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Additional Classes

Ethics Courses

All Upper School students will take classes that examine the ethics beyond the demands of the academic day. These classes are offered to teach students real-life skills and knowledge and to consider the ethical dilemmas we all face in everything from finance to time management. Ethics courses are targeted for students’ developmental needs and last one semester.

Ninth grade students will take a full semester of the Ethics of Relationships and Sexuality and another full semester of Digital Ethics. Both courses examine the decision students are faced with in personal relationships that play out online and in person.

In preparation for the college journey, and to gain a stronger understanding of self, students explore the various aspects of their identities through discussion, self-reflection, and personal inventories like the Enneagram in a course titled Ethics and Identity Development. During the opposite semester, students in 10th grade will explore life skills, like cooking, vehicle maintenance, grocery shopping, consumer economics in Ethics and Society.

Students in 11th grade will work on mindfulness and meditation collaborating with outside practitioners to coach them through intensive self-care techniques in a course titled Ethics of the Mindful Individual. During the opposite semester, 11th grade students participate in a Diversity and Equity seminar, learning about equity and justice in our society.

In a course titled Living Ethically Beyond Graduation, 12th grade students explore a senior seminar of sorts, where they meet members of our community to learn about life after Vail Mountain School. Seniors learn about campus resources, how to interact with their professors and what their rights and responsibilities are once they turn eighteen. In past years, current seniors have learned from VMS alumni about college and life experiences.

Intraterm

Intraterm is a week-long program led by faculty and staff during which all 9th-12th grade students choose a course of study designed to enrich the traditional curriculum and the student’s intellectual curiosity. Course titles from previous years include: California College Road Trip; Avalanche Level One Course; Costa Rica Spanish Language Immersion; Water, Wilderness and Conservation; Psychology and Film; Marine Science in Baja Mexico.

Senior Project – 2nd semester of senior year

All seniors will participate in a one-semester capstone project during the second semester of their senior year. Senior Project is a graduation requirement. A true experience in project-based learning, Senior Project is a seminar style class where seniors will collaborate with small cohorts to ideate, create, research, prototype, exhibit, write, and present.

For the second semester, seniors will continue their yearlong studies in mathematics, science and world language (or Music Theory). They will replace their history and English class with their project process as well as take a one-semester humanities course.

During the second semester, students are encouraged to follow their interests and passions by studying a topic of choice. Shadow days, expert interviews, and internships will play a role in the projects. Real-life, authentic learning opportunities will be integrated into all projects.

All seniors have the opportunity to earn an honors designation for their Senior Projects. Honors 49designations for seniors projects are awarded after project completion, during Class Night in late May. In order to achieve an honors designation, a Senior Project must meet the following minimum requirements:

  • Evidence of a strong, consistent relationship with a project mentor/outside advisor, inclusive of 6+ hours of meaningful internship experience, job shadowing, or real-world mentoring during the spring semester
  • Evidence of curated feedback from a professional in one’s field of study on a student’s research paper
  • Assessment scores of 90% or above on all major project components: research paper, writing portfolio, product, presentation, oral defense
  • Evidence that the student received iterative feedback on product from multiple constituencies outside VMS
  • Demonstration of ethical leadership and active engagement in cohort model with peers and teachers