Academics

Transformative Learning in Action

The best learning stays with you.

It doesn’t just expose you to ideas, but sparks the curiosity you need to pursue the ideas that inspire you. It goes beyond theory, turning knowledge into action that solves meaningful problems. It doesn’t skim across subjects, but invites you to linger, question, and grow through sustained reflection. And it thrives in community, where shared discovery and collaboration inspire deeper learning.

For more than 150 years, Rowland Hall has nurtured exceptional students by centering curiosity, exploration, critical thinking, and belonging—the foundations of truly rigorous learning. We help students become independent thinkers and creative problem solvers who make a difference in a complex world.

Our ability to turn classroom learning into real-world impact is best summarized as

LEARN

is the strong academic foundation our students build with the support of dedicated teachers, both in the classroom and the wider world.

THINK

captures our approach to critical thinking and the creative process of knowledge. We encourage students to make connections across disciplines and to engage deeply through inquiry and reflection.

DO

highlights the real-world impact of learning: how students apply knowledge to solve problems, express ideas, and contribute meaningfully to their communities.

Opportunities to strengthen these skills are found at every age, with inquiry and problem-solving growing in sophistication and impact as students move through our program. Below is a glimpse of how Learn. Think. Do. takes shape across divisions.

Beginning School: Kindergarten Animal Museums

LEARN

To help students observe the natural world and make sense of complex information, teachers invite kindergartners to become experts on Utah animals. Classes explore biodiversity and classification, then each student researches an animal of their choosing, learning to collect, organize, and interpret data. Students decide how best to communicate what they’ve learned, using foundational phonics and writing, as well as mixed-media arts.

THINK

Teachers guide students into deeper learning and critical thinking through conversations shaped by questions such as: What have we learned? How can we share our work and learning about animals with others? What matters most to share, and who should we share it with?

DO

Kindergartners bring their learning together by creating their own Utah Animal Museum in their classrooms, a collaborative project that allows these young students to experience what it means to take knowledge they’ve built and make it understandable to others. Once the museum is finalized, they host an opening to share their work with families and members of the Rowland Hall community.

Lower School: Cross-School Learning with Pingree

LEARN

In preparation for a learning partnership with peers at the neighboring Carmen B. Pingree Autism Center of Learning, Lower School students learn about Autism within the broader context of neurodiversity. They explore the many ways brains work and come to understand Autism as a difference rather than a deficit. Through their learning, students build awareness of what it means to be inclusive and respectful, developing the understanding and sensitivity needed to help others feel welcome.

THINK

Students prepare for their learning partnership, which includes regular visits between the two schools, by thinking carefully about how to engage respectfully with neurodivergent peers and honor others’ experiences. As a class, they develop shared guidelines and identify activities they can enjoy with their new friends, then reflect after each visit through conversation and writing. This ongoing reflection helps students deepen their understanding of inclusion and build more thoughtful, empathetic relationships.

DO

Students meet regularly with Pingree peers across grade levels over several months, building relationships through shared experiences. Wanting others to benefit from what they’ve learned, the Rowland Hall students share their knowledge with families and friends, as well as with the full Lower School community during Roar and Soar, an assembly for students in grades 1–5.

Middle School: Model United Nations Conference

LEARN

Students in the Middle School’s Model United Nations class study the principles and functions of the United Nations while building the skills needed to participate in diplomatic simulations and debate. As they prepare to apply these skills at multiple levels—including, for one group, participation in a global Model UN conference—students research global issues and develop the written and procedural preparation required for committee work. Along the way, they learn how diplomacy functions and how international bodies operate.

THINK

As students engage with complex global issues and perspectives through Model UN, they are challenged to step outside their comfort zones and consider viewpoints beyond their own. Through collaboration and public speaking, they develop confidence and leadership skills while learning how to navigate disagreement and communicate thoughtfully in group settings.

DO

Students put their learning into action by traveling to the UN’s headquarters in New York City to participate in the 2025 World Federation of United Nations Associations Model UN conference, where they were the only middle school delegates in attendance. There, the students represented their assigned countries in mock diplomatic sessions, engaging in formal debate and speechmaking in an authentic international forum.

Upper School: Advanced Research Biology Publication

LEARN

Three Advanced Research Biology students chose to spend a year investigating novel, actionable treatment targets for androgen receptor-low triple-negative breast cancer, focusing on centrosome biology and its potential role in this aggressive cancer subtype. Students learned how to work within a clearly defined research scope, engaging deeply with scientific literature and using professional research tools to support original biological inquiry.

THINK

The young researchers focused on creating work that could contribute meaningfully to scientific understanding and refined their approach as they considered evidence and received feedback. Through sustained inquiry and revision, the students reflected on their findings and made careful decisions about their research question and interpretation. This process required them to engage deeply with complex ideas and think critically about how new knowledge is developed and advanced.

DO

Students put their research into action by sharing it with the scientific community, first by presenting a poster at the American Association of Cancer Research’s annual meeting, then by collaborating with their instructor and a professional researcher to develop a manuscript. The manuscript was submitted for peer review and ultimately published as a feature paper in the journal Cancers, contributing original research that can inform future studies.

Our Divisions

Beginning School

Grades 3PreK–Kindergarten

Lower School

Grades 1–5

Middle School

Grades 6–8

Upper School

Grades 9–12

I love knowing that my kids aren’t just being drilled with facts they’ll forget in a few years. They're learning how to think about problems, how to push through tricky concepts, and about how disparate concepts—like math and social studies, or poetry and physical science—are actually interrelated.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★Erin Bean, parent

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LEARN

THINK

DO

Beginning School: Kindergarten Animal Museums

LEARN

THINK

DO

Lower School: Cross-School Learning with Pingree

LEARN

THINK

DO

Middle School: Model United Nations Conference

LEARN

THINK

DO

Upper School: Advanced Research Biology Publication

LEARN

THINK

DO

Our Divisions

Beginning School

Lower School

Middle School

Upper School