Catlin Gabel

BEGINNING SCHOOLLOWER SCHOOLMIDDLE SCHOOLUPPER SCHOOL

When our family visited Catlin Gabel,the campus won me over

immediately.

I said to my husband,

“Just imagine what our lives would

have been if we had gone to

a school like this.”

The school looked like—and acted like—

a village at work.

— a Catlin Gabel parent

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Hubs of purposeful activity, splashes of green,

barns for art and for eating, trees everywhere,

a T–3 connection to the world,a remarkable sense of place.

Watch the students arriving in the morning.

The youngest children follow the trail of bronze honeybees into the Beehive.

First- through fifth-graders swoop past the Paddock and the Fir Grove into their own set of buildings clustered around the Lower School.

Middle School students rush through Schauff Circle to the imaginative, welcoming atrium of the Warren Middle School before arriving at their classroom-lands of Treasure Island, Fenway, and Narnia.

And the oldest students swarm into the Upper School quad, surrounded by the Science Center, Miller Library, Dant House, and all the buildings in between.

The 54 acres of Catlin Gabel, from Chipmunk Hollowand Toad Hall to the Rummage Center, have a characterall their own. It’s like a village at work.

This is Catlin Gabel: a village dotted with groups of learners at work and play . . . and wonderful little niches for students to work independently.


Here’s an Upper School student with alaptop in a window nook just below thelibrary, preparing his peer edit of a fellowstudent’s paper. Meanwhile, in a laboratorytucked behind the indoor tennis courts, ayoung woman is loading basketballs to testFree Ranger, the autonomous robot ofour Flaming Chickens robotics team.Students of all ages spend time in thewoodshop or the art studios at some

point during the day. They may meet asstudy buddies, or attend each other’s presentations in the Cabell Center Theater.

Teachers, too, are gathering to hear fromeach other. Several have just returnedfrom a Regie Routman workshop onencouraging young writers; one teacher isinvolved in a “courage to teach” programwith Parker Palmer; yet another bringsback brain research information from MIT.

In our variety and energy, Catlin Gabel’s 700 students and100 teachers are all part of a focused effort. We’ve carved out a space where progressive education is honored, practiced,and advanced; where a fierce hunger for learning is kindled,bold questions are encouraged; and, most of all, where childrenare cherished.

Let’s begin with the questions.


We honor the powerful ideals of Catlin and Gabel, not by a static philosophy of progressive education, but bycontinuing to progress—by reexamining our standards andmethods, by constantly interacting with other educatorsworldwide, and most importantly, by learning from eachother, staff and students alike.

What makes Catlin Gabel “progressive”?

Twentieth-century pioneers such as John Dewey,Maria Montessori, Rudolf Steiner, and Loris Malaguzziinspired a powerful movement in education—from theoryto experience, from system to community, from power toparticipation. In Portland, we had our own pioneers,Ruth Catlin and Priscilla Gabel, whose schools embodieda child-centered progressive spirit. These schools mergedin 1957 to form Catlin Gabel School.


We look for links wherever they can be found—between history and language,between environment and culture, between sustainability as economic theoryand sustainability in campus maintenance. If a biological process is bestunderstood through concepts usually associated with physics and mathematics,we make those links, too. Our students are prepared not just for formalscholarship, but for research and application in the real world.

Catlin Gabel shares with all progressive schools a basic commitment: to equip your child to be a motivated learner, an assertive questioner, and a confident contributor to society. But that’s just a start.

We teach and practice an appreciation for place.

We teach and practice multicultural perspectives throughoutthe curriculum and in our administration.

We teach and practice cross-generational respect.

We teach and practice a carefully interwoven approach to curriculum.

We teach to the student, not to the test. Our horizon doesn’t end with collegeadmission; it’s lifelong. We interpret our graduates’ amazing record in state-topping SAT scores, college admissions, and lifetime accomplishments as a validation of our progressive philosophy: building a relationship with eachchild, encouraging the spirit of open inquiry, and honoring student motivation.

One thing we avoid: confusing our priorities.

We care for our beautiful campus with its trees and trails, the city we serve,and our home planet. We value sustainability as a campus discipline and as aglobal imperative.

We want our school to be a joyful learning place for people of diverse racial, ethnic, and economic backgrounds. There are some things you can only learnface to face.

We lead without unnecessary hierarchy. Between teachers and students, andthroughout the Catlin Gabel community, we maintain healthy roles andboundaries. Older students help their younger co-learners, and students serveon board committees and the board of trustees.



What makes a pattern?

“Look where the blue and red touch—it’s purple.”

