Sequoyah's High School

Sequoyah School is an independent, co-educational, K-12 day school in Pasadena, CA. Founded in 1958 as a K-8 school, Sequoyah opened its high school campus in 2016 and graduated its inaugural Senior class in 2019. 301 n. orange grove bl, pasadena ca 91103 • sequoyahschool.org • ceeb: 050058 A K-12 independent school head of school director of college counseling accreditations Josh Brody, Ed.D. Rosanna Llorens, M.Ed. California Assoc. of Independent Schools high school director [email protected] Western Assoc. of Schools and Colleges Marc Alongi, Ed.D. (626) 441-2076, ext. 329

A Sequoyah School education challenges the mind, nurtures the heart, and celebrates human dignity.

MODULAR SCHEDULE & COURSE LOAD ACADEMICS • CLASS OF 2021 Sequoyah’s modular schedule (Mods) supports a rich, more focused learning 32 students in the Class of 2021 experience. Designed for student engagement, Mods allow for individual atten- 4.2 • approximate highest weighted GPA tion, detailed and frequent feedback, and increased options for exploring and A K-12 independent school 3.5 • average unweighted GPA advancing personal interests through courses. 386 3.65 • average weighted GPA There are 7 modules per school year, approximately 5 weeks each. Mod 7 is We do not rank our students. dedicated to camping trips, international expeditions, social innovation projects, k-12 students and internships. The year also includes mid-year and year-end Exhibition Weeks. The following represent typical course loads in a Mod, with 3 required courses 8 per day plus 1 elective. 132 9th Grade • 6 curricular courses 10th Grade • 5-6 curricular courses 6 Foundations Mathematics (1, 2, or 3) Mathematics 9-12 students

Conceptual Physics Chemistry 4 Humanities 1 (English & History) Humanities 2 Spanish (1, 2, or 3) Spanish (2, 3, or 4) Visual or Performing Arts electives Elective 32 2 Advisory Advisory students in Social Innovation Program (SIP) SIP class of 2021 Sport or PE Option Sport or PE option 3.00 3.30 3.60 3.90 4.20 4.20

