ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE: “When you start a new school, it’s a new adventure. It’s exciting, and it’s on-going. We are still sorting out ways of doing things.” Lesley Skousen, PhD, history teacher at the Princeton International School of Mathematics and Science, is shown on the attractive grounds of the new school.

The love of learning is celebrated at the Princeton International School of Mathematics and Science (PRISMS). Located at 19 Lambert Drive, former site of the American Boychoir, the school recently completed its first year of operation.

Thirty-three enthusiastic, intellectually curious, and committed day and boarding students from the U.S. and China in 9th and 10th grades were challenged and stimulated by PRISMS’s unique learning experience.

“The mission of the Princeton International School of Mathematics and Science — a visionary, intercultural research community educating and inspiring high school students through rigorous scholarship and personal responsibility — is to ignite a passion for inquiry, innovation, and investigation that will instill a compassionate commitment to enrich the quality of life in school, community, and country, and make an enduring difference in our world,” says Head of School Glenn McGee, PhD.

“We believe that our model of inquiry-driven education can be an exemplar for both independent and public schools worldwide. Data from parent and student surveys show that this first year we succeeded in our goal to ‘illuminate powerful ideas, nurture a compassionate community, and inspire profound inquiry.’”

Learning Experience

Dr. McGee, formerly president of the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy (IMSA), is a veteran educator. During his 40 years as an educator, he has served in many spheres, from teacher to school superintendent of education for the state of Illinois. IMSA is known as “the world’s leading teaching and learning laboratory for imagination and inquiry, for its innovative inquiry-based curriculum and student research program.”

Supported by the Bairong Education Foundation, which purchased the campus, PRISMS is associated with a “sister” school in Beijing, a high school affiliated with Renmin University (RDFZ). Dr. McGee is enthusiastic about the chance to offer such an outstanding learning experience in Princeton, which offers its unique location and variety of opportunities.

“Princeton University, the greater Princeton community, and New York City all offer countless resources and opportunities for our students. They have talked with artists in Manhattan studios, been mentored by professors at Princeton and professionals at Ernst and Young, engaged with exceptional innovators, and been able to attend numerous cultural events that were not available in their home communities. Very few places in America, let alone the world, can provide students with these experiences. This region has enabled students to learn so much outside the school day and beyond the campus boundaries.

“Our goal was to combine the best of the Chinese educational system, specifically the academic rigor and work ethic, and the best of the American educational system, its innovative practices and inquiry-driven teaching and learning,” continues Dr. McGee. “We managed to do it and do it well this first year. I especially enjoy seeing students from different cultures working together on projects as well as enjoying free time together. These students have learned so much about global collaboration that I have no doubt they will be leaders in their fields — and in fields that don’t even exist yet — because they have a deep conceptual understanding of the subject matter and the ability to work as true partners with students from around the globe.

“Solving our current and future global problems will require global collaboration, and the Princeton International School of Mathematics and Science is where students will first experience the opportunities, challenges, and successes of working with talented peers from around the world both on campus and through interactive research with students and scientists thousands of miles from our home. Our young scholars will develop the habits of mind to excel in future demanding educational endeavors, to become ethical, responsible leaders; and to succeed in their pursuit of chosen careers.”

“There has been so much enthusiasm among the students to get to know each other,” adds PRISMS history teacher Lesley Skousen, PhD, formerly of IMSA. “ A real sense of international enthusiasm has developed. At first, the Chinese kids and the American kids tended to stay among themselves. Then, we had a big Halloween party, and they started getting together. We also had a camping trip in the appalachians as a combination field trip for the Wild PRISMS survivalist club and the astronomy club. We visited an observatory sponsored by the Lehigh Valley Amateur Astronomy Society, and our students were allowed to use a solar telescope for observing solar flares. They really enjoyed themselves.”

Rigorous Curriculum

“Another thing that is so special about PRISMS is the emphasis on inquiry-based learning,” continues Dr. Skousen. “Instead of lectures, we ask questions. For example, I’ll say ‘What were the causes of the American Revolution?’ I also have students write essay questions. To write a question, they must have knowledge about the subject. We have lots of class participation, which stimulates discussion. We have very active learners, and it’s personalized learning. Our classes are small, with 10 to 12 students. There is no place to hide!”

These high-achieving students pursue a rigorous curriculum. A full range of disciplines, including math, physics, science, history, English, several languages, and art, is offered. Another very important aspect of the educational opportunities at PRISMS is the focus on independent year-long research projects.

“The students meet one day a week for dedicated research,” explains Dr. Skousen. “There are no classes that day. The research program is essentially graduate research in such fields as chemistry, political science, astronomy, and economics. Our students can participate with older established scholars at other institutions, and I also hope to see publication of their work and their participation in conferences. I am confident about their ability to do this.”

Dr. McGee agrees, and points out that “This program is an important way in which PRISMS is set apart from other schools. Every student is required to complete a formal research project that will culminate in a published paper or formal presentation at a major conference by the time they graduate. Our faculty mentors help students identify projects that interest them, and then we try to pair them with researchers and practitioners in the field who help them develop their proposals, conduct their research, and prepare formal posters, papers, and presentations.

“Also, every Wednesday, we invite a professional to conduct a seminar for our students or hold our in-house Global Studies Seminars. The quality of the students’ projects is impressive. In addition, we are able to personalize learning to assure that every student has opportunities to accelerate in areas in which he or she has special talents and receive additional support in areas in which he or she struggles.”

Life on the PRISMS campus, in addition to the academic focus, offers a broad learning experience. The nearly 18-acre campus was designed by world-famous landscape designer Frederick Law Olmstead (designer of New York’s Central Park), and currently includes four buildings. Expansion will feature a state-of-the-art laboratory, fitness center, and a new dormitory.

Life Skills

“With students’ rigorous academic schedules, it is important to keep other aspects of life in perspective, especially in these habit-forming years,” points out Dr. McGee. “We want all of the students to be able to work together, to have fun, and to learn to respect each other. Community life is not just about behavior in the dorms, where students live together; it includes the way we act in the classroom, in the dining hall, and in common spaces in general. The life skills learned through the boarding experience here are just as important as the academic experience.

“We expect students to be respectful of other students, of faculty and staff members, and of the campus. We expect that students learn to collaborate with others, and to be interested in finding the best way, not just in having their own way. We expect them to learn that, to be heard, they must listen. We hope that students will graduate with a much more mature understanding of balance between mind, body, and spirit, to be further cultivated throughout their lives.”

After having launched PRISMS and achieved its first year of success, Dr. McGee will leave to embark on yet another new learning adventure. In the fall, he will become superintendent of the Palo Alto Unified School District.

“With its 17 schools and 13,000 students, it provides an opportunity to make an enduring difference on a very large scale,” explains Dr. McGee. “I will still be working at PRISMS as a consultant and even mentoring a research student. It is my fervent hope that I can connect students in Palo Alto with our students here in Princeton on some significant research projects that ideally will engage mentors from two of the top universities in the world, Princeton and Stanford.”

He adds that Matthew Pearce, formerly of the Thomas Jefferson School of Science and Technology, will assume the position of PRISMS’s executive principal in July.

PRISMS is currently accepting 9th, 10th, and 11th grade students for the fall term. (609) 454-5580. Applications are available on-line at www.prismsus.org.