INCLUDE / INVENT / INSPIRE Annual Report to Our Community

INCLUDE / INVENT / INSPIRE

Annual Report to Our Community

2017-2018

The Year of the Schedule Change: Dreaming Big and Delivering

Dear Families and Friends,

Thank you for your part in an outstanding 2017-2018 school year! Your generous support made the exceptional range of student activities and school initiatives possible.

The biggest initiative was our new school schedule, which we launched last fall. After two years of research, including invaluable input from you, we were certain that switching from a daily-changing timetable to a more predictable weekly rotation--four 70-minute classes daily, plus community time--would transform the learning experience for our students. We knew that longer class times allowed for deeper academic dives, less time wasted in transition, and more collaboration between teachers and students. Still, it was a risk. Change is hard. A schedule overhaul is a complex endeavor that requires a careful process and critical examination of teaching values. Would it work?

Matt Levinson

HEAD OF SCHOOL

One year in and we are delighted to report that the answer is a resounding YES. What before had been a sprint through the school day, where students might not even remember what they did first period, is now a more satisfying immersion in four subjects a day. Today we have a schedule where lunch is for lunch, where community time honors the importance of extracurriculars and Social Emotional Learning (SEL), and where a later start allows an easier landing for students who ride the bus. Most importantly, our commitment to academic excellence is steadfast, and deep academic inquiry is top priority.

Our willingness to take an informed risk in line with emerging best practices in academics is what enables next-generation learning--and it is what UPrep has been doing for 42 years. Our new schedule implementation was a proud achievement for us and a bold reminder that when we dream big, we really can deliver.

David Beitel

BOARD PRESIDENT

It also reminds us that we're all in this together. Just as we could not have changed the schedule without the collective ideas and support of staff, faculty, and families--we won't fulfill the future initiatives of our Strategic Plan 2020 without harnessing our collective talent. Stay tuned-- and stay in touch!

Our new schedule implementation was a proud achievement for us and a bold

reminder that when we dream big, we really can deliver.

With gratitude,

Matt Levinson

HEAD OF SCHOOL

David Beitel

PRESIDENT, BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2017-2018

Inside

2-11 Who is UPrep? 12-13 UPrep Legacy 14-15 Operating Summary 16-17 Puma Fund is a Community Effort 18-19 #WeAreUPrep 20-23 2017-2018 Donors 24-25 UPrep Team Members 2017-2018 Back How Can I Help?



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"UPrep asks students to think of

others, to get involved with others,

to get outside of themselves."

-Shanen Boettcher, UPrep Parent

Who is UPrep?

During the 2017-2018 school year, several members of the UPrep community met regularly to explore an important question: Who is UPrep? Most fundamentally, UPrep is a school shaped by our Founders and sustained by the commitment of teachers, donors, and volunteers--we sincerely thank each one of you!

Building on brand research we did three years ago, the group shared ideas and interviewed UPrep students, parents, teachers, and Founders--all to discover what makes UPrep unique. It didn't take long for their findings to crystallize into three themes:

INCLUDE INVENT INSPIRE

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2017-2018 ANNUAL REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY



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"At UPrep, I can be my authentic self."

-Mahir Piyarali, Class of 2018

UPrep Includes

"I have three fairly different children. And yet, coming to this school, they all found their place very quickly. UPrep is a place for everyone. This is a school that brings you right in and makes you feel comfortable... then helps you grow from there." -Mark Britton, UPrep Parent

Inclusive community has been at the heart of UPrep since it was founded. Advisory groups, community meetings, and Social Emotional Learning programs promote a culture of support--where every student can bring their full self to school each day and be embraced for who they are. Similarly, our comprehensive learning support programs help to celebrate all learning styles, encouraging each student to reach their full potential.

Our ability to fulfill this spirit of inclusion is due to our generous financial supporters. Last year, 84% of UPrep families gave to the Puma Fund-- a sign of an enthusiastic community that we are grateful for!

