Frequently Asked Questions About the School Day

Does my student need to be able to read prior to enrolling in the Beginning School?
Students do not need to know how to read to enroll. Through our balanced literacy approach to reading and writing, students build on their abilities and strengths. Reading, writing, and phonics are integrated through a variety of materials, experiences, and activities.

Does my student need to be potty trained to enroll?
Yes, students need to be potty trained before enrollment in any of our Beginning School programs. 

How will the teacher handle my student’s separation anxiety at morning drop-off?
Our teachers are experienced in dealing with separation anxiety. Once a student is dropped off, the teacher will work with the students to assure them that they are cared for and safe. We promise that your student will not be sad for long after class begins!

Will my student be exposed to diversity of thought?
Rowland Hall believes that diversity strengthens our community. Rowland Hall is committed to diversity and the promotion of an academic community in which each member feels connected, comfortable, respected, and included. Parents are invited to share their own faith traditions and cultural practices with our students at various times during the school year.

How do you keep the Beginning School students safe from intruders when there are low fences and open doors? 
Rowland Hall has taken effective precautions to protect our community through live camera feed, locked main doors, and faculty and staff training to act upon a stranger entering the campus. Any visitor (including parents) needs to ring the camera doorbell for entrance to enter a main building. Our safety protocols were verified by a school security firm in a safety audit in 2019.
 
Do you practice lockdown procedures, and how often? 
We follow Utah state law and practice fire, earthquake, and lockdown drills several times per year. 

 
 

Is academic support available should my student need it? 
After careful evaluation through classwork and assessments, should a student need additional assistance, our Director of Learning Services would be consulted to meet with the student and parents for an evaluation and to map out a plan of action for student success.
 
What math program do you use in the curriculum? 
Rowland Hall uses Bridges for our math curriculum which focuses on deep understanding of mathematical concepts, proficiency of skills while building on the ability to solve complex problems. 
 
How much homework can a student expect in the Lower School? 
Rowland Hall believes homework establishes patterns of responsibility and successful study habits. The amount of work varies by grade level and by project, but the general rule of thumb is 10 minutes of homework in first grade, increasing by 10 minutes with each grade level and no more than 50-60 minutes of homework in fifth grade.    
 
Does my student need previous Spanish experience to be successful in the Spanish program?
Our Spanish program is based on community learning, together with the use of visual resources, songs, and more. Due to COVID-19, learning this year is slightly different, with students meeting synchronously once per week and asynchronously twice per week. Asynchronous learning is self-paced, and additional resources and materials are offered should a student need additional support.

How much recess do students get in a typical day? 
Rowland Hall believes recess is a valuable time for students to clear their minds and get their wiggles out! Morning recess happens with snack time and then a second recess period happens at lunchtime.
 
What extracurricular activities are available to students? 
After school activities are limited this year due to COVID-19. We are currently offering yoga, Mandarin Chinese, recorder and instrumental music lessons, private art lessons, and computer programming.
 
Can my student enroll in skiing?
Rowland Hall is home to the internationally acclaimed Rowmark Ski Academy. Rowmark offers an All Mountain Rippers program for students in third through fifth grades. The program is geared towards the confident skier comfortable with basic ski terrain. It is not a learn to ski program. For more information, we will connect you with our Head coach of the Junior Program, and information is communicated at the beginning of the school year.
 
When do team sports begin? 
Team sports begin in Middle School, however, various sport options are offered in the Lower School as after school extracurricular activities.
 
Is there a school bus from Park City to Rowland Hall?
Transportation is offered for a fee for families living in Park City. Students may begin riding the bus in first grade. Read more about our transportation program. 

How much homework can a student expect?
We believe that adolescents need to develop and maintain a healthy balance of their personal lives, academic pursuits, extracurricular and leisure activities, and spend quality time with their families. Therefore, the grade-level teaching teams work together to ensure that homework is purposeful while allowing students to develop content knowledge, study habits, and effective time management. 

Generally, sixth-grade students will have one hour or less of nightly homework, and seventh and eighth-grade students can expect ninety minutes or less of nightly homework. Occasionally there may be exceptions to these time limits, but if students follow the long-term assignment guidelines that teachers recommend, they should maintain a manageable homework schedule. Students may be given a day’s homework over weekends, including long weekends, and students might use weekends to complete projects and long-term assignments. No homework is given over our five breaks: Fall, Thanksgiving, December, February, and April.

Policies for accepting late work vary by teacher; however, students whose absences are excused will be given extra time to make up work.

What extracurricular activities are available? 
We offer an extensive and ever-growing list of extracurricular activities available to our Middle School students. Some current offerings include: 

• a robust array of highly competitive athletic programs 
• Rowmark Junior Program for alpine ski racers
• JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion) committee
• student council
• Robotics and STEM opportunities
• an array of performing arts programs, including theatre, music and dance
• the Middle School Arts and Ensembles and Extension programs offer an exceptional variety of electives during the school day, not just as after-school programs. 

How does the lunch program work? 
Rowland Hall partners with Sage Dining Services to provide various healthy and delicious lunch choices for first through twelfth grades. Daily features include freshly prepared soups and entrees, along with sandwiches, a build-your-own specialty salad bar, and freshly made dressings. House-roasted and hand-sliced deli meats, a variety of locally baked breads, a minimum of two fresh vegetables and fresh-cut fruit are also served daily. Middle School and Upper School students also have a variety of a la carte and snack items to choose from in our Lincoln Street Campus cafeteria. Learn more.

