THE UPPER SCHOOL AT CAPITOL SCHOOL A Cheerful , Challenging , Collaborative Community july / august 2023
16
A
group of middle school students sit on the porch of McGuire-Strickland House , the oldest wooden house in Tuscaloosa County . A warm spring breeze rustles the pages of the novel one girl is reading . Her tablemate is working on a page of math problems . Another student sits at a nearby table absorbed in a history project . The sounds of laughter and an occasional shriek from a nearby Gaga Ball game , a variant of dodgeball , drift over .
The Capitol School is a small school of 250 students tucked just to the west of downtown Tuscaloosa . Founded thirty years ago , it serves students in grades Pre-K through twelve . Its classrooms are housed in the converted rooms of several historic houses adjacent to a city park . The Upper School at Capitol is made up of grades 6-12 , and the class size is usually 16 students . Capitol School has now registered students from 67 countries . The school aims to meet the individual needs of each of these unique students .
Aside from family , school is one of the most influential parts of a teen ’ s life . It is where they spend at least six hours of their day . Teenagers are at a stage of life in which they need a safe space to be themselves , to try new things , and to grow independence . According to the American Psychological Association1 , “[ f ] or most adolescents , school is a prominent part of life . It is here that they relate to and develop relationships with their peers and where they can develop key cognitive skills . For some youth , it is also a source of safety and stability . Some of the same qualities that characterize families of adolescents who do well — a strong sense of attachment , bonding , and belonging , and a feeling of being cared about — also characterize adolescents ’ positive relationships with their teachers and their schools .”
Since every school is unique , with its own individual community , values , and approach to learning , finding the right match between school and teenager can make all the difference . Dr . Elizabeth McKnight , the principal of the Capitol School ’ s Upper School , explains that the school ’ s mission is to know each of its students , to recognize their multiple intelligences , and to provide an environment in which each student can thrive . The Upper School has a rigorous , yet accommodating academic program , reasonable homework expectations , a lively social life , and one-of-a-kind traditions that unite the community together .
Upper School students at Capitol take English , Math , Science , and History every year . In addition to the four core academic classes , students study Spanish or German , art , music ( including violin , guitar , and piano lessons ), and technology . Expert teachers in a variety of fields offer elective courses such