Why Upland?

• Because of the unique elements of our curriculum
• Because of our full participation philosophy, and our “Four A’s”
• Because of our commitment to finding the spark in each child and to helping every child learn how he/she learns best
• Because of our beautiful country campus
• Because of our small classes and dedicated faculty who care deeply about children.
• But mostly because of the spirit and values that we live every day in our classrooms, our athletic fields and our art studios
• Because we educate the whole child with the belief that a bright future cannot rest on an incomplete foundation
• And because we believe that our students never leave Upland; it is always a part of them, and they are always a part of us.

Welcoming Setting
When people first drive onto Upland’s campus, they often tell us their first impression is sense of belonging. Surrounded by our beautiful 23 acres of green fields and woods, a nurturing faculty works with students, and a lifetime of learning begins.

Full Participation
At Upland we structure each day around the “Four A’s,” the concept defining our program. Our first “A,” Attitude, is about positive relationships and consideration of others and is based on our motto “Understanding, Trust and Responsibility.” Attitude informs the other three “A’s,” which are Academics, Arts, and Athletics. The second “A,” the academic program, provides a strong foundation for further education. The final two “A’s,” the arts and athletic programs, are designed to provide opportunities for students to explore and develop their talents. Young people at Upland learn about themselves through the work they do in and out of the classroom.  By requiring participation in all aspects of school life, students gain experiences that can awaken in them passions that were previously unacknowledged.

Multifaceted Curriculum
There are a number of aspects of our curriculum that make an Upland education unique. For example, laboratory science, taught by a full time Lower School science teacher, begins in Kindergarten. By second grade students have 40-minute science classes three times a week. Additionally, instruction in Spanish begins in Kindergarten, and by first grade, students have Spanish twice a week with a teacher who is a native speaker. When students get to Upper School they take one year of Latin to further build their foundation for language and can then choose between Latin and Spanish for the remainder of Upper School.

Additionally, class trips augment the curriculum beginning in Pre-K, and multi-day curricular adventures begin in grade 5. Some trips are meant to enhance appreciation of art or academic studies and others have the purpose of promoting class bonding and team building. Our traveling classroom experience culminates in the Upland Overseas annual trip to Finland by our 8th and 9th grade students. Begun in 1977, this program of friendship and cultural exchange is the oldest one of its kind in the country at the Middle School level. Not only do our students travel to Finland, Upland hosts two or three Finnish students each year. In addition, every three to five years the Upland community welcomes Finnish gymnastics and ice hockey teams for a similar cultural exchange.

Exceptional Arts
All students have each of the four sections of the arts (music, drama, 2-D and 3-D art) during the year. They participate in a broad variety of performances and art shows. To further encourage cultural understanding and a broader view of our world, Upland also hosts several visiting artists each year who spend anywhere from 1 day to 1 week with our students teaching them about craft and artistic expression.
 
Competitive Athletics
Upland is unusual in that all students in grades 6-9 are required to participate in athletics. We believe that membership on a team teaches valuable lessons about cooperation and sportsmanship. In the winter, as part of our athletics program, Upland students get to do something most students don’t do--skate! Our ice rink, The John M. Cleveland Ice Rink, is located on our campus and is run in collaboration with the Chester Country Skating Club. Lower School students learn basic skating skills during winter physical education and then in Upper School both boys and girls have the option of playing ice hockey during the winter athletic season. If they do not want to play hockey, girls have the option of playing volleyball and boys can participate in cross-country. The Rink is also home to the Alumni Association’s annual reunion Winter Weekend.