Return to flip book view

Lawrence AcademyGroton, Massachusetts • www.lacademy.edu

OMNIBUS LUCET “THE

LIGHT SHINES FOR ALL”Lawrence Academy recognizes you for who you are and inspires you to take responsibility for who you want to become.Find Your Spark, Share Your Light

Lawrence Academy’s head of school since 2012, Dan Scheibe grew up on the Wesleyan University campus in Middletown, Conn. He earned his B.A. in literature from Yale University and advanced degrees from Princeton Theological Seminary and Wesleyan University. Dan has worked in independent schools as a teacher, coach, dorm head, and advisor for over 25 years, beginning at Jakarta International School. His first work in a residential environment was at Blair Academy, and he worked for more than a decade at Middlesex School immediately preceding his tenure at Lawrence Academy.Experience

Head of SchoolFrom ourDan ScheibeDear Prospective Students: e mission of Lawrence Academy is centered on YOU. In the mission statement spreading across the preceding pages, that repeated word punctuates the language that, in turn, grounds our purpose. In the life of the school, “you,” the student, are the focus of all our energy and attention. It is rare for a school to live by such a statement, but that is the experience of Lawrence Academy. We seek to recognize, inspire, support, and empower YOU. Nothing is more important or transformative in life at this age. Nothing is more important to us as a school. Lawrence Academy was founded over 200 years ago to bring the transformative power of education to a country in its earliest stages of development. In that spirit, education was something to be shared in constructing a good society. Our school’s modern expression continues this commitment: We realize the power of the individual — YOUR potential — to activate broader goals. We believe education made real serves the greater good, and we have always believed this. is broadest sense of mission depends on the attitude we hold toward our students. We care for our students with generosity, optimism, and interest, and when we are at our best, we aspire to nothing less than full and honest self-expression. Such a sense of self-realization is a goal for all young people, all parents, all educators. e connection that arises from a commitment like this is powerful and meaningful: It helps an individual thrive, contribute, and prosper. For life. We warmly invite you to nd this sense — unique to YOU — of possibility and mission at Lawrence Academy.

Our CampusADMISSIONS 1 Schoolhouse DINING HALL 2 Gray Building HEALTH CENTER 3 Dana House ACADEMICS 1 Schoolhouse 4 Ansin Academic Building 5 Ferguson Building (Library/College Counseling) 6 Media Conference Center ATHLETICS 7 Stone Athletic Center 8 Grant Hockey Rink 9 Spaulding-Stearns Fields 10 Murbach Field (turf) 11 Shumway Fields ARTS 2 Gray Building 5 Richardson-Mees Performing Arts Center201514313125624111

STUDENT RESIDENCES 12 Lawrence House 13 Bigelow Hall 14 Brazer House 15 Prescott House 16 Dr. Green House 17 Spaulding Hall 18 Pillsbury House 19 Elm Tree Hall 20 Loomis House161887191791050 minutes from Boston, Mass. Acres140

e advisory system is at the heart of the Lawrence Academy experience. At its most basic, an advisory group is 4-8 students of varying grade levels, backgrounds, and friend groups, and a faculty member advisor, who see each other every school day. Advisors monitor their students’ welfare and academic progress, are in charge of students’ bi-weekly comments cards, and are also families’ main point of contact at LA. However, advisory groups are much more than a required daily check-in: ey’re close-knit units where students should gain condence and inspiration, and feel safe to share both triumphs and struggles. e advisor and fellow ad-visees provide guidance, motivation, and friendship; some celebrate birthdays and other big milestones. In short, an advisory group becomes an on-campus family.ADVISORY AT LAWRENCE ACADEMY From the beginning, advisory has set the perfect tone for my time on campus. It is my safe place. Anything and everything - my advisor is there for me.” “

Build Trust and Camaraderiee advisory system is at the heart of the Lawrence Academy experience. At its most basic, an advisory group is 4-8 students of varying grade levels, backgrounds, and friend groups, and a faculty member advisor, who see each other every school day. Advisors monitor their students’ welfare and academic progress, are in charge of students’ twice-monthly progress reports, and are also families’ main point of contact at LA. However, advisory groups are much more than a required daily check-in: ey’re close-knit units where students should gain condence and inspiration, and feel safe to share both triumphs and struggles. e advisor and fellow advisees provide guidance, motivation, and friendship; some celebrate birthdays and other big milestones. In short, an advisory group becomes an on-campus family.students per advisory4-8

ACADEMICS AT LAWRENCE ACADEMY

Find New Ideas and PerspectivesStudent-centered learning is essential to Lawrence Academy’s academic program. Our faculty teach students how to think, not what to think; throughout the year, they’re assessing students’ interests and needs, and adapting to them. Lawrence Academy’s goal is to see students grow in knowledge, condence, and empathy, and to evolve as their guides as needed. Students should graduate not just as well-developed individuals, but as well-developed individuals with a mission and a passion for that purpose.5:1 student-faculty ratio 400 students

What courses can I take at Lawrence Academy? 140 academic offerings 13 students/class averageACADEMIC BLOCK SCHEDULE As part of Lawrence Academy’s focus on student-centered learning, the school uses long block scheduling. With the long block schedule, students take a typical course load, but switch between classes less often. Each class meets every other day in a 75-minute block, with advisory and assemblies, lunch, oce hours, and activity periods interspersed. Liberating students from the traditional idea of a high school schedule enhances their learning experience and makes it easier for them to invest more time and energy into investigating topics and areas of study.8:15-9:30 AM9:35-9:55 AM10:00-11:15 AM11:15-12:00 PM12:00-1:15 PM1:15-1:45 PM1:50-3:05 PMABCDAssemblyMondayLunch Available 10:45 AM-12:30 PM Office HoursEFDGAdvisoryTuesdayLunch Available 10:45 AM-12:30 PM Office HoursBCAAdvisoryWednesdayLunch Available 10:45 AM-12:30 PMCABAdvisoryStudent Sleep-In Faculty MeetingThursdayLunch Available 10:45 AM-12:30 PM Office HoursDGEFAssemblyFridayLunch Available 10:45 AM-12:30 PM Office Hours8:15-9:30 AM9:35-9:55 AM10:00-11:15 AM12:00-1:15 PM1:15-1:45 PM1:50-3:05 PMABCGAssemblyMondayLunch Available 10:45 AM-12:30 PMOffice HoursEFDAdvisoryTuesdayLunch Available 10:45 AM-12:30 PM Office HoursFEGAdvisoryWednesdayLunch Available 10:45 AM-12:30 PMCABAdvisoryStudent Sleep-In Faculty MeetingThursdayLunch Available 10:45 AM-12:30 PM Office HoursDGEFAssemblyFridayLunch Available 10:45 AM-12:30 PM Office HoursRED WEEK SCHEDULEBLUE WEEK SCHEDULEOmnibus (2:25-3:05)Clubs (1:50-2:20)11:15-12:00 PM

