Dear Bush Alumni,
I’m writing to share the exciting changes for The Bush Upper School’s weekly schedule and academic yearly calendar for the 2018-2019 school year and beyond.
As a progressive school, Bush is not static. Living our mission requires balance, the practice of continuous adjustment in order to stay centered. Though change, especially institutional change, can be difficult, it is a necessary component of growth. We know a classroom that promotes collaboration, depth over quantity of material covered, and relationship building best supports learning for the world that Bush students will experience as adults. The new schedule will prepare current students to enter a world that values creativity, adaptability, resilience, collaborative capacity, and emotional intelligence.
Currently, Upper School students are on a trimester system. On average, students have a six-hour school day that includes five classes and blocks that rotate throughout the week. In the fall and winter terms, AMP meets once a week for two hours. In the spring, AMP meets for one week-long engagement in early May.
Our new schedule supports students in becoming engaged and thriving learners through longer daily blocks, a consistent (non-rotating) schedule, more community time, and immersive learning blocks. This will also provide time and space for our faculty and staff to be innovative, collaborative, and dynamic.
The longer daily blocks will allow for aspects of the weekly AMP to be incorporated into our core program, in turn, providing time at the end of each term for immersive learning blocks (one-week blocks in 2018-2019, and three-week blocks beginning in 2019-2020).
Throughout our history, we put the student experience at the center of our pedagogy, seeking learning opportunities that engage young people and promote deep connections to the world around them. The new schedule and yearly calendar have been purposefully developed from the center out, starting with prioritizing the student experience. The Bush School is proud to have created a schedule that promotes learning, wellness, and academic challenge. If you have any questions, please reach out to Dana Brandsey, Associate Director of Development/Alumni Relations or me.
Sincerely,
Ray Wilson
Upper School Director
The Bush School