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Discover the Discover the

BIRCH WATHEN BIRCH WATHEN LENOX LENOX LOWER SCHOOL LOWER SCHOOL

BWL by the

6:1

Numbers

95%

Our 6:1 studentfaculty ratio is among the best offered by comparable schools.

95% of faculty members hold advanced degrees.

350 350 total students across K–12 85 in Lower School 65 in Middle School 200 in Upper School

38% 38% of students receive financial aid.

40 40 Upper School club offerings for the 2025–2026 school year, often added based on student interest.

55:45

BWL

34% Students of color make up approximately 34% of our student body.

55% male students 45% female students

11 11 interscholastic sports

Dear Future Lion Family, Choosing a school for your child is an extraordinary decision. You are choosing the place where they will build essential academic foundations, develop confidence as a learner, and discover new interests and abilities. But you are also choosing a community that will help shape how your child understands themselves, relates to others, and begins to find their place in the world. At BWL, we believe the Lower School years should be filled with joy, curiosity, play, and discovery, alongside the strong academic foundations that prepare students for everything that follows. And because we are a K–12 school, what follows matters deeply to us. A child who joins our Lower School has an entire educational journey ahead, with opportunities to grow, take on new challenges, discover new interests, and become increasingly independent within a community that knows them well. That continuity is one of the great strengths of a BWL education. Students benefit from the traditions, relationships, and sense of belonging that come with growing up in one school, while each new division brings new teachers, experiences, expectations, and possibilities. Younger students see what lies ahead in the older students around them, and our faculty and school leaders can understand each child not simply at one moment in time, but as a learner and person who is continually growing. We also believe deeply in the value of a coeducational experience. Children will grow up to learn, work, lead, and build relationships in a world of people with different genders, perspectives, personalities, and experiences. At BWL, that preparation begins naturally in their earliest years. Students learn with and from one another. They collaborate, navigate friendships, solve problems, challenge assumptions, and see one another as classmates, teammates, leaders, artists, athletes, scientists, and friends. They learn to be confident in who they are while developing the empathy and respect to understand others. All of this happens at a human scale. At BWL, students do not have to choose between being challenged and being known. Relationships are the architecture of the educational experience. Teachers and school leaders know our students, understand their strengths and opportunities to grow, and build strong partnerships with families. They know when a child needs encouragement, when they are capable of more, and when the most helpful response is to guide them through a challenge rather than remove it. That combination is what I hope you will discover at BWL: a joyful childhood and serious academics; the individual attention of a close community and the opportunities of a K–12 school; the confidence to become fully yourself and the ability to learn and grow alongside others. I am grateful for your interest in BWL and excited about the possibility that the Lower School could be the beginning of a remarkable journey for your child and your family. Warmly,

Bill Kuhn Head of School

"Our son has been nurtured and loved by the teachers and has found a wonderful circle of friends with the other students at BWL. The curriculum is strong and creative, and we love all the opportunities for exciting learning experiences the school provides. But most of all, we really love this community." —Lower School Parent

Dear Future Lion Family, Welcome to the Lower School at Birch Wathen Lenox. These formative years are filled with remarkable growth as children develop the academic foundations, confidence, independence, and sense of self that they will carry with them throughout their education. We are honored that you are considering BWL as the place where your child will experience them, surrounded by teachers who will know them well, care deeply about their growth, and encourage them to discover just how much they are capable of. In our classrooms, children are encouraged to explore, imagine, ask questions, and take meaningful steps toward becoming independent learners. Our teachers understand that every child arrives with their own strengths, interests, and pace of growth. By building close relationships with their students, they know when a child needs reassurance, when they are ready for a new challenge, and how to help them develop the confidence to keep trying when something feels difficult. Each day is thoughtfully designed to balance joyful exploration with purposeful learning, building strong foundations in literacy, numeracy, critical thinking, and social-emotional development. A Lower School student’s day is rich and varied. Alongside their classroom learning, students move through art, music, chess, physical education, library, and world language, experiences that let them stretch different muscles, discover new passions, and find the areas where they most love to shine. Lower School students also have opportunities to take their learning in exciting new directions. In our new Multimedia Production Studio, students will learn to use digital media as a tool for creativity, storytelling, and communication. Through age-appropriate experiences with video, audio, and other forms of multimedia production, they will have opportunities to share what they know, develop their ideas, collaborate with classmates, and discover new ways to express themselves. Learning also extends well beyond our building through our Lions Roam NY program. A trip to a farm can deepen a science lesson about how pumpkins grow, while visits to museums, cultural institutions, and landmarks connect classroom learning to the extraordinary resources of New York City. These experiences spark wonder, encourage students to make connections, and help them understand that opportunities to learn are all around them. Throughout it all, we want children to feel the security of knowing that they belong here. Our Lower School is a warm, joyful community where students are known and celebrated for who they are while being encouraged to grow into whom they can become. They learn that kindness and empathy matter, that mistakes are part of learning, and that taking on a challenge can lead to confidence, independence, and pride in what they accomplish. One tradition our youngest students treasure most is our Kindergarten–5th Grade Buddy program. Throughout the year, older students take their younger buddies under their wing, reading together, sharing projects, and offering a friendly, familiar face in the hallways. For our kindergarteners, it is a reassuring reminder that they are part of something larger; for our 5th graders, it is a first, meaningful lesson in leadership and care. I look forward to learning more about your child and your family as you explore how the Birch Wathen Lenox Lower School can be a place where your child feels known and cared for, challenged and supported, and excited to come to school each day.

