Upper School Life

Spanning the years between 9th and 12th grade, the WDS Upper School is a community of young people learning, working, and creating together.

• The day officially begins at 8:30 and dismisses at 3:15. 

• The daily schedule runs on a five-day, seven-period schedule, allowing for numerous arts and elective classes to be offered during the school day.   

Our student films are regularly accepted into festivals and screened in NYC, our student-produced literary journal The Battering Ram received the highest award for New York State by the National Council of Teachers of English, and our Advanced Ensemble performs at local venues alongside professional musicians. 

When WDS students go out into the world, they know how to advocate for themselves and forge strong, productive working relationships. They have the ability to communicate verbally, in their writing and creative pursuits, think critically, and make an impact in academic, work and social settings.

Our Campus 

Our 40-acre campus has plenty of space for students to go outside, along with dedicated classroom spaces to learn and study, including a media lab, a library, an art studio, science labs and a gymnasium. All classes take advantage of the campus to experience nature up close, spend time outdoors, and learn. 

• Grades 9-12 have their humanities and math in the upper school building.  
• All classes travel across the campus for science, music, visual and media arts, and physical education, which are housed in separate buildings.  

Building Community

• Throughout the Upper School, students are guided by a strong advisory program, close teacher-student relationships, a variety of extra-curricular activities and athletics, as well as a personalized college placement program.
• Day-to-day life at school includes core courses, elective courses, and a three-day winter mini-term, offering students plenty of choices and opportunities to pursue what’s most meaningful to them, as well as creating opportunities to acquire new skills and knowledge.
• Students feel comfortable being themselves at WDS and as a result, feel confident expressing a range of identities related to gender and sexual orientation. This aspect of diversity is openly shared and supported at the school. 
• With its small class size and individualized approach to learning, WDS can accommodate a wide range of learning needs, another aspect of diversity that is celebrated and supported at WDS.

Environment and Sustainability

Topics concerning the environment and sustainability are deeply important to us, and we are conscious and thorough in teaching them both formally and informally. These are addressed through curriculum at all grade levels at Woodstock Day School. 

• The library, art and science programs all have an environmental aspect, and touch on sustainability through explicit instruction about issues or activists, as well as through exploration of and appreciation for nature.
• Sculpture from found-items is a favorite in many grades, as is building from natural materials, and using the woods as a subject for drawings.
• In the Middle and Upper Schools, environmentalism and sustainability are addressed through most subjects.
• In history and geography classes, the use of natural resources is explored; in our media arts classes, environmentally pertinent films are viewed and discussed.