English Complete a year of English for every year at Lawrence Academy. Math Complete Math 3. Science Incoming 9th grade students: Complete physics, chemistry, and biology. Students entering after the 9th grade: Complete chemistry and biology. History Incoming 9th grade students: Complete three years, one of which must be U.S. History. Students entering after the 9th grade: Complete two years, one of which must be U.S. History. Foreign Language Complete two consecutive levels of any one language (French, Spanish, Latin, or Chinese), regardless of the level at which the student begins their freshman year. Art Incoming 9th grade students: Complete two years of art, one of which must be Artistic Expression. Students entering after the 9th grade: Complete the equivalent of one term of art for each year attending Lawrence Academy (i.e., a term course each year they are enrolled). ESL Students entering Lawrence Academy in the English as a Second Language program are expected to spend only two years in the program if they enter at the ESL intermediate level. ESL Literature and ESL Skills count as English credits; ESL Sociocultural Studies and ESL Bridge History count as history credits. After students are placed in the mainstream curriculum, they must meet the department requirements whenever possible. Non-native English speakers will not be given foreign language credit for their native language. Winterim Complete a two-week Winterim for every year at Lawrence Academy. Community Service Complete six hours of community service for every year at Lawrence Academy.LAWRENCE ACADEMY DIPLOMA REQUIREMENTS

At Lawrence Academy, English teachers want to know what students think, with students doing the work of good writers, good thinkers, and good readers every day. By learning and practicing six key skills – reading, writing, thinking, speaking, listening, and organizing – students will develop, support, and explain their points of view, and consider others’ viewpoints with care. roughout their English courses at Lawrence Academy, students will try their hands at writing and delivering monologues, speeches, and poems; some classes have begun podcasting as well. Students may participate in NPR’s “is I Believe” project and LA’s Judith French Poetry Recitation competition – both opportunities to discover what literature, forms of writing, and universal themes speak to them, and how to act on those discoveries. “ENGLISH AT LAWRENCE ACADEMYWrite expressively, speak eectively, and listen attentively I have grown in the LA English department because of how willing my teachers have been to push and challenge me to do my very best. Whether it’s meeting out-side of class or emailing me revisions late at night, my teachers have always given me the opportunity to strive for greatness by always being there for help when I need it.”advanced and honors-level courses40“

Lawrence Academy students are encouraged to do the intellectual work of historians and unlock knowledge of global events through investigation. By determining the meaning of an important idea or question for themselves, they are preparing to be active, engaged citizens in this global society; how they interpret that idea or answer that question will help them understand both the past and something about the human condition. e Lawrence Academy history department believes in bringing the material alive, rather than just giving students a fact to memorize. Teachers put an emphasis on active learning, inquiry, and simulation, and focus on depth of knowledge over breadth. After all, history is not a spectator sport. Emphasis is placed on active learning, inquiry, and simulation.HISTORY AT LAWRENCE ACADEMYFormulate meaningful questions The best thing about the LA History Department is the way it allows you to expand on your previous knowledge and learn new ways of thinking. The history department works to teach LA students new ways of viewing historical events and lets each student examine history in ways that feel most intriguing to them. This individual approach to learning allows for better conversations and discussions, which is why the LA history department has helped show me that learning and analyzing events and then discussing them with others is the best way for me to learn.”“

Lawrence Academy’s language department believes in learning modern languages through immersion, with a goal of complete communication in the target language as early as possible and, eventually, aural, grammatical, and oral uency. Students will make mistakes, of course, but immersion encourages them to take risks, trust themselves, and be vulnerable. As they learn, they’ll gain condence, expand their comfort zone, and grow by becoming comfortable with error. In the Latin program, students learn to become comfortable reading and analyzing the works of ancient Roman authors by acquiring skills both by closely reading and by discussing the grammatical constructions of the language. In addition to learning a new language, students will also learn that language’s culture and, when possible, engage with teachers and peers who speak the language natively, with the goal of becoming more culturally aware. By graduation, Lawrence Academy hopes its students see themselves as global citizens, with open minds and a new perspective.Navigate eectively across culturescountries represented17LANGUAGE AT LAWRENCE ACADEMY The LA language department has pushed me beyond merely memorizing vocabulary and toward greater comprehension. Teachers do not teach language merely for the sake of language. They use language to communicate ideas or cultural history.” “

Lawrence Academy’s mathematics department aims to give each student an integrated, personalized, and technology-rich experience. Students will nd comfort with numbers and mathematical ideas – and perhaps even an excitement for and love of the subject! All Lawrence Academy students must take Math 1 and Math 2, learning algebra and geometry, and Math 3, studying functions and applications; calculus, statistics, nancial math, and other courses are also available to upperclassmen. Many of LA’s classrooms use Flip-Mastery: Students are working at their own, controlled pace, leveling up only after acing a mastery check, meaning that one class will contain students at dierent, though close, levels. Students in Lawrence Academy’s math classes will need to memorize important math principles and theories, but thinking mathematically also means understanding how to apply that knowledge. Both independently and collaboratively, they’ll discuss problem-solving strategies, experiment with dierent approaches, and learn to recognize patterns; they’ll learn to think critically, enhance their reasoning skills, and gain condence with the subject through careful analysis. The best thing about the math department at LA is the atmosphere of curiosity that teachers bring to the classroom. They bring energy and excitement into the room and show everyone how fascinating mathematics is. Thanks to the teachers I’ve had, I always look forward to my math classes at LA.” Solve real-world problems with knowledge and creativityYou will learn to think critically, enhance your reasoning skills, and gain condence!“MATH AT LAWRENCE ACADEMY