Jennifer Burt Director of Lower School

LOWER SCHOOL PROGRAM OVERVIEW

About the BWL Lower School The Birch Wathen Lenox Lower School gives children a strong academic beginning while laying the foundation for who they will become as learners and as people. From Kindergarten through 5th grade, students are immersed in a rich, well-rounded program that balances intellectual growth with social, emotional, and creative development. Learning here is active, joyful, and filled with opportunities to wonder. Students ask questions and investigate their ideas, build and create, read and write with purpose, collaborate with classmates, share their thinking, and venture beyond the classroom to learn throughout New York City. Along the way, they develop strong academic skills while becoming increasingly confident, independent, and willing to take on new challenges. The Lower School experience combines strong academics with innovative programming and a culture of respect, empathy, and belonging. Children are encouraged to pursue their interests, discover new ones, and recognize what they are capable of accomplishing. They leave Lower School not only prepared for what comes next, but excited to keep learning, exploring, and growing.

The Value of the BWL Coed Experience There is something special about growing up and learning together. In a coeducational school, children build friendships, exchange perspectives, collaborate, solve problems, and learn alongside peers of different genders as a natural part of every school day. These experiences shape how children see both themselves and others. In classrooms and throughout school life, students see girls and boys as leaders and collaborators, mathematicians and writers, artists and athletes, scientists and entrepreneurs. They discover their own strengths and interests while learning that talent, curiosity, creativity, and leadership are not defined by gender. Learning together also gives children daily opportunities to communicate across differences, navigate friendships and disagreements, and approach one another with empathy and respect. By growing up together, students become more confident in expressing themselves, more thoughtful in understanding others, and better prepared to learn, work, lead, and build relationships with people of all genders throughout their lives.

A Week in the Life of Our Kindergarten Sample Schedule

TIME

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

8:00–8:20

Arrival and Unpack

8:30–8:55

Morning Meeting

9:00–9:40

Language Arts

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

Language Arts

Physical Education

Outdoor Recess

9:45–10:15

10:15–10:45

Music

Hydroponics

Social Studies

Chess (A) Art (B)

Music

10:50–11:30

World Languages

Math

Lunch

11:30–12:00

12:00–12:30

Storytime/ Read Aloud

Writing (A) Art (B)

Storytime/ Read Aloud

12:30–1:00

Physical Education

Lower School Assembly

Art (A) Writing (B)

Art (A) Chess (B)

WIN

1:00–1:30

Centers/ Exploration

1:30–2:00

WIN

Physical Education

Closing Circle/ Dismissal

Library

Wellness

2:00–2:30

2:30–2:50

Wellness

Science (A) Discoveries in STEAM (B) Discoveries in STEAM (A) Science (B)

Closing Circle/Dismissal

LOWER SCHOOL PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

Lower School students sell crops from their student-run Hydroponic Farm at the Lower School Farmers Market.

Signature Experiences in the Lower School Beyond the everyday classroom experience, the Lower School at BWL offers a range of distinctive programs that broaden perspectives, deepen learning, and make each child’s journey truly memorable. These opportunities are designed to bring academics to life, connect learning to the world around us, and nurture the confidence, creativity, and curiosity that define lifelong learners. From exploring New York City as an extended classroom to cultivating sustainability in our hydroponic and aquaponic gardens, from hands-on design and STEAM projects to the development of wellness and public speaking skills, BWL students benefit from experiences that shape both intellect and character. Together, these signature programs enrich the academic foundation and help our youngest Lions grow into thoughtful, engaged, and resilient learners.

