Upper School
Welcome to Saint David's
Mrs. Ali Aoyama, Assistant Headmaster, Head of Upper School
Creative Collaborators, Responsible and Respectful
Upper School (Grades Four through Eight) prepares boys for the greater independence and responsibility of adolescence. In all subject areas, they master the skills needed to conduct research, absorb new material, think originally, speak clearly, write cogently, behave ethically, and organize their time.
Boys respect differences as they collaborate on integrative project-based challenges. For example, teachers of English, science and technology assist sixth graders with their Digital Universe projects, a signature experience that involves research, scientific narratives, and live presentations as the boys “fly through space” using the digital universe software OpenSpace. Working in small groups, boys appreciate one another's' gifts and learn to delegate and accept responsibility.
Service opportunities are built into the program - from Pennies for Puppies in support of The Seeing Eye in Grade Four, the Gbowee Backpack Initiative in Grade 6, and regular visits to an assisted living facility in Grade Seven, to spearheading our school-wide Thanksgiving Drive and Ethiopia Schools project in Grade Eight, boys recognize that to be good is to do good.
Saint David’s returns to the MET
A curricular staple of the fall term, our eighth grade examines the famous statue of the idealized Diadoumenos figure (ca. 430 B.C. by Polykleitos). Standing in contrapposto, the statue represents a young man adorning his head following a victory. Saint David's senior boys pay close attention to the figures' proportions, which creates an impression of organic vitality, while the position of the feet give a sense of potential movement. As explained by upper school teachers Mr. Drew Burton, Ms. Catherine Milligan, and Ms. Jenna Boccella, this calculated pose would later become the standard formula prototype applied in Graeco-Roman and Western European art.
At Saint David’s, the world is our classroom
“Experience is the bedrock of learning that metamorphoses basic knowledge into solid understanding.” As shared by Mr. Bradford Hardie, a hallmark of the sixth grade unit of study is the rock cycle. During this morning’s visit, Saint David’s boys explored the properties of Manhattan Schist in Central Park. 450 million years of history, a remarkable backyard of learning.
Experiencing history through a field trip
En route to the world-renowned Frick Collection, a Central Park stop points Mr. Romanosky’s 8 Chi class to Cleopatra’s Needle - “This obelisk was erected first at Heliopolis, Egypt in 1600 BC, moved to Alexandria in 12 BC by the Romans. Presented by the Khedive of Egypt to New York, it was erected in 1881 through the generosity of William H. Vanderbilt.”
At a Glance
STEAM units including DNA and robotics present challenges that promote cross-disciplinary thinking and problem solving.
In English, students explore the best in modern literature and selected works from the Western canon. Boys write often, and they learn to write well, with a coordinated expository and creative writing program that builds targeted skills from year to year.
In mathematics, conceptual understanding and computational accuracy receive equal emphasis. Boys apply their knowledge to active projects that solve real-life problems.
In history, boys’ multi-faceted examinations of Ancient Egypt, the Renaissance or the Vietnam War, provide essential insights into the human past and translate those into lessons for our time. The use of Socratic seminars hones proficiency in debate and promotes civil discourse.
In languages, fourth and fifth graders are fully immersed in the Spanish language and experience cultures of the Spanish-speaking world. Boys begin studying Latin in the fifth grade and choose to continue with Spanish or begin French in the sixth grade.
School Partnerships with premier cultural, scientific, and historic institutions augment and enhance boys’ experience as they engage with experts in several fields.
Collaborations with neighboring girls’ schools on service projects and dramatic and musical productions brings boys and girls together for meaningful shared experiences.
Overnight experiences deepen and widen learning and perspectives. These include overnight Grade Six trips to Frost Valley and Washington, D.C.; Grade Seven three-day interdisciplinary study at the Pocono Environmental Education Center; the two-week Grade Eight Italian Study Tour of Rome, Assisi, and Florence; and optional summer study in Salamanca, Spain, for rising eighth graders.