The Chestnut Hill School has great teachers Dynamic classrooms are filled with children who engage students in every aspect of their of diverse cultures and backgrounds. In the development while inspiring them to reach for the younger years and under the care of expert highest possible academic standards. Often this teachers, children yearn to improve their social involves coordinated cross-disciplinary study, and understandings and to broaden their intellectual it always results in meaningful exploration of self horizons. Our distinctive approach provides and others. Here at CHS our goal is to develop skills, opportunities for self-awareness, self-discipline, both academic and non-academic, to encourage and self-respect. We actively encourage the individuality, to spur creativity, and to cultivate refinement of empathy. leadership.

Educating. Engaging. Inspiring. othing advances learning so much as trusting relationships Nbetween student and teacher—a CHS hallmark. Thanks to a constantly self-renewing culture of high aspiration, CHS students are confident to take risks and push themselves outside of their initial comfort zones. Because they feel both challenged and supported by their teachers, they are as easily able to share their thoughts eloquently in Open Circle as to drill down on those activities that do not necessarily come naturally for them.

CHALLENGING ACADEMICS, WHOLE-HEARTED SUPPORT ur educational philosophy is O most fully showcased in a diverse, inclusive, and nurturing community where learning is infused with meaning, purpose, and joy. We offer a rigorous, multi-dimensional curriculum that develops the whole child and provides a range of opportunities for students to engage in active learning. We believe students do their best both when they feel a sense of belonging and when they develop close personal relationships with adults and peers. We recognize the importance of family involvement in a child’s education and value a cooperative home/school partnership. In pursuing academic excellence, we support the growth of competent, caring, well- rounded students who think critically, creatively, and conceptually. Our students stand out not only because they exhibit curiosity and show initiative, but equally because they embrace challenge and show flexibility and perseverance in problem-solving. TEACHING THROUGH A DEVELOPMENTAL LENS RICH TAPESTRY OF STORIES

ith great respect for the importance mastering core skills, both as students and ur mission finds expression in the curricular focus on multicultural similarities W of addressing children’s needs in a citizens, while maintaining a creative, hands-on, O celebration of individual difference and and differences, students participate regularly developmentally appropriate manner, we base and richly interdisciplinary approach. In the unique identity, and our students are encouraged and creatively in a broad variety of mission- all educational practice on the assumption that upper elementary classroom students have to embrace multiple perspectives both in the enhancing special activities. These include children are continuously progressing from one enhanced opportunities to apply those skills, classroom and in community life. Trained all-school musical recitals, multidisciplinary stage of development to the next. In the early engaging in complex interdisciplinary projects extensively in diversity, equity, and inclusion research projects, grade-specific theatrical years, a careful balance of play and structured that foster organizational growth, time issues, our teachers are intentional in the ways productions, and content rich field trips activity supports students’ personal, social, management, long-term planning, and self- they help students to gain understandings and overnight programs designed to bring and cognitive growth. In the primary grades, reflection. These are the very habits of mind from literature, art, social studies, and everyday curriculum to life. our program places an increased emphasis on that are so necessary for success in life. experience. In addition to a carefully-coordinated SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING rogramming robots, collaborating with problems. In addition, our technology resources— Ppartners, analyzing and adjusting code, equipment as well as teacher expertise—enhance designing real-time solutions to challenges learning in all subject areas, both through associated with friction and gravity, building curricular integration and through platforms bridges out of everyday materials, constructing for digital documentation, communication, wooden race cars: These are just some of and archiving. All students learn important the ways our students explore the Science, woodworking skills in the process of building Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math numerous individual products, and the art studio (STEAM) curriculum through our innovative provides a sanctuary for visual and creative Building and Engineering program. expression. Whether constructing objects for real-life application—pendulums, catapults— From the earliest grades, our science curriculum asking open-ended questions, or devising affords opportunities for children to explore experiments to test for determining variables, materials, devise hypotheses, imagine possible children utilize mathematical thinking in activities outcomes, collect and analyze data, draw as varied as the writing of detailed lab reports conclusions, and work cooperatively with to the presentation of STEAM Fair results. partners in attempting to solve real-world