Lions Roam

Wellness

Hydroponic &

New York By taking learning beyond textbooks and traditional classroom walls, Lions Roam NY cultivates curiosity and a sense of belonging within the vibrant urban environment of New York City.

Weekly visits to our on-site, student-run Hydroponic and Aquaponic Farm give students immersive, hands-on opportunities to explore sustainability and science.

Tech, Design

Public Speaking and

& STEAM

Education

Aquaponic Farm

Our Lower School nurtures the whole child by integrating social-emotional learning, independence, and wellness to build confident, resilient, and compassionate learners.

LEGO® Robotics

Learning Showcases

Public speaking skills are developed through Through high-tech, low-tech, or even learning showcases, assemblies, community no-tech hands-on projects, students opportunities, and school performances, develop a versatile skill set that prepares building confidence and effective them to navigate and shape communication from an early age. the future with confidence.

Competition Team In LEGO® Robotics and the FIRST LEGO® League team, students build, code, and collaborate as they bring robots to life in friendly competition.

A Week in the Life of Our 2nd Grade Sample Schedule

TIME

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

Music

Recess

Language Arts

Math

Science (A) Art (B)

Math

World Languages

Art (A) Science (B)

WIN

Physical Education

Discoveries in STEAM (A) Writing (B)

Physical Education

Closing Circle/ Dismissal

8:00–8:20

Arrival and Unpack

8:30–8:55

Morning Meeting

9:00–9:40

9:40–10:50

Music

Language Arts

Hydroponics

Language Arts

Science (A) Art (B) Art (A) Science (B) WIN Lunch

10:50–11:25

11:30–12:10

Math

12:15–12:45

Wellness

12:45–1:40

Physical Education

Writing

1:40–2:10

Library (A) Social Studies (B)

Social Studies (A) Library (B)

Wellness

Writing (A) Discoveries in STEAM (B)

2:10–2:40

Recess

2:40–3:00

Math

Lower School Assembly

Closing Circle/Dismissal

Arts at at

BWL

Arts are central to the Lower School experience. Through music, theater, and visual arts, students refine their skills, discover passions, and share their creativity with the community. Music From Kindergarten through 2nd grade, music builds joyfully through rhythm, melody, and movement. In 3rd grade, chorus is added to the curriculum, and by 4th and 5th grades, students begin instrumental study on violin, viola, or cello. Performances such as the Holiday Arts Festival, Spring Concert, Visitors Day, and Arch Day give every child the chance to share their growth and shine on stage.

Theater Theater is a cornerstone of creative expression at BWL. Each class, from Kindergarten through 5th grade, rehearses and performs a play every year, bringing stories to life while encouraging students to practice stage presence, vocal projection, and collaboration. These experiences build confidence and highlight the joy of performing together.

Visual Arts The study of Visual Arts encourages students to explore creativity through drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, and mixed media. Visits to local museums connect their work to the wider world of art, laying a strong foundation that extends into Upper School. Projects such as the Annual Art Show and installations throughout the school showcase students’ originality and imagination.

A Week in the Life of Our 4th Grade Sample Schedule

TIME

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

8:00–8:20

Arrival and Unpack

8:30–8:55

Morning Meeting

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

9:00–9:40

Reading Language Arts

Math

9:45–10:25

Physical Education

Music

Math

Physical Education

10:30–11:10

Computer Science (A) Science (B)

Art (A) Writing (B)

Computer Science (A) Science (B)

Art (A) Computer Science (B)

World Languages

11:10–11:40

Language Foundations

Writing (A) Art (B)

Wellness

Math

Language Foundations

Lunch

11:40–12:10

Math

Lower School Assembly

Science (A) Art (B)

Wellness

1:00–1:40

Music

Social Studies (A) Library (B)

Chorus

Instrumental

Recess

1:40–2:10

Recess

Social Studies

Closing Circle/ Dismissal

2:10–2:50

Science (A) Computer Science (B)

Library (A) Social Studies (B)

Math WIN

12:15–12:55

2:50–3:00

Closing Circle/Dismissal

LA Win

Hydroponics

CONSTRUCTIVE DIALOGUE AT BWL

CONSTRUCTIVE DIALOGUE IN THE LOWER SCHOOL Building the Foundations of Listening, Sharing, and Respect Long before children can name what they are doing, they are already learning how to be together in a room full of ideas. They wait for a turn, listen to a classmate who sees something differently, raise a hand to share a thought, and discover that changing their mind—or being wrong out loud—is simply part of learning. At BWL, we tend to these early experiences deliberately. Constructive Dialogue is one of our core pillars, giving children the skills and confidence to think, speak, and listen with honesty, curiosity, and respect for how others see the world.

