Saved Schools

Miss Porter’s School

Miss Porter's School, nominated by an anonymous organization, is a high school in Farmington, Connecticut that describes itself as a independent (private) school serving learners from a primarily urban/rural/suburban area.

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Location Farmington, Connecticut

Governance Independent (private) school

Grades High

Students 330

Locale Rural

Dean of Curriculum & Instruction Nelle Andrews

Demographics

Percentage of students*

—

English Learners

—

Free/Reduced Lunch

—

Students with Disabilities

African American or Black —

American Indian/Alaska Native —

Asian —

Hawaiian or Pacific Islander —

Hispanic or Latino —

White —

2+ Races —

Why Miss Porter’s School was nominated

This school has implemented a competency-based learning model and is or will soon be publishing Mastery Transcripts or MTC Learning Records as summative records for some or all graduates.

Student experience design

A Porter’s education focuses on developing skills necessary for students to be successful in college and beyond. We educate students for awareness and understanding and galvanize girls for global impact. We develop our students’ initiative, independence and habits of mind to prepare them for their individual life paths. We prepare our graduates to shape a changing world. Miss Porter’s School prepares students for the future to come, not the world that was. This commitment allows us to re-envision the way our faculty teach, the way our students demonstrate their learning, and the way we access, record and represent their educational outcomes. We practice competency-based mastery learning – the transfer of knowledge and skills to a real-world context. With more than 100 course offerings in arts, humanities, languages, math, sciences and social sciences, students experience a wealth of opportunity during their academic journeys. With an average class size of 12, their intellectual curiosity is encouraged and empowered. Miss Porter’s School practices competency-based mastery learning which shifts student focus from grades to growth. Competency-based feedback is given for all courses. Rather than exams, we have Demonstrations of Learning — student-shared learning through projects, presentations, performances, and more. The value of competency-based assessment lies in: Greater transparency. More specific and useful information about student progress. Development of intrinsic motivation and a growth mindset. Enhanced consistency, fairness and equity.

Core Practices

Core Practices Length of Use

Assessments For Deeper Learning
3-4 years

Competency/mastery-based Education
1-2 years

Grading Policies Focus On Mastery
3-4 years

Social Justice Focus
3-4 years

Universal Design For Learning
3-4 years

All Practices

Advancement On Mastery

Student Advisories

Anti-racist Practices

Career Prep And Work-based Learning

Community And Business Partnerships

Competency Framework

Culturally Responsive Practices

Extended Learning Opportunities

Hiring For Equity And Inclusion Values

All Courses Designed For Inclusion

Interdisciplinary

Multi-age Classrooms

No Tracked Classes

Multiple Opportunities To Demonstrate Mastery

Project-based Learning

Performance Based Assessment

Physical Well Being Services

Restorative Practices

Student-led Conferences

Students Access Their Own Data

Student-led Goal Setting

Trauma-informed Practices

key reasons for innovating

Some other factor

Date Updated: 4/1/2024

*Canopy profile data is self-reported or sourced from NCES data, then verified by school leaders.