The young storytellers and scientists of Catlin Gabel

Beginning School are already finding their public voices.

We provide a safe, fertile place for their imagination

and ingenuity to thrive.

THE BEGINNING SCHOOL:preschool & kindergarten


“When I talk in a group,I use a bold voice.”

“This eagle’s wings arelonger than... I know! My arms!”

“I help my friends,and I know how to ask for help.”

Our students can memorize facts when they need to, butsoon they learn to notice patterns. In the Beehive, our cornerof the Catlin Gabel village, we’re busy asking each otherquestions and trying out answers; we observe differencesand similarities, sequences and connections. We comparediscoveries. We stretch our minds and test our voices—andhave fun learning together.

It’s fun with a goal. From preschool on, we encourage CatlinGabel students to ask, evaluate, and decide; to stand up forthemselves, and to listen to others with understanding. Wedraw each other in as we draw each other out.

The same goes for teachers. When Catlin Gabel teachers gettogether, there’s an intellectual electricity; we give each otherour best, so we can give the best to our students. This approachdraws a special kind of educator to Catlin Gabel. One of ournewest colleagues said it straight out: “I never knew therecould be a school like this.”

The word joy will probably

not show up in a curriculum

guide. And I don’t hear many

politicians using that word

when they talk about schools

and money and accountability.

But those of us working hard

to ensure a childhood for so

many children know that if

we did not hear laughter,

giggling, hoopla, shouting, and

cheering in our centers we

couldn’t go on. It is the joy of

each child that keeps us doing

what we do.

– Bev Bos,teacher, publisher

“Why can’t we have schoolon the weekend?”



When the topic of a project

is very familiar to the children,

they can contribute to the

project from their own

knowledge, and suggest

questions to ask and lines of

investigation to pursue; the

children themselves can take

leadership in planning, and

can assume responsibilities

for specific observations and

information and artifacts to

be collected and closely

examined. Such projects that

involve young children in

investigating real phenomena

offer them an opportunity to

be the natural scientists or

anthropologists they seem

born to be.

– Lillian Katz,professor of early childhood

education, University of Illinois

Our preschool and kindergarten children, affectionatelycalled Honey Bees and Eagles, are ready to discover,describe, and create. We explore the spaces of our class-rooms—sitting together on the carpet, working together ingroups at tables—and we extend our explorations to farmand field on our bus. We involve parents and families, invitingthem to ask their Honey Bees what they have done today.What songs did they sing? What did they make? Who visitedthe class? Our Eagles go a step further, creating their owndaily newspaper. They are all reporters:

Kyle: I like Elliott because he says stuff that is true. He doesn’t lie.

Oakley said, “We had earthquake practice at group time!”

Today my mom made me laugh in the car! By Rebecca.

Learning to hear and tell stories is a central part ofBeginning School language arts. Students first develop theirown conversational skills, learning how to control impulses,look for social cues, listen, and ask for attention. Soon theycan introduce someone new. Together, we discuss how bookscarry stories, and what the authors and illustrators contribute.With the classroom bookshelves and the library a few stepsaway in the Lower School, it’s easy for us to demonstratehow libraries are organized, and to invite our students tochoose their favorite areas of the collection.

In music classes, children gather data through all the sensesas they enjoy a different way to tell stories and play games.It’s also a different way to strive for accuracy and to practicecollaboration. Art and woodshop classes add more dimensionsto these same essential skills.

Underneath the content of every subject—language arts,music, math, art, science, physical education, woodworking—teachers observe and guide as the Honey Bees and Eaglesbuild their social networks. We rejoice with them as theyappreciate the pleasure of communication. And we affirmtheir growing capacity to show cultural awareness, speakboldly, listen attentively, and solve problems.



How does Catlin Gabel organize the Beehive togive young children a strong start in school?Altogether, our Beginning School community has55 children—Honey Bees, ages 4 and 5, and Eagles,ages 5 and 6. The 12 adults include four homeroomteachers, three teaching assistants, and five special-ists. We have many resources for learning, play, andart right in the Beehive, and we also use the musiccottage, the woodshop, the library, the mini-gym,the before- and after-school care village, and ourown playground.

“Letting kids be kids” vs academic content:how does Catlin Gabel balance the two? Teachers start with what children do best: play. It’snatural for them to build, create, explore, andinteract; we provide a curriculum and a lovingspace for each of those capacities to expand naturallyto take in new ideas, facts, and social and physicalskills. We pay close attention to each child’s mental,physical, and emotional growth, carefully designingour daily program to make sure everyone is included.That means worksheets are very rare, and homeworkat this age level is usually for the parents: we provide frequent suggestions for reinforcing athome what’s happening in the classroom.