Woven Into Every Day Constructive Dialogue does not live in a standalone lesson. It runs through the Lower School day, surfacing in morning meetings, read-alouds, partner conversations, sharing circles, collaborative work, and classroom discussions. Across every grade, students practice three essential competencies: building an environment of trust, approaching different perspectives with compassion, and learning to use credible information in the shared pursuit of knowledge. For our youngest learners, that can be as simple and important as taking turns, listening without interrupting, recognizing that a classmate may feel differently, or asking, “How do we know that’s true?”

Connection, Compassion, Collaboration The skills children practice grow more sophisticated right alongside them.

Kindergarten and 1st Grade:

2nd and 3rd Grade:

4th and 5th Grade:

CONNECTION

COMPASSION

COLLABORATION

Our youngest students learn the Students begin looking more closely at fundamentals of being part of a perspectives beyond their own. They thoughtful classroom community: help establish norms for conversations, taking turns, listening carefully, sharing practice listening fully before their ideas with confidence, asking responding, and learn to understand questions, and speaking to one another person’s idea even when they another with kindness and respect. disagree with it.

Older Lower School students take on more structured discussions, consider age-appropriate ethical questions, weigh different viewpoints, and begin asking what makes information and sources trustworthy and how we know what is true.

Dialogue in Action

“With our youngest students, Constructive Dialogue can be as simple as learning to take turns and really listen to each other. Watching them practice those skills and realize, ‘I can learn from my friend’s idea,’ is a wonderful part of teaching at this level.”

Each spring, students put these skills into practice during Dialogue Days, a schoolwide gathering of facilitated conversations thoughtfully designed for every — Lower School Teacher age. Lower School students explore questions that feel immediate and meaningful to them: Does your tone matter when you talk to a classmate? What makes a story true or make-believe? How should a class make a decision when friends disagree? The conversation extends to families through our evening Constructive Dialogue Summit, reinforcing that listening with curiosity, asking thoughtful questions, and engaging respectfully across differences are habits that matter throughout our community.

Growing Skills That Last By the end of 5th grade, students have developed a foundation for the increasingly complex conversations ahead. They know how to contribute to a trusting discussion, listen closely to a perspective unlike their own, express disagreement with respect, and begin asking an increasingly important question: How do we know what we know? These habits prepare students for the deeper academic dialogue they will encounter in Middle and Upper School and help them become thoughtful, confident participants in the communities they will join throughout their lives.

“Sometimes my friend has an idea I never thought of, and it makes me think about something in a different way. Even if I don’t agree, I still want to listen and understand why they think that.” — 3rd Grade Student

Our Partners To enrich our work, BWL partners with national leaders in dialogue and education, including:

The Social Institute equips students to navigate social media, tech, and well-being in ways that strengthen dialogue and community. The Constructive Dialogue Institute trains faculty and peer leaders in practices that promote deep inquiry and respectful exchange. ConnectED supports critical conversations on history, antisemitism, and global issues with empathy and media literacy. The Mill Institute provides resources that help schools foster open, rigorous discussion on today’s most challenging topics.

YOR

S ROA ON

Located in the heart of New York City, BWL embraces the unparalleled opportunities of our vibrant surroundings, transforming the city itself into a living and inspiring extension of our classroom through our Lower School Lions Roam New York Program. From world-class museums and cultural landmarks to parks, performance spaces, and working farms, New York City offers endless opportunities for discovery. Through Lions Roam New York, Lower School students regularly take their learning beyond our building and into the cultural, historical, scientific, and natural spaces across our city. These experiences connect directly to classroom learning, giving students opportunities to see, experience, and investigate concepts firsthand. A lesson becomes something to observe up close, and an idea encountered in class can take on new meaning in the world around them. Time spent exploring the city together is also an important part of growing up at BWL. Students build independence, strengthen friendships, share new experiences, and become increasingly curious and confident navigating the city they call home. With every experience, New York City becomes an extension of the BWL classroom—a place to observe, ask questions, make connections, and discover that learning can happen wherever curiosity takes you.

Learning by Doing Kindergarteners might explore Central Park’s ecosystems during a science unit, while 3rd graders step into history at the Tenement Museum. Older students may investigate works of art at the Whitney or Frick, explore geology in Central Park, or study performance during a Broadway workshop. Each experience is thoughtfully connected to classroom learning, giving students opportunities to observe closely, ask questions, investigate ideas firsthand, and make connections between what they study at school and what they encounter across the city.