The science department at LA has really helped me to develop strong analytical skills. I have learned how to research topics and how to ask meaningful questions in order to further my understanding." In Lawrence Academy’s science classrooms, students will learn to think like scientists: to look at the world with both curiosity and skepticism. ey’ll also discover that scientic reasoning – gathering information, putting it together, analyzing it, and evaluating it – is a skill necessary not just for scholarly pursuits but also for life in general in a day and age inuenced by science and technology. Within Lawrence Academy’s science department, the focus is on under-standing over memorization, and the scientic method as a way of thinking versus science as a collection of facts. Students will see how the skills they have picked up in other disciplines come into play in the sciences as well.Synthesize and adapt“SCIENCE AT LAWRENCE ACADEMY Lawrence Academy’s Freshman Physics course is a hands-on, conceptual class that teaches and uses engineering design principles. Students complete multiple challenges, both simple and complex, to learn design-focused ways of thinking and technological design principles that will help them better approach finding solutions to modern-day problems.

Lawrence Academy is committed to the arts as an academic pursuit, not simply something to try in addition to the classic high school subjects. In addition to having arts choices as afternoon co-curricular options, Lawrence Academy students dig into their creative side as part of their required coursework. Lawrence Academy’s arts program is a welcoming, inclusive, and fertile environment that fosters curiosity and creativity. rough their arts studies, students will learn both the creative skills needed to express themselves and the technical skills needed to communicate their vision eectively. ey’ll work with integrity, independence, and an open mind, developing an awareness of both themselves and the world around them. ose students entering in the ninth grade are required to take a year-long Artistic Expression course. In subsequent years, all students are required to take at least three terms of art in order to graduate.In 2022, the Lawrence Academy Singers, lead by LA’s Director of Music Jenny Cooper, traveled to New York City to perform at Carnegie Hall for the fourth time since 2014. LA students join together with peers from throughout the country for the high-profile performances.Develop in courage and condence 88 full-time faculty members 60 with advanced degreesARTS AT LAWRENCE ACADEMY

Lawrence Academy students receive electronic progress reports from their teachers during advisory group meetings on a bi-weekly basis. Teachers’ reports provide students with praise, encouragement, and constructive criticism, as well as advice, reinforcement, and specic pointers for improving academic performance. Because comments are addressed to the students themselves, this system allows the students to take responsibility for their learning, with the student's advisor supporting that ownership. Perhaps more importantly, the frequency and consistency of teachers' feedback gives advisors insight into patterns or changes in a student’s attitude or behavior that could be the rst sign of a problem. A teacher’s written comment can spark a one-on-one session, a larger conversation, or a phone call home to the student’s family. Opening the door for these sorts of interventions bi-weekly often helps clear up misunderstandings or solve a potential problem early on.Foster exceptional connectionsTHE LAWRENCE ACADEMY FEEDBACK SYSTEMStudents receive teacher progress reports 2times per month

Lawrence Academy students, like all 21st-century teenagers, are faced with sometimes-overwhelming realities as they discover themselves and learn their place in their local, national, and global communities. e Omnibus program is a non-academic space within the school day to discuss larger issues – life skills, study skills, and social and emotional topics – with the goal of helping students learn more about and process these issues in the comfort of a safe and open environment.Find empathy and compassion minutes per week dedicated to Omnibus30THE LAWRENCE ACADEMY OMNIBUS PROGRAM

At Lawrence Academy, we recognize that all learn dierently, and we believe those dierences make our community stronger. When individual learning dierences create academic challenges, Lawrence Academy provides a variety of supports to help students work toward their full academic potential. ese supports include individual attention from teachers in the classroom, as well as opportunities during weekly oce hours and in the library during study hours. For students who would benet from additional support, there is the learning support program. Students who utilize the learning support program meet with a learning coach either once or twice per week during their academic day. Time with a learning coach can be spent reviewing assignments, organizing materials, planning long-term projects, reviewing completed work, or supporting work completion. e goal of our learning coaches is to meet students where they are and set them up for success. Learning coaching is meant to be transitional and lead to academic independence. Students at Lawrence Academy may also qualify for academic accommodations, provided up-to-date testing has been provided. When a student seeking accommodations chooses Lawrence Academy, the director of learning support will provide the necessary information for requesting accommodations. LEARNING SUPPORT AT LAWRENCE ACADEMY

Enlist Help and Self-AdvocateApproximately 1/4 of Lawrence Academy students use learning coaching

Paloma Harker boarding student from Manchester, N.H.“I wanted to have a community that everyone was included in everything ...”

You’ll nd Paloma on the volleyball court in the fall and the lacrosse eld in the spring, but she’s heavily involved in Lawrence Academy’s arts program, too. e soon-to-be senior, a boarding student from Manchester, N.H., is in the Lawrencian Chorale, takes honors theatre, and has performed in multiple school musicals and one-act plays. “What really drew me into LA was the community based around sports and arts,” says Paloma, a circus performer since the age of six. “ere’s not really a divide between people, and I wanted to have a community that everyone was included in everything.” e student-athlete and student-artist is also a Spartan Leader and an Elm Tree Society member. As a co-leader of 1899, LA’s women’s club, Paloma works with the heads of the school’s other identity-based groups (dubbed Concordia clubs) to foster change and progress on campus that will benet the entire school community. “I feel like the school has trust in me,” she explains, “and I have trust in the school to prepare me for college and adult life.” And when Paloma has needed some extra help along the way, any number of LA community members have been there for her. Most students show up at teachers’ oce hours to ask questions and seek additional guidance, but Paloma has also worked with a math tutor and a learning coach, which she says built up her condence, organizational skills, and ability to self-advocate. “ere’s so many dierent ways to get help and ways to push you out of needing help,” she notes. “Being able to voice what I need help with is something I pride myself on, and I think it’s something that the school denitely helps you realize about yourself.” It’s a skill Paloma knows she’ll need in college, where her teachers and larger support system won’t always be so easily accessible. After attending two college summer programs – one at Brown and one at New York University – she’ll be applying to theatre programs with the help of her college counselor. “I know I’m so blessed to be able to come here. We actually get the help that we need in applying to college,” Paloma says. “e whole college counseling team is really nice, and everyone’s super helpful if we have any questions about anything.” Paloma...meet

“New experiences are a big part of life at LA...”Bryce Thomas boarding student from Randolph, Mass.

