We empower students to School Profile 2020-21 own their learning. BANCROFT SCHOOL AT A GLANCE ancroft students have shaped their education in a supportive Bcommunity that encourages intellectual risk and puts a • PreK–12 independent, co-ed day school premium on strong personal relationships. Our graduates stand on their own two feet because they have been allowed to stumble, • Located in Worcester, MA make mistakes, learn, grow, and succeed. You will never find • Students from Central MA, MetroWest Boston, Northern CT a Bancroft alum on the sidelines, waiting for others to create solutions. You will find them engaging, leading, collaborating, • 395 students in three divisions and taking thoughtful action. Bancroft School is designed as a • 209 students in Upper School (9–12) learning laboratory where students ask questions, share ideas, and solve problems through research, experimentation, and • 15 international students in Upper School reflection. Students leave Bancroft ready to make independent • 5:1 average student/teacher ratio decisions and manage multiple priorities because they have had plenty of practice. • 12 students average class size STUDENT LEADERSHIP & • 71% of faculty hold advanced degrees COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT • 31% students of color Bancroft School is located in Worcester, MA, New England’s second-largest city, which boasts a socioeconomically and • $4 million in financial aid annually ethnically diverse population of 185,000 and a broad array of • 40% of students receive financial aid cultural and academic opportunities. You may find our students working in a medical research lab, developing materials for the • 100% college acceptance rate Worcester Historical Society, partnering with artists creating • Founded in 1900 murals throughout the city, or teaching fellow students how to engage in the political process. Students also lead 29 different CLASS OF 2021 ACADEMIC STATISTICS clubs within the school. • 43 Students Students are also heavily involved in community service. Notable examples include Bancroft’s popular CARE & Horizons Program • Average GPA: 3.37 after junior year in which students volunteer their Saturday mornings to mentor • SAT Scores (Middle 50%): 1300 local children with significant special needs. The student-led Worcester Refugee Assistance Program (WRAP) Soccer Project • Math: 640 was initially designed by a Bancroft senior during her Co-Op in 2016 as a sports program to serve Burmese refugee children in our • Evidence-Based Reading & Writing: 660 community. Recent student-leaders have expanded the program to include arts and academics. SCHOOL LEADERSHIP & COLLEGE COUNSELORS Trey Cassidy HEAD OF SCHOOL Rebecca Gratz HEAD OF UPPER SCHOOL Tim Townley DIRECTOR OF COLLEGE COUNSELING Phyllis Barra ASSISTANT COLLEGE COUNSELOR CEEB Code: 222480 Bancroft School | 110 Shore Drive, Worcester, MA 01605 | Tel: 508.854.9228 | Fax: 508.853.7824 | [email protected] GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS • English: 4 years • History: 3 years • Foreign Language: 3 levels of one language, or 2 levels of two languages • Math: 3 years (through Algebra II) • Lab Science: 3 years (Chemistry, Biology, and a third lab science; Physics strongly recommended) • Arts: 1 year of Performing or Visual Arts • Physical Education: 4 semesters • Freshman Seminar • Senior Thesis • Senior Cooperative • CPR Certification • Community Service: 30 hours GRADING & CLASS RANK SCHEDULE Bancroft does not rank its students. We use a uniform, unweighted marking system ranging from A to F; we do not use A+. Students Bancroft’s Upper School operates on a semester with an overall average of A- achieve High Honors, and those with system. Courses run on a seven-day rotating schedule a B+ average achieve Honors. Bancroft is a member of the national comprising 28 blocks of 75 minutes. Students typically Cum Laude Society, which inducts a maximum of 10% of the junior schedule 22-24 blocks of course time per rotation. and 10% of the senior class every spring. Benefits of this schedule include: • Greater flexibility and choice in how each student HONORS & ADVANCED COURSES meets the graduation requirements Classes designated as “Honors” are positioning students to engage • Fewer classes each day with more time for in-depth in college-level work before they leave high school. Most of these work students will go on to take “Advanced” courses. Students who • Focused time for collaboration with project partners do well in our “Advanced” courses are prepared for upper-level or faculty, independent research, or homework college courses in these and related departments. Over 62% of students who take AP exams score 4 or higher. • Development of time management skills and intrinsic self motivation that will serve