What is Catlin Gabel’s approach to musiceducation for young children?Our program incorporates the Orff-Schulwerkapproach to music and movement educationdesigned by Carl Orff and Gunild Keetman. Thiscooperative learning approach builds the music skillsthat match our integrated curriculum, incorporatingpoems, rhymes, children’s literature, games, songs,and dances.

BEGINNING SCHOOLquestions and answers


How do young children benefit from physical education?A well-thought-out exercise program canhelp any child be healthier, with greaterstrength and endurance. But our exercisesand games help children do more than developtheir motor skills and a sense of poise andbalance—they can also name these skills anddescribe their experiences, and can apply theskills to activities outside school. Our studentslearn about playing safely and cooperatively,aware of their bodies’ range, capabilities,and boundaries. They learn why rules areimportant, but they also learn that they canmake up new games with new rules.

What role do field trips play?Honey Bees mostly stay close to home,although their class has been spotted gatheringapples in Catlin Gabel’s orchard. Eaglesenjoy several field trips during the year,allowing them to experience the naturalworld with teachers who will connect thefield experiences with classroom projects andideas. Field trips not only add a dimension oflearning; they also build community amongthe students, teachers, and parents whoparticipate, and give Eagles a chance topractice group skills.



How do we find out what we need to know?

“I asked, ‘How can I make thebulb light up?’ My teacher smiled. ‘Keep going.’ ”

While always being truly and delightfully children, our Lower

School students are already becoming thoughtful scholars.

On one level, they’re eagerly absorbing math and Chinese;

underneath, they’re learning about choices and consequences,

risks and responsibilities, making and keeping promises.

THE LOWER SCHOOL:grades one through five


Instead of telling our students what they must know, we teachthem to discern what is worth knowing, how to organize asearch for that knowledge, and how to put it to use. Howdoes our own experience fit in, and how do we communicateit? How do we learn from our own contemporaries, andfrom history?

We all learn things at different times and at different speeds.Here at Catlin Gabel, we’re building a village of learnersand working out how each of us can contribute to it. Fromour everyday classwork, students see how we need to poolour information to be scientists. We need to read, write, andlisten to our stories, and the stories the world tells us. Someof those stories aren’t in English. Some of the stories havehappy endings, but others don’t. Some of the stories are inwords, some are in clay, some are in paint.

When the science teacher encourages a student instead ofsolving the problem for her, he’s not just teaching. He’sbelieving in her, and, you can tell by her smile: she knows it.She makes the connection herself.

Everywhere at Catlin Gabel, we’re concerned with givingpower to our students, not exercising power over them.Better yet, we want them to know the power they have, justby being who they are and expressing themselves ever moreclearly to the rest of us.

“To get a good answer, you have to think of the right questions.”

“This website on Native Americans in California made a lot more sense

after I read Island of the Blue Dolphins.”

“We’re using data tables to predict outcomes.”

The young child is an

integrated being who by

nature sees the world in an

integrated way and whose

mind seeks connections. But

the school teaches him early

to see the world in fragments

named science, art, social

studies, reading. Later this

is bound to cause problems

because whatever one’s calling,

one must connect it with other

areas in order to function.

No field exists in isolation

and the curriculum (whether

in elementary school or

college) must be designed

to show students how to

make the connections.

– Laurel N. Tanner, professor of education,

University of Houston and Temple University



We’re serious when we call our young students “scientists”—because science isn’t just a collection of facts or subtle labtechniques, but rather a whole way of viewing and exploringthe world. We encourage students to continue their exploration,making it safe, fun, and interesting to ask questions, andthen to discover and develop their paths to the answers.

With our coordinated curriculum, the young scientists studyingforests of the Northwest, for example, become the artists whobuild forest dioramas in the Art Barn. These dioramas bringto life what they’ve researched in the library, what they’vediscussed in language arts, and what they’ve described statistically in math classes.

Music classes give us great opportunities to make these links,too. One second-grade class really loved a particular story andwanted to create a play out of it. To include all the students,they had to create additional parts. They told the whole storythrough creative movement—no words—and orchestrated itwith musical concepts that they had learned. Then thestudents put together the scenery, and timed the whole thing.With the right combination of freedom and guidance, LowerSchoolers can pull together amazing things.

Lower School is where Catlin Gabel students begin studyinganother language, starting in first grade. We know that childrenwho study a new language have an important advantage asthey develop mental flexibility, creativity, and divergentthinking. We also see a wonderful influence on their use oftheir first language.

