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Learning to Think
Each year, Park's Kindergartners monitor the eggs, the hatching, and the growth of resident goslings — honing their observational skills and laying the foundation for scientific thinking.
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Reading Partners
Partnerships across grade levels — including Fourth Grade/Kindergarten Reading Partners — create bonds among students that can last throughout their time at Park and beyond.
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Kindergarten
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Park Students
They're inquisitive, show and earn respect, and are mature beyond their years. They are bright, motivated, naturally curious, and love to explore – always asking "What if? and "How and why?" and Why not?"
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Supportive Faculty
Park teachers stand apart because of their great passion for teaching and learning. They truly connect with students, provide insight and guidance, and encourage them to think critically for themselves as they learn by doing.
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A Diversity of Ideas
To fully understand a complex time in history, third graders learn the points of view of colonial settlers, Native Americans, and enslaved Africans through extensive research — including building shelters modeled after those of Eastern Woodland Indians.
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K-12 Partnerships
Upper School student tutors staff and run the Michael Cardin ’85 Writing Center, working with Lower, Middle, and Upper School writers in a variety of settings. Here, a student tutor works with a fourth grader on developing her writing.
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Experiential Learning
Fifth graders construct and use catapults to run experiments in which they collect and analyze data. Science is not just description or information, but inquiry: children try to design experiments that will help them find out what they don’t yet know.
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Inspired Faculty
Current Park teachers have, on average, over 20 years of teaching experience. 75% hold advanced degrees. They publish. They research. They present. They perform. And more.
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Challenge
Appalachian Challenge is Park’s nationally-recognized outdoor education program, originally constructed, maintained, and led by students. Middle Schoolers take Challenge as a P.E. requirement, and many become Challenge Leaders.
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Mind and Body
Park's motto, A Sound Mind in a Sound Body, manifests itself throughout the Middle School curriculum. The eighth grade physical education program is elective-based — allowing students to explore their varied interests, including canoeing on Park's pond.
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Experiencing Music
The music department at Park is committed to making music a part of students’ daily lives. Students gain musical knowledge and are challenged to explore their musical potential through creativity, communication, collaboration, and critical thinking.
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Innovative Electives
Park's Upper School curriculum provides opportunities for advanced study in every discipline. Elective courses allow students to follow their curiosity, explore topics in depth, and pursue rigorous investigation. Pictured: Acoustics, The Physics of Sound.
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All is Number...
Upper School students can choose from an array of mathematics electives such as Calculus, Advanced Calculus, Advanced Discrete Mathematics, Abstract Algebra, Linear Algebra, and Topology and Knot Theory, and more.
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Thinking on Your Feet
Park's Mock Trial team has won four State Championships. Excelling in this head-to-head competition requires understanding of the law; excellent listening, speaking, reading, and reasoning skills; communication and cooperation; and focused determination.
