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BREADCRUMB

Signature Programs

In our three signature programs—Meals, Reels, and Wheels—our students in Grades 7-12 combine multiple fields of study and engage with our community in ways that build self-confidence, resilience, and a strong sense of civic engagement.​​​​​​Students in Grades K-6 have integrations of our three signature programs into their curriculum while students in Grades 7-12 take classes in these programs. 

The spirit of Thaden’s signature programs are alive in Lower School. Meals, Reels, and Wheels are integrated into the Lower School learning units. For class celebrations we cook a special snack together, focusing on the fun of preparing and sharing nourishing food together. Storytelling begins in Kindergarten. Through our Social Studies units, students share their stories and learn about the stories of their family and community. They use photography, film, writing, visual art, and music to share stories.  Every student learns to ride a bike in Kindergarten or Grade 1. We have a fleet of child-sized bikes that are used in special classes, PE, and on our Forest Days. Students feel proud of their accomplishments and cheer on their friends as they reach milestones in learning to pedal. 

In Grades 5-6, Meals, Wheels, and Reels is also integrated into class lessons or special projects. During intensives, students also have the opportunity to take a class that focuses more on a signature program. 

Where science and culture come together through lessons in the kitchen and garden to help students explore the impact of foodways.

Where storytelling and visual representation come together through film-making and many forms of new media to help students understand the impact of narratives.

Where the bicycle serves as a vehicle for learning about humanities, science, mechanics, and community to help students discover a sense of agency and citizenship.

Meals

The Meals program explores how food connects us to one another and places we love through classes, school-wide celebrations, extracurriculars, interdisciplinary projects, and, of course, eating together each day. The curriculum of the Meals program invites students to examine the food system and foodways from multiple perspectives. Through hands-on learning in the greenhouse, vegetable gardens and teaching kitchen, students deepen their understanding of science, sustainability, community and culture.  Interdisciplinary collaborations with the Meals program and other academic disciplines bring learning to life in delicious ways.

Reels

In order for students to stand out in our modern world, they need to be able to tell their stories. The Reels program engages not only the humanities and creative arts, but also the technical, commercial, and cultural forces that mold visual storytelling. Equipped with a campus soundstage, an editing lab, and indoor and outdoor screening spaces, our facilities provide multiple platforms for the creation and study of film, photography, podcasts, and other forms of media. Our Reels program teaches students to create, capture, interpret, and change the world around them. 

Wheels

Designed around three pillars (Ride, Wrench, and Reimagine), the Wheels program leverages our region’s extensive network of bike trails, campus pump track, mountain bike skills course, and professional grade campus bike shop while helping form meaningful connections to math, physics, history, urban planning, and other fields of study. Students frequently set off on rides as a means of reimagining their community, their transportation choices, urban planning concepts, and their own personal well being. They investigate the design and mechanics of the bicycle in order to grow their mechanical aptitude and problem-solving skills while cultivating an ethos of repair and self-reliance.