Welcome to Upper School

Curiosity Finds Direction—and Gains Momentum

At SLS, questions like What do I care about? and What’s next for me? don’t wait until junior year.

You’ll start asking them early through Compass Coaching, where, beginning in 8th grade, students reflect on their strengths and map out real possibilities. From there, momentum builds fast.

You’ll dive into challenging academics, learning to shape sharp arguments and solve for x—but also turn a hallway into a museum of ancient Egypt (complete with student-built exhibits and scannable QR codes), build a walkable model of a human cell, or 3D-print an adaptive device for local senior citizens. During JServe, you might spend a week designing solutions to real community needs or log into Global Online Academy to explore climate policy or neuropsychology with classmates from Shanghai to São Paulo.

And when you’re ready, our 40+ Advanced (College-Level) Courses aren’t just tougher, they’re bolder. Built in-house, they stretch your thinking in ways a textbook never could. By the time you're presenting original research at Scholars Symposium—on everything from saving Manhattan from floods to seeing if AI can beat your uncle’s March Madness bracket—you’ll be leading your own learning, with the confidence and clarity to take on whatever comes next.

Leadership, Service, and Belonging

When you hear “leadership,” you might picture titles and spotlights. But that’s rarely how it begins at SLS.

Maybe it’s a class discussion that shifts your perspective. A service project that sticks with you. A debate with a student in Nairobi in your Global Online Academy course. A classmate’s personal speech that hits harder than you expected.

Leadership here grows through reflection and action—through experiences that open your eyes to different cultures, communities, and ways of thinking. You’ll explore real-world challenges, serve with purpose, and discover what it means to lead with humanity, not just ambition.

By the time you step into a formal role (or create one), you’ve already begun leading in the ways that matter most.

Your Experience, Your Way

High school at SLS is yours to shape, and that includes what happens beyond the classroom.

Join a team. Build a robot. Write a play. Lead a club. Talk it out in Advisory. Whether you’re diving into something new or going all-in on what you already love, you’ll find the freedom and the encouragement to make it count.

Some athletes come to SLS already club-seasoned. Others discover their sport right here on our fields, courts, and trails. Whether you’re scoring goals or building grit, you’ll be supported by coaches who are more than clipboard carriers; they’re motivators, mentors, and believers in your potential.

The league play is no joke—we compete in the FAA and NEPSAC—but what really sets us apart is the culture: Respect. Hustle. Heart. And a team-first mentality that sticks with you long after the season ends.

Bring your game. Bring your heart. Then watch what we build together.

Explore Upper School Athletics

Whether you’ve been performing since preschool or only recently found your creative spark, this is a place to explore it fully and discover what you’re capable of. Our teachers are artists in their own right, and they’ll challenge you to level up while keeping the joy in the process.

Options span every medium: visual art, music, theater, digital media, stagecraft, and more. Many of our students build advanced portfolios or earn top regional honors, but what we care about most is authentic expression.

The vibe? Creative buzz. Honest feedback. Big laughs. And a sense that what you make here matters.

Make it bold. Make it weird. Make it yours.

Explore Upper School Arts

You might run warmups for a sixth-grade soccer team, chase a story for The Sentinel, argue both sides of a thorny policy in Debate, or DJ a 7:00 a.m. radio show your mom says is “actually pretty good.” Whether you’re racking up points on the squash court or playing dead in a student-written murder mystery, odds are you’ll surprise yourself—and maybe everyone else, too.

Got an idea that’s off the beaten path? Advisors help you make it work. Many students launch something of their own—or chase a passion that doesn’t exist here… yet.

Not sure where to start? Our alums have a tip: “Say yes to everything. You’ll figure it out—and love it—as you go.”

During your time at SLS, you’ll build emotional awareness, self-advocacy, and leadership skills through grade-level programming, health mini-courses, and the RULER approach from Yale’s Center for Emotional Intelligence.

If and when you need extra support, our Well-Being & Academic Support team is here for you. From short-term counseling and social-emotional learning to expert academic coaching, they work closely with you, your family, teachers, and outside providers to meet your needs. Whether you're managing stress or strengthening study habits, you'll gain tools for success.

You’ll also have a dedicated advisor and Compass coach who both know you well—and a network of mentors and motivators (deans, coaches, and more) who’ve got your back.

And behind the scenes, our Community Support Services Team—experts in well-being, academics, and inclusion—meets regularly to make sure no student falls through the cracks. If something feels off, they’ll step in and connect the dots.

Together, a community of adults is looking out for you, guiding, checking in, and celebrating your wins along the way.

Because well-being isn’t separate from achievement, it’s what makes it possible.

Explore Well-Being at SLS

Where SLS Takes You

SLS graduates don’t just leave with a diploma. They leave with direction, a voice, and the ability to rescue your presentation and charm your audience.

Our alumni thrive in all kinds of places: from Ivy League campuses to design studios, research labs to startups, Capitol Hill to classrooms of their own. Some jump straight into careers. Others take the scenic route. What they share is confidence, clarity, and the curiosity to keep growing.

We don’t chase prestige for prestige’s sake. We help you discover what matters to you, then find the right next step to match. With expert college guidance and real support, you get there, ready.

Ready to advocate. To collaborate. To take the mic. Because at SLS, you won’t just study; you'll speak up, step in, and figure out who you are and how you want to lead.

Explore Where They Go  College Counseling