Set your sights on college and beyond 
Upper School: Grades 9 - 12
In high school, students can become lost in the crowd or they can find their own path. With small class sizes and individualized attention, ULS students discover a place where they can excel. Here they have the chance to develop their strengths, challenge themselves and find success they may have never thought was possible.
Belt out a song 
Shoot a goal 
Dominate a math meet 
Design your first invention 
Stand up for a cause 
At ULS, our faculty encourage students to try it all and are there to help them every step of the way. Teachers truly get to know each student, help them develop as a whole person, and strive to instill a lifelong love of learning.
Challenging Academics
Academics in the Upper School are closely aligned to college-level coursework, including Advanced Placement and other challenging classes. This alignment is integral to our high school students’ acceptance and preparation for a competitive college or university.
The mathematics curriculum emphasizes the development of problem solving and computational skills to provide a firm understanding of Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry and Pre-Calculus. In addition, a high percentage of ULS high school students take the college courses AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC and/or Probability & Statistics. The goal of the department is to have every student become an effective mathematical problem solver.
The science department focuses on students acquiring knowledge through investigation and observation by providing laboratory experiences and involving students in the spirit of inquiry. Students gain the knowledge of facts, concepts and theories of science, and apply them to problem solving and critical thinking.
The English program incorporates both classic and contemporary literature including Lorraine Hansberry, Jane Austen, David Foster Wallace, Virginia Woolf, Khaleed Hosseini, William Shakespeare and many more. Students respond to these texts with writing assessments including creative, analytical and persuasive. They interpret and discuss current events in a collaborative atmosphere that prepares them for college and beyond.
Social Studies focuses on developing empathy and making connections across time periods and cultural boundaries. Utilizing college-level primary source analysis, research skill development, essay construction, and public speaking skills, teachers strive to allow students to understand different points of view, challenge ways of thinking, and thrive as well-informed citizens in the global community.
The Spanish department champions immersion, real-world connections, local and foreign field experiences and a proficiency in the target language, which allows students to communicate frequently and idiomatically. The department achieves these results by stressing acquisition of the language through comprehensible input, and then by requiring a thorough understanding of structure and grammar.
Independent Thinking
Expectations for independent work increase in scope and complexity in the Upper School. There are many opportunities to cultivate and demonstrate independence, culminating in the capstone Senior Project.
Seniors engage in a yearlong exploration of a self-selected topic. Students arrange a hands-on learning experience to be completed throughout the month of May. They work with an experienced advisor, leader or teacher and are required to keep a daily journal. In conjunction with the off-campus work, students write a formal academic paper, and present their project to the ULS community and a review panel of current students, faculty and alumni. Completion of the project is a graduation requirement.
Leadership Skills
As the role models on campus, Upper School students are expected to practice Collaborative Leadership skills daily. Students are challenged to learn and refine skills like awareness, listening and personal reflection. Once a month, Upper School students lead all-school assemblies, organizing themselves and younger students to present various topics to the entire ULS community. In addition, students are expected to participate in outdoor educational experiences during the school's fall leadership retreats. ULS' Collaborative Leadership model further incorporates the idea of building character through service by sending students out into the community to give back.
Learning Through Experience
Student ideas and interests, personal curiosities, and the world at large allow them to collaborate with teachers and guide the course offerings from year to year while still connecting with our curriculum.
Hands-On Learning
Intersession is a year-long opportunity for hands-on, experiential learning in small groups. Each year the faculty offers a variety of non-traditional subjects that are guided by student interests, while remaining connected to our curriculum. Topics change each year with student interest and there is usually an international travel option.
Intersession opportunities in the past have included:
- Art and Culture of France
- Cosplay: Sewing and Costume Design
- All About Architecture
- Camping Through the Seasons and Environmental Issues of Wisconsin
- New York City: Broadway and the Art of Theatre
- Midwest College Tours
- Arduino Robots
- Livin' la Vida Local: a Mediterranean Meander through Italy & Spain
Technology
At ULS, we believe that the purpose of technology in education is to enhance the learning experience rather than be the experience. Students and teachers are active participants in their own learning, choosing the best tools to accomplish their goals. Technology is used to develop strategies that allow learners to reflect on the process and make choices that will lead to improved learning outcomes.
