Waterford School is a private school, located in Sandy

Sandy, Utah

Sandy is a city in Salt Lake County, Utah, United States. It is a suburb of Salt Lake City. The population was 87,461 at the 2010 census, making it the sixth-largest city in Utah....

, Utah

Utah

Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...

, United States.

History

Waterford was founded in 1981 by the non-profit Waterford Institute as a research school. The school's mission is to educate children by joining the great lessons of a classical liberal arts

Liberal arts

The term liberal arts refers to those subjects which in classical antiquity were considered essential for a free citizen to study. Grammar, Rhetoric and Logic were the core liberal arts. In medieval times these subjects were extended to include mathematics, geometry, music and astronomy...

 education with the benefits of the latest computer technology.

Curriculum

The Waterford School provides every student with a rich and unified educational experience that begins in pre-school and culminates fourteen years later at commencement. The curriculum is rooted in the traditions of liberal arts learning. Students are immersed in the great works, thoughts and philosophies of the ages. The curriculum includes English, history science, mathematics, foreign language, computer science, visual art, music, photography, physical education, dance and theater.

The work is demanding and challenging. From Lower through Middle and Upper Schools, students are exposed to primary sources that prompt constant writing, reflecting, analyzing, and discussing in class.

Preschool and Kindergarten

In Waterford's Preschool and Kindergarten classes, children begin the process of becoming readers, writers, listeners and speakers. They learn to count, identify numbers on calendars and clocks, and sort, match, count and graph shapes. They explore and expand their knowledge about their schools, families and communities. And, they receive a wonderful introduction to visual art, music and dance. All of these activities take place in a safe and nurturing environment where learning is rewarding and enjoyable.

Lower School - Classes I - V

Waterford's Lower School Classes begin the formal process of building a strong foundation to support a lifetime of growth and learning. This starts with a rigorous academic program that combines core subjects of reading writing, mathematics, history and science with the specialty subjects of visual art, music, dance and physical education. During these critical early years, students begin to recognize the joys and rewards of embracing learning for the sake of learning. They form sound work and study habits and explore new talents and interests.

Middle School - Classes VI - VIII

Waterford Middle School guides students toward increased independence by helping them set and achieve meaningful goals, keep track of assignments and study independently. Middle School students begin to study foreign language, and branch into discrete studies of earth sciences, biology, chemistry and algebra. They continue to expand their mastery of English, history, literature and art. Middle School is a crucial time for social growth and development as students work to define and expand their identities. Waterford fosters and supports this development with a tightly knit campus community and a wide range of extra-curricular programs and activities that help students discover new talents, develop social skills, and strengthen friendships.

Upper School - Classes IX - XII

In Upper School, students reap the benefits and value of a liberal arts education as they move into advanced courses in English, history, math, science, physical education and fine arts, including a wide selection of Advanced Placement courses. Waterford Upper School also caters to a wide range of talents and interests by way of clubs, activities and competitive sports. College preparation is given the utmost importance, and is supported in classroom activity, testing and student counseling.

Athletics

Waterford offers a full array of individual, team and recreational sports, including lacrosse, soccer, crew, basketball, volleyball, track, cross country, racquetball, tennis and golf. The school participates in the Utah High School Activities Association

Utah High School Activities Association

The Utah High School Activities Association is an organization of 131 high schools in the U.S. state of Utah that sponsor athletic activities in 25 sports and activities. More than 50,000 students compete annually in approximately 25,000 competitions among UHSAA member schools...

 Division IIA. The school holds State Championship titles in men's lacrosse (2003, 2004, 2006), women's lacrosse (2011), men's soccer (2003, 2007, 2010, 2011), women's soccer (1994,1996,2006,2008,2011), men's basketball (2002), women's cross country (2004), men's tennis (2005, 2006, 2007), women's tennis (2000, 2002, 2003), and men's golf (1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004).

Faculty

Since its inception, the Waterford School has developed a faculty with impressive credentials and an unquenchable love for teaching and learning. Waterford teachers were educated at well respected colleges and universities in the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

, including Brown University

Brown University

Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...

, Swarthmore College

Swarthmore College

Swarthmore College is a private, independent, liberal arts college in the United States with an enrollment of about 1,500 students. The college is located in the borough of Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, 11 miles southwest of Philadelphia....

, Westminster College, Dartmouth College

Dartmouth College

Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...

, Yale University

Yale University

Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...

, and Stanford University

Stanford University

The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...

. More than 70 percent of the faculty have master's or doctorate degrees and the average tenure is 9 years.

College Preparation

Waterford expects every Upper School student to attend a college or university and is committed to providing every student with the skills, knowledge and training they will need to succeed at the college or university of their choice. Dedicated and knowledgeable college counselors are always available to advise parents and students, help them choose the right college and assist with the application process. Historically, 100% of graduating seniors are accepted into competitive colleges and universities.

Accreditation

The Waterford School is fully accredited by the Northwest Association of Accredited Schools

Northwest Association of Accredited Schools

The Northwest Accreditation Commission , formerly named the Northwest Association of Accredited Schools, is an organization based in Boise, Idaho which accredits a variety of schools, including K-12, elementary, middle, and high schools; schools offering distance education; non-degree-granting...

 (NAAS). It is also accredited by the Pacific Northwest Association of Independent Schools

Pacific Northwest Association of Independent Schools

The Pacific Northwest Association of Independent Schools is an organization devoted to promoting quality education within independent schools in the Pacific Northwest...

 (PNAIS), and a member of the National Association of Independent Schools

National Association of Independent Schools

The National Association of Independent Schools is a U.S.-based membership organization for private, nonprofit, K-12 schools. Founded in 1963, NAIS represents independent schools and associations in the United States, including day, boarding, and day/boarding schools; elementary and secondary...

(NAIS)

External links

• Waterford Ravens
• My Waterford - Portal available for current parents, students, alumni and faculty.