Each Upper School girl engages in a demanding curriculum, continues to grow her talents, gains confidence, and imagines the possibilities that await her after her time in Upper School.
In our all-girls environment, Upper School Hockaday students enjoy the opportunity to be leaders in all facets of the School. They are diligent, conscientious students who are curious learners, preparing for college and beyond. Each girl engages in a demanding curriculum, continues to grow her talents, gains confidence, and imagines the possibilities that await her after her time in Upper School.
At Hockaday, girls form lifelong friendships that will carry them through their lives. During their time in Upper School, our girls also cultivate meaningful, individualized relationships with teachers and advisors. Character education programs, student forums, and discussions around issues of cultural competency and social impact are abundant in Upper School. Retreats, Form Days, One Hockaday events, clubs, athletics, and arts performances provide class-building opportunities throughout the year.
Girls can take advantage of unique classes and opportunities including Small World Initiative in Biology, Model UN, debate tournaments at Harvard, and math competitions at MIT, among others. Commencing in her junior year, each girl will begin the college preparation process of identifying her best college options based on her academic priorities and talents. When graduation day arrives, each senior eagerly participates in the time-honored tradition of crossing Commencement Terrace with confidence, ready to start her life after Hockaday.
Advisory
Hockaday's advisory system gives every girl a home on campus. Faculty and staff stay with their advisory all four years, and the students bond through daily meetings, retreats, and other activities. Advisory is often where girls meet their new best friends!
Assemblies
Upper School Assemblies bring the Upper School community together for discussion, celebration, and community-building activities. Assemblies are held once per schedule rotation and events may include student performances, guest speakers, and spirit rallies.
Athletics
Hockaday competes in the Southwest Preparatory Conference in basketball, cross-country, field hockey, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, track and field, and volleyball. In addition, Hockaday students compete in crew and fencing.
Clubs and Activities
The Upper School maintains an active club program, the goals of which are to provide leadership opportunities for students, to allow for student-initiated and student-directed activities, to foster a sense of belonging and unity, and to provide a team approach to learning. Existing clubs include but are not limited to ones that focus on the arts, diversity, politics, service, social justice, and technology.
Dances and Mixers
Hockaday invites Upper School students from St. Mark’s School of Texas and Cistercian Preparatory School to attend mixers on our campus. Likewise, Upper School Hockaday girls are invited to attend mixers hosted on their campuses. Hockaday’s Upper School Student Council plans and hosts an annual mixer for Upper School students in all three schools in September. Smaller mixers for individual Forms may be planned and held throughout the year.
Fine Arts
Creativity and collaboration range from orchestra to photography; from a nationally competitive debate program to the Upper School musical. The arts at Hockaday draw inspiration from an outstanding teaching faculty of practicing artists, directors, and performers.
Innovative Academics
Throughout the four years in Upper School, the focus centers on a challenging academic program that includes English, science, mathematics, history, fine arts, and language.
Making an Impact
Upper School offers rigorous courses connecting academics to real-world application and problem-solving. Courses with the Social Impact designation directly align with the four pillars of community engagement, community service, service learning, and social entrepreneurship that define the Institute for Social Impact.
Take The Next Step
Just as we encourage our girls to be curious and engage in the process of discovery, we encourage and invite you to visit our campus and experience a day at Hockaday.
Within the private school community, The Hockaday School is an independent college-preparatory day school for girls from grades PK–12 located in Dallas, Texas. Students realize their limitless potential through challenging academic curricula, arts, athletics, and extracurricular programs so that they are inspired to lead lives of purpose and impact.
The Hockaday School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnicity, creed, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or any other status protected by applicable law in the administration of its educational, admissions, financial aid, athletic, and other policies and programs.