Every outcome
converges here.
Upper School is the culminating chapter of a Woodlawn education. Advanced studies, a Pathway of Purpose chosen by the student, and a Senior Capstone research project presented before graduation. This is where a student’s passion and purpose are put into practice.
Upper School is where
every outcome
becomes visible.
The six graduate outcomes that begin in Early Childhood and deepen through Lower and Middle School reach full expression in Upper School. Advocacy becomes a Senior Capstone presentation. Agency becomes a self-directed Pathway of Purpose. Impact becomes the student: who they have become comes first, demonstrated by a body of work that is entirely their own.
Upper School at Woodlawn is not the end of something. It is the proof of everything that came before, and the launch point for everything that follows.
The Arc runs through every Upper School experience. The questions are the most sophisticated they have ever been, and the stakes are real.
Rigorous. Self-directed.
Built around what matters to you.
Upper School ‘Blazers take on a full range of coursework across all core disciplines, with depth in their chosen Pathway of Purpose. Every Upper School course is offered at an honors or advanced level.
Advisory, Foundations + Futures, and Intermezzo complement the academic program, ensuring every ‘Blazer arrives at graduation knowing who they are and where they are going.
The proof of what
outcome based
learning produces.
The Senior Capstone is the culminating experience of a Woodlawn education. Every senior identifies a meaningful question in their Pathway domain, pursues deep research through the year, and presents their findings to a panel of community experts before graduation. It is Advocacy, Agency, and Impact in a single, student-owned body of work.
Question
Students identify a driving question connected to their Pathway and community.
Research + Internship
A nine-month field-based inquiry process, including mentorship and real-world experience.
Presentation
A formal presentation to a panel of community experts who listen and respond as professionals, not evaluators.
Legacy
The completed Capstone becomes part of each student’s portfolio and college application narrative.
The programs that define
the Upper School experience.
These are the experiences built into the fabric of Upper School at Woodlawn. Each one develops something the classroom alone cannot: self-awareness, perspective, and the confidence to act on both.
Advisory
Twice a week, students meet individually with a faculty advisor to review academic progress, develop organizational skills, and participate in campus service. Advisory is where the relationship between a student and a trusted adult at Woodlawn deepens into something lasting.
Foundations + Futures
A four-year self-discovery program that guides students from understanding their own strengths in 9th Grade to identifying mentors, internships, and college pathways by 12th Grade. Foundations + Futures is the academic container for the Pathways of Purpose framework, giving every question a structure and every student a direction.
Intermezzo
Twice each year, Woodlawn pauses the regular schedule for Intermezzo, a multi-day immersive experience that pulls students out of daily academic routines for deep engagement with a specific theme, skill, or community challenge. Intermezzo embodies the Immersion stage of the Woodlawn Arc at its most concentrated.
Humanities Experience
Woodlawn’s integrated Humanities program weaves history, literature, philosophy, and the arts into a single sustained inquiry. Upper School students engage with primary sources, debate contested ideas, and develop the written voice that makes them distinctive applicants and exceptional thinkers.
Honor Code + Integrity
Every Upper School ‘Blazer upholds the Honor Code: “On my honor, I will conduct myself with personal and academic integrity.” Integrity is a living commitment at Woodlawn, not a policy on a wall.
International Travel
Upper School ‘Blazers have the opportunity to travel internationally each year, experiencing the culture, architecture, history, and language of a destination connected to their coursework. International travel is part of the Awareness outcome: students return with a wider perspective and a more personal understanding of what global means.
Beyond the Core
Upper School ‘Blazers select from a wide range of courses beyond the core requirements each year, deepening expertise in areas of genuine interest. These courses are an early expression of the Agency outcome, students taking ownership of what they study and why.
Athletics
Every ‘Blazer who wants to compete has the opportunity across fall, winter, and spring seasons. Upper School athletics builds Alliance, resilience, and the discipline of showing up for a team even when the work is hard.
AP Art
AP Art at Woodlawn challenges students to develop a sustained body of original work that reflects genuine artistic inquiry. Students build a portfolio, explore personal voice in a chosen medium, and present their work at the AP level, earning college credit while developing a practice that is entirely their own.
STEM
Woodlawn’s STEM offerings give Upper School students access to rigorous, application-based science and technology coursework, including AP Sciences and engineering-focused electives. STEM at Woodlawn is always connected to a real question, which means the work has stakes beyond the grade.
Woodlawn Student Union
The Woodlawn Student Union is student-led and student-driven, responsible for meeting regularly with the Head of School, organizing community events, and building school culture throughout the year. Student Union is where Advocacy and Agency become visible in the life of the school, giving Upper School ‘Blazers real leadership with real stakes.
The results speak
for themselves.
Woodlawn ‘Blazers earn recognition at the highest levels of academic competition. These awards are not the goal of a Woodlawn education. They are the evidence of what a Woodlawn education produces.
AP Scholars
Woodlawn currently offers AP courses in Biology, Calculus AB, Chemistry, English Language, English Literature, Spanish Language, Spanish Literature, and US History. Over half of all Woodlawn graduates have earned Advanced Placement Awards based on their performance on AP exams. The National AP Scholar award, given to the top 1% of AP students nationally, has been earned by multiple ‘Blazers.
View AP Scholars →National Merit
Woodlawn students have earned National Merit recognition as Semifinalists, Finalists, and Commended Scholars. The National Merit Scholarship Program recognizes less than one percent of all U.S. high school seniors annually. Multiple Woodlawn ‘Blazers have represented the school at the highest levels of this competition.
View National Merit Recipients →Commencement Awards
Woodlawn’s annual Commencement ceremony includes recognition of graduating seniors who have demonstrated exceptional achievement in academics, the arts, athletics, and service. These awards are nominated and selected by the faculty as a reflection of what a ‘Blazer embodies at their best.
View Commencement Award Recipients →A program built around
the individual student.
Woodlawn’s college counseling program is built around the individual student, not a ranking list. Katie Brewer, Associate Head of School and College Counselor, works with every ‘Blazer from 9th Grade forward to identify colleges and universities that fit who they are, and to build an application that reflects the full story of what a Woodlawn education produces.
‘Blazers arrive at college with more than a transcript. They carry a Senior Capstone, a Pathway of Purpose, and a four-year record of real work. Selective colleges and universities recognize that story, and the ‘Blazers who bring it have earned admission, merit scholarships, and places at institutions across the country.
Woodlawn opens
the door.
GOA opens the world.
Global Online Academy (GOA) is a consortium of leading independent schools offering rigorous, expert-taught online courses in specialized areas of study. Woodlawn’s membership in GOA means that when a ‘Blazer’s Pathway of Purpose demands depth beyond what any single campus can offer, the world’s leading independent school faculty are within reach.
GOA courses are collaborative by design, pairing Woodlawn ‘Blazers with students from peer schools worldwide. The result is a learning experience that extends the Awareness outcome to a genuinely global scale, students working alongside peers from different countries, backgrounds, and perspectives on questions that matter to all of them.
“The best part of being at Woodlawn was developing close relationships with my teachers. They knew who I was and how I learned, and they made sure I always had hands-on experiences that kept me excited about coming to school.”Drew H. '16, Woodlawn School
Ready to see Upper School
in action?
Tour our campus in Mooresville, NC and meet the educators who designed these four years around who your student is becoming.