Norwood School – Horizons Greater Washington at Norwood

HORIZONS

Horizons is a transformative, educational summer enrichment program serving low-income public school students with a broad range of academic abilities. At the heart of every Horizons community is a partnership with independent schools and/or colleges, local public schools and the Horizons program. Horizons students spend six weeks each summer on these campuses engaged in a program that blends high quality academics with cultural enrichment and confidence-building activities. Given an opportunity to attend for nine consecutive summers, Horizons students grow in skills and confidence returning to their own schools each fall better prepared.

Each program hires its own professional lead teachers from public and private schools to work side-by-side in the classroom using project-based teaching methods that excite and engage students. There is no standard curriculum; instead, educators are given the freedom to teach in an environment that encourages them to be creative. The result is that students gain an average of two to three months in reading and math skills each summer. Each Horizons student also learns how to swim, building confidence and a desire to achieve inside and outside the classroom.

Horizons programs transform the lives of students caught in the achievement gap – giving them the tools and support to become successful and confident college-bound students. Each Horizons program becomes an integral part of the host school’s culture and makes a lasting impact on the school and its surrounding community – all at no cost to the institution.

Norwood and Horizons Greater Washington

Norwood is one of three schools in the Washington, D.C. area, along with Maret School and St. Patrick’s Episcopal Day School, to work with Horizons Greater Washington, a regional collaboration of Horizons programs at local independent and public schools. Norwood was partnered with Rock Creek Forest Elementary School in Montgomery County and launched its program in the summer of 2010 with a group of rising first graders. Today, the Horizons at Norwood program is fully enrolled, serving approximately 135 children in grades 1-8 through. The program also provides wonderful opportunities for Norwood community members to serve as teachers, Horizons Assistant Teachers (HATs), and volunteers.

ASSISTANT SITE DIRECTOR