Lawrence Academy brought Bryce out of his shell. Here, the rising senior from Randolph, Mass., is a varsity basketball and lacrosse player, a Spartan Leader, and a dorm proctor – and he says people at his old school wouldn’t recognize him now. “I had my group of friends, and that was it. I kind of stayed to myself and stayed to my friend group,” Bryce explains. “At LA, doing new things, doing dierent things, has helped me reach out and get to know more people.” New experiences are a big part of life at LA, Bryce notes, whether that means playing a sport you’ve never played before (as Bryce did with lacrosse), taking an unfamiliar subject (an animation class, for example), or simply living away from home for the rst time. “Now, going into college, if I see a club that I like or an activity that I want to try or new friends I want to hang out with, I know it’s all about just trying it, getting yourself out there, getting out of your comfort zone,” Bryce reects. Bryce didn’t become this outgoing person alone, though: He’s received guidance from the adults on campus and formed friendships with his peers. A math teacher encouraged him to seek extra help during oce hours; his advisor encouraged him to try some new activities; fellow students quickly welcomed him into the community as a new sophomore and continue to share their own, dierent life experiences. As a campus leader, Bryce tries to encourage younger students to have similar experiences. “If I had a mentor at my old school to tell me, ‘Yeah, it’s good to get out of your comfort zone,’ then I probably would have,” he says. “Interacting with new students, I’m kind of giving advice to my younger self.”Bryce...meet

Explore and ExperimentWINTERIM AT LAWRENCE ACADEMYFor ve decades, Lawrence Academy has embraced the idea of experiential education through Winterim. e two-week mini-term in March is a central feature of LA’s educational program, breaking students out of their normal routines and encouraging them to open their minds, bodies, and hearts to new experiences. For some, Winterim is a cool, fun, and unique experience; for others, a Winterim program will end up inuencing their chosen path of study in college or their future career. Roughly 44 Winterim options are oered each year, with each course falling into one of ve areas: cultural immersion, academic eld study, service learning, crafts and skills, or outdoor adventure. Students can stay on campus and in the Groton area or venture out of state – or even out of the country – and are encouraged to take advantage of the diverse areas of study and explore a variety of options throughout their time at Lawrence Academy.

on-campus options20off-campus options24

Wildlife Photography in Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons

In 2022, a new Winterim course – Wildlife Photography in Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons – took a small group of Spartans west. e approximately dozen-person group traveled from Salt Lake City, Utah, to Idaho Falls, Idaho; West Yellowstone and Big Sky, Mont.; and the Teton Science School near Jackson, Wyo., during the two-week mini-term. “Big Sky Country is absolutely stunning: clean, clear, pristine, majestic, wide open, and unspoiled,” says Chris Margraf, Lawrence Academy’s assistant director of college counseling, a math teacher, and head Spartans varsity baseball coach, who co-led the trip with fellow faculty member eresa Ryan. “We wanted the students to genuinely appreciate, respect, and immerse themselves in the beautiful landscape that Montana and Wyoming oer without being distracted by social media or their cell phones, and develop an interest, prociency, and understanding of how to capture wildlife and landscapes through the art of photography.” Guided by park rangers, scientists, activists, and professional photographers, the Winterim group traversed the gorgeous locales by foot, cross-country skis, snowshoes, and snowcats, snapping photos of the landscapes and wildlife while learning about the area’s environmental issues. After two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, the trip was an opportunity to play and discover the outdoors, and to gain perspective, gratitude, and appreciation for the natural world, says Ryan. “My favorite part was being out of the daily routine of LA and the stress of the pandemic and simply being with students again,” she adds. “I truly enjoyed the opportunity for learning and getting to know kids in a dierent space, and getting to feel some normalcy by making memories together, laughing together, and having a great deal of gratitude for the experience.” LAWRENCE ACADEMY OFF-CAMPUS WINTERIM PROGRAMSaverage students per groupfaculty members per group12-142

For nearly 17 years, Lawrence Academy students have been exploring the United States government through e System. is on-campus Winterim program oers an honest, digestible look at how the organizations and people who run the country work. “I wanted to bring some knowledge to our students, so that if they’re talking about ‘the system’, they understand that it’s made up of regular people and buildings, and if you want to go see how it works, you can,” says e System Winterim leader Brian Feigenbaum, LA’s director of dance who also holds a law degree and has more than a decade of community and political organizing experience. “It’s our lives hanging in the balance, and if we don’t have the passion, education, and knowledge to make it work better, we are naïve – but, if we learn how the system works, we can eect change.” The System in Washington, D.C LAWRENCE ACADEMY ON-CAMPUS WINTERIM PROGRAMS

e System brings Lawrence Academy students to where government happens, allowing them daily opportunities to observe the system in action at both the state and federal levels and meet with elected ocials, think tank employees, and other members of the political system. During the rst week of Winterim, students spend their time in Boston; they then travel to Washington, D.C., for the second week. “You can’t help but come away from this Winterim with an increased respect for what we’re trying to do as a society,” Feigenbaum adds. “We aren’t always successful at it, but we aren’t by any means done evolving – and for us to continue to evolve, we need to know where we are now, where we come from, and what it looks like.”Cultural Immersion Greece Trip Costa Rica Trip Academic Field Study The System Sports Journalism Service Learning Therapeutic Horseback Riding Dominican Service Project Crafts and Skills Chess Archaeology in Italy Outdoor Adventure Kayaking in Belize Exploring the Galapagos Islands DEVELOP OPEN-MINDEDNESS: A SAMPLE OF WINTERIM COURSE OFFERINGS

