BREADCRUMB

Advisory Program

"Teaching at an independent school goes way beyond the expertise of the faculty. The advisor is meant to be the central figure in each student's school life, providing the the emotional and social support they need to navigate through Middle and Upper School." NAIS Website
Advisory Program

PHILOSOPHY

We value our students' personal and intellectual growth, character formation, and sense of community responsibility. In our Lower school, that development is deeply rooted in the classroom, nurtured by the close relationships formed between each student and their homeroom teacher.

For Middle and Upper School students, our advisory program is designed to pick up where those interactions leave off. After students transition to Middle School in sixth grade, they are paired with a dedicated advisor who:

  • Serves as a main point of contact for both students and parents
  • Serves as that student's advocate
  • Works closely with each student's teachers to set and attain academic, behavioral, and social goals

The program's structure is also set up to deliver the individualized attention each student truly needs.

ADVISORY TIME

The relationship between advisor and advisee is based on mutual trust and respect, and those two characteristics take time to develop.

The program is structured in a way that builds continuity: students in Middle School work with the same advisor from sixth to eighth grade, while our Upper School students also follow their advisor through to 12th grade. Dedicated meeting times each week are integrated into the schedule, allowing each group to check-in and interact consistently.

Advisors are also charged with communicating with parents regularly. Along with check-ins about grades and social progress, parents also have the chance to interact one-on-one with advisors during conferences scheduled each semester.

More than anything, we understand how much each parent wants their child to be supported, cared for, and guided. That is our goal, too.

Advisors become well-acquainted with each student (advisee), encouraging each child’s social, emotional, physical, and academic development.

Advisors are readily available to students, meeting with their advisees each day for 25 minutes, with 2 days a week of advisory being reserved for class or division meetings and Middle & Upper School Assemblies.