BVR Accelerator

The BVR Accelerator is an immersive and trans-disciplinary experience for Upper School students that expands the work done in class.

Dedicated to deeper learning opportunities, it puts trans-disciplinary collaboration and learning in a real-world context front and center. During the Accelerator, students focus on one topic—leveraging time, partnerships, and faculty resources. Students have the opportunity to co-design their experience with our faculty so that they have agency and voice and are fully engaged in the process.

The 2025 BVR Accelerator is two-weeks long, starting Monday, February 24 and ending Friday, March 7.  It is tied to students’ D-Block winter term class—with the exception of RoboSub and travel-based BVR Accelerator sessions

Requirements

The BVR Accelerator is required for all Upper School students. It counts as a project grade in a student’s winter term D-Block class, and has academic accountability attached to it.

BVR Accelerator FAQs

Why is the Accelerator tied to a class?

We wanted to make sure the BVR Accelerator serves as an expansion of the skills students work on in class. In particular, the focus will be on our New Basics.

Transdisciplinary work is about understanding, reading, and making sense of the world in its multiplicity and complexity beyond a single discipline content lens. Our students will be able to delve into different topics and examine them from multiple lenses. It is a great opportunity to see learning beyond the siloed discipline approach. So, in short, being in a math or science class doesn’t mean that a student’s session will be about math or science; however, it will use skills and content from those disciplines.  

What does the schedule look like during the two weeks of the BVR Accelerator?

Similar to our current practice, the building will be open by 7.30 am and breakfast will be available. The bus schedule will remain the same during the Accelerator and students will be picked up at their stops at the normal times. Each session will last from about 8:30 to 3:00 pm each day. The schedule will be similar to a regular class day schedule, and there will be opportunities for community experiences like advisory and clubs that we know are important to students. Please note that some sessions may require an earlier departure to go on a field trip and some might include overnight experiences, so 8:30-3:00 may not be the exact schedule everyday for everyone.

What are the 2025 BVR Accelerator sessions?

More information on the sessions will be shared soon, but you can read the recap and see examples from the 2024 BVR Accelerator here.

I’m proud of what we accomplished … How students stood up and came to the challenge ready to face it head-on was impressive.

Talia Frumkin ’25, Leader of “Streets to Stability” 2024 BVR Accelerator

BVR Accelerator Recaps & Highlights