Upper School

SAM is a required four-year course for all high school students. Its purpose is to have students identify and analyze major issues of our time, choose one they wish to tackle independently and deliver solutions that positively impact the society at large. This work inspires our students to find and share their voices on important timely issues … and ultimately become innovators of change.

Aside from their independent research, students listen to college lectures, and guest speakers who are invited to campus. SAM instructors ensure that students have the tools and skills necessary to conduct interviews with experts in the field, create a problem statement, and find ways to make improvements. Topics range from hunger, poverty, migration, and Climate Change to human trafficking, body image, teenage mental health and gender identification. The end result is a more informed and engaged teenager who has produced a tangible platform that demonstrates how he/she can make a difference!

Community Service

Service-learning is built into our curriculum at every level, from their earliest years in Primary School through Upper School. Within our school community, this includes caring for the campus through stewardship, taking on specific roles in the community, and providing leadership through peer mentorship and support. It also means learning more about the needs of the greater international communities around us and partnering with outside organizations to help make meaningful changes in people’s lives.

Immersion in DAT is required in 9th and 10th grade and helps students complete their comprehensive SAM projects. This two-part course develops students as innovators who seamlessly unite the concepts of design, art, and technology to achieve great results. The exposure instills the necessary 21st-century mindset and skills needed to identify a topic, pose questions, research, analyze and effectively communicate ideas and solutions. This course also lays the groundwork for the use and integration of technology, presentation skills, design thinking, and compelling communication capabilities that will empower students to be effective leaders throughout high school, college and into their careers.

We aim to further develop our high school students into strong oral and written communicators. A series of ever-evolving classes focus on writing skills, speaking abilities, research and analysis. This work prepares them for success at the college level and to interview and enter the competitive job market after college. Our communications programming includes:

The Cushman High School curriculum’s Legal Studies track begins in 9th grade with the core class, Law and Society.  Students learn about the legal foundations of our government and how our legal system impacts and influences current events. The Legal Studies track continues into 10th-12th grade with a variety of legal electives aimed at educating students in both the substantive and procedural areas of law, including oral advocacy.  These electives include Gender and the Law, Trial Advocacy, Criminal Procedure, and Business Law to name a few.

The field of computer science spans several core areas including innovation and design, programming, web design, social media, hardware systems, computer theory, scientific monitoring and software systems. This area of study is combined with Cushman’s design-thinking, art and technology (DAT) curriculum giving it a uniquely creative approach to emerging technologies. Computer science is used to benefit many in society and this programming helps advance our students’ Society and Me (SAM) initiatives to make positive contributions to the world.

The goal of this programming is to help students develop the skills required to interact with and understand people from all cultures and from all parts of the globe, bridging the gap of cultural and human understanding. Establishing this kind of global perspective in our students provides them with a better understanding of the world we live in, the many similarities shared among people and effectively lifts the veil of stereotypes or divisiveness that may exist between groups.

At Cushman, we believe all students should have the opportunity to learn the life skill of financial management in high school. Understanding some key components can make a huge difference in their futures. Some of areas covered include:

Performing Arts Programming – Students choose a piano, chorus, or theatre course in their 9th-grade year giving them exposure to the performing arts as a way to open their minds to creative expression. In addition to advancing the skills of our musicians and performers, this class also inspires an appreciation for the arts and serves as a departure from other rigorous academics to enhances their focus and problem-solving skills.