Confidence in the City Exploring New York together also helps students develop confidence and independence. Traveling as a class teaches children how to navigate new environments, stay aware of the world around them, and take increasing responsibility for themselves and one another. Along the way, they strengthen friendships, share memorable experiences with their classmates, and become more comfortable and curious about the city they call home.

Shaping Lifelong Learners Over time, these experiences help students develop the curiosity, adaptability, and sense of possibility that characterize lifelong learners. They begin to see museums, parks, neighborhoods, performances, and public spaces as places where there is always something new to notice, question, and understand. By embracing all that New York has to offer, students learn that education extends far beyond the classroom and that the world around them is theirs to explore. LIONS ROAM NEW YORK: Where the City Becomes our Classroom and Every Corner Sparks New Discoveries

YOR

S ROA ON

CLASSROOM TO CITY: WHERE OUR LIONS ROAM SCIENCE Queens County Farm (K) Central Park Rock Classification (4) Central Park Zoo (K, 1, 3) Bronx Zoo (2) Liberty Science Center (1–3)

SOCIALEMOTIONAL Camp Bryn Mawr Overnight (5) John Jay Park (K)

HUMANITIES + SOCIAL STUDIES Neighborhood Post Office (K–1) 79th Street Library (K–5) Fire Station (1) Central Park Mapping Scavenger Hunt (2) Guided Tour of American Art at The Met (4) Ellis Island (4–5) Yankee Stadium (5) Museum of the City of New York (4–5) Tenement Museum (2, 4)

THE ARTS Museum of Modern Art (2–3) Link Up Carnegie Hall Performance (3–4) Lincoln Center Tour (5) En Plein Air Art (4)

LITERACY STEAM + MATH Children’s Museum of Manhattan (K–1) MoMath (1–3)

Wild Robot Movie (5) Theatreworks (4) 79th Street Library (K–5)

TRIPS THAT BRING US TOGETHER Across the Brooklyn Bridge Our 2nd graders cross the Brooklyn Bridge to discover New York's landmarks up close, taking in the skyline, harbor, and neighborhoods that shape the city's story. By 5th grade, that same bridge becomes a science lesson in engineering—how towers, cables, and tension hold it aloft over the East River.

Overnight at Camp Bryn Mawr The capstone of Lower School, this two-night adventure brings our oldest students together in their final year before Middle School. Through shared challenges and time in nature, they build trust, friendship, and leadership, returning with greater confidence and lasting memories.

STUDENT-RUN

WHERE YOUNG SCIENTISTS BECOME ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDS

HYDROPONIC & AQUAPONIC FARM

In partnership with New York Sun Works, BWL created a cutting-edge hydroponic and aquaponic farm inside our Lower School Science Lab. This unique facility gives students in Kindergarten through 5th grade hands-on opportunities to explore plant growth, biodiversity, ecosystems, sustainability, and food production as part of their science curriculum. Students experience these concepts firsthand as they plant, observe, measure, experiment, and care for living systems. They learn how plants can thrive without soil in nutrient-rich water and discover the remarkable relationship at the heart of aquaponics: fish waste provides nutrients that help plants grow, while the plants help filter and clean the water for the fish. Seeing this cycle in action helps students understand how interconnected ecosystems work and often sparks an early excitement about sustainability, conservation, and caring for the environment.

What students grow extends well beyond the lab. Vegetables and herbs harvested by our Lower and Middle School “bioengineers” become the centerpiece of cross-curricular learning, including our student-run farmers market. Students help harvest and prepare produce, create signage and marketing materials, and take part in selling what they have grown to members of the BWL community. The experience brings together science, math, communication, entrepreneurship, and healthy eating while giving students the satisfaction of seeing a project through from seed to harvest. The farm gives children a tangible way to understand some of the larger environmental questions they will continue exploring throughout their education. By caring for living things, observing how natural systems depend on one another, and thinking about how food can be grown more sustainably, students begin to see themselves as active participants in caring for the world around them.

90 STUDENT

FARMERS

3 HARVEST EVENTS

10 CROP

TYPES

3 GROWING

50 POUNDS SEASONS GROWN

BWL ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM

Entrepreneurship at Birch Wathen Lenox is more than a course—it’s a mindset. Students are first introduced to design thinking and creative problem-solving in Middle School, where they learn to approach challenges with curiosity and collaboration. By Upper School, they are ready to move from idea generation to prototypes, launches, and fully operational ventures.

