The Eagle Flies

In the fall of 2006, Indian Creek School opened its new Upper School campus for college-bound young men and women. The building features:

• 96,000-square-foot building on 114 acres of woods and fields
• 29 large and well-lit classrooms
• a state-of-the-art technology center
• three well-equipped science laboratories
• a library with a full array of book, periodical, and electronic resources
• a performance-quality 435-seat auditorium with a stage workroom and music rehearsal suite
• a competition-quality gymnasium
• a spacious cafeteria with indoor and outdoor seating; a catered lunch is served daily.
• two regulation athletic fields and a practice field. Additional athletic fields and facilities are on the approved master plan.

What makes one school different from another?
Let us show you!

A good school engages students with a variety of talents and interests. Here at Indian Creek, we believe that each child develops on his or her own schedule, and that children will grow in a positive direction if there are no impediments.

We are not looking for any one particular type of student; rather, we believe the richness of our curriculum is enhanced through a diverse student body. We welcome students of different cultures, races and talents - good students or good musicians or good athletes, those who like to draw or sing or sail. In other words, we want diversity. We feel that it is vitally important that students learn to work with and befriend a mix of young people drawn from different groups in our society.

A Different kind of Schedule

Our schedule runs from approximately 8:50 a.m. to 5 p.m. The school is open and light breakfast snacks are available for those who arrive earlier. The academic day runs to 3:20 p.m.; from 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., students participate in a variety of sports, studio arts, clubs and other activities. Here at Indian Creek, everyone participates, not just the athletes or the very active students. Why do we keep these hours?

• Biological research has shown that adolescents have a different circadian rhythm from the rest of us. Often, they are awake late at night and still sleepy early in the morning. Starting the day later promotes more effective learning.
• At many schools, students often leave at the end of their academic classes. Many go home to sit alone in front of the television or computer. After discussions with high school educators and school psychologists, we decided to keep all students for the longer day. This provides a supportive environment to encourage young people to participate in the extracurricular or physical activities that they might otherwise miss. This approach not only fosters positive behavior, but also provides opportunities for leadership that will strengthen future college applications.

A College Prep Program with Rigor

The core program consists of a combination of interdisciplinary studies and traditional classes in distinct disciplines. From ninth to eleventh grade, students take two periods of humanities courses that integrate social studies, English and art history. Other required courses in mathematics, science, and foreign language meet for one period daily, with interdisciplinary connections whenever possible. Teaching methods reflect "best practice" approaches in each field, such as:

• use of primary sources and authentic materials in addition to textbooks
• simulations
• literature circles
• guest speakers
• field trips
• community involvement and service projects
• the integration of technology into the curriculum
• an annual multidisciplinary unit of shared inquiry to extend and consolidate skills.

See the boxes at right for information about our course offerings.

Indian Creek Upper School is designed for the highly motivated college-bound student. We believe that a challenging high school curriculum should be both intellectually rigorous and rich in real-world experiences that make subject matter truly significant to students.

Teachers Who Make a Difference

We are in the enviable position of having a staff of professional educators who have the knowledge and freedom to develop a program from the beginning, taking advantage of the limitless selection of resources that are available. We have the flexibility to do things differently and to make adjustments as we go along without losing sight of our goals. We have made the commitment to provide funds specifically for curriculum development over the summer months in preparation for each new grade.

Meeting the Needs of All of our Students

The Support Program

The Support Program is designed for the student who has the necessary skills in reading, writing and mathematics to handle a college prep academic program, but notthe organizational skills necessary to get things done on time. This problem with temporal and/or sequential ordering is sometimes termed "executive function disorder." It is a legitimate issue that refers to a student's actual inability to organize things in a way that makes it easy to keep track of assignments. With the Support Program, a trained faculty member works daily to assist the student in organizing assignments, prioritizing work, and meeting the assignment and project challenges that come with a strong college-preparatory curriculum. This program takes the parents out of the role of enforcer, thus fostering a more supportive relationship between parent and child, while insuring that each student achieves to the best of his or her ability.

