Program

High School Placement

2023 Alumni Panel Discussion

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The High School Placement Process

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An important advantage of attending a PK-8 school is having the opportunity to make the very best high school choice. The PK-8 program at Norwood is uniquely designed to prepare young adolescents for this next step in their educational journey. Children change dramatically in the elementary and middle school years. A high school that seemed ideal when a child was four or five may be entirely inappropriate in light of a student’s interests and abilities at age 13 or 14. In keeping with the School’s mission, our ultimate goal is for each student to attend a high school that ensures continued social, emotional, and academic growth.

Norwood maintains strong ties with all of the independent secondary schools in the greater Washington, D.C. area, as well as a number of boarding schools throughout the country. High school admission officers and administrators remark year after year how much they love Norwood students, not only because they are well prepared academically but also because they are good school citizens who enthusiastically dive into the culture and community of their new schools.

Throughout the search process, Norwood works in partnership with families, guiding them through a sequence of steps designed to find the right school and right fit for every eighth grader. Specifically, the School’s High School Placement Team:
 
  • Consults with families beginning in the spring of seventh grade to identify a list of schools that target a student’s individual strengths and interests. 
  • Provides mock interview practice and feedback. 
  • Holds SSAT prep class during study halls, beginning in October. 
  • Hosts the annual Secondary School Fair, which features visits from more than 100 day and boarding schools. 
  • Prepares a comprehensive admissions packet of information for every eighth grade student. 
  • Visits with admission officers to personally present each Norwood candidate. 
  • Provides ongoing one-on-one consultation and guidance for families. 
  • Advises families about course selection and placement for both independent and public schools. 
  • Facilitates discussions with eighth graders concerning the HSP process, supporting each other during this exciting time of change and decision making.
Norwood School has an excellent record for high school placement. Every year, our students move on to leading independent day schools, boarding schools, and highly rated public high schools with the academic ability, confidence, and enthusiasm for learning to be successful in high school, and for the college and career experiences that follow.

If you have any questions about the high school placement process at Norwood, please contact Mike Risen, Associate Head of School and Head of Middle School; Max Nolin, Assistant Head of Middle School and Dean of students; or Stacey Malmgren, Middle School Coordinator and High School Placement Coordinator.

High School Placement Team

List of 6 members.

  • Photo of Matthew Gould

    Matthew Gould 

    Head of School
    Earlham College - B.A.
    The University of Chicago - Ph.D.
  • Photo of Michael Risen

    Mike Risen 

    Associate Head of School and Head of Middle School
    College of William and Mary - B.A.
    Vanderbilt University - M.Ed.
  • Photo of Maximilian Nolin

    Max Nolin 

    Assistant Head of Middle School and 7/8 Handbells Teacher
    Baldwin Wallace University - B.M.
    Westminster Choir College - M.M.
  • Photo of Emily Weiner

    Emily Weiner 

    Director of Student Support Services and Middle School Learning Specialist
    University of Maryland - B.A. & M.A.
  • Photo of Stacey Malmgren

    Stacey Malmgren 

    Middle School Coordinator and High School Placement Coordinator
    St. Mary's College of Maryland - B.A.
  • Photo of Catherine Russo

    Cathy Russo 

    Assistant to the Head of School
    University of Maryland - B.A.

- Asma, '17

"Norwood helped me figure out what kind of person I am. Through all the amazing activities, I learned more about myself and what I like to do."

Class of 2024

CLASS OF 2024 MATRICULATION

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Graduates from the Class of 2024 were accepted at the following high schools and will attend those schools in bold:

Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School
Bullis School (9)
Choate Rosemary Hall
Edmund Burke School
The Field School
Georgetown Day School (4)
Georgetown Preparatory School (2)
Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School
Gonzaga College High School
Our Lady of Good Counsel High School (2)
The Hill School
Holton-Arms School (2)
The Hotchkiss School
Landon School
Langley High School
The Madeira School 
Maret School
Mercersburg Academy (2)
Montgomery Blair High School - Science & Math Magnet Program
Oneness-Family Montessori High School
Phillips Andover School
Phillips Exeter Academy
The Potomac School (3)
Sandy Spring Friends School
St. Albans School
St. Andrew's Episcopal School (2)
St. John's College High School
St. Mary's Ryken High School
St. Timothy's School
Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart
Tabor Academy
The Taft School
The Woodlands High School (Houston)
Walt Whitman High School (4)
Walter Johnson High School (2)
Washington Liberty High School IB
Located in Bethesda, MD, Norwood School develops students in grades PK-8 into confident lifelong learners who have the academic, character, and leadership skills to succeed in high school and beyond. Recognizing that children are multi-faceted, Norwood provides many opportunities for safe risk-taking, exploration, discovery, and growth in a nurturing, supportive, and inclusive school community.
8821 River Road, Bethesda Maryland 20817
Phone: 301-365-2595 | Email: info@norwoodschool.org
©2024 Norwood School. All Rights Reserved