Academics
Upper School
Destination: Bold Outcomes
Our most mature students, building on their passion for learning developed in younger years, are developmentally ready to take on intensive critical thinking, analysis and preparation for the country's most selective secondary schools. Upper Schoolers practice leadership and collaboration. Individually and collectively, they respond to important challenges around issues of integrity, character and responsibility.
Grades seven through nine also provide the opportunity for students to acquire the habits of mind, creativity, perseverance and independent thought, which foster lifelong learners. Our Upper School students not only seize opportunities, they create them.
As a result Upper School students experience the interconnectedness of school: How working collaboratively with teachers develops individual autonomy, how working closely with peers encourages independent thinking, and how fostering intrinsic motivation helps with external assessments, including the SSAT or ISEE.
Learn more about our Grade 9 program.
Learn more about our Grade 9 program.
Our Upper School Students
In the Upper School, students develop sophisticated critical thinking and computational skills across a wide range of subjects and disciplines. Their homework load increases in quantity and complexity as they to manage their time independently and plan for multifaceted research, writing and design projects.
Our subject-specific curricular objectives in the Upper School include:
- Language Arts: Gaining a broad exposure to classic and contemporary literature through analysis and discussion; Writing in many genres in order to develop voice, master critical thinking skills and learn accuracy of mechanics and expression.
- Mathematics: Learning the fundamentals of problem-solving, abstract expressions and the complete foundational topics of algebra and geometry.
- Science: Studying environmental, life and physical science, as well as biology, including honors biology.
- History/Social Studies: Learning American History, World Cultures and World History, and hone their research and evidence-based writing skills.
- World Language: Working toward fluency in Spanish or begin the study of French or Latin through ninth grade.
- The Arts: Choosing among 30 arts electives that focus on skill, craftsmanship and the aesthetic process.
Tweets from Upper School
Upper School News
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Grade 8 Rocket-Science: Students Shoot for the Moon in Community Building STEM Activity
Read MoreWorking in small teams, eighth graders designed, built and launched 23 rockets using recycled materials, creativity, and their knowledge of Newton’s Laws of motion, friction, mass and acceleration, and aerodynamics. The STEM-themed project was part of three-days of grade-wide community building and experiential learning activities, held April 19 - 21.
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NBC News Correspondent Shares Life Lessons with NCCS 9th Graders
NBC News correspondent Stephanie Gosk was on campus today to speak with ninth graders about her career as a reporter covering some of the most historic moments in modern history. Gosk, the aunt of Charlie ’19, Fiona ’21 and Louisa ’23 shared stories about some of her more interesting assignments, what inspires her about the subjects she covers, and life lessons she learned during the course of her over twenty-year-long career.Read More -
Extra, Extra "Newsies" Performed on the NCCS Stage
Read MoreNew Canaan Country School seventh through ninth grade drama students performed the musical “Newsies” for members of the school community, family and friends in the school’s auditorium during three showtimes all held, Feb. 27.The shows were the culmination of a trimester-long study of the production of a musical and provided students with opportunities to further their development of vocal, dance and acting skills. The 20-member cast and crew also worked on choreography, set design and construction, solo and ensemble singing, positional awareness, pacing and scene transitions. -
Country School Eighth-Grader Collects and Donates 6,000 Books to Horizons
Read MoreCountry School eighth-grader Michael Bria of Wilton will deliver 6,000 books Saturday, Sept. 24 to the Horizons at New Canaan Country School community (which serves students grades K-12) as part of an Eagle Scout project he has been working on for several months. The idea of sharing his love for reading began at a much earlier age however. -
New Canaan Country School Holds Closing Exercises
Read MoreAt New Canaan Country School’s Closing Exercises Tuesday, June 14, Head of School Aaron Cooper encouraged the members of the Class of 2022 to draw upon the many strengths they developed during their tenure at the Pre-K through Grade 9 school, particularly the skill of leaning in to challenge. The graduates, their families, faculty and staff gathered on the front lawn of the school’s campus for the outdoor ceremony. -
The Halloween Parade: A Treat of an NCCS Tradition
A much-beloved annual tradition, New Canaan Country School’s Lower School community (Grade 1- 4 students and faculty) gathered Oct. 31 to celebrate the season by marching in a Halloween Parade around the school’s campus. Led by Head of School Mr. Cooper, adorned for the day in a Tigger costume from the story Winnie-The-Pooh, and Head of Lower School Mrs. Mallin, as Piglet, the parade also included the fifth and sixth grade members of the school's marching band and an oversized paper mache marionette of a skeleton, made and operated by fourth-grade art students.Read More -
Stevens Night - A Celebration of Upper School Arts and Community
Read MoreOver 300 members of the Upper School community gathered for Stevens Night, a celebration of the seventh through ninth grade arts programs, held in and around the Upper School’s Stevens Building, the evening of Nov. 16. All students participated in both a performing arts class and a visual art class during the Fall semester, so there was a lot to see and experience. -
2022 French Mousse-Off Winners Announced
Read MoreThe results are in! The winners of the 2022 French Mousse-Off are seventh grader Luke Gutierrez, eighth grader Annsley Leclerc and ninth graders Louisa Gosk and Lillian Back. Scoring for the annual culinary contest is based on taste and execution as well as overall presentation of the delicious dessert often associated with haute cuisine. Students may choose to use the traditional chocolate recipe, or experiment with others. -
Upper School Experiences Democratic Process with Student-Government Elections
Read MoreNearly 25 New Canaan Country School candidates vied to fill 9 positions of leadership during the Upper School’s (Grades 7-9) student government elections, held Sept. 28 through Oct. 19. -
Eighth and Ninth Graders Seek Challenge, Find Community in Adirondack Adventure
Read MoreEighth and ninth graders had the opportunity to practice skills such as problem-solving, collaboration, courage and resilience Sept 13-16 during their adventure trips in the Adirondack mountains. -
New Canaan Country School Celebrates Eighth Graders
At New Canaan Country School’s Celebration of Eighth Graders, Monday, June 13, Head of Upper School Karl Palmgren recognized the 61 members of the Class of 2023 as kind, genuine and talented.Read More -
New Canaan Country School Students Earn National Recognition on World Language Exams
Read MoreStudents from New Canaan Country School’s Upper School division (grades 7-9) participated in the 2022 National World Language exams in March and April yielding 52 medals of honor as well as state and national distinctions of merit. Of particular note, eighth-grade French student Anna Zhuperina of Greenwich and seventh-grade Latin student Lucy Ward of Darien each received first-place recognition nationally as a result of their perfect scores.
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New Canaan Country School
New Canaan Country School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin and are afforded all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, sex, sexual orientation, national origin or ancestry, or disability in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, financial aid policies or any other school-administered programs.
