Upper School

Inspired, Original Inquiry-Based Projects

26 Arts Electives

Student/Teacher ratio: 8:1

Average Class Size: 14-16

The Upper School Experience

The Upper School curriculum provides the foundational skills and understanding students will need in college and beyond. At the same time, it leaves room for them to develop and pursue their interests. Faculty members work individually with students to collaboratively design a personalized academic program that challenges them while building confidence and fostering a passion for learning.

(Re)Imagining the Upper School Curriculum

9th & 10th Grade: Laying the Foundations for Inquiry

Academic
The bulk of the 9th and 10th grade schedule consists of five core courses—Math, Science, English, History, Foreign Language (Spanish, French, Mandarin).

Electives
Students may choose options within Visual Arts, Performing Arts, or Computer Science.

11th & 12th Grade: Purposeful Choices

Academic
With guidance from College Counseling, 11th and 12th grade students make strategic choices about where and how to direct their passions within their course load.

Inquiry and Advanced Inquiry
In addition to electives, 11th and 12th graders collaborate with faculty mentors through the Inquiry and Advanced Inquiry programs. Here, they can explore their interests and develop advanced skills beyond the core curriculum. Inquiry courses meet 1–2 times a week for half credit, while Advanced Inquiries, exclusive to seniors, meet three times a week for full credit.

Establishing a Sense of Belonging

Community Time

Advisory

Cycle 9

The Harkness Method

Clubs and Activities

Upper School students participate in a variety of clubs and activities, ranging from community service to student government to special interests. These student-led clubs offer opportunities to pursue passions, take on leadership roles, and even start new clubs. With options that vary each year based on student interest, there's something for everyone. For a list of Upper School clubs, click here.

Class Trips

2024-25 Curriculum Guide

Learn more about:

College Counseling

GFA Symposium

Global Online Academy

May Term

Moving Beyond the AP

In the Field

New Panel

Sustainability

Marine Science: Local

In this course, students focus on the local marine and coastal environment —the “nature of GFA"— by exploring and learning about the three ecosystems in our backyard: the Sound, beach, and marsh.
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I’ve learned a lot more about the beach and how much biodiversity there is. On the shoreline and the high tide line, there’s a plethora of shells that we’ve found — if you can identify them, you get so much more out of it.

New Panel

Sustainability

Marine Science: Global

In this course, students take a more global focus on the oceans. They engage in fieldwork and investigate global ocean ecosystems, focusing on how human activities influence the oceans. The units in this course include oyster reefs, coral reefs, noise pollution, and marine debris, among other topics.

New Panel

Sustainability

Human Ecology and Sustainability Inquiry

An in-depth exploration of what it means to live well in a place. Through case studies, primary literature, and other readings, students study sustainability theory, environmental ethics, and environmental justice. The course includes an off-campus immersion experience that helps the class become a collaborative cohort of leaders in sustainability.

New Panel

Advanced Inquiry

GFA Symposium

GFA Symposium is a dynamic celebration of student inquiry and creativity, featuring keynote speakers, performances, activities, and an Inquiry Fair. There is always a diverse range of projects, from scientific research and mathematical explorations to creative writing, video game design, and robotics. The day highlights the boundless curiosity and talents of GFA students.
Learn more.

The best ideas, the wildly radical ones, can come from young people who are uniquely positioned to create and absorb at the same time.

New Panel

Advanced Inquiry

Emma Fellows ’22

Advanced Inquiries foster collaboration between students and faculty, offering real-world learning as students pursue goals, take risks, and learn from mistakes. Emma ’22 explored this through her Advanced Inquiry Global Thesis, Linguistics and Discrimination Against Different Dialects in Schools.

There’s not really a field at GFA that goes into linguistics so choosing my own research topic was something I was really interested in. I think that’s a great opportunity just for your own learning and growth

Upper School News

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GFA Quiz Team Takes on the Connecticut History Bowl & Bee

This March, five members of the GFA Quiz Team put their knowledge to the test at the Connecticut History Bowl & Bee, hosted at Newtown High School. Representing GFA were Ian ’25, Sean ’26, Brett ’26, Nate ’26, and Conner ’27.

Visiting Writer Aimee Nezhukumatathil: Celebrating Wonder and Curiosity

GFA was delighted to welcome poet and essayist Aimee Nezhukumatathil to campus, where she spent two days with the Upper School sharing her journey as a writer and speaking about the power of curiosity.

GFA Dragonoids Wrap Up a Strong Season

The GFA Dragonoids wrapped up an impressive competition season, bringing home multiple awards and showcasing their engineering and programming skills at the Connecticut State Championships, held at the Total Mortgage Arena in Bridgeport.