From your first day until graduation day, your learning experience at SLS is anything but one-size-fits-all. You’ll be supported by teachers who truly know you, but also challenge you with ideas and projects that broaden your view of the world.
Along the way, you’ll dig into your interests, sharpen your voice, and gain the tools to take on whatever comes next.
A Culture of Teaching That Lifts You Higher
What sets SLS apart isn’t just what you learn, it’s who’s guiding you.
Your teachers won’t just stand at the front of the room and lecture. They’ll pull up a chair beside you, ask tough questions, and nudge you out of your comfort zone.
They’re more than just subject experts (more than 75% hold advanced degrees); they’re mentors, motivators, and often your biggest fans. Many teach you in the morning and cheer you on at a game that afternoon. And they’re not alone. Coaches, advisors, and a close-knit community of adults all have their eyes on your growth.
With that kind of support, you won’t just feel ready to try hard things—you’ll start to chart your own course—with purpose and confidence.
SLS teachers help you build your voice. They push you, but it’s because they know you and want to see you grow.
- SLS Student
What We Teach
From day one, you’ll build a strong academic foundation and stretch beyond it. Our curriculum covers the essentials while encouraging you to think big and connect the dots:
- Math and science through real-world problem-solving
- Writing, reading, and research across disciplines
- Public speaking that builds voice and poise
- History and global studies with multiple perspectives
- Spanish, French, and Mandarin—starting in grade 5
- Emerging technology, coding, and responsible AI exploration
- Visual and performing arts to inspire creativity and confidence
How We Teach
We don’t just teach subjects. We teach you how to think, question, and grow:
- Small, discussion-based classes
- Project-based learning
- Spiraling review to deepen understanding over time
- Real-world immersion and playful practice
- Creative use of technology to extend (not replace) thinking
This is learning that lasts. It’s how you’ll grow sharper, bolder, and more engaged every year.
Signature Learning That Sparks Purpose
Learning here isn’t confined to a desk or test. It’s hands-on, wide-ranging, and often led by your own questions. You’ll stretch your thinking and find real meaning in what you do.
Along the way, you’ll take part in signature experiences like these that shape the journey:
- Compass Coaching – one-on-one mentoring to help you reflect, plan, and grow
- Scholars Program – our highest form of independent study and scholarship
- Emerging Technologies & AI Ethics – creative problem-solving, robotics, and responsible innovation
- Leading with Humanity – our signature leadership curriculum, grounded in self-awareness, ethics, and real-world action
- Declamations – public speaking with purpose and vulnerability
- Global Learning & Service – awareness and action, from local partnerships to Model UN
These experiences are core to your education. And they’re part of what makes SLS different: learning that moves you, challenges you, and helps you chart a path that’s entirely your own.
Learn more about Middle School
Learn more about Upper School
A Journey That Builds
At SLS, the 5–12 model isn’t just a structure, it’s a strategy.
Our Middle and Upper School teachers work together to make sure each year builds on the last, with just the right mix of freedom, feedback, and challenge.
By the time graduation day rolls around, you’ll walk off the Hilltop with direction and the confidence that comes from loving to learn.
- Grades 5–6: Build confidence and curiosity in a culture of care
- Grades 7–8: Explore new roles: speaker, coder, advocate, designer
- Grades 9–10: Deepen skills through more choice and interdisciplinary work
- Grades 11–12: Specialize and stretch with Advanced (College-Level) Courses, Capstones, and the Scholars Program
What We Aim For
An exceptional education should do more than check boxes; it should help you take off. At SLS, you’ll be known, supported, and lifted by challenge, encouragement, and real purpose.
Our Portrait of a Learner captures what really matters. It’s a clear set of skills and traits—like critical thinking, empathy, and practical problem-solving—that we believe every student should develop by the time they graduate.
It’s not just a graphic. It helps shape what and how you will learn. And it’s a shared goal for students, teachers, and families to make sure you leave here ready to lead, connect, and thrive wherever you go next.
Ready for What’s Next
Rarely does an 18-year-old have life fully mapped out, but SLS grads know how to ask questions, find their footing, and keep moving forward. They leave here prepared to learn, grow, and do hard things.
- 100% college matriculation
- 90% say they felt better prepared than their college peers
- Enrolled at 150+ colleges and universities in 20+ states and four countries
Whatever comes next, our grads are ready to take it on, with know-how, heart, and grit.