STUDENT LIFE AT LAWRENCE ACADEMY Take Responsibility for Your CommunityBoarding and day. Artists and athletes. Local, national, and international hometowns. In these ways, and so many more, the Lawrence Academy community is a diverse one. e Lawrence Academy community is also an open one, and a safe one. By both their peers and LA faculty and sta, students are encouraged to step out of their comfort zones within a support system that will applaud them when they succeed and encourage them to try again when they fail. In all parts of school life, Lawrence Academy encourages the voices of each and every person on campus. As a whole, the community aims to acknowledge each individual’s unique qualities and perspectives, regardless of race, ethnicity, class, gender, sexuality, ability, religious aliation, and political views.organizations per yearLA volunteers at10-15

Highlights of LA’s Work in the Community • 10,000 meals packaged annually for Rise Against Hunger • $5,000-$8,000 raised yearly for various service projects • Every year, we collect: – 100 bags of food every two months for our local food pantry – 100 homemade blankets annually for Blanket Me – Toys for For the Love of Erica – Toiletries for Catie’s Closet • 15 beds built for Sleep in Heavenly Peace • 1-3 service project opportunities are available each weekend • 6 hours per student each year for one common goodpercent of our students participate in six community service hours each year 100service project opportunities are available each weekend 2-4

At Lawrence Academy, diversity isn’t about simply recognizing who you are as a unique person; it’s about acknowledging and exploring others’ diverse cultures and points of view, and creating, participating in, and sustaining a just, inclusive, and equal community, both on campus and in the world beyond LA. Faculty and sta want students to realize that, no matter who they are, they have a role to play in these eorts. To do this well, we understand that creating an environment where people are listening to one another is critical. When folks feel heard, they understand the part they play in building a community that is a reection of themselves. Lawrence Academy’s diversity, equity, and inclusion eorts encompass the full on-campus experience: A set of “community norms” guide how students, faculty, and sta interact with and treat each other. Programming throughout the year – including the Omnibus program and in-class discussions – brings these issues to the forefront. ese programs serve as an opportunity to call community members into the conversation. Identity-based student clubs, known together as Concordia clubs, bring like-minded students and their allies together, both to create a mini-community and involve students in each club’s chosen social cause. Concordia clubs all come together once per month as well, to encourage cooperation and explore how they intersect.Exhibit moral courage Our goal is to get students to understand that this work isn’t about diversity, it’s about community. In your ideal community, you want things to be equitable; you want people to feel included. They should see this as community work, because while today’s issue may not directly relate to them, tomorrow’s may.” – Raquel Majeski, assistant head for equity & community life“DIVERSITY INITIATIVES AT LAWRENCE ACADEMY students of color20%

A student’s fellow residents form another mini-community on campus, strengthening the feeling of camaraderie. Each dorm includes at least one faculty in residence, as well as student proctors, to provide care and leadership. Day students, too, are encouraged to get to know faculty members’ on-campus families and participate in the residential LA experience – that is, until it’s time to go to sleep at night. A full slate of on- and o-campus activities are available to Lawrence Academy’s boarders every weekend, and day students are welcome at all events as well, with no additional cost to any student. Student clubs are required to run two weekend activities per year, in addition to faculty-organized shuttles to nearby shopping areas, movie nights, trampoline park trips, dances, and more. ree times per year, Lawrence Academy hosts on-campus weekends, programmed with input from students.RESIDENTIAL LIFE AT LAWRENCE ACADEMY A home away from home Feel at homeMovie trip Dinner out at local restaurants Boston Museum of Science Movie night on campus Mall trip Trip to Roller Kingdom Community service projects Snow tubing trip Talent show on campus Comedy show on campusSAMPLE WEEKEND ACTIVITIESinternational students11%

Beyond Lawrence Academy’s classroom and co-curricular program requirements, students are encouraged to become involved and active members of the school’s student-centered community. Dozens of special interest-driven and community service-focused clubs exist on campus, led by students and overseen by faculty advisors. For those students who aspire to lead the Lawrence Academy community in one way or another, select opportunities are available as well. LAWRENCE ACADEMY CLUBSLead through inuence student-led clubs with faculty advisors100%

Serve the greater goodConcordia Clubs: Umoja LA Embassy 1899 Gender Sexuality Alliance Men’s Club The Politics Club Religious Club/Did Jew Know Service Clubs: Rise Against Hunger Community Service Advisory Board (LA Cares) Environmental Sustainability Council Interest Clubs: The Library Squad Art for All (S)hair Chess Club Spartan Eats The Innovation Club Audio Visual Club (A/V Club) Yearbook Academic Clubs: Literary Magazine Debate Club Business Club SAMPLE CLUB OPTIONS AT LALeadership Opportunities on Campus • Student Government (elected positions and open committees for anyone to serve on): Executive Board, Faculty-Student Senate, and Judiciary Council • Spartan Leaders (application required): The four focus areas are new students, the Moral Courage Task Force (MCTF), residential life, and international students • Elm Tree Society (application required) • Clubs (voluntary leadership) • Moral Courage Task Force (Concordia club leaders)

Mountain Day Every September, the entire Lawrence Academy community takes a break from the classroom and travels to New Hampshire to hike Mount Monadonck. Some take their time to reach the top; others run to climb it twice, even three times! One of LA’s oldest traditions, Mountain Day features a cook-out, gorgeous views, and an all-school photo at the summit – the perfect way to kick o the school year.Spoon Hunt Spoon Hunt is an annual, week-long, school-wide game of tag, for which both students and faculty can sign up. Participants start the week with a spoon with their name on one side and another participant’s name on the other, with the goal of nding and tagging the person on their spoon. Fancy footwork and strategy are required to be victorious! However, the entire community wins thanks to the camaraderie encouraged by the friendly competition.Lawrence Academy’s traditions are anything but boring; in fact, our community likes to mix the old with the new. Some school traditions are just emerging, while others have been mainstays on the annual calendar for years.Generate Spirit and Inclusivity LAWRENCE ACADEMY TRADITIONS

J. William Mees Visiting Scholar Program In October 2014, three months before the debut of his Tony Awards-winning musical Hamilton, Lin-Manuel Miranda visited Lawrence Academy to speak in classes and engage with students as part of the J. Williams Mees Visiting Scholar Program. Established in 2010, the program brings professionals to LA to give students a rsthand opportunity to learn what they do and how they have been successful in their elds. In addition to Miranda, past visiting scholars include poet Taylor Mali, science professor Dr. Peter M. Groman, singer-songwriter Dar Williams, nationally acclaimed author Andre Dubus III, and Irshad Manji, educator, author, and founder of the Moral Courage Project.Spirit Week Perhaps no week at Lawrence Academy is more fun than Spirit Week! Held annually during the last week of October, Spirit Week features plenty of surprises and encourages creative attire. Halloween is always celebrated, and other theme days have included Pajama Day, Twin Day, Pink-Out for Breast Cancer Awareness, and Spartan Spirit Day. Judith French Poetry Recitation Competition Each year, Lawrence Academy’s juniors participate in the three-round Judith French Poetry Recitation. Students select a poem to recite, rst in front of their English classmates, then, if selected, in a class-wide semi-nal. Nine or 10 juniors are then selected for the honor of reciting their poems in front of the entire student body, and a recitation competition champion is crowned.