Middle School Entrepreneurship Program: Innovation Starts Here At BWL, entrepreneurial thinking begins before students are ready to launch a business. In 7th and 8th grades, students learn to look at the world differently: to notice problems, ask better questions, imagine solutions, and have the confidence to test their ideas. Through hands-on projects grounded in design thinking and creative problem-solving, students learn how ideas move from “What if?” to something tangible. They consider real customer needs, develop and refine concepts, collaborate in teams, and create, market, and sell products through experiences such as a Pop-Up Marketplace and eCommerce simulation. Just as important is what happens when an idea doesn’t work the first time. Students learn to listen to feedback, adapt their thinking, communicate persuasively, and try again. Presenting their work to peers and faculty builds confidence in both their ideas and their ability to articulate them. By the end of Middle School, students enter BWL’s Upper School entrepreneurship sequence ready for a new challenge: taking the habits and skills they have developed and using them to build something real.

Entrepreneurship Program Advisors

Contessa Brewer

Brian Lancaster

Jayesh Punater

Maggie Sprenger

CNBC Correspondent

Columbia Business School Professor of Finance and Economics, Founder and President of The Minot Group LLC

Founder and CEO of Nucleus DNA, Founder and CEO of Gravitas

NYU Stern Adjunct Professor and Partner at Audere Capital LLC

Upper School Entrepreneurship Program: A Four-Year Journey of Innovation Our Upper School Entrepreneurship Program is a signature offering and a true differentiator among New York City’s independent schools. This selective fouryear sequence moves students beyond studying entrepreneurship to actually practicing it: identifying problems worth solving, developing ideas, testing them with real customers, building prototypes, responding to feedback, and ultimately launching and growing their own ventures. Students learn alongside entrepreneurs, investors, and industry professionals who serve as mentors and guest speakers, bringing the realities of building and leading businesses directly into the program. Students put their own ideas in front of these experts, receive candid feedback, ask questions, and make changes based on what they hear. Experiences extend well beyond the classroom, including company visits, the Entrepreneurship Gallery Tour, competitions, and opportunities to pitch before professionals and public audiences. As students progress through the program, the stakes grow. Early coursework builds fluency in creative problem-solving, customer-centered design, finance, marketing, leadership, and project management. In the Incubator, students develop and test minimum viable products with real users, learning firsthand that good ideas rarely emerge perfectly formed. They listen, adapt, rethink, and try again. The annual Future Founders Lab brings that work to a public stage, where students pitch their ventures to a panel of accomplished entrepreneurs and investors and compete for funding to move their ideas forward. Students must make the case for their venture, respond to questions in the moment, and persuade others that their idea is worth backing. The four-year sequence culminates in the Level 4 Accelerator, an immersive capstone in which students take validated concepts and work toward fully operational businesses with guidance from mentors and industry advisors. By graduation, BWL entrepreneurs have done far more than write a business plan. They have created, tested, presented, revised, and built something of their own. Along the way, they develop the judgment, resilience, communication skills, and confidence to navigate uncertainty, skills that will serve them wherever their next ideas take them.

Visit bwl.org/entrepreneurship or scan the QR code for more information.

Previous Entrepreneurship Guest Speakers

Jenny Fleiss

Amy Howe

Thomas Kang

Ben Van Leeuwen

Ezinne Okonkwo

Jack Wilson

Co-Founder of Rent the Runway

Former CEO of FanDuel Group

President of Nex

Co-founder and CEO of Van Leeuwen Ice Cream

Columbia University Entrepreneurship Student

Co-Founder and COO at Eztia

BWL Afterschool & Enrichment Program The BWL Afterschool Program offers families a range of flexible options to support busy schedules while giving students opportunities to learn, play, and explore new interests beyond the school day. Early Arrival is offered for students who must arrive at school before 8:00 a.m., and runs from 7:30–8:00 a.m. This program may be used on an as-needed basis. There is no fee for this service. Extended Day is offered for students who cannot be picked up from school at regular dismissal time. Extended Day runs daily from dismissal until 5:30 p.m. except on early dismissal days. Students work on their homework assignments with the assistance of a supervising teacher. Upon completion of their homework, students can socialize and participate in supervised activities like organized games, reading, drawing, or working on a computer. Extended Day is available on an as-needed basis at a rate of $20 per hour. Enrichment Classes are held every term and provide a variety of activities and interests for students to participate in on campus immediately after school. Classes run from 3:10–4:10 p.m. Mondays–Thursdays, and from 2:10–3:10 p.m. on Fridays. Pricing varies. A sample schedule of Enrichment Class Options is available below. Mondays BWL Sports (K–2) Let Grow Play Club (K–5) Tuesdays Magical Makers (K–2) Exploring Photography (3–5) BWL Rock Band (3–5) Wednesdays Ballet (K–3) Chess, Multiple Levels (K–5) Thursdays Japanese Jujutsu (2–5) Minecraft Code: Harry Potter Adventure (3–5) Step Into the Theater Spotlight: Create Your Own Musical (K–5) Fridays LEGO® Robotics (K–3) BWL Sports (3–5)

