Chatham Hall | Experiential Learning & Academic Innovation

Transforming traditional academic programming into meaningful experiences that connect learning, wellness, and the real world.
 

The Challenge: Moving Beyond Traditional Learning

What if some of the most meaningful learning experiences happened outside the traditional classroom? What if students had more opportunities to explore their interests, tackle real-world challenges, and discover how their knowledge connects to the world around them?
 

At Chatham Hall, an independent boarding and day school for girls in Virginia, these questions helped shape an effort to reimagine academic programming and create more intentional opportunities for experiential learning.
 

As Director of Innovation & Strategic Initiatives, Ed Dougherty helped redesign the school's JanTerm experience, connecting academic exploration with real-world applications, student wellness, and opportunities for students to take greater ownership of their learning.

The challenge wasn't simply introducing exciting new activities. It was creating a cohesive educational experience that supported the school's mission while encouraging students to learn, explore, and grow in different ways.
 

The Approach: Reimagining JanTerm

Ed worked alongside school leadership and faculty to redesign JanTerm around meaningful, student-centered experiences.

The revised programming emphasized interdisciplinary learning, personal development, and authentic opportunities for students to apply their knowledge beyond traditional classroom settings.
 

Three components helped bring this vision to life.
 

01 | Wellness & Personal Development

Recognizing that student growth extends beyond academics, JanTerm incorporated wellness experiences designed to help students explore different approaches to maintaining their physical and emotional well-being.
 

Activities included hiking, yoga, meditation, coloring, and physical fitness.
 

These experiences gave students opportunities to discover wellness practices, explore personal interests, and consider how healthy habits could support their lives beyond school.
 

02 | Real-World Learning Through Internships

JanTerm created opportunities for students to participate in internships with local companies, connecting classroom learning with professional environments.
 

Through these experiences, students could explore career interests, observe workplace practices, and develop a deeper understanding of how knowledge and skills apply beyond school.
 

The internship component reinforced the value of authentic learning opportunities and helped connect the school community with organizations beyond campus.
 

03 | JanTerm Expo: Showcasing Authentic Learning

To bring the learning experience full circle, JanTerm included an expo where students showcased what they had learned.

Rather than relying exclusively on traditional assessments, students shared authentic products, demonstrated their work, and reflected on their learning experiences.
 

The expo created an opportunity for students to communicate their thinking, celebrate accomplishments, and make their learning visible to others.
 

It also reinforced an important educational principle: meaningful assessment can extend beyond grades and tests to include the application, demonstration, and reflection of learning.
 

Supporting Faculty & Making Innovation Practical

Redesigning JanTerm required more than developing new activities. It required coordination, faculty collaboration, and thoughtful implementation.
 

Ed worked with educators to explore instructional approaches, develop learning experiences, and connect programming with broader institutional priorities.
 

The work emphasized creating conditions where faculty could experiment with new ideas while maintaining academic purpose and alignment with the school's mission.
 

By connecting program design, faculty support, and student experiences, the initiative helped translate educational innovation into actual programming.
 

Results: From Educational Vision to Student Experiences

The redesigned JanTerm experience produced several tangible program components:

• Expanded wellness programming: Students participated in activities including hiking, yoga, meditation, coloring, and physical fitness.

• Real-world internship opportunities: Students engaged with local companies to explore professional environments and connect learning with career interests.

• Authentic demonstrations of learning: The JanTerm Expo provided a setting for students to present products, showcase their work, and reflect on their experiences.

• Faculty collaboration and program implementation: Educators worked together to design and deliver learning experiences that extended beyond traditional classroom instruction.
   

These are observable examples of programming and implementation. They demonstrate what was introduced and delivered, rather than claiming unmeasured improvements in student achievement or long-term outcomes.
 

What This Experience Reinforced

Reimagining JanTerm demonstrated that meaningful educational innovation doesn't require abandoning academic rigor or chasing the latest trends.
 

It requires creating intentional opportunities for students to apply knowledge, explore interests, develop new skills, and reflect on their growth.
 

For Ed, the experience reinforced an approach that continues to guide EdPartners: educational improvement is most valuable when ambitious ideas become practical experiences that teachers can deliver and students can genuinely engage in.

Great ideas don't change schools. Great implementation does.
 

Experience & Attribution

This case study highlights work Ed Dougherty performed during his employment as Director of Innovation & Strategic Initiatives at Chatham Hall. JanTerm programming was developed and delivered collaboratively with school leadership, faculty, students, and participating community organizations. The work is presented as evidence of Ed's professional leadership experience, not as a separate EdPartners consulting engagement.