11th Grade • 5-6 curricular courses 12th Grade • 4-6 curricular courses Mathematics English elective or SAS English 4 Bio or SAS Bio Electives 50% EVALUATION & GRADING English elective Advisory students of color History elective (11th or 12th grade) SIP Internship Sequoyah’s high school program uses a compe- Spanish (unless level 3 completed) Sport or PE option tency-based assessment system to help students Elective focus on Learning Objectives (LOs). Throughout Advisory each course, students receive feedback on each SIP Impact Project 56% LO and receive an overall grade at the end of the course. Information about this approach to Sport or PE option pay less than top tuition assessment is available in our Curriculum Guide.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS A minimum of 24 course credits is required to graduate, with 6 credits in elective courses, plus credits in SIP, Field Studies and Talking Leaves: 12 TEST SCORES average English • 4 years PE • 4 seasons (2 years) class size Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many Class of History • 3 years Electives • 6 credits 2021 students have been denied opportunities Mathematics • 3 years Field Studies • 7 trips for testing. Laboratory Science • 3 years Social Innovation Program • 4 years World Language • 3 years Talking Leaves • 6 successful presen- Classes of 2019-2021 Lowest Highest Art • 1 year tations, including June of 12th Grade 12:1 SAT Scores 880 1520 student-teacher ACT Scores 17 36 ratio SEQUOYAH SPORTS Competitive play has been paused by CIF-SS due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but team training and conditioning approved by public health authorities began NATIONAL MERIT RECOGNITION on campus in October 2020. 18 teaching faculty 1 National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists of whom Fall Winter Spring 3 National Merit Scholarship Commended Volleyball (Girls) Basketball (Girls) Archery* Students Cross Country* Basketball (Boys) Mountain Biking* Soccer* Squash* Volleyball (Boys) 42% West African Dance* Swimming & Diving* hold doctoral degrees * denotes co-ed Tennis* SEQUOYAH SCHOOL SIGNATURE PROGRAMS SEQUOYAH ADVANCED FIELD STUDIES STUDIES Through a distinctive, four-year Field Studies program that bridges academic curriculum with outdoor Sequoyah Advanced Studies (SAS) education, students experience the natural world in deeply meaningful ways. Each year, students take two courses comprise our honors curric- multi-day trips which emphasize real-world understanding of preparedness, strengthening confidence and ulum available to students in grades self-reliance, practicing teamwork and collaboration, and engraining in students a profound environmen- 11 and 12. Students receive faculty tal consciousness. Students travel to a variety of locations, including a 10-day homestay in a Costa Rican recommendations in order to pursue village, and a culminating 10-day backpacking trip for Seniors. these more rigorous, sophisticated, and challenging courses. SOCIAL INNOVATION PROGRAM (SIP) This four-year sequence focuses on addressing complex social and environmental challenges and is • SAS Allegory & The Novella designed to cultivate foundational skills of social entrepreneurship. Students apply a systems approach to • SAS Making Ends Meet: problem solving, ethical decision making, and ethnographic and statistical research. Throughout their SIP Women and Capitalism experience, students establish professional relationships with stakeholders while reflecting on their unique • SAS The Undiscovered Country positions to affect change. • SAS Art of the Novel • SAS Calculus STEM INSTITUTE • SAS Higher Mathematics Sequoyah’s STEM Institute involves students as members of a larger scientific community through par- • SAS American History ticipation in research experiences and field work with experts at world-renowned institutions including • SAS Autocracy & Totalitarianism Caltech, JPL, and USC. Institute members recently developed an affinity group for girls in STEM, which • SAS The US Constitution extends beyond the Institute and engages other members of the scientific and research community. • SAS Spanish 4 & 5 • SAS Chemistry TALKING LEAVES • SAS Biology • SAS Physics A Cherokee expression identifying words on paper, Talking Leaves honors our namesake, Sequoyah, who • SAS Biology of Disease developed the Cherokee system of written language. Twice a year, every student presents a culminating • SAS Grand Challenges of Ecology essay and oral presentation modeled after a thesis defense to their peers, a faculty committee, parents, • SAS World in a Cell and other invited guests. Students explore and analyze a chosen topic based on a meaningful intellectual • SAS Visual Arts Seminar experience and reflect on its role in their growth as scholars. A mark of Exemplary distinction is given to • SAS Playwriting, Acting & Directing students who display sophistication, persuasion, depth of analysis, mastery, and conviction of ideas in their Talking Leaves.

MEMBERSHIPS & ASSOCIATIONS

Equity Dashboard Consortium

CLASS OF 2019 & CLASS OF 2020 COLLEGE ACCEPTANCES

American University DePaul University Oberlin College Santa Barbara Bard College Eastern Oregon University Otis College of Art and Design Santa Cruz Bennington College Emerson College Pace University University of Chicago Berklee College of Music Franklin & Marshall College Parsons School of Design, University of Colorado Brown University George Washington University The New School at Boulder California State Polytechnic Goucher College Pasadena City College University of Denver University, Pomona Grinnell College Quest University, Canada University of Kansas California State University, Hampshire College Reed College University of La Verne Channel Islands Humboldt State University Rider University University of Oregon East Bay Johns Hopkins University Ryerson University University of Pennsylvania Long Beach Lawrence University San Francisco State University University of Puget Sound Los Angeles Lewis and Clark College Santa Clara University University of Southern California Maritime Academy Los Angeles Sarah Lawrence College University of Utah - Monterey Bay Community College School of the Art Institute Honors College Northridge Loyola Marymount University of Chicago Vanderbilt University Cinema Makeup School Manhattanville College School of Visual Arts Vassar College Clark Atlanta University Marist College Spelman College Washington State University Colorado State University Marymount California University Syracuse University Washington University Columbia College Chicago Marymount Manhattan College University of California in St. Louis Columbia University Michigan State University Berkeley Wesleyan University Cornell University Northwestern University Davis Willamette University Creighton University New York University Los Angeles Xavier University Louisiana Curry College NYU Tisch School of the Arts San Diego