All ninth graders participate in a transitional program to help them gain the skills they need to be successful in high school. The program starts with an orientation trip at the beginning of the year, and also includes the Life Skills class and 9th Grade 101.

In Life Skills, which is led in part by 12th-grade Peer Leaders, students learn about identity, friendships and relationships, goal-setting and self-care, all from the real experts on high school – other high school students! 9th Grade 101 is taught by a rotating group of adults in the Upper School, including the librarian, counselor, academic dean and more. This collaborative experience means that students get to meet and learn about the diversity of programs in the Upper School and learn both soft and hard skills from an amazing group of adults from across our community.