Pillars of the Burroughs Experience
There are six pillars of the Burroughs Experience: Humanities, STEM, The Arts, Athletics, Health & Wellness, Global Awareness & Cultural Competency, and Service & Sustainability.
Humanities
A strong program in the liberal arts teaches students how to think critically, conduct effective research, analyze texts, and write and speak persuasively while exploring the diversity of the human experience of the past and present.
STEM
In a rigorous STEM curriculum, students learn creative problem solving, critical thinking, data-driven decision making and collaboration skills that will prepare them for active participation in a world with ever-changing challenges.
The Arts
Required courses in the fine, performing and practical arts provide a structured introduction to the techniques, methods and concepts common to the creative disciplines. In the process of creating art, students gain an understanding and appreciation of the arts while building a foundation for more advanced study.
Athletics, Health & Wellness
The athletics, health and wellness program is based on the premise that participation in some form of competitive activity, as well as knowledge about the proper care and treatment of the individual’s body and mind, are essential to every person’s well-being.
Global Awareness & Cultural Competency
An experience that values cultural competency and global awareness is essential to a young person’s ability to navigate an increasingly complex and interconnected world. These skills are woven into the Burroughs experience on many levels — from the diverse composition of the student body to the guest speakers who visit assembly to discussions of cultural expectations in language classes.
Service & Sustainability
Serving others is a deeply held value that is woven into our curriculum and extracurricular activities on many levels. For example, Student Congress organizes a dance marathon to raise money for a charity of its choice; Montgomery Plan collects household items for the families of foster children; and THIMUN participants collect used computers for model UN participants from leastdeveloped countries. These are just a few of many service opportunities.
Likewise, sustainability has been a core value since the school’s founding. From discussions about multimodal transportation in the Urban Issues & Design course to the study of forest and stream ecosystems at Bio Drey Land to composting kitchen waste to the school’s commitment to LEED certification in new building projects, this value is infused in the curriculum, student activities and how the school builds and takes care of its campus.