Upper School
Grades 9-12
Questioning everything and capable of anything.
Our upper schoolers are not only prepared for college, but they are also prepared for whatever the future brings them.
In upper school, students gain a wealth of deep experiences, cement their identity, become comfortable with challenge, and excited by the idea of whatever might come next. They become adept at thinking critically and igniting ideas that inspire positive change. They crystallize the courageous hearts that free them to pursue their goals with resolve and confidence, and they wield the capable hands that will help them make their ideas and dreams happen.
Required
Come to our Spring Admission Open House
Our curriculum uses a project-based learning approach that brings lessons to life and makes learning more engaging and meaningful. Students work on projects lasting from a week to a full semester, each centered on solving a real-world problem or answering a complex question. This builds a deep understanding of core content while helping students think critically, communicate effectively, solve problems, and reflect on their learning.
From The Barrie Blog
![Critical Minds: Middle and Upper School]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1751460809/barrie/v3rxgunoyxw4hcqvi5aa/HendersonCDwan_3.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1751460809/barrie/v3rxgunoyxw4hcqvi5aa/HendersonCDwan_3.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1751460809/barrie/v3rxgunoyxw4hcqvi5aa/HendersonCDwan_3.jpg","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1751460809/barrie/v3rxgunoyxw4hcqvi5aa/HendersonCDwan_3.jpg","width":861}])
Dr. Dwan Henderson
At Barrie, we ask students not only to question the world around them, but to test it, build it, revise it, and sometimes even float on it. Curiosity here is not abstract. It is embodied. It is social. It is iterative. And it is deeply human.
In the Middle and Upper School, critical thinking evolves from exploration of materials to exploration of ideas, systems, identities, and real-world constraints. The throughline remains the same: students learn best when they are trusted with meaningful problems, thoughtful structure, and the space to discover what they are capable of.
Take our Humanities 12 Intersectionality Project, for example. Students begin by examining the layered dimensions of their identities—race, gender, class, language, culture, ability, belief—and how those layers intersect to shape lived experience differently for every individual. But the work does not end in reflection on their own experiences.
Barrie instilled in me a love of learning coupled with a strong set of core values that developed as a result of countless leadership opportunities. It provides the perfect atmosphere of nurture and challenge, both in and out of the classroom.
Alum, Class of 2017
Curriculum Highlights
Math
Science
Humanities
World Languages
Arts
Electives
Fall Expeditions
Extended Study Week