A thread that runs through everything we teach in LowerSchool is our care for the social context. Any good schoolwants to educate, as we say, “the whole child.” At Catlin Gabel,we go a little deeper by very consciously making the socialpart of learning a core of what we do. We link the intellectualwork with the physical development and the emotionaldimension of each child, and we locate all this in a beautifulplace. We believe that children learn best in a collaborativeenvironment, in harmonious surroundings.

Teachers respond to

students’ ideas in ways that

create trust, allow risk-taking,

and are experimental, creative,

and positive. This is teaching

for thinking.

– Art Costa,author, Developing Minds



LOWER SCHOOLquestions and answers

What resources does Catlin Gabel devote toLower School students?Our Lower School community includes 200 studentsin grades one through five, and 32 educators, includinga teaching team of four in each grade. Our home, theLower School building, with its own library and sciencelab, is right next to the Art Barn. We also use the nearbymusic and modern language classrooms, the gymna-sium, athletic fields, before- and after-school carefacilities, and the woodshop.

What does Catlin Gabel mean byexperiential education?

Experiential education at Catlin Gabel, whether insidethe classroom or outside, is participatory. Ideas andactions—from role-playing and modeling clay tomeasuring wind speed—reinforce each other. We oftenuse the term to refer more specifically to teaching andlearning that takes place under our care outside theschool buildings, usually on field trips. As rich as theclassroom experience is, nothing can replace the community-building power of seeing each other outsideour normal settings. Students see teachers drivingbuses, slogging along muddy trails right beside them,and negotiating the larger world as fellow learners—and as a result they say they feel closer to their teachers.

On experiential education trips, we see history where ithappened—the ruts of the Oregon Trail, for example, orthe Lewis and Clark campsites. Geology comes to lifeon mountains and in caves. Portland’s Classical ChineseGarden introduces the art and poetry of Suzhou, China.Our trips take us near and far, but we always learnmore about cooperation and mutual responsibility,sharing a goal and working together to arrive there.


Why do Catlin Gabel students startmodern language classes in the first grade?

First grade is the first year of full-day schoolingat Catlin Gabel—so it’s the right time to startmaking instruction in language and culture anormal, fun, and rewarding part of school life.Our students choose among Spanish, French,Japanese, and Chinese. In all cases, we moveslowly and naturally through the curriculum,respecting children’s differences rather thanenforcing a uniform pace. We teach vocabularyin context, not by lists, and present the samewords and principles in different ways to engageall our children’s learning styles. Our approachto grammar is deductive and functional; we don’ttreat grammar as a subject for its own sake.

How do we incorporate technology?

In the computer lab and classroom, our LowerSchool students learn keyboarding, research,publishing, and presentation skills. We wantthem to become very comfortable with technol-ogy and the ways it can support their quests;we don’t let the technology get in the way ofthe human relationships where most learningtakes place.



What happens when two cultures meet?Our Middle School students relish complex analyses—

tracing the movements of peoples and ideas throughout

the world and throughout history. We watch, guide, and

encourage them as they tackle an equally important

question for their age: Where do I fit in?

“I’m using fiction to tell a true storythrough the eyes of someone like me.”

THE MIDDLE SCHOOL:grades six through eight


“DNA evidence can solve mysteries. Here’s how it works.”

Our Middle Schoolers learn multicultural fluency from theirstudies. But they also learn from their own daily experienceof our international village: Our Catlin Gabel students,teachers, and families represent over 30 countries. And, withtheir energy and experiments, their uncertainties and probingquestions, our students create a wonderful culture of theirown right here. Within that supportive culture, we helpdevelop their character with a delicate combination of creatingchallenges and providing safe landings.

We think carefully about how to present each subject—andsubjects are rarely presented in isolation. Middle Schoolmath students learn about operations and number systems,but they also learn about the role of math in ancient civiliza-tions. We study the environment in science class, and thenwe present the policy implications in a town meeting.

In Middle School physical education, we start posing animportant question for our students to ask themselves:“How do I keep balance in my life?” This question willserve them well in their years with us, and as they preparefor Upper School.

Preparation for the Catlin Gabel Upper School—or for anydemanding high school our students might attend—is builtinto our Middle School program. In Lower School, the curriculum is designed around the homeroom, even thoughthe children enjoy many specialized classes and teachers.Upper School is configured around departments dedicatedto each subject area. Our Middle School provides animportant transition time with elements of both homeroomand departmental experiences.

Teachers—especially those at progressive schools likeCatlin Gabel—are in a uniqueposition to teach studentsthat intelligence can be seenas malleable rather thanfixed. The differences in thetwo orientations are striking.If students believe intelligenceis fixed, they become moreinterested in looking goodthan learning new things. Ifstudents have a malleableview of intelligence they aremore likely to try new thingsand take positive risks, liketaking a more difficult class.

