Here are videos from the Upper School Assembly:

“Art, Music and National Identity”

Speakers/ Presentations:

J. Murnane; D. Morse; D. Irving and The Academy Singers; D. Baillie

This website is meant to be a central clearinghouse for all Open Gate program information. Faculty members running smaller (one or two class) field trips, for example, will be posting comments to this welcome message, so that the entire WA community can see the exciting learning experiences our students are engaged in at Worcester Academy. Major programming, such as a a grade-level field trip or a lecture series, will appear as a separate page on this site (see tabs above).

Program Overview:

The Open Gates program adds a coordinated, real-world component to WA’s curriculum. Bringing students to local museums, concerts, biotech research labs, local businesses, courthouses, plays, and college campuses and bringing in guest speakers and performers, Open Gates is designed to provide students a broad range of opportunities and experiences.

In 2008-2009, students 6-11 will visit many off-campus sites (see field trip page above); WA will also host a lecture series on the Middle East, which will run all year long (see lecture series page above). The Academy is also exploring Study Abroad opportunities and other spring and summer trips and programs as well as a “capstone” option for seniors (click here). Instead of a senior project (the two week requirement now), seniors who wish to study a particular area in more depth may participate in Open Gates programming, college lectures, or other learning opportunities along with a hands-on project. In other words, “a capstone” is a more in depth senior project.

The Biochemistry independent study is offered to seniors who have an excellent grasp of concepts in biology, chemistry and physics, and would like advanced study in laboratory science.  In the first part of the year, student conduct literature investigations of topics in molecular biology and biochemistry that are studied in several laboratories at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.  Each week, the students run a “seminar series” in which these scientific articles are presented and discussed, with the goal being to familiarize the students with the research projects in these laboratories.  In November, the students will begin laboratory internships at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.
In short, Open Gates is a major initiative aimed at fulfilling the school’s new mission statement: “Worcester Academy exists to instill in its students the desire to learn throughout life, to engage passionately with the world around them, and to be honorable persons of strong and resourceful character.”

For more information, contact Dr. John R. Murnane.

Email: john.murnane@worcesteracademy.org

Phone: 508-754-5302 x 169

Thank you for visiting the Open Gates website!