Upper Campus
Blue Door, Red Door & Purple Door
TL;DR
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Home away from home: Upper Campus embraces students’ full selves where curiosity, self-expression, and belonging flourish in child-centered, immersive learning environments.
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Multi-age, continuum-based classrooms: Students learn in mixed-grade groupings (“Blue Door,” “Red Door,” “Purple Door”) with flexible progression through skills, not limited by grade level.
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Rotating curriculum: Over two-year cycles, themes shift between global and local studies (e.g., “Around the World” vs. regional ecology), ensuring rich, evolving experiences.
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Social-emotional learning at the core: The program prioritizes honoring each individual within the group, helping students grow emotionally as well as academically.
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Learning that connects: Students build forts, write stories, compose music, use math in real-life contexts, and connect with nature and each other.
Requirements
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Child must be current on immunizations
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A 2-day visit for students in 1st-4th.
THE UPPER CAMPUS PHILOSOPHY
The Upper Campus philosophy is one that embraces an “immersive experience.” Through this philosophy, learning extends beyond the boundaries of the classroom and seeps into the nooks and crannies that compose the rest of a child’s life. Learning is not distinct from the world around them but instead reflects it. Through all content areas, the Upper Campus embraces the world around. Learning is child-centered and we love to incorporate student interests as much as possible. We embrace challenges and aim to communicate that we are all lifelong learners, including the teachers of SYVFS.
Students are encouraged to make discoveries for themselves, to develop their ideas, and to embrace these discoveries as their own. Through the use of our school’s learning continuums, students learn age-appropriate concepts and skills. The curriculum strives to allow students the opportunity to create their own products to show their understanding.
Social-emotional learning continues to serve as a cornerstone of an Upper Campus education. We think intentionally about social-emotional skills, with our guiding principle of honoring the individual, within the group setting.
THE CURRICULUM
The curriculum on the Upper Campus alternates every two years to ensure that students receive a unique experience during their two-year journey in each Door. For example, in Red Door, one year students study the seven continents, the animals that dwell there, and many other geographical and cultural components in a year-long project called “Around the World.” In the alternating year, students dive deep into local studies including geology, local botany, the scientific method, and engineering and design. Depending on when the child enters Red Door, they will either start with local studies or world studies.
Because subjects like reading occur in small groups, students are able to work at their own level rather than their grade. Regular, ongoing, and a wide range of assessments help identify your child’s working level and ensure that they are getting their needs met.
Because of a rotating curriculum, we highly encourage families to take advantage of the whole program, from the start of Preschool through Fifth Grade to get the most out of what our curriculum has to offer.
THE CURRICULUM
The curriculum on the Upper Campus alternates every two years to ensure that students receive a unique experience during their two-year journey in each Door. For example, in Red Door, one year students study the seven continents, the animals that dwell there, and many other geographical and cultural components in a year-long project called “Around the World.” In the alternating year, students dive deep into local studies including geology, local botany, the scientific method, and engineering and design. Depending on when the child enters Red Door, they will either start with local studies or world studies.
Because subjects like reading occur in small groups, students are able to work at their level rather than their grades. Regular, ongoing, and a wide range of assessments help identify your child’s working level and ensure that they are getting their needs met.
Because of a rotating curriculum, we highly encourage families to take advantage of the whole program, from the start of Preschool through Fifth Grade to get the most out of what our curriculum has to offer.
INTERVENTIONS AND DISCIPLINE
It is our mission to meet each child where they are and help them achieve measurable progress in both academics and behavior. We recognize that some discipline issues require a case-by-case evaluation. In these instances, we work with parents, teachers, and all stakeholders to develop a plan that meets the needs of those involved. The Upper Campus seeks to regularly update parents with progress. Sometimes, immediate communication is necessary. We do not let problems linger until parent-teacher conferences. If something is going on, we communicate with you right away to ensure each child’s progress is well understood.