on high-quality, all-girl productions, and our choir program includes a Glee choir and a select Chamber Choir that tours internationally. Our unique handbell program has a beginner choir and an advanced ensemble where students can conduct, arrange music and plan concerts.

The Forest Ridge Studio Arts program fosters explorative problem solving, risk-taking, resilience, and reflection in a rigorous studio environment. Through the arts at Forest Ridge, she will build creativity, confidence and resilience.

29 FINE ARTS CLASSES OFFERED ACROSS GRADES 5-12

mission of our school calls the girls “ The to be ambassadors for creativity. It’s a huge

part of what a Forest Ridge girl is, tapping into her creativity and imagination. The girls work hard to make these programs incredible. They take more art than is required, and in our program there is a interesting variety of options to explore.”

Alison Seaton, Fine Arts Department Chair

Personal Growth

Schools of the Sacred Heart commit themselves to educate to personal growth in an atmosphere of wise freedom.

Goal Five

23 ATHLETICS TEAMS

Athletics

SHE FEELS EMPOWERED THROUGH TEAMWORK What happens after school matters. When she’s on the field, court or track she is building confidence, strength and critical-thinking skills. She is also learning how to be a team player.

Whether she is a beginner or an elite athlete playing on one of our statechampionship teams, our no-cut program has a spot for her. Ravens play on 23 teams from eight sports — volleyball, cross country, soccer, basketball, tennis, golf, softball and Ultimate Frisbee. Girls also earn credit for outside activities like ballet, riding lessons and swim team. We take advantage of our stunning Northwest location, offering outdoor education trips like snowshoeing in Rainier National Park or canoeing in the Cascades.

At Forest Ridge, we know how to compete. We’ve won state championships in everything from golf to volleyball, and many of our girls go on to play sports in college. They also learn important lessons about teamwork, commitment and compassion. The way we play is the same way we do everything at Forest Ridge: from the heart.

girls play sports they learn that they can “ When challenge themselves and they learn the importance

of being a part of a team. Her play and her presence impacts everyone around her, and that’s an extension of what girls learn here in the classroom. She can be a competitor but she also can be compassionate.”

Annie Koning, Middle School Athletics Coordinator

BEYOND THE CLASSROOM

The extracurricular program at Forest Ridge is designed to work in tandem with the academic program. Offerings are designed to empower our students to explore and cultivate their talents, passions and interests outside the classroom. Forest Ridge provides a wide range of opportunities, including athletics, outdoor exploration, STEAM, theater, dance, art and music.

Community

SHE BELONGS HERE At Forest Ridge, we are a close, girl-centered community. We educate the whole girl — mind, body and spirit – as we have been doing since 1907.

We are all one community. We offer a seamless progression from fifth through twelfth grade that grows with her developmentally.

Girls make meaningful connections with sisters across campus through school-wide community-building activities like Spirit Week and Global Days. She will form special bonds with friends in other grade-levels throughout her time here, whether in a middle school “family” led by an eighth-grader, or in the sisterhood between each incoming ninth-grader and her senior.

In girls education, healthy relationships are paramount. We care about each other here. Dedicated periods for meetings and community-building give girls time each day to connect with other students and teachers, prioritizing balance and communication and building strong relationships.

We want her to explore her passions, speak up for what she needs — and have fun. Our supportive community gives her momentum to seek what matters to her and become a woman who can.

can be themselves here. We have a very “ Girls supportive community and that allows students to be who they are. They aren’t restricted in any way and that helps promote their ability to try different things and to bring a sense of joy to the community. School should be fun. You should want to be here and you should enjoy your time.”

Molly Muller, Middle School Social Studies Teacher

History & Traditions

SHE IS PART OF SOMETHING BIGGER Forest Ridge is grounded in Sacred Heart and Catholic tradition enriched by the diversity of 27 different faiths represented in our student body. We are proud of the 200-year-old Sacred Heart tradition that anchors our community and connects us with 150 schools worldwide. We are still guided by the powerful goals our founders set forth even as we evolve the way we educate today’s global leaders.

At Forest Ridge, service learning is an integral part of educating the whole student. Our service work is girl-led, from student-planned liturgies and retreats to student-generated activism and the High School Service Program. We value service learning at every grade, with dedicated class time, local and global service trips and annual requirements centered on advocacy and social justice education. Through our retreat program, she will reflect on her role in the world and how her actions can affect others. She will build compassionate courage that she can call on for the rest of her life.

Spiritual Life

Schools of the Sacred Heart commit themselves to educate to a personal and active faith in God.

Goal One

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