UPrep creates a culture of belonging:

? People of color represent more than 30% of the UPrep community ? 81% of our middle school students and 73% of our upper school

students participate in our robust no-cut athletics program ? Financial aid supports 16% of our student population ? Members of the middle school and upper school GSA clubs organized

UPrep's first Pride Week, celebrating gender and sexuality diversity in the UPrep community and raising awareness around LGBTQIA+ issues ? Social Emotional Learning curriculum cultivates empathy and compassion within our learning community

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2017-2018 ANNUAL REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

UPrep's mission statement, creating "socially responsible Thanks to the board's leadership, the UPrep plan creates

citizens of the world," shapes much of our community accountability and a commitment to follow through culture. Our students need to see, hear, and understand and implement strong, actionable plans. Mark Horn,

the diversity of people, perspectives, and points of view the Chair of the Board Diversity Committee, was proud

around them and the world they will lead in the future. to spearhead this important board effort, saying,

In support of our mission, in 2018, the Board of Trustees adopted UPrep's first Diversity Strategic Plan, which identified three priority areas:

"The school leadership team and community are committed to making sure our plan is not an artifact, but a roadmap to where we want to go as a school."

1 Program and curriculum: We will integrate diversity and inclusion into the school curriculum, enhance professional development in those areas, and

At UPrep, the work required to create diversity, equity, and inclusion does not rest in the hands of one individual. Instead, it is owned by each of us.

graduate culturally competent student leaders.

2 Recruitment and retention: We will implement a plan to increase the diversity of the student body, as well as the faculty and staff, and to retain them

in the long term.

3 Academic performance: We will reduce any disparities in academic performance in

underrepresented students of color.



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UPrep Invents

"We encourage our students to be risk-takers and provide them a safe place to do so--to try the difficult class and to test their potential and limits, just as we continually do as educators." -Pat Landy, UPrep Founder

UPrep was built on a foundation of academic excellence and prides itself on creating intellectually courageous students and community members. This courage begins with the teachers who build a culture that drives student creativity and invention.

Thanks to the financial support of our dedicated community, UPrep is able to continually bring innovations to the curriculum, ultimately creating opportunities for students to invent in the classroom.

Last year, the UPrep community invented and delivered in the widest spectrum of ways:

? 50 middle and upper school students created and displayed original artwork in UPrep's first off-campus Visual Arts Showcase

? As a part of the Google Technovation Challenge, three female UPrep computer science students created a mobile app to provide hygiene supplies to homeless women

? Teachers designed 40 new intensive courses, where students will study complex, interdisciplinary topics in connection with people and places in the Seattle area

? UPrep students founded 76 extracurricular clubs based on common interests ? Students successfully proposed and ran an entirely student-led class

entitled Feminism, with the teacher in an advising role instead of directing the learning

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2017-2018 ANNUAL REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY

Robotics: Building Resilience Through Collaboration

Are you wondering what we accomplished in the Makerspace this past year? Thanks to student initiative, we generated an energized Robotics Club eager to explore new skills and foster friendships through collaboration.

Our new robotics teams competed in their first VEX Robotics tournaments in February as part of a global program with 16,000 teams from 40 countries. Our upper school team took their robot "Allen" to Wenatchee for a statewide competition where the

team's persistence and problem-solving skills took "Allen" through six qualifying rounds.

Our middle school team was proud of their teamwork as they rebuilt their robot and adjusted strategies based on each match. One parent who attended the competitions shared, "Robotics is the ultimate STEAM program and welcomes all students, regardless of their experience level. The student-driven program is a positive, fun environment that emphasizes learning from successes as well as failures. "



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UPrep Inspires

"What I see is a safe place where kids feel like they can stretch themselves and discover what they want to be and what they want to do. It goes beyond these walls. It's not about school, it's about life." -Kobi Yamada, UPrep Parent

An essential part of the UPrep journey is the inspiration students develop through strong relationships with trusting teachers, who support and challenge them. Students feel safe taking risks that lead to growth and help them reach their full potential.

We are grateful that your financial support enables UPrep to invest more than 56% of our operating expenses in this remarkable team of teachers and staff! UPrep teachers believe that student voice and choice are the most meaningful engines of learning. This powerful student-teacher-donor partnership facilitates UPrep's commitment to developing each student's potential.