MATHEMATICAL PROBLEM-SOLVING ingapore Math—the cornerstone of our math S program—uses research-based multi-sensory strategies to enhance mathematical reasoning. In STEAM emphasizing depth and conceptual understanding over breadth, the program reinforces foundational skills as well as multi-step problem-solving abilities. Moving from concrete to pictorial to abstract, the curriculum follows a linear progression and emphasizes real-world scenarios. Working with math manipulatives, such as cubes, rods, or pattern blocks, gives children in the younger grades an opportunity to cultivate number sense and a strong foundation for becoming competent and confident math learners. In the Middle Grades they are challenged to write number sentences, utilize visual problem- solving strategies, and eventually to develop and implement computational algorithms. Children in the Upper Grades reflect on their own learning by planning step-by-step solutions and articulating alternative strategies. This meta-cognitive approach—thinking about thinking—sharpens higher-order understanding while also stimulating creative problem-solving. he development of flexible and T self-enriching language fluency— reading, writing, researching—forms the core of our Language Arts program. Our goals are twofold: to develop confident readers able to gain information from texts of all genres and to train effective writers who are equally comfortable expressing themselves in creative and expository realms. With opportunities for sharing and for working independently at all levels, reading for pleasure stands out EN ESPAÑOL both as the strongest hook for early eginning with our three-year-old literacy and as the richest reward B students, Spanish instruction for higher-level achievement. In the is embedded into our program younger grades reading instruction across the grades. Emphasizing is delivered in small, fluid, skill-based conversational skills as well as groups, utilizing the assistance of a cultural fluency, the program literacy specialist and tailoring incorporates physical props, helpful instruction to the needs of each technologies, and dramatic tools to group. In the Upper Grades the reinforce vocabulary development curriculum focuses on deepening and conversational confidence. comprehension—both literal and Thanks to our dual focus on inferential—and on exposing students language and cultural fluency, the to an increasingly wide range of Spanish program opens windows of genres, including non-fiction, realistic discovery for many other aspects of fiction, historical and fantasy fiction, our curriculum: field trips to the local poetry, biography, and memoir. supermarket, songs and traditions Our youngest students begin their from Spanish-speaking communities journeys as writers through dictating around the world, windows of insight stories, illustrating their thoughts, into the everyday lives of children in and experimenting with invented different cultures, cross-disciplinary spelling. From the primary grades on, connections to numerous social a meaningful synergy exists between studies themes, and a Fifth-Grade genres in reading and writing. overnight “Spanish Immersion” trip Throughout the grades and at to Thompson Island in the increasingly complex levels, students Harbor, where students engage in engage in a workshop model that simulated archaeology, cultural emphasizes all aspects of the writing discovery, and real-world process, from drafting to publishing. conversational practice. VISUAL ARTS isual self-expression and active V engagement with diverse media are among our core values. In exploring the breadth of activities associated with the studio—drawing, painting, ceramics, collage, fiber and digital arts—and in experimenting with materials, tools, techniques, MUSICAL EXPRESSIONS project planning, and exhibition, our students take delight in their emerging usic appreciation and musical creativity while building confidence, performance are strong M competence, and self-expression. differentiators of the CHS experience. The core program Dedicated to sustaining a strong exposes students to many different elementary program, we are mindful instrument groups over the years— of the importance of integrating art Orff/Kodaly, recorder, xylophone, as fully as possible into the broader percussion, and voice, and includes a curriculum. With art and science signature violin class in Kindergarten directly integrated in the younger and First Grade. The Chestnut Hill grades, students come to experience School for Music provides an all new information from the standpoint additional showcase for individual of parallel methodologies: For study as well as ensembles. Music example, when learning about the instruction at all levels helps to anatomy of bugs and insects, they will develop fine and gross motor skills simultaneously fashion these creatures while also reinforcing important with papier-mâché. In the older grades, competencies in listening and when literature and social studies performance. With formal recitals curricula introduce compelling taking place throughout the year, perspectives on historic and cultural all students participate in and learn traditions, it is common for any from an invariably global repertoire. substantial unit of study to Pitch, rhythm, theory, sight-singing, incorporate a component of visual strings, musical theater, and art. This can be evidenced in student- composition—these are the constructed medieval artifacts and jewels in the CHS musical crown. Renaissance triptychs. PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND ATHLETICS

hysical fitness and sports- Pspecific skill development are essential components of our physical education program for young children. With physical education classes scheduled at least twice a week across the grades, CHS students benefit from and express exuberance in physical activity, movement, and competition. In the younger grades the program includes gymnastics and dance and places prime emphasis on cooperation, confidence-building, and fitness. All Upper School students participate in interscholastic sports on a season-rotating basis: soccer, basketball, softball, and baseball. Team travel exposes young athletes to conditions both home and away and builds powerful esprit-de-corps among the children and their coaches. Leadership’s Many Faces

Encouraging young people to be their best selves in everything they do, leadership education plays an influential role in preparing students to navigate the larger world as successfully as possible. CHS puts a signature emphasis on leadership education and celebrates its multiple expressions.

