Programs
Signature Programs

Experiential Learning

Archer’s experiential education goals are to provide opportunities for students to embrace possibility, seek challenges, and take risks outside of the traditional classroom. This is an integral tenet of Archer’s mission and one of the primary ways we fulfill our commitment to graduating resilient, confident, and self-assured young women. Experiential education is especially powerful for girls building connectedness and realizing self-reliance.

Outdoor Education Program

The essential components of the School’s outdoor education program are Fall Outing and Arrow Week. Through participation in outdoor education trips, students learn how to lead effectively in cooperative group settings and take risks in order to discover personal strengths and challenges.
They gain an appreciation and respect for the outdoors and natural environment, enhance their ability to reflect and grow as critical thinkers and learn how to apply knowledge, skills, and leadership to real-world situations.

List of 2 items.

  • Arrow Week

    Arrow Week is a unique opportunity for students to gain an appreciation and respect for the natural environment while learning valuable leadership and interpersonal skills. Archer has partnered with the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) to deliver the Arrow Week curriculum in 7th, 9th, and 11th grade. NOLS is a worldwide leader in outdoor education and this partnership helps support Archer’s mission.

    The core of the Arrow Week/NOLS curriculum centers on leadership, technical skills, risk management, and environmental studies. Students learn about leadership roles, leadership skills, and their own signature leadership style as they venture out on five-day backpacking courses. During Arrow Week, students develop leadership and teamwork skills through actual leadership experiences and comprehensive theory. There is an educational progression for 7th, 9th, and 11th grade.

    Arrow Week courses travel to the Pacific Northwest in Washington, the Canyonlands in Utah, and the Southwest Desert in Arizona.

  • Archer Abroad

    Archer Abroad proposes short, intensive courses that embrace the tenets of experiential education. Often pushed beyond their comfort zones and required to think critically, students work with local populations to learn and explore questions that face the world today. In countries such as India and Cambodia, students critically examine notions of service and development, explore questions of educational access and equity, examine land use and sustainable development, and embrace local cultures, languages, and traditions. Usually lasting for 10-14 days, students prepare in advance for their intensive course abroad through readings, discussions, and workshops. Upon returning to school, they work to share lessons learned with the entire Archer community where their new understanding and activism are often contagious. For our courses across the globe, Archer has partnered with the leading cross-cultural education providers Peace Works Travel (Mexico, Cambodia), Where There Be Dragons (India, Guatemala), Our Human Family (France), and Lita (Spain).
The Archer School for Girls admits students of any race, color, religion, national and ethnic origin, sexual orientation or other legally protected status to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national and ethnic origin, sexual orientation or other legally protected status in its hiring or in the administration of its educational policies and programs, admissions policies, financial aid programs or other school-administered programs. 

The Archer School for Girls’ mission is to educate students in an environment specifically designed for girls. As such, the school will consider any candidate for admission who identifies as a girl. Once admitted to Archer, all students in good academic standing who abide by Archer’s code of conduct and who meet requirements for graduation will be eligible to receive an Archer diploma, regardless of any change in sexual identity or other legally protected status.