Upper School
Upper School for Boys
Annie Wright Upper School for Boys prepares students extraordinarily well for college, offering small classes, independent-minded peers and an exceptional faculty. An International Baccalaureate World School, Annie Wright has offered the rigorous Diploma Programme, considered the gold standard in international education, for Grades 11-12 since 2009.
Welcome to the Upper School for Boys!
Founded in the fall of 2017, this division set some ambitious goals for itself: create a unique, single gender experience for young men that was born out of the schools’ long history of educating young women, define coordinate education (single-gender academic classes and coeducational extracurricular opportunities), and help our students define for themselves what it means to be a man of integrity and empathy. While such work is never complete, we are well on our way to delivering on that promise.
If you are paying attention to nationwide trends, there is evidence that boys and men in America are struggling. Men are behind in many educational outcomes and opportunities, and there is a growing sense that the old models of masculinity do not hold up in today’s world. Now is the time for an all boys upper school to support your student and your family as we step into the unknown together. As our schools’ mission states “Annie Wright’s strong community cultivates individual learners,” I hope you and your family will join this strong community and partner with us to educate men of integrity and empathy who are responsible and work to change the world for good.
Best Wishes,
Jeremy Stubbs
Director of Upper School for boys
Take a peek at AWS Upper School for Boys
"We believe in Annie Wright and everything they have to offer students. The education is priceless and sets a standard above all others. Children are happy and happy children love to learn."
-Annie Wright parent
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Jeremy Stubbs, Director, Upper School for Boys
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USB traditions
List of 4 items.
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The Key
The Upper School for Boys junior class is given a small key by the senior class as a way to symbolize the passing of responsibility. Each senior identifies qualities to describe their junior classmate. A larger Class Color Key is designed by the senior class and includes the adjectives chosen for each of the juniors. -
The Challenges
The newest tradition in school history, the Challenges are a set of
opportunities to connect USB seniors to the history and experience of the classes before them. Each year the seniors complete the set of challenges and create the set for next year's class. On the last day of school for the seniors, the challenges are read to the USB Grade 11 students. The rising seniors must successfully complete these challenges before they are allowed to petition the USB administration for their Senior Benefits. Failure to complete the Challenges before the end of the first semester results in a black tie adorning the handle of the key, and the grade 12 students must share their senior benefits with the grade 11 class. -
Senior Benefits
When the USB seniors have completed the Challenges from the previous senior class, they formally petition the USB administration for exemptions or modification of rules, such as permission to leave campus during lunch, small changes to uniform, etc. -
Step Songs
Following the Awards Ceremony on May Day, all the doors to the school are locked except the front door and one other. The junior class has to find the open door, and then Step Songs can begin. The juniors begin and sing one verse about the other classes and the faculty. Songs are traditionally humorous and/or touching. In between each verse, they say “step” and move up a step. The sophomores and freshmen then sing shorter songs, also in tribute to the seniors. The seniors cap the evening off by singing the Alma Mater.
