Mission and Philosophy
By providing individualized education, we can unlock the potential for excellence in every student.
We offer an individualized education for grades 8-12th grades in a low-stress yet challenging academic environment. Our program ensures a well-rounded experience, including athletics and the arts, offered within a daily structure that is responsive to the needs of teenagers.
Mission: Students who learn differently discover through innovation, develop with rigor, and celebrate their strengths at Wye River Upper School while preparing for success in college, career, and life.
Our Educators Empower Our Students
We are committed to affecting lifelong change in the lives of our students, many of whom have struggled in traditional settings. Our guiding force is our belief in the power of each student's unique talents, skills, interests, and goals.
​
Our teachers and administrators have a strong sense of duty to help each student reach his or her full potential and will do whatever it takes to achieve that result. Students and their individual needs are at center stage here. We want to see our students take pride in themselves and maintain a strong sense of responsibility for applying their efforts to learn and evolve.
We Change Lives
We aim to be a college and career prep school where students’ lives are transformed. Students have the opportunity to discover a place where they are meant to be, some for the very first time. It makes a difference for them when they have a teacher and fellow peers that appreciate their gifts and uniqueness, and it makes all the difference - socially, emotionally, and academically.
We Serve Exceptional Students
We are continually amazed at what our students have to offer! All of our students are intelligent, creative individuals with the ability to grasp any challenging material in front of them. With the proper support that recognizes their individual needs, students will develop lifelong skills that will be used in and out of the classroom.
Our Community is Strong
In order for Wye River Upper School to be a safe, respectful, and positive environment, our school staff and students must collaborate to make that possible. This fosters the social, mental, and physical well-being of our students so they thrive during their time with us. We strongly believe that everybody in our community should feel a sense of belonging and be committed to creating a nurturing culture.
We Are Stewards of the Environment
As a teaching community, we have a unique opportunity to model and practice exemplary habits of environmental stewardship. Our curriculum reflects a commitment to preserving the Chesapeake Bay watershed, and our campus is used as a teaching tool for staff, students, and guests to make that possible.
We Embrace Diversity
Our student population is diverse not only in learning styles but also in the race, creed, and socioeconomic background perspectives. Diversity promotes an opening towards understanding, sensitivity, and openness, all of which contribute to the empathetic, accepting environment Wye River Upper School students embrace.
We Offer The Right Program
Our curricular philosophy incorporates 60 minutes of morning physical fitness, as well as fine and performing arts and community service, in addition to the appropriate core content required by the State of Maryland. Our students gain knowledge and skills that they can apply for the rest of their lives through an inquiry-driven, multi-sensory, multi-modal pedagogy.
To support this approach, project-based learning, outcome-based goals, and frequently applied experiences outside of the classroom highlight the Wye River Upper School program - along with extensive use of technology. Our curriculum must reflect our pedagogy while assuring comprehensive preparation for our students’ postsecondary studies. We want our students to be committed to lifelong learning and have the organizational and academic tools to do so.