Learn rough Artistic ExpressionARTS AT LAWRENCE ACADEMYIn one way or another, we all possess a desire to express ourselves – and Lawrence Academy students will nd numerous and varied options to engage their creative sides. LA’s arts program is both part of the school’s curriculum – a requirement for graduation – and part of students’ afternoon co-curricular options. Just as Lawrence Academy’s classrooms are personalized and collaborative, our arts program is about individual, yet collaborative, expression: Students are encouraged to nd excitement and take pride in their artistic eorts, and to appreciate the artistic abilities of those around them. Students will be creatively problem-solving and gaining a creative condence that will help them throughout life, no matter what career they pursue Each term culminates in Arts Week, a multi-day celebration of students’ work. A visual arts show, theatre productions, music concerts, and dance recitals give arts students the opportunity to proudly show o their creative work in front of the rest of the Lawrence Academy community.

Sample arts department offerings: The World of Dance, Lawrence Academy Singers, Ceramics, Digital Illustration, Improvisation, Drawing, Musicianship, Piano Class, Painting, and PhotographyDancers from Lawrence Academy have been invited to perform at the world-renowned Edinburgh Fringe Festival six times since 2003, as part of the international theatre festival’s American High School Theatre Festival program. Under the leadership of Director of Dance Brian Feigenbaum, LA students spend their spring and summer preparing for the big event, with the trip to Scotland for their performance becoming a highlight of the dancers’ time at Lawrence.

Xander Kirby boarding student from Belmont, Mass.Xander, a boarding student from nearby Belmont, Mass., chose dance as an afternoon activity his rst year at Lawrence Academy because some of his friends were signing up. Once he tried it, though, he was hooked. “I had a lot of fun with it because of the people that I was with and the dance teacher, Brian,” Xander explains. “He’s the best, and he makes things really entertaining and fun for us.” rough his two terms of dance – not to mention his theatre courses, two school musicals, and his visual arts studies, both during the academic day and in his spare time – Xander has discovered that expressing himself through art, quite simply, feels good. “ey’re all great ways for me to fulll myself and make myself happy,” he says. “I’ve learned that I get fulllment from those things.” Xander has landed many roles in community theatre musical productions, but his Honors eatre Ensemble class, specically, has given him opportunities he might not have otherwise had, including the chance to write, cast, and direct his own show. “I had so much fun with that,” Xander recalls, “and that’s an opportunity that I don’t think I would have had in other schools.” Xander, also the captain of LA’s cross country team, has been taking advantage of several of those unique-to-LA opportunities. As a senior, he’ll be taking a gender studies course, a class on forensics, and, he hopes, Honors Terrorism, Extremism, and Radicalism. “Trying out subjects and activities that are new but seem interesting is denitely encouraged, which I really like,” Xander says, “and I feel like there’s lots of options for classes that are interesting.”Xander...meet

theatre, dance, stage crew, music independentAfternoon activities arts options:“Trying out subjects and activities that are new but seem interesting...”

Emma came to Lawrence Academy from a school where she had about 400 classmates and barely knew half of them. Now, after two years on the elm tree-shaded hillside, the boarding student from Singapore knows each fellow member of the Class of 2024. “Everyone is just so supportive,” Emma says of LA. “Back in my old school, it was a very competitive environment. A lot of people, they just wanted to be the top, so usually at recitals and other events, everyone was very critical of each other but here, when people mess up, they just start clapping really, really loud. It just hypes up the whole atmosphere here.” Emma has been making art since she was about four years old. She took visual art, music, and drama classes at her old school and worked with a family friend who is an artist. At LA, Emma takes visual arts classes on campus, and cello lessons via Groton Hill Music Center, and sings in the Lawrencian Chorale. But her advisor, arts department chair and visual arts teacher Dina Mordeno, is among the adults who have helped Emma incorporate art into her life on campus in other ways. “Everyone here is trying to make their passion something they can do for the greater good,” Emma notes. With faculty and sta support, her art is displayed in the Development Oce and has been used on a Grandparents’ Day card and posters for on-campus events. Emma received a Gold Key from the Massachusetts Scholastic Art and Writing Awards competition; leads the Art for All club and helps with Consortium, LA’s literary magazine; and recently worked with other students to revive the school newspaper. “Instead of comparing everyone to each other teachers here get to know you individually, and they try to challenge you and because of the relationships with their teachers, people really want to push themselves,” reects Emma, who also plays golf and ice hockey and is a member of the Special Events Committee, a Spartan Leader, and her class president. “People are coming to LA not to prove to the teachers what they can do; it’s more like, I want to come here because I want to show the teachers that I’m willing to grow.”Emma...meetEmma Zhou boarding student from Singapore and China

LA@Groton Hill At Lawrence Academy, students have a wide range of music courses, vocal ensembles, and private lessons available to them. In addition to these on-campus offerings, Spartans are also encouraged and supported to venture off campus for instrumental music studies at the nearby Groton Hill Music Center. The LA@Groton Hill partnership aims to connect our instrumental music students with the greater community. At Groton Hill, students work with high-level peers and teachers while taking private lessons and participating in chamber, orchestra, and wind ensembles. Students who participate will also have access to see Groton Hill professional performances, workshops, and visiting artists. Less than a mile down the road, this state-of-the-art educational and performance center features two concert halls (1,000-seat and 300-seat), and rehearsal and teaching spaces.

