Engaging, experiential,
cross-disciplinary and
project-based learning

At Barrie School, we offer off-campus field trips that allow students to explore Washington DC, the Northeast, and the world, depending on whether it's a local day trip, an overnight trip to the greater DC area, or globally as part of our Extended Student Week (ESW) program.   

Off-Campus Field Trips

Locally, we take advantage of our proximity to Washington DC, by engaging the greater DC area as a classroom,  a learning laboratory in which students and faculty learn together. The Smithsonian museums; Brookside Gardens, a fifty-acre public display garden; the Supreme Court and Congress; and various other organizations are just a few of the places our students have frequented. 

Extended Study Week (ESW)

The Extended Study Week (ESW) program is a collection of co-curricular projects that include a week of specialized instruction, providing both individual and community experiences that extend learning beyond the classroom for our Middle and Upper School students.

This immersive learning experience offers unique, cross-disciplinary experiences in the classroom as well as off-campus field trips and opportunities for overnight travel. Each year, students are offered a choice of developmentally appropriate projects tied to curriculum and grade themes. To support a cohesive program, these offerings cycle every two to three years. This approach maximizes choice and exposure to diverse activities.

Projects range from exploring the affects of human actions on the coral reef in Belize to studying the role of traditional culture in shaping modern literary identities in Ireland; exploring ethics in journalism in Washington DC to civil rights in the Deep South. These projects foster collaboration and provide venues for students to create, innovate, and problem solve. 

The Belize: Marine Science project gave us a real-world perspective on the topics we studied. Instead of just learning about ecosystems, marine life, and Belizean culture in the classroom, we traveled to Belize and learned directly from the people who live there. ESW inspires us to go above and beyond.

Student