Where Wonder Leads
“The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing.” ― Albert Einstein
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It Begins with Wonder
Wonder what this is? Walker has so many wonders, we had to catalog them. A sampling are marked with a “W” and numbered throughout the book.
I wonder… > how we can talk to machines? > if the visible world can be reduced to pure form? > if oppression can be defeated with disobedience and love? Had Ada Lovelace, Pablo Picasso, and Mahatma Gandhi not pondered these questions, we wouldn’t have computers, modern art, or revolutionary change through non-violence. When we engage the world with wonder, we are open to new ideas, new ways of thinking and being, and the infinite possibilities of life. We are not afraid of differences of opinion, trying new things, or taking risks. We are free to discover who we are and to adapt to the challenges life inevitably throws at us.
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The Walker School
Wonder guides the educational experience at Walker. It is in our DNA. We kindle students’ innate curiosity and channel it into challenging curricula, engaging interpersonal relationships, demanding athletics, and stimulating extracurricular activities. Our goal is to help each child chart a path of selfrealization, to discover who they are and to become their best possible self. Equipped with a clarity of purpose, strong sense of self, and the confidence and skills to navigate a 21st century world, Walker students make their own path, leading in all manner of endeavor and following only where wonder leads.
Where WhereWonder WonderLeads Leads
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Every week in the Primary School, a child leads the school in the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance— the first of many opportunities in their Walker career to hone their public speaking skills.
Open Minds Open Doors
The Value of Difference
We encourage students to approach things with an open mind and to seek out the unfamiliar because doing so opens unexpected doors and leads to new discoveries about the world and about themselves. Developing habits of curiosity enable our students to adapt to any situation and to confront, with confidence, a world that is defined by change.
Students are taught to value the diversity around them—the diversity of thought and opinion, of experience and opportunity, and of people. Learning to appreciate different experiences and viewpoints challenges thinking and promotes understanding.
Wonder Prospers in the Walker Culture We believe in the infinite worth and dignity of the individual. It is our first core value, and it informs everything we do. It has shaped a culture that encourages openness, values diversity, and embraces serendipity while striving for excellence. Conjunction Junction, That’s How We Function At every school, learning happens at the intersection of teacher and student. At Walker, these connections extend beyond the teacher-student relationship to a larger network of friends, mentors, parents, and community partners, all of whom are deeply invested in the development of each child. A constellation of resources and people surrounds each student to shape their experience and influence their growth. It is a spiraling network of ever-evolving relationships that change and grow as the student grows.
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The Walker School
From Primary School to the Upper School, Walker offers upwards of 85 clubs, organizations and extracurricular activities that range from Kids Yoga in the Lower School, W.arts Drama Club in Middle School, and the Sailing Club in Upper School. There is something for everyone– and encouragement to create new groups.
An Experience as Unique as Your DNA Our faculty and staff go the extra mile every day to ensure each student reaches her full potential, challenging herself in ways that further her own personal educational goals. It’s an individualized experience with an intentional path. Its Wonder not Wander W106
W103 Walker’s African American, Jewish, and South Asian affinity groups help build community, generate ideas for action, and promote deep and honest cross cultural dialogue.
Walker has relationships with the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) and Georgia Tech that enable students to participate in summer internships and guided research in public health and engineering, respectively.
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The Walker experience is one of shifting perspectives. The primacy of the individual means everyone’s perspective is valued and thus, students are encouraged to see and understand things from multiple viewpoints. In this environment, students develop empathy, the ability to stand by their principles and values, and the skills to effectively advocate for what they believe is right. They are able to see a larger picture, one that encompasses multiple perspectives.
The ninth grade Winterim program is a mid-year offering of mini courses for ninth graders intended to acclimate them to life in Upper School, as well as expose them to a breadth of interesting topics of study. It was the brain child of Kate McConnaughey, head of the English department and veteran faculty since 1987.
After sophomore Anna Sun had taken every economics course offered at Walker, she worked with economics teacher Michael Arjona to design independent study courses in both Development Economics and Intermediate Microeconomics using course materials from Georgetown University and a curated set of scholarly readings.
Some of the greatest discoveries have happened by chance—think penicillin. Thus, we always try to empower our students to follow where wonder leads them, even if it is not on the syllabus. Our teachers go above and beyond to allow students to learn at their own pace, even when it outpaces the curriculum. Walker faculty know their students— their strengths and interests, their fears and weaknesses, their abilities and talents. And with this knowledge they kindle each child’s innate curiosity, and thus, their drive to learn. They challenge and guide them, coach and help them chart their individual path to success. It’s a relationship that begins in Primary School and continues to graduation and beyond.
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Where Wonder Leads
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Equipped with a healthy curiosity, a supportive network, and an appreciation of the world around them, Walker students learn to make choices—
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The Walker School
becoming more discerning individuals, shaping their distinct perspective, and achieving a mastery of subject matter and of self.