Promote Respect, Integrity and Fair PlayATHLETICS AT LAWRENCE ACADEMY

Lawrence Academy values the team experience: being part of something bigger than yourself, part of a cohesive group working toward a common goal. Sports teach teamwork, of course, but also how to handle and overcome adversity, and how to deal with failure and learn from mistakes Lawrence Academy’s athletics program is deep, broad, and inclusive. We eld varsity, junior varsity, and thirds teams, so whether student- athletes are looking to compete intensely in their favorite sport or branch out and try a sport that’s entirely new, there’ll be a sport for them. Students interested in being part of a team, but not necessarily interested in playing, can take on the role of team manager/scorekeeper. athletic teams25

Team titles, 2014-2022: Varsity Baseball: 2022 ISL Champions Varsity Football: 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 ISL Champions; 2014, 2015, 2017 NEPSAC Bowl Champions Varsity Boys’ Hockey: 2016 NEPSAC-Small School Quarter-Finalists; 2018 NEPSAC Small School Champions; 2017, 2019, 2020 ISL Keller Division Champions Varsity Girls’ Hockey: 2017, 2022 NEPSAC Division 1 Quarter-Finalists Varsity Girls’ Field Hockey: 2017, 2018 NEPSAC Class B Quarter-Finalists Varsity Girls’ Basketball: 2014, 2018 NEPSAC Class B Quarter-Finalists; 2015, 2016, 2017 NEPSAC Class B Semi-Finalists; 2019 NEPSAC Class B Finalists Varsity Girls’ Volleyball: 2016 NEPSAC Class B Quarter-Finalists; 2017 NEPSAC Class B Semi-Finalists; 2019 NEPSAC Class B Champions Varsity Boys’ Basketball: 2017, 2018 NEPSAC AA Quarter-Finalists Varsity Girls’ Soccer: 2014, 2015, 2019, 2021 NEPSAC Class B Quarter-Finalists Varsity Boys’ Soccer: 2014 ISL Champions; 2014 NEPSAC Class B Champions; 2015 NEPSAC Class B Finalists To set the cause above renown … to love the game beyond the prize.” – Sir Henry John NewboltJust as Lawrence Academy’s classroom teachers do, our coaches train, motivate, and guide their players to an understanding of the importance of investing energy in the little things in order to build o their own work and that of their teammates. And the student-led Spartan Nation encourages the rest of the Lawrence Academy community to turn out and cheer on LA’s student-athletes. Not only does their support create an electric atmosphere, it also fosters school spirit, even outside of athletics. Lawrence Academy teams compete in the 16- member Independent School League (ISL) and the New England Preparatory School Athletics Council (NEPSAC). A strong and ercely independent league, the ISL values honorable representation, proper conduct, and good sportsmanship.Fall sports: Cross Country, Soccer, Football, Field Hockey, Volleyball, Mountain Biking Winter sports: Basketball, Hockey, Skiing, Wrestling, Squash Spring sports: Baseball, Softball, Lacrosse, Tennis, Track, Golf, Crew Other afternoon opportunities: Strength & Conditioning, Yoga, Mindfulness, Extreme Intramurals, Yearbook “

Lawrence Academy’s athletic program provides an opportunity for all student-athletes with varying levels of skill to experience exercise, discipline, teamwork, perseverance, and personal growth. We strive to provide excellent coaches who promote respect, sportsmanship, integrity, and rigor.” – Kevin Potter, director of athletics “ATHLETIC FACILITIES3 basketball courts 1 turf field 10 tennis courts 1 ice rink 1 baseball field 1 softball field 2 volleyball courts 4 soccer fields dance studio weight room fitness room full athletic training suite locker Rooms Nashoba Valley Ski Area (skiing) Townsend Ridge Country Club (golf) Groton Country Club (golf)

“LA is a very open community. Graduating is going to be like leaving a family.”Ally enrolled at Lawrence Academy as a sophomore. She’s a talented soccer and lacrosse player, but she wanted a school that would push her academically, too. “at’s what drew my focus: the academics and athletics both being very strong,” explains the Merrimack, N.H., native and boarding student. She’s learning time-management skills that have helped her balance her schoolwork, multiple on-campus sports, and practices, games, and travel for her club soccer team during her two years at LA, and will soon help her balance her commitments as a Division I college athlete. “If I don’t balance my time right, it falls on me,” Ally reects. “Also, the culture that we’re in, everyone is doing the same thing around you, so it’s motivation to get your work done and keep your commitments.” She’s making connections, too. LA’s small, hands-on classes and accessible faculty and sta have helped Ally make friends and get to know her teachers despite her busy schedule. Her Spartan soccer teammates are also some of her club soccer teammates, her LA coaches know her club coaches, and one of her coaches is also her college counselor. “It’s a very open community,” Ally says of LA. “Graduating is going to be like leaving a family.”Ally... On average, 26 LA student-athletes go on to play college sports every year meet

Ally Prentice boarding student from Merrimack, N.H. 9 LA student-athletes go on to play D1 college sports every year

Boston College, Dartmouth College, University of South Carolina, University of Rhode Island, Northeastern University When Tavian came to Lawrence Academy, he considered himself more athlete than student. After two years on the elm tree–shaded hillside, though, the Hudson, N.H., native knows he’s a student-athlete. “Grades weren’t really looked at as important at my old school, but coming here has taught me the importance of your education,” Tavian reects. “I’ve denitely learned that I value education more than I think, and I value being an academic person as well. You can have so many more experiences and opportunities with education than with just athletic alone.” Sports brought Tavian to LA – he plays football and basketball and is a member of the track & eld team – but once he got to campus, he was drawn in by the “welcoming and accepting” community. He joined Umoja and the Men’s Club and attends LAMP events, and he has made friends beyond his teammates. “I don’t want to be hanging around only one type of people and then not get a dierent type of experience,” Tavian says. “Everyone at LA wants you to be involved in the community. I feel like the culture of LA is just: be friendly and be caring to everyone.” Because of LA’s small classes and the multiple roles faculty and sta have on campus, Tavian has also been able to get to know his coaches and teachers on a more personal level. His sophomore-year English teacher “brought out the writer within me that I never really knew was there,” he shares, and his coaches – one is his advisor, and two others are dorm parents – are easy to reach almost any time. Tavian...A sampling of our commitment schoolsD1meet

University of Vermont, Penn State, University of Michigan, Brown University, University of Delaware, University of Maine, Columbia University, Vanderbilt University, Harvard University Tavian Fenderson boarding student from Hudson, N.H.“I feel like the culture of LA is just: be friendly and be caring to everyone.”

