User:Earnsthearthrob/whittle

Whittle School & Studios is a global network of independent pre-K-12 schools founded in 2017.

Leadership team
Chris Whittle, a media and education leader, is chairman and CEO of Whittle School & Studios.

Benno Schmidt, who is among the world’s leading innovators in primary, secondary, and tertiary education, is co-chair of the Global Advisory Board. He has served as president of Yale University, dean of Columbia University Law School, and CEO and chairman of Edison Schools (now EdisonLearning), a pioneer in the nation’s charter-school movement. More recently, he co-founded Avenues: The World School, in Manhattan. Schmidt currently chairs the board of trustees of the City University of New York, the largest urban public university in the world.

Jean Liu is co-chair of the Global Advisory Board. She currently serves as president of Didi Chuxing, the world’s largest ride-sharing company. She joined the company in 2014 as COO and led immense fundraising efforts to facilitate the merger between Didi Dache and Kuaidi Dache, creating Didi Chuxing. The fundraising included a $1 billion investment from Apple.

Ian Thomas is vice chairman and president, bringing 30 years of global experience, spanning four continents, including 15 years at The Boeing Company, where he served in a variety of leadership roles in Europe and as CEO in India, Australia and China. Prior to this, Thomas served in the office of the Secretary of Defense at the Pentagon. He holds an MPhil in international relations and a PhD in history from the University of Cambridge, a graduate diploma in social sciences from Stockholm University, and a bachelor's degree cum laude in history from Amherst College.

Nicholas Dirks is vice chairman and chancellor, and until recently served as 10th chancellor of the University of California, Berkeley. An internationally renowned historian and anthropologist, Dirks is a leader in higher education and well known for his commitment to and advocacy for accessible, high-quality undergraduate education. He has also long been a champion of the globalization of the university and collaborative innovation across academic disciplines.

Jim Hawkins is global head of school heads and was head master since 2011 of Harrow School, one of the most prestigious boarding schools in the world. He was formerly the head master of Norwich School for nine years. Prior to Norwich, he was deputy head of Chigwell School and head of mathematics at Forest School. Jim began his teaching career at Radley College, having read mathematics at Brasenose College, Oxford.

Campuses
The Washington D.C. campus will open in fall 2019 on 13.7 acres of woodland in Northwest Washington, D.C. The campus is intended to create an impression of a “school in a park,” despite its distinctively urban context. Renzo Piano and his team are transforming the interior of an existing 20th-century building, designed by Australian architect John Andrews, into a dynamic learning environment that welcomes in the surrounding community through a bright public entry with sweeping views into three of the school’s performance spaces. One of the building’s most striking features, five soaring glass-enclosed courtyards, will be transformed into vibrant student-centered commons.

Rebecca Upham, former director of Buckingham Browne & Nichols School, is the executive chairwoman and Dennis Bisgaard, former head of Kingswood Oxford School, is head of school.

The Shenzhen campus will open in fall 2019 in an eight-story building situated in the heart of the Qianhai district. Among the building’s distinctive features is an active glass facade, which is animated by screens that move throughout the day in response to the position of the sun. This maximizes the natural light in classrooms while also regulating glare. The campus is also home to a 50,000 square foot Workshop Floor.

Whittle School & Studios is expected to expand to 36 campuses in 15 countries, with an enrollment capacity of 90,000 students.

Admission
Admission to Whittle School & Studios is highly individualized, including a two-part application, academic record, portfolio submission, a conversation with admissions staff and teacher recommendations. Assessment includes the Gesell Developmental Observation for Preschool through grade 1, the ISEE for grade 2 through grade 5, and the ISEE (SSAT as an acceptable alternative) for grade 5 through grade 12.