LEARNING

BWL Learning Partners PARTNERS AND and Collaborators COLLABORATORS

Extending Learning Beyond Our Walls Education doesn’t stop at the classroom door. Through partnerships with leading hospitals, organizations, cultural institutions, and nonprofits, our students connect with experts who add real-world knowledge to their learning. These collaborations enrich our curriculum, expand perspectives, and prepare students to thrive in a rapidly changing world and to lead with knowledge, empathy, and confidence.

Partnership Highlights New York Sun Works Lower School students work in our on-site Hydroponic and Aquaponic Farm, developed in partnership with New York Sun Works. The farm offers hands-on learning experiences in the many aspects of plant development, biodiversity, and sustainable farming practices.

Let Grow Through our partnership with Let Grow, Lower School students take ownership of their own growth and success, building confidence, resilience, and self-reliance through independent play and real-life experiences. BWL is proud to be an official Let Grow Lighthouse School.

Responsive Classroom Lower School classrooms use the research-based Responsive Classroom approach to integrate social-emotional skills throughout the school day. Through practices such as daily Morning Meeting, students build strong relationships, practice respectful communication, and strengthen cooperation, responsibility, and problem-solving skills within a safe, inclusive classroom community.

ClassVR Lower School students have a unique opportunity for up-close learning without leaving the classroom. Through our partnership with ClassVR, our students take virtual field trips, interacting with 3D models of everything from the human heart to the Grand Canyon, using virtual reality headsets and specialized software that engages young minds and brings learning to life!

Weill Cornell Medicine Through the Integrative Health & Wellbeing Center, families access expert nutrition guidance, yoga and mindfulness programs, wellness forums, and ongoing health resources.

For a complete listing of BWL’s Learning Partners and Collaborators, visit www.BWL.org/partners

Community Service at BWL

BWL's strong focus on building community is evident in our many Service-Learning initiatives. Through partnerships with outside organizations and the personal initiatives of students and community members in our school, we provide service-learning opportunities where students can see the immediate impact of their efforts and learn how to be agents for positive change. BWL is proud to have strong relationships with organizations like New York Common Pantry, Grassroots Grocery, Ronald McDonald House, Project Cicero, Glamour Gals, and Bear Givers, among others. Students participate in sandwichmaking, food and toy drives, and annual charitable walks to support and raise awareness of causes including diabetes, breast cancer, blood cancer, Alzheimer's, and heart disease.

Athletics at BWL Physical Education, Sports, and Athletics at Birch Wathen Lenox empower students to lead healthy and active lifestyles and hone valuable skills, including sportsmanship, teamwork, and physical fitness in PE classes, intramural sports, and interscholastic competitions. Students also have access to BWL’s new Fitness Center. Lower School

Upper School

Students in grades K–2 participate in weekly PE classes and outdoor time on the school's rooftop playground, strengthening fundamental skills of cooperative learning, physical coordination, discovery, play, and active listening. In grades 3–5, they continue building strength, agility, and physical fitness while adding competitive sports, which encourage goal setting, creative thinking, teamwork, and FUN! All 4th and 5th graders also have regular access to our on-campus Fitness Center, where they use age-appropriate equipment as part of their physical education program.

Upper School PE classes emphasize the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle with lessons on cardiovascular health, weight training, aerobic fitness, and more, with instruction that encourages positive habits and physical health for a lifetime. Upper School student-athletes compete in the Independent School Athletic League (ISAL). Sports include Boys and Girls Soccer, Girls Volleyball, coed Cross Country, Boys and Girls Basketball, coed Swimming, coed Squash, coed Track and Field, Boys and Girls Tennis, coed Golf, and Boys Baseball. The school also participates in state-level competitions through the New York State Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS).