COLLEGE COUNSELING AT LAWRENCE ACADEMYLawrence Academy’s focus on student-centered learning extends to the college application process. Our experienced team of college counselors aims to make the process of applying to college feel more manageable. LA’s college counselors are also teachers, coaches, dormitory parents, and advisors allowing them to get to know the students as people, students, and members of the school community throughout their time on campus.

Find the Right Fit

Go Forth PreparedJUNIOR YEAR: • Start college counseling classes• SCOIR sign-up • Counselor preference sheet sign-up• Counselors assigned• College Kickstart introduction • Discuss and plan March break visits• Essay writing workshop • BISCCA College Fair • Request teacher recommendations• Visit colleges • Work on college essay and application• Individual meetings w/counselors begin • Junior Class College Day • Begin developing college lists• School visits over Spring Break• Final individual meetings before summer • Discuss summer college to-do list • Create Common App accountOctoberNovemberDecember JanuaryFebruaryMarch April May June/JulyIn the fall term of their junior year, students select their college counselors and begin to focus more intensely on the process of applying to college. Individual meetings with their college counselor and a well-developed college counseling curriculum, which includes college counseling classes twice per month, help juniors identify colleges that t their individual academic, extracurricular, and personal needs, and understand which school environments will best serve them as a person and as a learner. Seniors continue to work with their college counselor and attend college counseling classes in the fall, when they complete and send their college applications. Families, too, are educated about the college application process via college admissions panels, monthly webinars, guest speakers, and frequent correspondence from the College Counseling Oce. Lawrence Academy parents benet from a monthly newsletter that provides grade-specic advice about the college process. While the college application process is a big part of junior and senior year, it is also important for ninth and 10th grade students to be aware of what lies ahead. e College Counseling Oce holds class meetings with the ninth and 10th grades to highlight the importance of the students’ grades and involvement in the life of the school. The College Process at LAof LA students got into one of their top three college choices93% Our LA graduates are off to... Babson College, Bates College, Boston College, Boston University, Bowdoin College, Brown University, Colby College, Carleton College, Connecticut College, Dartmouth College, Elon University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgetown University, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Kenyon College, Middlebury College, Northeastern University, New York University, Stanford University, Syracuse University, Trinity College, Tulane University, Union College, University of California, Berkeley, Wesleyan University ... just to name a few.

SENIOR YEAR: • Students meet on-campus w/college reps (over 140) • Complete Common App • Decide if and where applying early• Apply early decision/ early action• Wait for decisions• Revisit schools• Four-day application boot camp w/college counselors• FAFSA opens • Finalize college list• Complete regular decision applications • Receive decisions • National College Decision DayAugust SeptemberOctober November Dec/Jan February March AprilMaycollege rep visits to LA’s campus per year141

APPLYING TO LAWRENCE ACADEMYAdmissions Process Next Steps to Becoming a SpartanSEPTEMBER – JANUARYSchedule a Campus Visit Come visit our campus to better acquaint yourself with our school and community. e admissions team begins to conduct ocial campus visits Monday-Friday starting mid-September through Jan. 31. Each visit lasts about two hours and consists of a campus tour with a current student followed by an interview with an admissions representative. Interviews are a required component of the application. If you would like to meet with a special interest representative, please notify our oce ahead of time so we can request that they be available. If you are unable to visit campus for an interview due to location or time constraints, we can conduct a virtual interview during our regular oce hours. To schedule a campus visit, please visit the “Admissions – Schedule Your Visit” part of our website, www.lacademy.edu. Register for Standardized Testing (Optional) Standardized tests are an optional part of the LA application. In keeping with the practices of a growing number of peer schools around the country as well as a number of the nation’s most selective colleges and universities, Lawrence Academy chose to implement a test-optional SSAT policy beginning with the 2020-2021 admissions season. In evaluating our candidates, we center on students’ interviews, personal essays, co-curricular endeavors, teacher recommendations, community involvement, and transcripts. For those who do choose to submit their SSAT scores, our school code is 4552. Information about testing can be found by visiting www.ssat.org. DECEMBER – JANUARYComplete Admissions Application Applications to Lawrence Academy can be submitted using either SSAT’s Standard Application Online or using the Gateway to Prep Schools online application. A completed application requires the submission of your candidate prole, student essays, school transcript from the current and previous year, and three required recommendations: math, english, and principal or guidance counselor. ough not required, any supplemental letters of recommendation may be uploaded directly to the candidate’s prole or emailed to admiss@lacademy.edu.Submit Completed Application e application deadline for Lawrence Academy is Jan. 15. JANUARY Attend Admissions Events While not required, we highly recommend that prospective students attend our various admissions events throughout the fall to learn more about LA and hear directly from our students and faculty. e Admissions Oce hosts both in-person and virtual events, so we encourage you to join what is most convenient for your family! Please check our website for updated information on admissions events throughout the admissions season.

Our Team Can’t Wait To Meet You!Complete Financial Aid Application Lawrence Academy commits to ensuring access to an independent school education by bridging the gap between family resources and educational expenses. If you are applying for nancial aid, please visit sss.nais.org to complete the required forms and submit all necessary documents. e nancial aid application deadline is Jan. 31. Revisit Day All accepted students will be invited back to campus for Lawrence Academy Revisit Day in early April. Response Required Accepted students are required to formally accept their oer of admissions and return the signed contract and deposit to Lawrence Academy by April 10. MARCHAPRIL Decisions Released All applicants will be notied of our admissions decision on March 10.

LAWRENCE ACADEMYOMNIBUS LUCET1793Lawrence Academy 26 Powderhouse Road P.O. Box 992, Groton, MA 01450 Admissions: 978-448-1530 admiss@lacademy.edu www.lacademy.eduLawrence Academy recognizes you for who you are and inspires you to take responsibility for who you want to become.