Masters School

Programs: The masters school is an independent day and boarding school, for students in grades 5 through 12, that empowers independent thinkers through an expansive and innovative curriculum based on active intellectual exploration. Located on 96 picturesque acres on the hudson river and just 12 miles from the vast resources of new york city, the school is a diverse and vibrant convergence of ideas, cultures, arts and athletics. In a kind and inclusive culture, where diversity of thought is celebrated, students can confidently find their own voices in discussion-based classes, while gaining a deeper, broader understanding of the subject matter and each other. Much like the curriculum at a liberal arts college, masters' curriculum imparts a broad knowledge to students and develops their intellectual capacities in a transformational way. Masters is distinguished by its novel approach of using the harkness method of teaching around a singular, oval table for all main subject areas. Harkness challenges students to achieve a higher level of engagement, to extract and construct their own meaning from the content, and then to share it courageously and articulately with their peers and teachers while gaining respect for the voices of others. At masters, students take full advantage of developing their many talents and interests-whether academics, athletics, performing arts, visual arts, or service projects. At masters, there is an appreciation for the value of a well-balanced education and the doors it opens-including admission to top-ranked colleges and universities. Arts at mastersthe arts play a vital role at the masters school. Fully integrated into the curriculum and the life of the school, they also feature prominently in co-curricular offerings and student performance groups. Opportunities to study the arts-both during the day and after school-abound. Dance and drama, painting and photography, music in its countless forms-we offer it all and encourage our students to explore. Performing artsthe department of performing arts at the masters school encompasses dance, music and theater studies and experiences. Across a variety of performance mediums and in a wide range of performance settings, from ensemble pieces to technical artists, students have ample opportunities to try their hand at performance art. Further, the department offers opportunities for deep understanding of the various areas through courses that offer perspectives in production, theory and history. Visual artsthe goal of the masters visual arts program is to have students develop the creativity, imagination, and technical skill to practice art as a vital means of self-expression. The faculty are professional artists, and our students take full advantage of new york city cultural resources to complement their classroom work. Athletics at mastersmasters believes athletics plays a crucial role in developing students' character and encouraging healthy and enthusiastic competition. Through athletics our student-athletes learn how to be responsible for not only themselves but for their teammates, coaches, family and community - preparing them for the many challenges in life. Masters coaches consistently challenge athletes while honoring participation, achievement and effort through our programs. Our success is not measured in victories alone, but also in the individual development of each student-athlete. Our athletes strive to be the best person they can be whether it's in the classroom, on the playing field or in the community. We believe that the skills our student-athletes develop during their time at masters will help mold them into productive members of society. About the athletic program60 competitive teamsfall: cross country, field hockey, soccer, girls' tennis and girls' volleyballwinter: basketball, fencing, indoor track and field, squash and swimmingspring: baseball, golf, lacrosse, softball, boys' tennis, boys' volleyball, track and fieldleagues, conferences and associationsfaa - fairchester athletic associationisfl - independent schools fencing leaguenysais - new york state assoc. Of independent schoolsnepsac - new england prep school athletic councilpsaa - private school athletic associationnycal - new york city athletic leaguedistinctive programsethical leadershipat masters, we understand that tomorrow's leaders will need not only the basic skills of leadership, but also a deep understanding of who they are and what they value. A key component of leadership is learning strategies for holding true to those values when encountering challenges. The ethical leadership project was designed with these aspects in mind. Our goal for the program is that all members of the community can engage in a common exploration to become a power for good in our communities and our world. The ethical leadership project at the masters school cultivates an environment in which students, faculty and staff engage in activities that develop a deeper understanding of themselves and the impacts they have on their communities. Teaching integral components of leadership and mentoring students in meaningful leadership experiences, the project empowers students to choose positive action and pursue lives of significance. Innovation and entrepreneurshipinnovation, engineering and computer science programsmasters' innovation, engineering and computer science programs aim to cultivate ingenuity by challenging students to think creatively, strategize and problem-solve. Our goal is to encourage students to think, do and make, and to foster a cross-disciplinary, entrepreneurial thought process, while developing skills, ideas and character traits. Through a project-based model, our students build confidence, accumulate hands-on experience, take risks, nurture unconventional talents and tackle real-life challenges. Design thinking and social entrepreneurshipin design thinking and social entrepreneurship, students learn the principles of "design thinking" with a focus on entrepreneurship as a "power for good in the world. " design thinking is a human-centered approach to creativity and innovation that integrates the needs of society with the requirements for business success. Through dynamic harkness discussions, students come to understand the mindset of entrepreneurs and how business can drive social change. Additionally, students explore the fundamental principles of finding inspiration, product/service creation and prototyping, implementation in the real world and small-business operational skills. Engineering programthroughout a four-year curriculum, masters students can earn college credits while they learn about the engineering design process and the common approach to solving engineering problems. Through individual and collaborative hands-on activities and a project-based learning pedagogy, students solve open-ended problems that require planning, documentation, communication and other advanced professional skills. Global and civic exchange programmasters global and civic exchange program inspires students to engage with and understand the critical issues facing today's world as well as prepare them for the wider, more complicated world ahead. Through a variety of international educational opportunities, students' current views of the world are challenged and expanded upon. These experiences leave a lasting impression that change how students see the world. Companies today seek out employees who can think globally, those who have been exposed to and engaged with the world beyond the united states and can comfortably navigate all types of diversity with empathy and a strong ability to forge connections. Masters upper school students have participated in transformative experiences like a two-week-long homestay at a tibetan buddhist monastery in lijiang, china, and a progressive boarding school in tokyo, japan. They've joined students from one of our partner schools in the dominican republic to help make repairs to their nursery schools and have explored historical and social issues in santo domingo, met rising baseball stars, spoke with political leaders and more-all in the company of their host families. Students have also traveled abroad for spring break to destinations such as cuba and montreal. On campus, students have had the opportunity to interact with exchange students from dakar, senegal, among other places. In becoming global citizens both abroad and on campus, students hone their interpersonal skills and cultural knowledge. Masters global mindset also benefits from a very diverse student population. With 200 boarding students, 80 of whom are international students from more than 30 countries, the school is a global community that is abuzz with activity seven days a week.

effect: sustainability at masterseffect is the student-run sustainability committee at the masters school. Its mission is to find ways to incorporate sustainable practices into our school, to utilize our beautiful 96-acre campus to its fullest potential, and to engage the entire school community in these efforts. Students at the masters school define sustainability as the careful management and wide use of the planet and its resources. It is the ability to meet present needs without compromising the survival of future generations. More simply, sustainability is being green. Effect students are divided into six key groups that focus on issues such as waste reduction, recycling, sustainable use of land, energy conservation and cross-disciplinary integration of sustainable practices in the curriculum. Mish: service learning at mastersmish is how service learning is brought to life at masters. Mish stands for "masters interested in sharing and helping. " what it really represents is a distinctive ethos of generosity, thoughtfulness and community involvement that pervades the masters school. Students have the opportunity to apply what they learn in school to the world around them through service learning. We do not require students to complete a certain number of hours of service before graduation; rather, our students contribute to the school and greater community because they are inspired and understand the many rewards of giving.