For the 2021-22 school year, Providence School will be launching TRIAD (Travel, Research, Investigate, Apprentice, Discover), an in-depth exploration of student/faculty interests designed to promote engagement with topics that promote curiosity, collaboration, and problem-solving.
Providence, an independent preschool-grade 12 school in Santa Barbara, is restructuring its Upper School (grades 9-12) academic calendar into three terms to make room for the TRIAD program.
TRIAD lets students delve into interest areas outside regular coursework. Classes encourage critical thinking and appreciation for increased complexity or challenge. The third term with capstone presentations will further Providence’s vision of strategic influence in Santa Barbara and beyond as it prepares students to engage and serve their communities.
With TRIAD, students can experiment with something new or dive deeper into areas of academic interest. They can earn course credit through internships, international travel, and independent study. Students receive 2.5 to 5 credits for each two-week course, depending on scope and challenge.
Tentative course proposals include Athens & Crete Excursion (antiquities, history); Backcountry Hiking (first aid, wilderness training); Toward a Moral Vision of Games (game theory); Business and Entrepreneurship, Linoleum Block Printmaking; Plein Air Painting; Mock Trial; Movie Making; Triathlon Training; and Conversational Spanish and Spain Excursion.
More options are being developed to match faculty expertise and passion with student interest.
“Providence School rests solidly upon the creativity and enthusiasm of our teachers and students,” said Rodney Meadth, Middle and Upper School principal. “We learned a lot during COVID about how resourceful and adaptable our teachers and students are.
“As an independent school, we have broad freedom to craft programs and classes that we believe are worth pursuing, not because any external entity requires it of us. TRIAD gives us a chance to showcase the talent and experience of our community in unexpected ways.”
The name TRIAD suggests three things fitting harmoniously together, such as a chord of three tones. The three-part motif runs through the Providence School motto, “Pursuing truth, beauty, and excellence,” as well as the educational blueprint for achieving the goals of Intellectual Preparation, Spiritual Formation, and Strategic Influence.
Participating in the TRIAD program will amplify three outcomes for students: developing their interests, their aptitudes and their passions.
For more about TRIAD and other educational opportunities at Providence, visit the school’s website or contact admissions director Tawny Kilpper at tkilpper@providencesb.org or 805-962-3091.