Upper School
19 AP Courses
26 Arts Electives
Student/Teacher ratio: 7:1
Average Class Size: 14-16
Clubs and Activities
In the Upper School, a variety of clubs and activities provide opportunities for students to develop and pursue passions, and more importantly, to step into leadership roles. Opportunities range from serious to silly, and vary somewhat from year to year based on student interest.
For a list of Upper School clubs, click here.Upper School Service Learning
Service Learning in the Upper School means working with a group of peers, partnering with a local organization, and making connections through service to others. Each advisory group plans and executes a project alongside one of our community partners, many of which of which have longstanding relationships with GFA.
Trips
The dean of each grade sets the tone for the year on the class trip. We think it is important to travel, eat, and play together before we settle in to the academic year, and the trips lay the groundwork for the collaboration and community spirit we rely on in all that we do.
Curriculum
The Upper School curriculum provides the foundational skills and understanding that students will need in college and beyond, while leaving room for them to develop and pursue their individual interests. We meet with students individually to help them design an academic program that will present reasonable challenges to instill confidence and foster a passion for learning.
GLOBAL ONLINE ACADEMY
Students may also take online courses offered by Global Online Academy, a consortium of more than 50 premier independent schools from around the world. GOA replicates — in online classrooms — the intellectually rigorous programs and excellent teaching that are hallmarks of its member schools; fosters new and effective ways for students to learn; and promotes global awareness and understanding by creating truly diverse, worldwide, online schoolroom communities.
When students collaborate across time zones and continents in a virtual academic setting, everyone benefits.
YOUTH PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH
The Center for the Study of Boys and Girls Lives (CSBGL) is a consortium of independent schools based at the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education, which gives students the opportunity to study and improve their school’s culture through Youth Participatory Action Research. Student involvement in the group is not for credit, and is completely voluntary. They learn best practices for research and gain experience in public speaking.