Academic Life

Welcome to the Upper School

Welcome to the Avenues High School and our inaugural ninth grade.

High schools are as different as the students that attend them. Finding the right “match” is one of the most important decisions parents and students can together make—and a school should help you through that process by making clear its areas of focus and excellence. Every top school will provide the basics of a strong education, and first and foremost Avenues is dedicated to exceptional educational standards. The key question, then, is: what is special about a particular school and is that specialty something that matters to you?

As you consider whether to apply to Avenues, we note for you four special, perhaps even unique, aspects of our educational offering:

1. Our mission is to graduate every student prepared for a life far more global than that of prior generations. That means true fluency in a foreign language, feet-on-the-ground exposure to multiple cultures, and knowledge of not only the world’s history, but of its most likely future issues. Avenues intends to be known for its language studies, for its highly integrated study-abroad programs, and for a World Course developed by Ivy League scholars that good colleges would be proud to adopt.

2. We believe early excellence in a particular area is an important part of success in life. It teaches perseverance and builds confidence; and even if that interest is not a lifelong pursuit, the lessons of mastery in one area are transferable to another. Particularly at the High School level, Avenues will work with all students to help them discover and develop their particular passions, allowing students to pursue their areas of interest, supported by faculty coaching and a superb technology infrastructure.

3. Just as we will devote enormous time and attention in preparing this class for entrance into great colleges and universities, those higher education institutions will want to know and understand our first graduates. What is special about these students? What have they learned and experienced that will add something different to a college or university? In this light, your applications to colleges and universities will be viewed as something new and different.

4. The first ninth graders admitted to Avenues will be part of an exceptionally special class, one that the leadership team of Avenues will take great care in recruiting, selecting and assembling. But equally importantly, Avenues’ first ninth grade class will be “seniors for four years.” The impact of this on your leadership skills cannot be underestimated. Your tenure here will be a life-shaping time.

Should you choose to apply, we look forward to getting to know you over the coming months. We hope this has helped you get to know us better.

Gardner Dunnan
Head of the
Upper School