WhereWonder WonderLeads Leads Where
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At Walker, we nurture each child’s natural sense of wonder because we know that developing habits of curiosity leads to an openness to new ideas, different ways of being, and infinite possibilities.
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The The Walker Walker School School
WhereWonder WonderLeads Leads Where
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Primary
Lower
Once a rotation (every seven days), the Kindergarten Bridge program brings together kindergarteners with fi rst through fi fth graders on the playground. The playtime helps build the kindergarteners’ confidence and develops the mentoring skills of the Lower School children. The students also visit the Lower School library to get a sense of what the big kids are reading.
Trying their hand at homesteading, the students maintain their own vegetable garden. When the harvest is ready, they make a meal from their bounty.
“Everyone wants to be known. I enjoy getting to know my students— their hobbies, their favorite books and their passions. I use what I know about them to teach them what they do not know.”
After conducting scientific research in their science class, third graders learn to create a presentation of their findings in PowerPoint and then present their work in front of their peers and their parents.
– Faculty Member
“The focus is all about the individual. I love to see these teachers raising well-rounded and productive individuals who will contribute to the community on many different levels.” – Walker Parent
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Primary School students share the same rotating schedule as the older students in Lower, Middle, and Upper School. Not only does this acclimate them to the rigors of academic life, it makes it easier for them to interact with students at other levels. For example, eighth graders read to the kindergarteners and seniors will often teach a science class or meet them for a play session on the playground.
The Walker School
Fifth grade science teacher Dr. Holly Martin also shares her expertise with fourth graders in a class entitled Weird Science. Fourth and fi fth graders also take a STEAM Engineering course once a rotation.
Using LEGO WeDo Kits, fourth graders learn a basic robotic programming language developed at MIT called Scratch to make a LEGO duck spin. The fourth graders then teach fi rst graders Scratch, and together they build their own freeform LEGO robot.
In partnership with FoxTale Book Shoppe in Woodstock, the Winship Library hosts a visiting author series. Writers share their experiences, offer advice about writing and help critique student work.
Upper
Middle Teachers make themselves available outside of the classroom. The Backpack Club enables students to meet one-on-one with teachers either after school or during lunch time to tackle specific problems or delve deeper into subject matter.
“This is a place where we will rally and take care of people. This is a place where if a kid has problems there will be three faculty members who will love them, hug them, pick them up, and get them going.”
As part of the engineering concentration, students take a project-based course at Walker that introduces them to the different fields of engineering. Students then intern at Georgia Tech during the summer and conduct independent research in the fall of their senior year.
As part of the public health concentration, students can intern at the CDC (Centers for Disease Control). Students take an epidemiology course in the spring semester of their junior year and intern at the CDC over the summer. This prepares them for the Guided Scientific Research course fall semester of their senior year.
– Faculty Member
Students learn best when they’re
“Teachers are supported in trying new things – and they’re always trying new things.” – Faculty Member
Sixth graders take a quarter each of German, Latin, Spanish, and French so they are prepared to make a decision on the language they would like to study in seventh grade and beyond.
Research shows shows that that single-sex single-sex Research education is is extremely extremely effective, effective, education especially in in the the fifield eld of of mathematics. especially This is is why why Walker Walker offers offers singleThis gender math math classes classes to to help help build gender student confi confidence dence and and prepare prepare student them for for the the rigors rigors of of mathematics mathematics them in the the Upper Upper School. School. in
On average, there are 95 to 100 seniors. Each student has their own unique class schedule. That’s right; no two seniors take the same sets of courses.
engaged in the subject matter. Walker faculty are constantly exploring new topics and new ways of teaching. Some of the unique courses offered in Walker’s Upper School include Urban Legends and Conspiracy Theories, Human Rights and Current Events, and the Civil Rights Movement. One recent course resurrected the lost art of letter writing to help students develop their composition and chirography skills.
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Academics at Walker
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Following Where Wonder Leads
Honor Code Through our Lower School, Middle School, and Upper School Honor Codes, we believe Walker provides an environment in which our community learns to value honesty and to respect others. Students and faculty in all divisions are guided by the belief that honor is a way of life rather than a set of rules to follow, and the expectation is that our graduates will carry these values with them after they leave Walker. Each division’s Honor Code is treated as a “living document” that is reevaluated on a yearly basis and recommitted to by our community annually.
Wonder leads the academic experience. From Primary School to Upper School, teachers take an inquiry-based approach to learning. Emphasis is placed on a traditional college preparatory curriculum with the freedom to pursue topics inspired by current events or that have piqued the interests of students. Students learn by doing, by teaching others, and by exploring their passions. Such a nimble approach enables to students to develop scholarly habits, as well as soft skills that will serve them throughout their lives. Development of the Child
A Hands-on Hand-off
As children progress from Lower to Middle and from Middle to Upper School, they experience more freedom of choice in their academic and extracurricular activities–but with more freedom comes more responsibility. As they begin to push themselves to their limits academically, physically, and socially, they learn to manage their time, to make choices of increasing importance, and to honor their commitments—skills that will serve them well into adulthood.