What is the dress code? Do Middle School students wear uniforms?  
Middle School student wear a Rowland Hall logo shirt or sweatshirt paired with any color or patterned bottoms. See dress code details here.

Our philosophy is grounded in school being an academic environment before it is a social space. The dress standards present the opportunity for creating a balance between an environment of individual expression, physical activity, and academic rigor, which respects all religious, political, and personal freedoms.

What is the Rowmark Junior Program? 
Rowmark Junior Program is an alpine ski racing program for our student-athletes. The program develops versatile skiers who understand ski-racing basics and have a strong technical foundation in the sport. As they grow through our program, skiers become more self-reliant—we increase their level of competition, racing focus, and number of days on snow in order to prepare them for our Academy if they wish to apply. At every level, we encourage young skiers to have fun and love the sport.

Does the school offer social and emotional support? 
Full-time social-emotional support counselors are available to students and families on both campuses to assist with family, peer, and personal issues as they affect a child’s school life. In addition to collaborating with grade-level teams to identify issues and develop support plans for students, counselors provide:

• Emotional support for students and/or families in the form of individual meetings and/or support groups
• Resources for parents and students seeking emotional and mental health services outside the school realm
• Services and support for the entire school community in times of crises
• Maturation support
• Second Step curriculum instruction, which teaches skills for social and academic success (beginning and lower schools)
• Developmentally appropriate alcohol, drug, and sexual health education (middle and upper schools)

To learn more about social and emotional support as well as academic support, click here. 

Does Rowland Hall offer transportation?
Rowland Hall offers transportation services to students in the Lower School, Middle School, and Upper School (grades 1–12). Families may choose between several options: round-trip, one-way (morning or afternoon), or a split-ride option (five rides per week, morning or afternoon). To see the map and learn more, click here. 

How much homework can a student expect in the Upper School? 
The amount of homework each student receives varies on the classes their choose to take. Upper Schoolers in regular classes average two to two and a half hours of homework per week per class, while students in advanced courses might average four to five hours per week per class. The process of choosing classes is collaborative–students generally work with their advisors, current teachers, parents, and counselors to create a schedule that will be challenging but not overwhelming.

Rowland Hall believes in meaningful homework that extends the in-class learning process. We do not believe in homework for the sake of homework. We routinely check in with students about their stress levels and anxiety and take steps to make sure work is manageable.

What are the STEM opportunities? Does Rowland Hall have a Robotics program? 
Indeed, we do! Learn more about our ever-expanding STEM program and our Robotics team. 

What extracurricular activities are available?  
We offer an extensive and ever-growing list of extracurricular activities available to our Upper School students. Some current offerings include: 

• a robust array of highly competitive athletic programs 
• a nationally recognized debate program
• a sought-after internship program 
• JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion) student committee
• robotics team and STEM opportunities
• student council
• performing arts productions that include dance, advanced chamber ensemble, jazz band, orchestra, theatre, and musical theatre (more information found here)

What are the community service and engagement opportunities? 
At Rowland Hall, we believe no education is complete without a commitment to a worthy purpose and passion for making the world a better place. Therefore, Rowland Hall students are taught in a thoughtful, age-appropriate, sequential thread from preschool through high school to identify ethical themes, recognize actions that build community, practice decision making, and live a meaningful, ethical life. All students learn that character includes the development of self-discipline, drive, and grit, as well as the universal values embodied by the ethical principles of fairness, empathy, integrity, and altruism.

Our ethical education program is robust and dates back to the founding of our school. Students are encouraged to find an issue or a cause and use their time, talents, passion, and educational advantages to get involved and positively impact the greater community. 

What is the dress code? 
Upper School students do not wear a uniform and are instead asked to uphold a standard of dress. A student's appearance and choice of clothing must balance respectful awareness to the values of others in the community with self-expression. Students are expected to dress for an academic atmosphere of purposeful learning and responsible participation during the school day. Students are encouraged to dress for success, make mature decisions as young adults, and make choices that are consistent with our school's mission and the learning environment that the school strives to provide. Students must wear footwear at all times. Clothing cannot include logos pertaining to alcohol, tobacco, drugs, and profanities, or that are otherwise offensive or hurtful to others.

What advanced courses are available? What are Advanced Topics ( AT) classes? 
xRowland Hall offers a full range of Advanced Placement (AP), Advanced Topics (AT), and honors courses. Admission to these courses is made based on departmental recommendations and on what your teachers and parents believe is the appropriate course load for you. A grade threshold and/or a placement test may also apply depending on the discipline. Every student completes a course-load planning form reviewed by the academic support counselor, the principals, and your current teachers. To learn more, check out our course catalog. 

What is Rowmark Ski Academy?
Rowmark Ski Academy is a year-round competitive alpine ski racing program for elite student-athletes. Students who are interested in competing for Rowmark must apply independently of their application to the school. 

Rowmark Ski Academy was founded in 1982 as a division of Rowland Hall, the premier college-preparatory school in Salt Lake City. Just over three decades later, in 2014, Rowmark proudly became one of the first clubs designated for the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association's (USSA) highest Gold Certification level. Rowmark skiers are full-time ninth through twelfth graders at Rowland Hall. This is a rigorous, year-round racing program coupled with our extraordinary academic high school. There's nothing quite like it in North America.