MERCERSBURG ACADEMICS ...................................2 FOR PARENTS ................................9 BEYOND MERCERSBURG .............. 10 LIVING HERE ................................ 14 FIND YOUR PASSION ................... 18 TRADITIONS ................................ 22 APPLYING ....................................24 MERCABULARY! ........................... 28 BY THE NUMBERS ........................ 31 II Zoom in on what makes Mercersburg Academy a school like no other. For example, what is MOE? MAPS isn’t really about cartography, right? And how could there be a beach on campus?! Here in the Zoom, you’ll find fun facts and essential info about every dimension of your new school. Need more information? Let us know! 717-328-6173 [email protected] II 1 1 ACADEMICS LIKE NO OTHER — Learning at Mercersburg transcends the textbook—whether in class around a Harkness table, onstage, on the field, or in the dorm. Your teachers always look for new, innovative approaches to help you think creatively and independently, to prepare you for college and life. You’ll graduate confident that you can communicate and think effectively as a socially responsible individual—a participatory citizen of the world. 2 Our faculty: Continually learning and developing — Our faculty members are second to none. They have a 24/7 passion for teaching, coaching, mentoring, living down the hall from, dining with, and “just hanging” with you and your classmates. More than 70 percent of our teachers hold advanced degrees, and they go out of their way to spend summers and breaks honing skills, exploring new technology, and creating and updating our 20+ e-textbooks. Mercersburg also convenes professional development workshops connecting faculty with noted experts. Recent topics have included the changing adolescent brain, experiential learning, strategic use of homework, and use of iPads and social media in the classroom. Each summer, the Mercersburg Summer Faculty Institute gives faculty even more tools. Conducted by leaders in the field of education, the Institute engages teachers in the latest research, while helping them better address students’ needs. Your adviser: Academics and beyond — Living away from home presents challenges to teenagers and parents alike. Our advisers are there for you and your family every step of the way. Your faculty adviser is the first person to talk to about any personal or academic issues. Each adviser has a group of six to eight advisees who usually live in his or her dorm. Your adviser—part mentor, advocate, and confidante—will work with you and your parents to help guide and support your academic trajectory and performance. This is all geared toward ensuring you reach your full potential. Adviser/advisee groups have lunch together on Thursdays and meet regularly to review academic progress and discuss personal or school issues and goals. The curriculum: Think college (plus a handful of sample course offerings) — Mercersburg’s curriculum offers more than 170 courses across its eight academic departments and more than 40 AP, post-AP, and honors courses. Teachers here are focused on how you implement knowledge from the classroom—not just what you can repeat back. Our class design begins with an essential question: what are the concepts and skills our students should understand and master after successfully completing any given course? 2 3 As early as 9th and 10th grades, you will be immersed in all the core disciplines and begin developing skills that will define your academic career—English, history, foreign languages, math, science, religion, and the performing and fine arts. In 11th and 12th grades, you will delve into academic pursuits that interest you most, and you’ll have the opportunity to customize your study through unique electives. SAMPLE AP AND POST-AP COURSES ENGLISH HISTORY LANGUAGE SCIENCE MATH • AP American • AP Art History • AP Chinese • AP Biology • AP Calculus AB Literature Language and • AP Comparative • AP Chemistry • AP Calculus BC Culture • AP British and Government and • AP Computer • AP Linear Algebra World Literature Politics • AP French Science Language and • AP Statistics • AP Economics Culture • AP Environmental (Macro- and • Multivariable Science Microeconomics) • AP German Calculus (post-AP) Language and • AP Physics • AP European Culture History • AP Latin: Vergil • AP United States History • AP Spanish Language • AP World History • AP Spanish Literature • French History and Civilization (post-AP) • French History and Literature (post-AP) • Latin Literature (post-AP) 4 SAMPLE OF INNOVATIVE AND CHALLENGING COURSES ENGLISH HISTORY/RELIGION LANGUAGE • Art of Fiction • The Arab-Israeli Conflict • Chinese I-IV • Existentialism • Buddhism • Classical Greek • Graphic Novels • Constitutional Case Studies • French I-AP • Journalism • International Relations and • German I-AP War in the 20th Century • Post-Apocalyptic Fiction • Latin I-AP • Nature and Meaning of the • Postmoderism • Spanish I-AP Universe MATH SCIENCE ARTS • App Development • Astronomy • Ballet • Linear Algebra • Biotechnology and Genetics • Band • Robotics I-III • Climate Change • Ceramics • Scripting • Forensic Science • Digital Illustration • Single-Board Computers • Graphic Design • Guitar • Hip-Hop Dance • Mixing Music • Photography • Stage Combat • Strings • Writing Music 4 5 Help is here if you need it: Virtually every night — Every day after lunch, there is a help period built into the schedule for students to use when they need it. Whether you have a question about class material or a particularly difficult homework assignment, or want to start reviewing for an upcoming assessment, teachers are available during this time. Every evening you will also have access to three academic help centers—language, math and science, and writing. These centers are friendly, inviting spaces staffed by faculty and students. STUDY HALLS Success in your academic career at Mercersburg is our primary focus, and it’s important to start out on the right foot. To help you develop the best possible study habits at the beginning of the year, all 9th graders and new 10th graders attend a structured, faculty-supervised, weeknight study hall. College counseling: It starts in ninth grade — The Office of College Counseling offers unsurpassed services to our students. Mercersburg has one of the smallest student-to-counselor ratios in the country. Counselors will work with you throughout your time at the school to tailor a college search based on your self-reflection and goals. Mercersburg has a long tradition of sending our graduates to a wide variety of top colleges and universities. Here are some important markers of this relationship: • In 9th grade, your counselor will help you get into a groove academically and socially and introduce you to a full range of tools and resources. You will meet in small groups to set goals for the year and learn more about your unique strengths. • In 10th grade, you will practice the PSAT and meet in small groups to go over the results. Later in the year, you will meet with your counselor to explore possible career interests and discuss how those might impact your course selections in future years. • In 11th grade, you’ll sit for the PSAT in the fall before taking the various required tests in the spring: SAT, SAT subject tests, and/or ACT. You will also begin working on your résumé and attend college essay writing workshops. Senior year is an exciting time to finalize your college applications, plus you’ll have the opportunity to meet with admission officers from more than 70 colleges and universities who visit our campus each year. Your counselor will review each component of your applications to ensure you have put together the strongest possible representation of yourself and your qualifications. 6 ACT and SAT prep: Built in. For everyone. The results are huge. — Every 11th grade student receives personalized prep for the ACT and/or SAT. Mercersburg provides this prep at no additional cost. The results are stellar: the average SAT score has soared by more than 150 points. This one-on-one professional tutoring not only helps determine which test is best for you; it also makes sure your scores reflect your capabilities. And it has dramatically reduced stress and anxiety around these tests. Capstone experiences for seniors: Springboard and MAPS — SPRINGBOARD Springboard is a capstone senior seminar that offers multiple course selections rooted in the passions of some of our outstanding faculty members. Every Springboard course asks you, the student, to give a professional presentation in front of a panel of experts that dives into a topic and generates new knowledge and insights. Sample Springboard offerings include: • The Art and Business of Graphic Design • Maker’s Lab • The Business of Sport • Performance as a Creative • Entrepreneurship Collaboration • • The Fight against Disease Positive Psychology • • Global Food Chain Rapid Application Development MERCERSBURG’S ADVANCED PROGRAM FOR GLOBAL STUDIES (MAPS) Did you ever think you would embrace the challenge of a 50-page paper, paired with 150 hours of community service? Meet MAPS, a two-year program for highly motivated students beginning in the 11th grade. You must apply to enroll in MAPS, which builds on and expands beyond the existing Mercersburg curriculum. You’ll become a more creative and independent thinker as you design and conduct a senior research project, take a number of the highest-level courses, and study abroad with a homestay component. MAPS