students We have various special programs that enhance the Bancroft beyond high school academic experience. At all levels, we offer strong art and music • Greater opportunity for students to discover new courses which are fully credited academic courses. interests and explore areas of passion Students can select junior/senior courses representing a broad range of disciplines, and all graduating seniors write the Senior Thesis, a capstone research paper. Additional advanced and individual work is offered whenever appropriate. For example, in Science and Engineering Inquiry (SEI) and Research and Historical Inquiry (RHI) advanced students choose a specific topic of interest, conduct year-long experimentation and/or research, and present their deep mastery and research findings at regional, state, and national competitions. Advanced foreign language students take immersive, field-oriented courses such as Spanish in a Global Context or Contemporary French Culture. Computer Science and Math students also have the opportunity to take courses beyond the traditional AP curriculum including Algorithms and Data Structures and Multivariable Calculus. UPPER SCHOOL COURSE OFFERINGS 2020-21 NINTH GRADE TENTH GRADE ELEVENTH GRADE TWELFTH GRADE English Selective (fall) English Selective (fall) Rebel, Rebel Rebel, Rebel Yourself, Myself: Identity Through Yourself, Myself: Identity Through the Lens of Memoir the Lens of Memoir Not Just for Laughs: Humor & ENGLISH English I English II Four years required Not Just for Laughs: Humor & Satire in Literature Satire in Literature This Just In This Just In Composition & Argumentation (spring) or AP English Language or AP English Literature AP European History AP European History 1945-Now 1945-Now The Atlantic World Islamic Studies Islamic Studies (no longer offered) HISTORY U.S. History Research and Historical Inquiry (H) Research and Historical Inquiry (H) Civics (no longer offered) Three years required Advanced U.S. History (H) Protest & Revolution Protest & Revolution (H) = Honors The Development of Our Global World This Just In This Just In Native Cultures of the Americas Native Cultures of the Americas Conflicts in World History Conflicts in World History Precalculus with Modeling Precalculus with Modeling (formerly FST) (formerly FST) Multivariable Calculus (H) MATHEMATICS Geometry Multivariable Calculus (H) Algebra I Precalculus (H) Three years required Geometry (H) Precalculus (H) Geometry Calculus (through Algebra II) Algebra II Statistics Geometry (H) AP Calculus AB Algebra II (H) Calculus (H) = Honors AP Calculus BC AP Calculus AB Algebra II AP Calculus BC Algebra II (H) LAB SCIENCE Biology Chemistry Three years required Biology AP Chemistry (Chemistry, Biology, and AP Chemistry Integrated Chemistry AP Biology a third lab science) AP Biology Environmental Science Chemistry AP Physics AP Physics Chemistry AP Chemistry* Science & Engineering Inquiry: *Chemistry is a Science & Engineering Inquiry: Biology Research & Proposal (formerly RSI) (H) prerequisite Experimentation II (formerly RSI) (H) Science & Engineering Inquiry: for AP Chemistry Physics of Engineering Experimentation I (formerly RSI) (H) (H) = Honors Physics of Engineering Marine Science I & II ADDITIONAL Psychology I & II Case Studies in Psychopathology ELECTIVES Anatomy and Physiology Social Psychology C++ C++ Mobile Apps Mobile Apps Computer Science Principles Computer Science Principles Engineering & Design Engineering & Design Web Design & Programming Web Design & Programming Computer Science Principles Robotics Engineering Robotics Engineering COMPUTER Computer Science Principles Web Design AP Computer Science AP Computer Science Web Design SCIENCE Robotics Engineering Algorithms & Data Structures (H) Algorithms & Data Structures (H) Robotics Engineering (H) = Honors AP Computer Science Science & Engineering Inquiry: Science & Engineering Inquiry: Research & Proposal (H) Research & Proposal (H) Science & Engineering Inquiry: Science & Engineering Inquiry: Experimentation I (H) Experimentation I (H) Science & Engineering Inquiry: Science & Engineering Inquiry: Experimentation II (H) Experimentation II (H) FOREIGN LANGUAGES ARTS PHYSICAL EDUCATION aligns with their personal and SENIOR THESIS professional interests. Rooted Completion of a 300 level Completion of one year in All students are required to The Senior Thesis is the in the School’s commitment course in one language, or a 200 a Performing or Visual Arts take PE every semester through culminating research project in to project-based learning and level course in two different course. Advanced Visual Junior year. Bancroft’s academic program. serving the greater Worcester languages. Languages offered: Portfolio students create a This 10- to 15-page essay community, the Co-Op combines