Academics

Winterim

Every year for two weeks leading up to spring break, all students participate in Winterim, our signature learning experience that facilitates engagement with respected thought leaders and cultural influencers.

9th Grade: Dive into
History

During your first Winterim, you’ll embark upon the ultimate, hands-on road trip— diving into our nation’s history and practicing civic responsibility.
Three days of field exploration in Virginia features visits to such essential historical sites as the Jamestown Settlement, the Yorktown Victory Center, and Colonial Williamsburg.

Your adventures continue throughout Washington, D.C., Baltimore, and Annapolis as you explore the U.S. Archives, tour the National Museum of American History, and get a first-hand glimpse of our country’s most important monuments and memorials along the National Mall.

10th Grade: Embrace wellness and
Design Thinking

Your second Winterim has two parts that work together to center your spirit and stimulate your mind.

You’ll spend your first week focused on Health and Wellness, encountering social identity, self-care, public health, and guided mindfulness meditation through lessons, discussions, and workshops.

The second week you’ll focus on the principles of innovation and design thinking by tackling hands-on, project-based challenges—while exploring such topics as women in engineering, coding, robotics, and 3D printing.

11th Grade: Investigate
Knowledge

In your third Winterim, you’ll explore critical thinking and inquiry, building a foundation for the IB’s cornerstone “Theory of Knowledge” course through seminars and off-campus excursions that help you learn to reflect upon, analyze, and synthesize the modes of thought and cultural variety you will encounter throughout your life.

From the National Symphony to the Holocaust Museum to the Embassy of Turkey, you’ll take in the cultural treasures and global institutions of our nation’s capital. From the Metropolitan Museum of Art to the United Nations to the Broadway stage, you’ll have first-hand access to the international crossroads of New York City.

12th Grade: Prepare for
The Future

You’ll spend your final Winterim taking a series of mock IB exams—a valuable and rare opportunity among IB schools. You’ll learn (and practice using) proven test-taking strategies, receiving individualized advising, getting feedback on your progress from your teachers, and becoming familiar and comfortable with the tests themselves.
Learn more about the globally respected IB curriculum.