The last major acquisition of adjoining property was nearly 70 years ago—Zartman House and the athletic fields—and it transformed the School we know today. Now, following a rare opportunity to purchase adjacent land, Sidwell Friends is once again poised for incredible transformation.
From the start, the brick-and-mortar project has incorporated environmental and social responsibility goals. The new Upper School building is expected to conserve and creatively reuse fully 80 percent of the site’s existing structure.
Once renovated, the Upton Campus will serve as the Upper School for students in grades 9–12, and will house the all-School community Center for Ethical Leadership and Center for Teaching and Learning. This renovated building will lay the groundwork for a carbon-neutral campus and a unified campus while adding new capacity in science, robotics, scholarship, and research.
A new state-of-the-art Science Center and Robotics Suite will include 11 large modern labs, 4 project rooms, and 17,400 square feet of outdoor exploration area.
A new library will provide contemporary research tools and study support. Our archives will provide access to volumes of material that document the history of our School, DC, and surrounding areas.
A new Fox Den, our coffeehouse, will allow for students, faculty, alumni, and friends to gather, socialize, and engage with one another.
The new dining hall will provide ample space for both indoor and outdoor seating as well as a teaching kitchen for academic, club, cultural celebration, and service projects. This dining hall will serve both the Middle and Upper School students.