Middle School Beginning in 6th grade, students can participate in afterschool intramural sports, including soccer, volleyball, basketball, and racquet sports, increasing their skill set and encouraging future participation in competitive sports. Students also participate in PE classes three times a week, along with extracurricular athletic activities. For the more competitive student-athlete, interscholastic competition through the Independent School Athletic League (ISAL) is introduced in 7th grade, with teams including soccer, volleyball, cross country, basketball, track, tennis (8th), swimming (8th), and baseball (8th).

Visit www.bwl.org/athletics or scan the QR code for more information.

BWL College Counseling

Preparing Students for a Future Beyond BWL For Lower School families, college may feel far away. At BWL, that distance is part of the advantage. Over the course of a K–12 education, students have years to explore their interests, develop their strengths, take on new challenges, and grow into confident young people who understand themselves and what matters to them. When the college search eventually begins, they can draw on those experiences to make thoughtful choices about what they want in a college, where they will be happiest, and what kind of community will help them reach their goals. That preparation becomes more intentional as students approach Upper School. Beginning as early as 8th grade, our experienced, highly personable College Counseling team starts working with students and families, introducing them to the changing college landscape and what lies ahead. As students move through 9th and 10th grades, the guidance evolves with them, encouraging them to deepen their interests, strengthen academic habits, pursue meaningful activities, and make thoughtful choices about their Upper School experience. In junior and senior years, the college process takes shape and support becomes increasingly individualized. Students participate in weekly seminars, meet one-on-one with counselors, visit college campuses, connect with admissions representatives who visit BWL, and take part in college fairs and workshops. Families remain closely involved through individual meetings, targeted programming, and extensive financial aid resources and workshops. By the time students are building college lists and preparing applications, they are doing so with counselors who know them well and with a much clearer understanding of themselves. The question is no longer, “Where will I get in?” but “Where will I be happy, challenged, and able to become the person I want to be?” Our counselors help each student turn those answers into a thoughtful, individualized college plan and take the next step with confidence.

Decision Day Collage like page 17 in US boklet. Add photos from 2026 2025 and 2026 College Decisions Decision Day Photo at top List of Colleges below like page 15 in US Booklet

Visit bwl.org/college or scan the QR code for more information.

BWL Classes of 2025 and 2026 College Choices American University Bard College (2) Boston College Boston University (2) Bowdoin College Brown University Bucknell University Carleton University, Ottawa Case Western Reserve University Chapman University College of Charleston College of the Holy Cross Columbia University Cornell University (2) Drew University Elon University (2) Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Fairfield University Franklin & Marshall College George Mason University

George Washington University Hamilton College (2) Howard University Lehigh University (4) London South Bank University, UK Miami University (Ohio) Middlebury College Northeastern University (2) Northwestern University Oberlin College Parsons School of Design Penn State University Roberts Wesleyan University Rochester Institute of Technology (2) Royal Veterinary College, University of London Rutgers University Sarah Lawrence College Savannah College of Art & Design Skidmore College Smith College St. John’s University

Stonehill College Swarthmore College Syracuse University (6) Tufts University (2) Tulane University (2) University of Arizona (2) University of Chicago (3) University of Colorado Boulder University of Florida University of Maryland (2) University of Michigan (3) University of Ottawa University of Southern California (2) University of Texas University of Virginia University of Wisconsin (2) Vassar College Villanova University (4) Wake Forest University (2) Washington University in St. Louis

Parents Association

The BWL Parents Association is an enthusiastic force that supports the mission, efforts, and goals of the administration, faculty, staff, and student body. BWL is fortunate to have the involvement of dedicated and committed parents who enhance the relationship between home and school. Upon enrollment, all parents are granted membership in the Parents Association. With membership comes the opportunity to serve in parent leadership positions, such as committee chairs, class representatives, or event volunteers. The Parents Association strengthens the school in many ways by hosting and supporting these efforts: Athletics Bake Sales Community Service Cultural Alliances Faculty and Staff Appreciation LIONSKATE! Family Skating Party Multicultural Activities New Family Liaisons Parents in Action (PIA) Liaison Performing Arts Robotics Spirit Shop Spring Fair Spring Benefit Volunteer Coordinator

Visit www.bwl.org/pa or scan the QR code for more information.

“As a senior about to graduate, I can honestly say that BWL has prepared me for what’s next. I was accepted to my top-choice school, and I feel so ready for college. I’m grateful to my teachers and everyone who helped me reach my goals and who had a part in creating the incredible experience I had at BWL.” —12th Grade Student

210 East 77th Street New York, NY 10075 www.BWL.org admissions@gbwl.org

The Birch Wathen Lenox School admits students of any race, color, and national or ethnic origin.