– Paul Andrichuk, Klingenstein Fellow,

Columbia University 2004-05;head of Middle School,

Catlin Gabel

“Our teacher asked, ‘Was Columbus a hero or a villain?’ We all had opinions.”

“On my web gallery, youcan vote: which painting do

you like best?”



Our English classes roam the world of reading, fromancient myths and Shakespeare to world literature of today,and give students practice in analytical, narrative, persuasive,and imaginative writing. History classes call on all of theselanguage skills as students consider the concept of personalhistory and biography, and how individuals relate to groups.Seventh graders explore the sweep of world cultures, and thecauses and effects of colonization. The role of the U.S. in theworld, and of the individual citizen in the U.S., are themesfor eighth grade students, who begin discussing the meaningof democracy, social responsibility, and human rights.

Math classes begin with mapmaking and geometric concepts,progressing into such areas as probability and financialcalculations. Later, students are ready to organize data, learnabout the history of mathematics, and begin to tackle numbertheory and algebra, with some moving on to geometry.

Middle School science classes introduce sixth graders tobiology, seventh graders to a survey of earth, space, andenvironmental sciences (with a significant unit on scientificmethod and laboratory disciplines), and eighth graders tolaboratory-based concepts and procedures in physicalscience. Some students want more science than they canfit into a school day—they can get involved with state-widescience events and competitions and the Middle Schoolrobotics program.

Modern languages, art, music, performing arts, health, andphysical education are also part of Middle School’s corecurriculum. Field trips and service learning projects continuefrom earlier years, and Middle School adds interscholasticsports events to the off-campus program. Whatever the classor event, Middle School teachers seek to remain constantlysensitive to the special experience of early adolescence, whenso much is happening to our students: physical changes,moral development, concerns about self-approval and peerapproval, and varying abilities to assess risk. Here at CatlinGabel’s Middle School, these are the very students we loveto work with.

The task [John] Dewey presents teachers is not aneasy one. It forces us to focusmore on student thinkingthan on pupil end productssuch as final exams orpapers. We have to be alertfor signs of pupils’ growthand expanded interests, forindications they are beingchallenged to use what theyknow to make sense of whatthey do not know.

– Steve Fishman, professor of philosophy,

University of North Carolina



What distinct characteristics of the Middle Schoolage group help shape Catlin Gabel’s program andthe school-family partnership?

These characteristics don’t apply equally to eachindividual child, but we see them frequently enoughto reassure parents that, though they may be challenging, they’re expected in this age group.

• Young adolescents can be intensely curious about many things without fastening onto any one of them for long.

• They hunger for approval and sometimes become easily discouraged.

• They’re often idealistic, becoming indignant when confronted by unfairness or hypocrisy.

• Trustworthy adult role models are very important to them, even as they’re developing their own internal guidance and looking for connections with peers.

• They need energetic physical activity, yet can often be in poor shape physically, and not as attentive to nutrition as we’d like.

• Girls tend to mature a year and a half to two years ahead of boys.

For all these reasons, we believe in close cooperationbetween Middle School and our families. Teacherconferences, email, frequent newsletters, meetings,and special events are just some of the channelswe use.

MIDDLE SCHOOLquestions and answers


What is the Learning Center? Is it for alllearners, or for those who are stumbling?

The Learning Center can help all studentsand all families be their own best advocates,whether or not a specific difficulty appears.The Learning Center serves the sixth throughthe twelfth grades with achievement andaptitude tests, homework clubs, UpperSchool study buddies, and tutoring adviceand referrals.

Where do the arts fit into Middle School?

Middle School students continue their studiesin music, woodshop, and the visual and per-forming arts. Sixth graders become familiarwith the elements of artistic design, and in

seventh grade these same students can putthe elements to use in the direct service ofexpressing identity: creating portraits. Eighthgraders enter into a profound dialogue withart history and express what they’re learningin both individual and cooperative projects.

Performing arts are also developmentallyimportant: As young people make the transition from child to teenager, they try on personalities, seeing what works, whatfeels good and what doesn’t, what actionslead to what results. Drama provides a safeenvironment to explore these different emotions, thoughts, and roles, and look atproblems through other perspectives.



Before our very eyes, our Upper School students are

forming the habits of ethical, well-informed, compassionate,

and assertive citizenship. No wonder we want to devote

whatever it takes to provide the intellectual, artistic,

and social resources our students—and their

teachers—need for success.

What do we mean by “civilization”?