The Parallel Program

In addition to the standard college preparatory program, the Upper School offers a small Parallel Program for bright, college-bound students with learning differences. Students learn to build on their strengths, develop strategies that they can use in a variety of subjects, and work on time and material management. Parallel students take English and history courses similar to those taken by their classmates, taught by a parallel teacher who also serves as advisor, tutor, and resource person for students as they move through the rest of their school day in appropriate-level classes. In addition, they spend an extra period on writing, to build their writing fluency and mechanical skills.

If you think one of these programs may be appropriate for your son or daughter, please ask our admissions team for a program brochure and application by calling 410-849-5170.

Human Development Program

At Indian Creek, we believe that once we have these young people, we are not only responsible for presenting them with an excellent academic program, but also for helping them to develop into responsible adults who are emotionally and physically healthy. We want them to have the confidence to take healthy risks and the wisdom to avoid negative risk-taking situations. We expect parent cooperation in working with the social environment because we feel it is essential that families who join our Indian Creek community be committed to giving adolescents the message that it is not healthy for them to drink or use drugs while in high school.

The human development program gives students the opportunity to discussing and read about issues that affect high school students directly. Some units presented are based directly on research about what works to change behavior positively. Every effort is made to help students make healthy decisions about leisure activities and avoid alcohol, tobacco and drugs. The classes meet once a week, with occasional guest speakers and special events. Discussions focus on such topics as:

• Relationships with family, friends, and others
• Ethics
• Body image, nutrition and health
• The mechanics of learning

A Creative Outlet for Every Student

Indian Creek is proud of its strong program in the arts - from music to theater to studio art. Indian Creek offers a creative avenue for a wide variety of student interest levels and proficiencies. Our spacious theater and large stage allow for all types of performances and the expansive windows of our art rooms provide ample natural light for art students.

Performing Arts Director Jill Woodward coordinates a vibrant and diverse arts curriculum that includes an after-school drama club, a fall drama production, and a spring musical. The growing music program includes a fine chorus, a jazz band, guitar classes and a flute choir. As the school grows, a full orchestra and band will be added.

Studio art classes are part of the regular curriculum, and in addition students are encouraged to participate in art-related projects such as yearbook, set and costume design, and web site design.

Upper School Athletics

We come to PLAY, and we play to WIN!

Athletic Director Jamie Cook has developed an athletic program that includes both strong competitive league teams and inviting intramural sports. Indian Creek has already secured the use of excellent local regulation fields for both practices and competitions against other schools until our own fields are ready in fall 2007. Our gymnasium contains two regulation basketball courts.

We have worked hard to secure good fields and practice facilities for our athletic teams so that we can transition into the MIAA and IAAM leagues as quickly as possible. Each of our teams is led by experienced and winning coaches to insure our athletic program is off to a strong and fast start. We recognize the importance of a strong program in attracting and retaining both students and faculty.

Visit Indian Creek Upper School

Now that you know a bit more about Indian Creek Upper School, come see our school for yourself. That's the best way to make sure Indian Creek is the right choice for your student.

Join us for our Open House in the fall and winter or schedule an individual visit - tour our facilities, watch our students in action, meet our teachers. Bring along any questions you might have about our philosophy, curriculum, and programs. We look forward to answering them.

An admission application is enclosed with this brochure. You'll also find a card listing our tuition and fees. Applications are processed on a first-come, first-served basis. Financial aid is available to qualified students enrolled in the school.

Visitors are welcome any time during the school year. To make an appointment to visit Indian Creek, please call our Upper School Admission Office, 410-849-5151, or e-mail us at icsadm@indiancreekschool.com.

Indian Creek Upper School
1130 Anne Chambers Way
Crownsville, MD 21032
410-849-5151 Main Number