Major academic overhaul provides more unique pathways to college, opportunities to achieve
Cheshire Academy today announced an exciting new Global Citizenship Diploma Distinction, a leadership pathway recognizing top-caliber work, as well as other curricular enhancements to make already cutting-edge course offerings even more dynamic, relevant, and forward-thinking. The changes will provide rigorous, personalized learning opportunities, allowing students at the private independent school to further differentiate themselves as leaders as they advance to college and beyond.
“We are thrilled to announce these major enhancements and updates,” said Dean of Academics Marc Aronson. “Our academic program is grounded in the school’s internationally minded mission statement and these strategic initiatives create individual pathways to success for students.”
Read here below for more information on the largest overhaul to Cheshire Academy’s academics since the adoption of the International Baccalaureate® Programme in 2011 – making CA the only independent school in Connecticut to offer the IB Diploma.
The Diploma Distinction in Global Citizenship
One of the oldest boarding schools in the United States, Cheshire Academy is recognized as a leader in international education, most notably for offering the world-renowned IB Diploma and the Academy’s signature Roxbury Academic Support Program.
A companion to the highly regarded IB Diploma, the new Diploma Distinction in Global Citizenship is a concentration within the academic program for students interested in pursuing an education with greater focus on sustainability, service, leadership, and diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice. Students who graduate with the distinction will be recognized at Commencement and receive a special citation on their diplomas.
“Most importantly,” Aronson said, “they will graduate having tapped into their intrinsic sense of global justice and prepared to be change-makers in college and beyond.”
Cheshire has a longstanding reputation for excellence in global leadership, most recently receiving high marks for diversity in the 2025 Niche national ratings. In addition to an overall A+ rating from Niche, the boarding and day school was in the top 5 percent in the Most Diverse Private High School in America category, ranked amongst 5,220 schools.
Cheshire’s 375 students hail from 15 states, 27 countries and six continents. International students make up nearly 30 percent of the student body, and students of color represent 37 percent of the campus population.
In addition to a host of heavily experiential course offerings, the new Global Citizenship program will conclude with a Global Citizenship seminar and capstone project. Available to students beginning in 11th grade, it will be offered to a first cohort in 2025-26.
New Honors Designations
While known for its IB program, which features standard level (SL) and higher level (HL) courses, Cheshire offers a wide array of non-IB courses from which students may choose. The school’s philosophy embraces student agency, allowing students, with assistance from faculty and CA’s peerless college counselors, to select courses based on their individual interests and goals.
Beginning in fall 2025, students will have the opportunity to earn honors on their grade in all non-IB courses, recognizing higher-level thinking and skill acquisition. Each of these courses will have a specific set of advanced criteria throughout the syllabus that students must meet in order to attain the honors designation on their grade. This offers yet another pathway for students to give colleges a true appreciation for their work ethic, abilities, and skill level.
Curriculum Enhancements
In 2025-26, Cheshire Academy is proud to announce the largest overhaul of its course offerings in more than a decade. Many existing courses have been reimagined as part of the Global Citizenship Diploma Distinction, and CA has opened additional yearlong and semester courses in dynamic, relevant topics in STEM and the Humanities, including Sustainable Energy, Green Chemistry, Multimedia Reporting, World Religions, and Genetics & Biotechnology.
“Many of these advancements have been years in the making and move us along the path to fully realizing our academic visions ‘to provide the best (anywhere) education for global citizenship,’” Aronson said.
For detailed information on Cheshire Academy’s academic enhancements, view the 2025-26 Curriculum Guide or inquire to learn more today.