“When converting analog information into digital form, how do I determine the ideal level of precision?”

THE UPPER SCHOOL:grades nine through twelve


“Peer editing with my friends,I’ve learned how to take

criticism—and how to give it.”

“I think LeChatelier’s principle applies not just in science, but in politics too.”

When our students graduate from the Upper School—whenthey leave us and go into the adult world—we know they’restill a work in progress. At what point will we know we’veachieved “success”? Probably when they’re about 34 years old.Then we see more clearly the ways that they have becomeproductive and useful citizens.

A progressive curriculum builds competence in our students,but even more, it builds a capacity for them to ask their ownquestions and set their own directions. We don’t just givestudents the theorems in geometry and ask for the proofs—they have to observe the reality of geometry and figure outwhat the rules are, and then test their theories mathematically.It’s not enough to apply a set of criteria to an artist or author;where did those standards of beauty or utility come from? Howuniversal are they, and whose interests do they reflect? Insteadof giving students an essay topic—“show how and why theinvention of the cotton gin was a cause of the American CivilWar”—we ask them to look at the evidence and come up withan arguable thesis of their own.

In one Chinese history class, for example, students identifiedand researched questions like these:

• How did rapid economic development and the resulting environmental problems affect public health in China?

• What is the economic and cultural impact of Chinese economic investment in Africa?

• What are the theories underlying the modernization of China’smilitary, and what wars is their military preparing to fight?

In the past, biologicalprocesses and the underlyinggenes, proteins, other mole-cules, and environmental fac-tors were of necessity studiedone by one in relative isola-tion. In contrast, today we areno longer satisfied with stud-ies or answers that do notplace each of these in a largercontext. We now know thatthere are tens of thousands ofgenes encoded in the genomesand that simple perturbations,such as a change in nutritionor a heat shock, alter theexpression of thousands of them.

– William Bialek, professor of physics,

and David Botstein,professor of genomics,

Princeton University

“Civilization—is it a valid term or an expression of ethnocentrism? Or both?”



Our goal is to set free our students’ abilities to rangewidely and make crucial connections among all relevantfields—including economics, social and natural sciences,and all the disciplines of modern communication. Thesestudents are the thinkers our world needs to place in keypositions, with the skills to form policy and the desire toserve the world community.

The sciences equally require that multidimensional capacity,which is why we deliberately take an interwoven approach toscience. We can no longer afford to have the same physicalphenomena described by one set of terms and assumptionsin chemistry and another set in biology. At Catlin Gabel, weinterweave biology, chemistry, and physics over three years,introducing physics and chemistry topics at the right pointsto match students’ mastery of the necessary math. Similarly,biology is coordinated to match students’ mastery of itsphysical science underpinnings. Throughout the program, wetake advantage of logical links to thread these traditionallyseparate sciences together into a larger, seamless fabric.

Integrating disciplines is not just an academic skill; it’s a lifeskill. Upper School students work hard, but they also gainfreedoms—a wider range of electives, for example, and morefree time for individual study, social activities, and interestgroups. One student might take an elective in a subject heknows little about; another might decide to explore her chosenfocus more deeply. Today, one group is spending an hour in thelounge, debating the ideal college; other students are scatteredthroughout the library, shaping their research theses andsearching for data. Our Upper School community providesdiverse choices, and its members offer each other thoughtfuladvice, but we don’t specialize in rigid plans or glib answers.

Whatever their interests, we want our graduates to know howto communicate expressively, accurately, and persuasively. In writing classes, we practice peer editing—a thoughtfullystructured program that requires students to edit and commenton each others’ papers and demonstrate responsiveness to theedits that they receive—and we provide the software andwireless connections to make our technology serve theprocess. As a result, over and over, we hear the same thingfrom our graduates. They go to highly respected colleges anduniversities and report back, “I was far more prepared thanmost of the others here. I’m coaching my dormmates withtheir writing!”

Life in the 21st century

requires understanding,

sensitivity, and skills to

cope with the phenomena

of globalization and global

interdependence, linking the

economic, political, and

cultural dimensions of glob-

alization to the process of

education. Implicit in this

phenomenon is the imperative

at all stages of the education-

al process to reflect the need

for individuals, communities,

and nations to manage inter-

dependence in peaceful, equi-

table, and sustainable ways.

– Victor Ordoñez and Siegfried Ramler,

senior fellows, East-WestCenter, Honolulu



Given Catlin Gabel’s student-centered approach toeducation, how do we evaluate students?

In Upper School, students get grades at the end ofeach course, but the real emphasis of our evaluationprocess is on student-faculty conferences and writtencomments. We protect Catlin Gabel’s letter gradesfrom inflation, and we do not rank our students.

