Clubs and Activities
Although the regular school day ends at 3:10pm at the Upper School, there are many activities that take place in our Student Life program and after school. Programs range from academic support and tutoring for students who require additional attention to academic and extra-curricular enrichment for students who choose to advance their studies.
Upper School Programs
Calderwood Writing Center
Established by a generous grant from the Stanford Calderwood Foundation, the Calderwood Writing Center at Prospect Hill Academy provides students and faculty with ongoing support around writing and the teaching of writing.
The four main objectives of the Calderwood Writing Center are to improve and support the use of and instruction in writing across the curriculum, to provide relevant professional development focused on writing and writing instruction, to encourage student leadership and involvement in this writing initiative, and to promote and encourage multigenerational literacy and writing projects.
Through a partnership with the Expository Writing Program at Harvard, the Writing Center employs five Harvard Scribes, who provide writing support to Prospect Hill Academy Upper School students on a one-on one basis. Harvard Scribes also assist with writing in the classroom, with the publication of the PHA literary journal, Good Prospects, and in the training of Upper School students as Junior Scribes. The Calderwood Writing Center trains Junior Scribes to serve as peer tutors to the PHA community, by teaching them how to coach their fellow students at all stages of the writing process. The Writing Center is open throughout the school day as well as before and after school.
Harvard Tutoring
Once a week, undergraduate students from Harvard University come to the Upper School as part of the Prospect Hill Academy After-School Tutoring (PHAST) program. The Harvard tutors assist students in three distinct ways: (1) homework help; (2) targeted skill work; and (3) MCAS/SAT 2 preparation. PHAST runs from 3:15 to 4:30PM. Admission occurs through self-nomination, faculty recommendation, or parent/guardian request.
Peer Tutoring
Once a week, students who have been identified by their teachers as exhibiting particular academic strengths serve as peer tutors to classmates who need additional academic support. The peer tutors work one-on-one or in small groups with their designated tutees from 3:15 until 4:30PM each week for a minimum period of a semester. Admission is through either self-nomination or faculty recommendation.
Student Life
The Student Life Program at the Upper School is designed to provide students with opportunities to pursue their co- and extra-curricular interests during the school day. Student Life clubs meet for two periods per week and students are invited to join clubs on the basis of their own affinities. Clubs also provide students with opportunities to develop and expand their leadership skills, interact with peers from different grades, and contribute positively to the overall culture of the school. In addition to elected student leaders, all clubs are supervised by a faculty advisor.
Below is a list of clubs that have been offered in the past
- Art Club
- Basketball
- Boys Fitness
- Chess Club
- Creative Writing
- Dance Club
- EPICS
- Girls Fitness
- Knitting
- Sign Language
- Student Government
- Tutorial
- Video Production
- Yearbook
Athletics
Prospect Hill Academy students currently participate in 13 competitive teams in soccer, basketball, cheerleading, baseball, and softball, as well as intramural sports at all levels. Students must meet strict academic and behavioral expectations in order to participate. Please refer to the Athletics section for more information.