Students are uniquely prepared for increasing responsibility and new challenges as they progress from one level to the next. This is thanks, in part, to a very hands-on approach to their transition. Teachers within each discipline across the divisions (referred to as vertical teams) meet regularly to ensure that what is being taught in second grade will prepare them for what they study in third and so on through the grade levels.
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The Walker School
Great Expectations Expectations are high but the pressure is low, thanks to the small teacher-to-student ratio that allows for more personal attention and close relationships that instill in the children a sense of responsibility to their teachers, their peers, and to themselves.
Special attention is given to eighth graders transitioning to the Upper School environment. Orientation for families entering the Upper School begins in the fall of the child’s eighth grade year. In January, students and their parents meet with a team of advisors and develop an academic plan to guide the next four years.
Where Wonder Leads
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Athletics and Arts at Walker
Arts
Grit & Grace
Visual Arts Theatre Instrumental Music Vocal Arts Music Theory & History Dance
Athletics Fall Cross Country Softball Volleyball Football Cheerleading
Whether on the playing field or on stage playing Hamlet, Walker students recognize the importance of challenging themselves physically and exploring their creativity. Students are encouraged to play a sport (or sports) and find a creative outlet, test their mettle, and find their voice.
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Winter Basketball Swimming Wrestling
More than 65% of students in the Middle and Upper School are both athletes and artists.
Spring Baseball Lacrosse Tennis Gymnastics Golf Soccer Track
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The Walker School
The intimately scaled size of our school affords each and every one of our students a multitude of opportunities. Most students play a sport and participate in some sort of artistic performance. Faculty and staff do their best to resolve scheduling conflicts for individual students so that each student can take advantage of any activity that might pique their interest. And through juggling a variety of activities, students learn the importance of commitment, time management, and responsibility to others.
W110 Each season, players nominate a teammate in each varsity sport who best demonstrates exemplary sportsmanship. From among these peer appointed athletes, the Athletic Council (made up of the head coaches of each sport) chooses a single winner who best represents the principles of Walker athletics. This past season, the choice was tough, so they awarded two sportsmanship awards.
Walker offers a unique course in directing within its thriving theatre department.
Where Wonder Leads
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College Counseling at Walker
Student Life at Walker
Limited Only By Imagination Because student interest drives our available clubs and activities, extracurricular life at Walker is as rich and diverse as our student body. Whether you want to explore a talent, serve the community, bolster your academic profile, or just meet new friends, there is something for everyone and everyone has something to offer.
Have an idea for a club? Find a sponsor and you can make it happen. The list is always changing and growing. A sampling of clubs and activities include: - Adventure Club - Animal Rights - Mindfulness and Meditation - LGBT + Allies - Young Republicans - Strategy Games - Robotics - Walker World Health Organization - Reaching Out to Others Through Service (ROOTS)
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The Walker School
Wonder What’s Next? Our goal is to help you find the college that fits you. It could be an Ivy League school or a top-notch engineering school, a small liberal arts college or a large research university. It is your choice - and we are here to help you make it. This is where Walker’s individual attention really pays off.
Orientation sessions begin as soon as you enter the Upper School and are intended to outline the entire process. Our faculty help your student design an Upper School experience equivalent to his goals and aspirations—a challenging mixture of rigorous academics, demanding extracurriculars, leadership and service opportunities, and unique internships. Our college counseling office schedules on-campus visits with schools and meetings with recruiters and financial aid counselors. An average of 115 college and university admission officers visit Walker each year. With the help of college counseling, each family makes a plan. You determine how many schools to which to apply. College counseling helps identify your reach, aim, and safety schools. Counselors help your family navigate the financial aid process to ensure you get the most aid possible, so that whatever choice you make, it is a choice your family can afford.
100% of our graduates are accepted to college. W112 Sophomores go on a one day college trip to schools such as University of Georgia, Mercer or Furman. This exposes them to both the large and small college experience. Once there, they meet with Walker alumni who provide a firsthand account of the college experience.
Where Wonder Leads
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Where will wonder lead you? As a parent, it is a joy to see your child grow and mature, to discover and engage the wonder of life—to develop into their own person and forge their own path. Walker shares your joy. It is why we do what we do and why we do it so well. See where wonder will lead your child. Schedule a visit today.
“The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing.” ― Albert Einstein 700 Cobb Parkway North Marietta, GA 30062 (770) 427-2689 thewalkerschool.org
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The Walker School
700 Cobb Parkway North Marietta, GA 30062 (770) 427-2689 thewalkerschool.org