Our college counselors facilitate PSAT, SAT I, andSAT II exams for sophomores, juniors, and seniors.With a few exceptions, we don’t choose to offerAP-designated courses—or to put it another way,our regular classes are at a level that makes theAP distinction meaningless. However, manystudents take AP exams, the vast majority (84%) scoring 5 or 4 out of 5. In recent years, around34% of our Upper School graduates have been recognized as National Merit scholars, semifinalists,or commended scholars.

How does technology fit in, and what is a “laptop school”?

Since 2002, all of Catlin Gabel’s Upper School students have used laptops with wireless networkaccess along with textbooks and other traditionalschool materials. Word processing, digital research,electronic presentations, web design, spreadsheets,databases, and classroom communication softwareare integrated into many classes. Students may alsotake four years of computer science courses rangingfrom introductory programming and C++ to suchtopics as 3D rendering and artificial intelligence.Related extracurricular opportunities includenational competitions with the Upper Schoolrobotics team.

UPPER SCHOOLquestions and answers


How do colleges view our graduates?

Very positively, judging by the results: In atypical year, more than 60% of our studentsgo to their first-choice college, and of thosewho apply to three or more colleges, nearlyall receive at least two acceptances. Our twocollege guidance counselors carefully andfully interpret Catlin Gabel to colleges anduniversities, and provide our own studentsand families with the information andexperience needed to make well-consideredcollege application decisions.

Do students have time to do anything otherthan study?

This is a perennial discussion topic withinmany school communities. There’s no doubtthat we offer a demanding program, but whatseems merely demanding for one studentcan seem more daunting for another. At CatlinGabel, we aim for a balance that allows botha genuinely challenging, world-class curricu-lum, and a healthy, manageable studentexperience with room for athletics, volunteeractivities, class trips, and our wide range ofstudent organizations. Open communicationamong all of us—students, families, andeducators—allows us to reevaluate that balance frequently, for the Upper School as a whole and for individual students.


UPPER SCHOOLquestions and answers

What opportunities do we offer student athletes?

Catlin Gabel’s athletics program includes soccer,cross country, and volleyball in the fall; basketballand racquetball in the winter; and baseball, track,golf, and tennis in the spring. Everyone has anopportunity to participate; we have a no-cut policyin all sports below varsity level. Our students andcoaches have been honored repeatedly at regional,state, and national levels.

Our facilities include four soccer fields, top-qualityfields and track, two outdoor and two indoor tennis courts, and a well-equipped gymnasium andweight room.

What does experiential education look like at theUpper School level?

We offer a variety of experiences that connect class-room learning with the natural world and with theworld of adult decisions. Among the major categoriesof experiential education (and they do overlap) are

• outdoor experiences, including hikes, mountain treks, and rafting

• environmental service and awarenessopportunities—Catlin Gabel students have given over 15,000 hours to long-term environmental restoration in the Mount Hood National Forest

• travel to other countries, including study tours, homestays, and year-abroad programs

• Portland-area community service opportunities, including service with our own huge annual Rummage fundraiser for financial aid

• Winterim, a diverse range of intensive three-day courses, from guitars to glassmaking, from skiingto service projects, on campus or as far away as Alaska and Albuquerque

• Senior projects, which may take the form of research positions, service jobs, or internships, all connecting learning with action.



Catlin Gabel SchoolCatlin Gabel is an independent, non-sectarian,progressive coeducational day school serving studentsfrom preschool through twelfth grade. Its roots goback to the Portland Academy, founded in 1859.

Catlin Gabel: people and placeOur community includes about 700 students,100 educators, and 75 staff members; parents,grandparents, alumni, and friends contribute to theschool’s vitality. Our school occupies 54 acres onBarnes Road, adjacent to St. Vincent Hospital, fivemiles west of downtown Portland.

How Catlin Gabel is organizedOur school has four divisions: Beginning School(preschool and kindergarten, 55 students); LowerSchool (first through fifth grades, 200 students);Middle School (sixth through eighth grades, 180students), and Upper School (high school grades,265 students). We are governed by an independentboard of trustees that includes an Upper Schoolstudent member, and we have an active ParentFaculty Association.

Our students, and where they come fromOf our 700 students, about half are boys and halfare girls; about one quarter identify as people ofcolor. Catlin Gabel draws students from all parts of the Portland metropolitan area and beyond,from Battle Ground to Salem, and each year hostsexchange students from around the world.

