STEM Program Details | Foxcroft School

— Eva B. ’23

“Before coming to Foxcroft, I was not a science person. However, I've ended up finding my happy place within the STEM Department. From spending countless hours in the basement of Schoolhouse to getting off campus and stream monitoring our local creek, the STEM Department has supported me through all of my crazy ideas.”

In the Classroom

A Leader in STEM Education for Girls, Foxcroft offers an innovative curriculum that addresses challenges facing tomorrow’s workforce and provides relevant, stimulating — and even life-changing — learning experiences.

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Curriculum

Science: Physics first provides a firm foundation for Biology, Chemistry, and further study. Advanced courses in Bio, Chem, Physics, Computer Science, and Environmental Science.

Math: Choices that meet students’ differing needs are offered beginning with Algebra I. Electives include Probability and Statistics as well as AP Statistics and two levels of AP Calculus.

STEM Curriculum
Tools & Equipment

The Innovation Lab: High-tech hardware, including large-screen computers and a 3D printer

Bio Lab: Completely renovated in 2015, with state-of-the-art lab desks and two aeroponic gardens. “We’ve realized our vision of a welcoming, beautiful, and collegiate-style lab ... Most importantly, there has been an absolute transformation in the girls coming into this room.” — Biology teacher Meghen Tuttle, Ph.D. (Neuroscience)

Technology: Students learn to use software and programs including Vernier Graphical Analysis and Google Sheets, which they can access from their own laptops.

Construction Space: Workbenches, basic tools, power tools and plenty of space for project design and construction
EPICS

Foxcroft was the first academic girls-only boarding prep school in Virginia to become part of Purdue University’s EPICS (Engineering Projects in Community Service Learning) High Program — which is a prime example of how we make STEM subjects compelling for students, whether they think of themselves as being science/math-oriented or not.

EPICS is a design-based service learning program through which student teams provide engineering solutions for local non-profits. Our “clients” include schools, horseback riding centers, the humane society, and a history museum. Recent projects built range from creating a display for the Goose Creek Association and trail mapping right here on Foxcroft's campus.

Outside the Classroom

The STEM Initiative is evident in many activities of daily life on campus and the focus of a number of extracurricular activities that offer plentiful opportunities for hands-on learning outside the classroom.

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Environmental Initiatives

With a setting like our uncommonly beautiful campus, real-world application of lessons in the environmental sciences are right at students' fingertips.

- Community garden & indoor aeroponic garden plantings in Biology class
- Trail mapping across campus
- Stream monitoring at Goose Creek
- Completion of National Wildlife Federation (NWF) certification of campus as a Wildlife Habitat

Plus engaging electives like Animal Science, Environmental Science, Global Climate Change, Astronomy and the History of Cosmology, and more engage students with a variety of interests and passions!
STEM Challenge

A fun and stimulating girls-only competition in which teams of 3-4 solve real-world problems that draw on STEM skills. Created and hosted by Foxcroft's STEM faculty, it draws nearly 200 participants each year to compete in separate middle and high school divisions.
Project Green Build, Project Rebuild, and Schoolhouse ReDesign

Engineers, architects, hands-on activities, and construction site visits introduce students to all aspects of design and engineering in these monthly seminar series. Project GreenBuild followed the creation of Stuart Hall, our first "green" building; Project Rebuild tracked the renovation of Court; and Schoolhouse ReDesign will take place during the renovation of Schoolhouse in the near future.
STEAM Club

Web design, 3D design and printing, robotics, rocketry, and computer programming are among the skills that this active group of students explore. The group is mentored by several faculty members which allow members of the club to separate into groups of their own interest and pursue learning that excites them.
STEM Lectures, Visits, and Events

Guest speakers — often women with groundbreaking careers — visit our girls high school to share their stories and their work in various STEM fields. NASA's Chief Scientist Ellen Stofan, American engineer and former NASA astronaut Sandy Magnus, and Capital One's Managing Vice President for Cyber Operations & Intelligence Randi Kieffer are recent examples. Students also go on field trips and take on internships to further explore careers in this booming industry.

STEM Program

— Eva B. ’23

In the Classroom

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Outside the Classroom

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