Upper School
Welcome from the Head of the Upper School
It is an honor to lead the Upper School at The Village School of Naples with a highly capable and charismatic faculty who are committed to providing students the skills and competencies necessary to lead successful and fulfilling lives in the changing landscape across the world today. Growing up as the eleventh daughter in a family of 13 girls laid the very foundation for the desire to be part of a Christ-centered community, as I have found at TVS. Those early years so long ago, and 21 years as an independent school leader in the Midwest have provided me the confidence, yet humility, and desire to connect deeply with the gifted faculty here as soon as we began our work together in early June of 2021 to create engaging and challenging programs that will stretch the very brightest students to think critically and creatively while also supporting those students who benefit from additional programming to strengthen and refine emerging skills. All students, as well as faculty, will be supported and feel the sense of belonging at TVS that is vital to a thriving community.
As The Village School community endeavors to love and learn together successfully, each Upper School student will begin every day with an advisor in TVS’s Quest for Success course to further develop their executive functioning skills, self-awareness, social awareness, and relationship management skills, as well as complete an expansive college readiness program, so that they are fully prepared for the “reach” college or university they attend, as well as life after TVS. The daily experience that begins in ninth grade and extends through students’ upper school experience is a distinguishing feature on the independent school landscape in Collier County and vital today, as the college landscape is changing dramatically. The following seven periods of students’ days are filled with rigorous academic pursuits as they choose from 70 courses and 16 AP courses to deeply investigate relevant topics, concepts, and skills. Paired with the founding principles of Christian values and Christ skills, students develop their capacities to lead and make a positive difference in the world while exploring an expansive visual and performing arts program, athletics, and academic clubs to propel them for success at the next level.
I invite you to stop by and visit to learn more about the Upper School program at TVS, and how we serve children’s desire to grow into their best selves in the highly competitive world we live in today. You will meet welcoming, intelligent, and inquisitive students and charismatic and talented teachers with high standards and expectations for one another as they endeavor to stretch themselves each day as learners and leaders.
With gratitude,
Nikki Sweeney
Head of Upper School