Roland Park Country School
Roland Park Country School (RPCS) is an independent all-girls college preparatory school in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. It serves girls from Kindergarten through Grade 12. It is located on Roland Avenue in the northern area of Baltimore called Roland Park. An August 2010 Baltimore Magazine article cites RPCS as the "best school for tomorrow’s leaders." History. The neighborhood of Roland Park in Baltimore, MD, was established in 1891 by the Roland Park Company. A school was soon needed. Therefore, in 1894, the company established the Roland Park School and installed teachers Adelaide and Katherine  Howard at 410 Notre Dame Avenue (now 4810 Keswick Road). The school opened there on September 25, 1894. The company hired “a high-quality staff” and turned the school into a “first-rate college preparatory institution.” It became the “first fully accredited independent school for girls in Baltimore.” Academics. Roland Park Country School (RPCS) has a dual emphasis, one of which is “academic achievement.” The school has 85 classroom teachers, 85% of whom hold advanced degrees. Their average class size is 15 students. The Student:Teacher Ratio is 9:1 compared to a national average of 13:1. Roland Park Country School  (RPCS) is divided into four schools, each with its own head: Pre-school, Lower School, Middle School, and Upper School. Pre-school The Pre-school is open to three and four year old girls and boys. The curriculum includes Language Arts, Math, Library, Music, Art, Language Arts, Physical Education, Science, Foreign Language, and Computer. Lower School The Lower School includes Kindergarten, Pre-First Grade, and Grades 1-5. The courses offered include Language Arts, French, Social Studies, Science, Spanish, Computer, Physical Education, Mandarin Chinese, Music, Dance, Art, Math, and Library. Middle School The Middle School includes grades 6, 7 and  8. The courses offered include Math, Chinese, Lab Skills, Civics, French, Physical Education, Geography, Spanish, Art, Ancient History, Latin, Music, Science, Technology, Dance, English, Library, and Theater. Upper School The Upper School comprises Grades 9-12. Courses required or offered as electives include Foreign Language, Science, Physical Education, College Prep, Public Speaking, English, Laboratory science, Mathematics, in three sections regular, accelerated, and honors, History, Fine and Performing arts, Affective education, Physical education, and SAT preparation. Advanced Placement courses are available in twenty-six subjects. "Foreign Language Certificate." RPCS offers a Foreign Language Certificate to Upper School students who meet its  formal study and its experience of immersion in a foreign language requirements. The formal study requirements entails studying two languages simultaneously during a student’s Upper School years. The experience of immersion in a foreign language includes participation in one of the Exchange Student Programs or attending a foreign language summer camp or studying abroad in a foreign language. "The STEM Institute." RPCS includes The STEM Institute, as a “school within a school” with its own director. Its purpose is to train Upper School students in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Graduation requirements include formal course  work and “a series of semester-long research apprenticeships.” The course work must include two Advanced Placement STEM courses, four full years of science, and four full years of math. "Tri-School Coordination." In Tri-School Coordination, adopted in 1987, Upper School students are allowed to take courses at Gilman School and the Bryn Mawr School. This provides students in the three schools a choice of 95 electives. Pedestrian bridges connect the three campuses. Kaleidoscope Kaleidoscope Lifelong Learning at Roland Park Country School was established in 1947 “to create outreach programs for alumnae, their friends and the Baltimore community”. “Courses , book talks, trips, and summer camps are offered in the fall, spring and summer semesters. Over 100 Kaleidoscope educational programs and entertainment options with 1,000 participants are hosted each semester.” Diverse student body. In 1963, RPCS changed its admission policy to read: “Application without discrimination for all qualified applicants." As a result the school enrolls a diverse student body as shown in the following chart. Athletics. Roland Park Country School (RPCS) has a dual emphasis, one of which is “athletic accomplishment.” Athletic sports have been “formally” a part of RPCS since World War I. The sports offered by the school  include Badminton, Basketball, Crew, Cross Country, Field Hockey, Golf, Indoor Soccer, Lacrosse, Soccer, Softball, Squash, Swimming, Tennis, Volleyball, and Winter Track. The school is member of the Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland (IAAM). RPCS began its Athletic Hall of Fame in 2006 to honor those who have made significant contributions to the school’s athletic program. Facilities Having completed construction of its Athletic Complex in 2008, the school’s athletic facilities include two turf fields, an indoor rowing tank, and a fitness center. Championship teams RPCS fielded at least one championship team starting in 1981 through 2015 with the exception  of six years. In four of these years, four championship teams were fielded as follows: