Curriculum Detail

Explore Our Curriculum

Dream. Dare. Do. Programming

Dedicated blocks of time for students to explore interests and pursue emerging passions. D3 periods were developed based on LCRG research that demonstrates the power of purpose in multiple measures of students’ well-being. Additionally, students optimize the time to create meaningful leadership opportunities and student-designed initiatives.

Please Note: Girls may also choose to use their D3 time for Capstone and Protege internships.
  • D3: Service Learning Experience

    Service-Learning Survey: 
    This survey of volunteer opportunities in Northeast Ohio connects students with people from places like animal shelters, nursing homes, and other organizations of interest they bring to understand how non-profit organizations work, and more importantly, how they meet the needs of the people they serve and what we can do to help--both in the short term and toward long-term systemic change.

    Service-Learning Leadership: 
    This in-depth experience gives participants an opportunity for a leadership role to help direct the survey experience in developing the fundamental skills of self-awareness, active-listening, and empathy. Students work on logistics and communication to match interests with needs for local agencies. An extra commitment to meet during Community Time is required for planning.
  • D3: Adventure Leadership

    Combining Adventure Learning and Leadership, students explore the Butler Campus and local parks and adventure destinations. The focus is on leadership, adventure, nature, the environment and the Butler Campus. The participants help design the experience that involves being outside throughout the year!
  • D3: Creative Writing and Literary Magazine

    Students in Creative Writing engage with the workshop model to help writers through each stage of the writing process, from brainstorming, drafting, and developing, through revising, editing, and submission.  Students interested in reviving Laurel's Literary Magazine facilitate the production process, so students in the course will also get exposure to the stages of the production process from setting a production schedule, through creating a content plan, soliciting and supporting production of content, proofing, editing, layout and design.
  • D3: Gators in STEM

    Girls use this time to work on developing and conducting a set of experiments that explore a research question of their choice in one or more of the four STEM fields-science, technology, engineering and mathematics. At the same time, students work to improve research skills and understand what research really means. Students may also be able to prepare for regional and state science competitions, such as the Northeast Ohio Science Fair.
  • D3: Visual Art Studio Time

    Students go on several field trips to nearby art museums and galleries where they gain inspiration for their own investigations and creative pursuits. On studio days there is the opportunity to explore ideas and try new materials. Collaboration is allowed and encouraged, but students are free to work on their own to develop a small body of work or design an installation.
  • D3: Gender in Speech Research Project

    This D3 requires an application. Students accepted into this research project will conduct a literature review, analyze data, and write papers about the relationship between gender and judges' analysis of speech and debate contestants. Research papers from this group's work have been accepted into academic journals.
  • D3: One Coffee Circle

    One Coffee Circle Students in this exciting entrepreneurial opportunity learn all about the coffee business via Laurel's student-led coffee company. They explore and learn how to purchase fair trade beans, roast and package them, advertise them to the community at large, sell the bagged beans and more.
  • D3: Dream. Dare. Make!

    Students pursue their own interests and become an active part of the Maker community using the tools and technology offered in Laurel’s Collaboratory and Woodshop. Girls will solve problems for themselves and others and they will practice the traits of successful innovators.
  • D3: Harlem to Hip Hop

    This interdisciplinary course explores the emergence and evolution of a distinct American culture from c.1900 to the present. Ranging from the Post-Reconstruction Diaspora to current popular culture and events, students will explore the history, policy, literature, music, film, and other media of the period. Topics will include elements of community, economics, education, identity, language, religion, politics, crime, justice and injustice, race and racism, gender, sex and sexism, activism and social justice.
  • D3: Diverse in Green

    Are you interested in dance and/or combining the passion for movement with diversity and inclusion? Have you been admiring the Gatorettes' performances at the different meetings this past year? An evolved version of Gatorettes, Diverse in Green's goal is to educate people through dance with the lens of equity and informing the public. There will be different dance types taught and choreographed from a variety of styles and cultures. Every other D3 day, Diverse in Green will learn different dance influences, moves, and types that will be incorporated into future dances. The remaining D3 days, Diverse in Green will be performing the choreography learned previously.
  • D3: Protege

    Protege is Laurel's internship and research assistantship program for students in the Upper School. We work with each student in the program to determine her areas of interest then build a Protege Project around/in that area of interest. Students are placed in one of two types of positions: 1) internships which provide opportunities to learn about a specific field by undertaking actual supervised projects in the workplace; or 2) research assistantships which provide opportunities to work on actual research projects in science, medical and social science research labs. These out-of-school learning experiences may occur during the school year, during D3 periods or during the summer. Protege Projects are graded on a Pass/Fail basis and are recognized on the Laurel transcript.
  • D3: Testimony Theater

    Students choose a community-based or national lens for their social justice theater production. The productions showcase the stories of real people, real issues and authentic storytelling. Girls interview members of community, research the greater context, and then do the playwriting for the theatrical script. Second semester consists of fine tuning the script and participating in acting workshops which culminate in the staging of a full production for performance.
  • Capstone

    Laurel School's Capstone Experience, by design, will cultivate purpose, relationships and leadership using one of four lenses: Civic Engagement, Entrepreneurship, Global Studies, STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics). Capstone Candidates will explore issues through guided research, intellectual discussion, relevant internships and purposeful travel. Using expert guidance from mentors and support from cohort peers, each Capstone Candidate will create a Research Focus based on her individual interests and agency. This innovative program provides committed, interested students with opportunities to approach real-world issues with interdisciplinary, experiential and community-based strategies while building mentor and peer relationships. In developing a sense of purpose, meaningful mentor and peer relationships, and skills of leadership, Capstone prepares a Laurel girl to fulfill her promise and to better the world.

Faculty

  • Photo of Joseph Corsaro
    Joseph Corsaro
    History Teacher, Upper School; Entrepreneurship Program Leader
    216-464-2205 x1280
    John Carroll University - B.A.
    Cleveland-Marshall College of Law - J.D.
    2018
  • Photo of Leighann DeLorenzo
    Leighann DeLorenzo
    Director of the Upper School
    216-455-3042
    University of Pittsburgh - B.A.
    University of South Carolina - M.F.A.
    2006
  • Photo of Matthew Kennedy
    Matthew Kennedy
    Mathematics Department Chair; Math Teacher, Upper School
    216-464-2205 x1441
    Purdue University - B.S.
    Purdue University - Ph.D.
    2017
  • Photo of Cindy Petriella
    Cindy Petriella
    Administrative Assistant, Upper School & College Guidance
    216-455-3023
    2021
  • Photo of Faina Polt
    Faina Polt
    English Teacher, Upper School
    216-464-2205 x1283
    Alma College - B.A.
    University of Wisconsin-Madison - M.A.
    University of Wisconsin-Madison - Ph.D.
    2018
  • Photo of Hillary Teague
    Hillary Teague
    Associate Director of College Guidance
    216-455-3029
    University of Michigan - M.A.
    Michigan State University - B.A.
    2017
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