TAKING THE STAGE NURTURING CROSS-GRADE LEARNING TO BE LEADERS very grade level performs in front of Public speaking opportunities abound CONNECTIONS ed by the Head of School—itself a E the whole School at a Friday morning throughout the program, beginning inside hether resulting in story time, L reflection of the school’s commitment assembly. In addition, all students participate the classroom in group discussion, finding W playground time, or special curricular to leadership education—the Grade Five in seasonal concerts involving vocal as more formal expression in debates and projects, learning partnerships between Leadership Program reinforces the importance well as instrumental preparation. With research projects, and culminating in older and younger children are emblematic of active listening, communicating, the exception of the Sixth Graders, who individual speeches at the end of the year of the school’s DNA. The benefits are rich empathizing, negotiating with others, and perform in a full-scale musical theater by the graduating Sixth Graders. Poignant, for both sides. Older students gain valuable making responsible choices. Whether in production, and the youngest children, funny, sentimental, earnest: These speeches experience mentoring, recognizing others’ learning about virtue or in confronting the real- who perform from scripts, most of our are infused with each student’s unique spirit needs, taking responsibility, and feeling world challenges inherent in early adolescence, students are involved both in writing and and are a collective testimony to the pride in the connections they’ve nurtured. students learn to recognize and talk intelligibly choreographing their own performances. leadership and confidence they have Their younger counterparts feel equally about leadership qualities in themselves and The rewards of such shared accomplishment developed—skills that serve a lifetime. rewarded by the special relationship and others. Every year the class culminates in a are invaluable. support they so happily receive. special capstone experience that encourages the concrete application of a big idea. BEYOND OUR COMMUNITY

ith the goal of helping children to W become their best possible selves, we believe that cultivating empathy and the desire to be kind, contributing members of one’s world are essential both to our academic program and community life. With our School’s unwavering emphasis on diversity, equity, and inclusion, a culture of service permeates CHS in multiple ways. Each grade level participates in a yearly community service project, such as packaging groceries at the Greater Boston Food Bank or planting vegetables at Gaining Ground, a sustainable farm in Concord. Older students have opportunities to design and execute additional service ventures with the help of faculty mentors, and our Beginners Class participates THE CHS FAMILY in intergenerational art and music activities aily life at CHS can be characterized each year with residents of Rogerson D most fully by community and personal House, a nearby memory care facility. Adults connection. This is showcased across model and promote community service constituencies: student/student, student/ through a yearly Faculty/Staff Service Day teacher, teacher/parent, and family/family. and multiple Family Association initiatives, Children who feel a sense of wellness and including Heart of the Hill Day, a school-wide belonging are invariably better able to service fair, and Walk for Hunger. optimize their learning, and parents who feel connected to their children’s teachers are similarly more likely to form effective and long-lasting partnerships. Respect, responsibility, inclusivity, and citizenship are no mere clichés: rather, these are critical virtues that form the foundation of healthy community life. A vibrant Family Association, numerous volunteer opportunities, the Sixth Grade Advisor Program, faculty-facilitated student groups, and adult discussion venues on socially relevant issues are among the most powerful vehicles that continually strengthen the sense of belonging and connection in our community. Supporting Secondary School Transitions ll Upper School families benefit from access to a well A coordinated and sequential secondary school counseling program. In Grades Four and Five, designated academic administrators are available to provide individualized support and guidance to families at any stage of thinking about or preparing for their child’s transition after CHS. This support culminates in Grade Six when the Head of School works in direct and ongoing partnership with families to navigate every nuance of the application process to next schools. In addition to knowing each child deeply, both as a student and an individual, the Head of School maintains close relationships with admission officers at all area schools and serves as a powerful advocate for children and their families.

The roster of secondary schools CHS graduates attend includes: Beaver Country Day School Boston Latin School Buckingham Browne & Nichols Dexter-Southfield School Meadowbrook School Newton Country Day School Noble & Greenough School Park School Woodward Academy Words capture only a slice of the dynamic energy at CHS. Come to campus and experience the vibrancy. Meet our students, faculty, and staff. Explore our facilities. Visit our website at www.tchs.org to learn more about CHS. Please email us at [email protected] if you have any questions. See www.tchs.org for details about the application process.

The Chestnut Hill School • Independent, coeducational • Preschool (three-year-olds) to Grade Six • Full-day Kindergarten • Half-day Beginners & Pre-K programs with a full day option • Highly selective secondary school placement • 270 students • Located in Newton, • Founded 1860

Beyond the Classroom CHS offers an array of auxiliary and enrichment programs: • Early care from 7am • Extended day until 6pm • Beginners and Pre-K Afternoon Programs • Vacation camps (December, March and June) • The Chestnut Hill School for Music • The Chestnut Hill School Summer Camp • Specialty camps

Writers: Dr. Steven Tobolsky, Debra Sullivan, Orna Feldman Photography: Margaret Lampert & Rose Lincoln Design: Greenwood Associates The Chestnut Hill School Educating. Engaging. Inspiring.

428 Hammond Street Chestnut Hill, MA 02467

617-566-4394 www.tchs.org