Student-inspired learning and leadership thrives at UPrep:

? 47 students in the graduating class of 2018 received Washington State Honor Society Awards--five of those students are National Merit Commended Scholars

? Through their Capstone Project, 8th graders engaged 13 non-governmental organizations to discuss current topics, such as land rights, access to water, and infant health

? 44 students embraced global citizenship by traveling nearly 90,000 miles overseas with our Global Link program

? In our Student Produced Works class, 15 upper school students participated as actors, stage managers, designers, and stage hands in a student-directed production of The Secret in the Wings

? 50 upper school students inspired one another as agents of positive change at the Puma Leadership Conference

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2017-2018 ANNUAL REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY

LaunchPad for Inspiration

Through Senior LaunchPad, students pursue a two-week project in an area of interest. Students shadowed journalists, recorded an original song, worked on a campaign for a Congressional seat, and explored entrepreneurial opportunities.

Student initiative shapes the LaunchPad project as students create work plans, contact community mentors, and find transportation to job sites. Projects conclude with an evening presentation to the community.

For her project, one UPrep Class of 2018 student job-shadowed at Seattle Reign FC. "I was interested in learning about what it takes to run a professional sports program, the challenges and triumphs of women's soccer, and how I could help support talented female athletes," she said.

Intrigued by promotional strategies to enhance the team's brand and ticket sales, she partnered with another student to create and deliver a social media strategy presentation to the team's owner. Her successful presentation led to a summer internship at Seattle Reign FC, launching her on an exciting path.



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Our focus on inclusion, invention, and the resulting inspiration develops students who will make a lasting impact as intellectually courageous, socially responsible citizens of the world.

UPrep

IMPACT

"We want kids to step forward into the world with their voice."

-Matt Levinson, Head of School

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Taking Pride in Social Responsibility

During the 2017-2018 school year, two UPrep student initiatives motivated our community to make an impact. UPrep's 6th annual Social Justice Day challenged 850 students, faculty, and guests to do the important work of engaging across differences. This event was the largest of its kind in the region and drew 130 student visitors from 13 high schools.

Social Justice Day is an opportunity for our community to make an impact by learning about and engaging with challenging aspects of our society. Our world demands responsible decision-making and critical thinking about social issues. It is imperative for students to leave UPrep prepared to hear marginalized voices, to have empathy for others, and to engage in dialogue with those who

are different from them. Social Justice Day is an example of the way UPrep fulfills our promise to provide an outstanding education for each student within a diverse and ever-changing community.

Community service is one of the many ways that students draw connections between what they learn in the classroom and the larger world. Through service, students gain a greater understanding of equity and injustice--it's an opportunity to give back to our local community. Middle and upper school students participated in two Community Service Days, in which 29 groups of students served 27 community service organizations.



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A Grand Day at UPrep

We are so fortunate to have a generous grandparent community that sees the true value of a UPrep education. In the fall of 2017, we celebrated our largest Grandparents and Grandfriends Day in UPrep history with 214 guests. Grandparents and friends learned about the UPrep educational experience through classroom visits and a program featuring teacher and student speakers and performances.

UPrep Legacy

"I am forever thankful to be a part of such a strong and supportive community. I support University Prep so that other students can have the opportunity to be a part of the community I hold so dear to my heart." -Alise Lied, Class of 2012

The UPrep experience sends powerful ripples through extended families, where parents, grandparents, and parents of alumni continue to be inspired by the values of UPrep and the way those values build integrity and respect within the larger community.

Students take their experience of UPrep with them beyond graduation and throughout their lives. The legacy of community engagement compels alumni to return to UPrep and complete the circle of impact. Alumni return as socially responsible citizens of the world with a commitment to give back to the school community that gave so much to them. Alumni stay engaged through the UPrep Alumni Association's signature events and reunions, our alumni e-newsletter, social media, and by acting as coaches, substitute teachers, and LaunchPad mentors.

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