What our students achieveOn average, 85% of our Upper School students scoreover 600 on the SAT tests, and 35% score over 700 —the highest scores in the state. The median AP testscore is 5, the highest possible. Of our college applicants, 100% are admitted—more than 60% totheir first choice. Over 75% attend the most selectivecolleges and universities in the U.S.; approximately20-25% attend the top ten national universities orliberal arts colleges. Over 30% are recognized bythe National Merit Scholarship program as semifinalists, commended scholars, or scholars.

CATLIN GABEL:our village at work


Our teachersOverall student to teacher ratio is 7 to 1. All teachersparticipate in professional development programs,and 60% hold advanced degrees. Faculty membershave received the Presidential Award for Excellence inthe Teaching of Mathematics and Science three times.

How and what our students studyCatlin Gabel serves Portland and the world as aneducational catalyst, drawing together dedicatededucators, motivated students, superb curricularresources, and thoughtfully applied technology, in abeautiful and functional setting, all for the purposeof forming bold learners who become responsibleaction-takers for life. Our challenging, carefullyintegrated curriculum combines experiential educa-tion and community service with the arts, English,history and social studies, math, science, modernlanguages, health, and physical education. Modernlanguage courses (Spanish, French, Japanese, andChinese) are offered in every division from firstgrade on. Upper School includes advanced honorscourses in biology, chemistry, and physics, with 70%of seniors choosing advanced science courses andelectives, and 90% choosing advanced math. Thirteenspecialists teach visual arts, theater, and music.

Student athletesCatlin Gabel has received the state all-around athleticsaward seven consecutive years. Girls soccer woneleven consecutive state championships, and boyssoccer has won eight state championships. Ourrecord also includes state cross-country and tennistitles, track and field championships, and many otherindividual, team, and coaching honors at regional,state, and national levels. Athletic teams includecross-country, soccer, basketball, racquetball, golf,baseball, tennis, track and field, and girls volleyball.

Finances, tuition, and financial aidCatlin Gabel’s only income is from tuition, contri-butions, and endowment. We receive no fundingfrom government or religious organizations. Ourannual budget is about $16 million and ourendowment is about $20 million. Current tuitionfor each division appears at the Catlin Gabel websiteat www.catlin.edu/about. Approximately 25% ofthe student body receives financial aid and tuitionremission. Awards range from $100 to $20,000, andtotal over $2 million annually.

Admission to Catlin GabelWe seek students from diverse backgroundswho will make the fullest use of Catlin Gabel’sopportunities, and families who will work inclose partnership with their child and ourschool. Our website has a complete descrip-tion of the admission criteria and process,including an information request form andcalendar. See www.catlin.edu/admissions.

Admission and financial aid policyCatlin Gabel School does not discriminate on thebasis of race, national or ethnic origin, religion,gender, sexual orientation or any other basisprohibited by law in the administration of itseducational policies, admission policies, financialaid programs or athletic or other school-admin-istered programs. It affords all students the rights,privileges, and social, academic, and athleticopportunities that are available at the school.


The foundations of our progressive village at work were laidby two remarkable educators, Ruth Catlin and Priscilla Gabel.In the years since they recorded their philosophies, we have continuedto progress: we constantly learn more about brain research, languageacquisition, multicultural fluency, the increasing interdependence ofthe sciences, and the imperatives of sustainability. But every step ofprogress also reflects the power of these two women’s original vision.


A true education involves more than formal development of the mind alone—it must develop the whole nature of a young human being to the utmost of hisindividual capacity.

Concurrent with the disciplines necessary to acquiring skill in reading, writing,and arithmetic, we develop the child’s powers to observe, to reason, to perceiverelationship, to form judgments, to act, and to create.

We aim to develop in each child an inquiring mind that wants to search outfacts and truths about the world in which we live.

– Priscilla Gabel (1946)

To maintain a school with the most enlightenedideals of education, content of work and methodsof teaching, where each pupil is the unit ofconsideration, under conditions which will serveto develop his fullest powers as an individualand as a group member.

To contribute to the community and its schoolsan educational laboratory, free to utilize theknowledge and wisdom of leading educators.

As a means to these ends, an effort shall be madeto have students of the school represent a cross-section of American life, having various economicbackgrounds and religious beliefs, and chosen fortheir promise in qualities of character, intelligence,responsibility, and purpose, working with thebest teachers available at adequate salaries inhealthful, comfortable, cultural, simple andbeautiful surroundings.

– Ruth Catlin (1928)


On our first visit,our child was anxious about leaving us,

but soon she disappeared into the Beehive.

I looked through the window:there she was, getting totally involved.

Now it’s her home, and our home away from home.


Documents

Catlin Gabel