Lower School Students Make Global Connections
Our youngest learners gain an understanding of their connections to the world and the diverse heritages in our School community by exploring harvests and celebrations, geography, and global challenges. They also strengthen their ability to advocate for the planet and the people living on it. Global Connections, McDonogh’s PK through fourth-grade competency-based curriculum, emphasizes authentic learning experiences. A highlight for students is guest speakers and virtual and in-person visits with students and teachers from our partner schools.
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Middle School Students Take Global Perspectives
The journey of developing global competencies continues for middle schoolers through Global Perspectives, an inquiry-based curriculum designed for fifth and sixth-grade learners. Students gain increased self-awareness, greater global citizenship skills, and a firmer grasp of geography. Through the exploration of Sustainable Development Goals, they also come to understand the diverse perspectives necessary for addressing and advancing solutions to global issues.
Sixth through eighth-grade students can participate in an optional virtual dialogue program with Gymnasium Grootmoor, our partner school in Germany. Additionally, the Middle School offers several Travel Learning opportunities spanning immersive day trips to longer overnight excursions. All of these programs deepen the learning students are developing on campus.
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Upper School Students Examine Global Issues
Upper school students actively engage with the world through history, English, and world languages classes, as well as elective courses centered on international perspectives and global issues. Upper schoolers can also connect virtually and in person with students at partner schools around the world through Global Dialogues. This extracurricular program creates a space for students to engage in civil discourse on topics that matter to them. Interested students may apply for global ambassador leadership positions.
Additionally, upper schoolers can immerse themselves in other cultures and experience how people around the world navigate their daily lives through McDonogh’s Travel Learning Program. Students may apply to travel to France, Spain, Peru, Japan, and Vietnam.
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Exchange Programs Benefit All
Meeting people from around the globe has long been a part of McDonogh’s history. Currently, we have international exchanges with Seijo-Gakuen High School in Japan and Lycee Joseph Vallot in France, and we are exploring a new partnership in Spain, which we look forward to announcing in the fall of 2024.
When visiting McDonogh, our guests engage with and share their life experiences with students in all three divisions.
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