Learners Today, Leaders Tomorrow!

Similar to our middle school program, project-based learning is at the core of the Upper School curriculum. At Barrie you will find students working individually and collaboratively on projects that are not only academically rigorous, but that also build character and make a difference, allowing them to develop respect, compassion, and a sense of responsibility for individuals, our community, and the global community. 

2023-24 Course Catalog

While allowing for some degree of student “voice and choice,” rigorous projects are carefully planned, managed, and assessed in order to help students learn key academic content, practice 21st Century skills (such as collaboration, communication and critical thinking), and create high-quality, authentic products,  presentations, and experiences to prepare for the academic demands of college courses and the personal skills they will need to thrive in a constantly changing world. 

As students move through their years in the Upper School, they encounter a growing number of course choices, including numerous opportunities for advancement and specialization. We blend rigorous academic classes, superb creative and performing arts, and opportunities to pursue individual passions and intellectual interests through our AP,  Signature, and elective courses. Co-curricular opportunities, such as Model UN,  Makerspace,  and Wellspring Magazine, to name just a few, allow students to pursue their passions beyond the classroom and develop leadership skills and the ability to work with others in the pursuit of excellence.

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.

Student, Class of 2017