Greenwich Sentinel
2021-2022 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL GUIDE
Community, A Shelter in the Storm
Whatever school you attend, you have a built-in network of people there to support you.
By Adam Rohdie The past few week s have been challeng ing across our nation. Just as we thought we mig ht be emerg ing f rom the pandemic, we have seen a rise in COVID-19 cases due to the Delta variant. There have been ongoing debates about racial justice, Hurricane Ida has delivered devastating f loodwaters from Louisiana to New England, and there is a national shortage of teachers and bus drivers. It has been quite a lot, for everyone. In the face of these challenges,
I am more grateful than ever this September for the energy a nd resilience of our school community. I have the best job in the world. I get to be immersed in a culture of community every day that is fed by learning, curiosity, c a r i ng , a nd joy. I nd iv idua ls get through rough times when they have a network of family and friends to lean on. Schools and larger institutions rely on the power of their community to come together when facing adversity. T h e f i r s t d ay s o f s c h o o l have come at the right time. A t C o u nt r y D ay, t h e s i g ht s and sounds of students back on campus are uplif ting and ubiquitous. The band is back to practicing in the amphitheater o u t s i d e m y o f f i c e w i n d o w. Screams of glee and triumph are coming from the fields at recess. There is the familiar buzz in the hallways and classrooms that comes from the adventure of learning together. Our opening
The culture of community in each of our schools is strong and when the winds of change are blowing, use that community as a shelter in the storm. days have been a compelling reminder to me of the abundance of possibility that can happen in a safe space filled with so many people committed to a common goal. Ever y community has its cultural cornerstones. At GCDS, we e m bra c e T IGE R PR I DE .
It is an acronym, made up of attributes such as, thoughtful, inclusive, generous, empathetic, and respectful. We use these te r m s to r e i n fo r c e p o s it i ve choices, and we refer to them sp e c i f ic a l ly t h r oug hout t he elementar y years. TIGER PRIDE matures as our students
progress through the middle and upper grades. It symbolizes academic integrity, friendship, a nd sp or tsma nsh ip. It is a n expectation of high character, ever y day, a l l t he ti me. Ou r students, each of them, know what TIGER PRIDE means, and they live it. TIGER PR IDE is our promise. It is more than a collection of words. It is a promise that we are in this together, and we w ill face challenges w ith resilience, integrity, and care. It is the guide post for our choices. O u r sh a r e d c om m it me nt to TIGER PR IDE makes it easier, though not always easy, to learn from life’s challenges, with and from each other. We can ask honest questions and listen generously for thoughtful a n s we r s , k n ow i n g t h at ou r friends will try their best to do the same. Learning takes risk, and even the bravest of us won’t really be in a position to do that unless we have support. A school community at its best means
someone always has your back. Leaps of curiosity are taken with classmates at your side. New paths are chosen knowing there are guides along the way. Failures are rarely solitary and never the proverbial final straw. We grow in the face of adversity, knowing we’re not in it alone. As we embark on another school year, my wish is that if you find yourself overly angry, hyper stressed or just plain anxious, take a few deep breaths and remind yourself that whatever school you attend in town, you have a built-in network of people there to support you. The culture of community in each of our schools is strong and when the winds of change are blowing, use that community as a shelter in the storm. Adam C. Rohdie is the Head of School for Greenwich Country Day School; he also teaches eighth grade history teacher and coaches basketball.
You Have More Options Than You May Think A wide range of options for all learning styles and need-based scholarships make independent education more accessible than ever.
Berkshire School admission@berkshireschool.org 245 North Undermountain Road, Sheffield, MA 413-229-8511 berkshireschool.org Virtual Fall Open House: Thursday, October 7th at 7:00pm Students: 400 (91% Boarding, 9% Day) Teacher to Student Ratio: 1 to 4 Established: 1907 Berkshire School is a co-ed college preparatory boarding and day school for 400 ninth-12th graders and post-graduates, offering a forward-thinking curriculum and stateof-the-art facilities on a 400-acre campus in Sheffield, Massachusetts. Berkshire’s signature programs, including Advanced Math/Science Research, Advanced Humanities Research, and Sustainability, are offered along with advanced sections and AP offerings in all disciplines. These programs are designed to expand the minds, provide real-world experiences, and help distinguish our students in an increasingly competitive college process. With a range of artistic and athletic offerings and national recognition for our efforts in sustainability, Berkshire provides an extraordinary setting in which students are encouraged to learn in the words of the school motto: Pro Vita Non Pro Schola Discimus, “Learning—not just for school but for life.”
Blair Academy currap@blair.edu 2 Park Street Blairstown, NJ 07825 908-362-6121 | www.blair.edu 460 students, co-ed (50% male, 50% female) Teachers to Student ratio: 1 to 6 Established 1848 Founded in 1848, Blair Academy is a dynamic, coeducational boarding school where students in grades 9-12 pursue a superior college preparatory education empowered by strong faculty-student relationships and a vibrant community life. On our historic campus is located 65 miles from New York City in northwest New Jersey. The Blair experience is an extraordinary opportunity that empowers students to become persons of great accomplishment and character and prepares them for success in college and in life. Our educational philosophy informs our work in and out of the classroom and includes these guiding principles. Relationship-based learning is the foundation of great teaching. At Blair, our teachers are experts in their subject areas, and they know our students especially well. Strong relationships between faculty and students develop amid a vibrant community life and lead to exceptional learning, in our classrooms and beyond. Our teachers care deeply for students and because they know them well, challenge them and tailor classroom learning based on individual needs. Through class discussion, debate, project work and lectures, students develop new skills
and passions and learn to connect with people and step outside their comfort zones to take bold but intelligent risks. Blair’s robust curriculum features rigorous traditional coursework and innovative electives designed to help students pursue—or discover— their passions. As teachers challenge students with new ideas and skills, they encourage creative expression while ensuring that students learn how to learn, preparing them to confidently address the demands of college and the 21stcentury world. Working closely with faculty mentors, students help craft their individual Blair experience; having opportunities to take ownership of their education in this way teaches students to be autonomous and advocate for themselves, skills that will serve them well as college undergraduates and young professionals. When students apply academic studies to real-world issues, impactful connections to people, places and ideas develop. We bring the world to Blair through our diverse student body, on-campus speakers and community service endeavors and broaden students’ horizons by offering school-break travel opportunities. Experiential learning, hands-on projects and collaborative problem-solving in a variety of venues result in amplified awareness of self and others. Our core curriculum and innovative offerings teach students how to engage, relate to and empathize with others, and how to solve problems in real-world settings. Our graduates are intellectually curious, service-minded global citizens who know their values, can articulate their beliefs, and have the resources to connect and grow in college and beyond. The ability to concisely and compellingly convey one’s message is an essential leadership skill; at Blair, teaching the art of effective communication is among our highest priorities. Our cross-curricular communication initiative and myriad public-speaking opportunities prepare students to craft and deliver compelling narratives, speak effectively to audiences of all sizes, and engage with others in ways that build vital relationships. Students at every grade level engage in communications-focused work across academic departments; programs such as Blair LEADS and The Blair Leadership Stories Project further underscore the importance of these competencies.
Brewster Academy admissions@brewsteracademy.org 80 Academy Dr. Wolfeboro, NH 03894 603-569-7200 www.brewsteracademy.org Students: 360 Students; 80% boarding; 20% day Teacher to Student Ratio: 1 to 6 Established 1820 Brewster is an elite boarding school without the elitism: an intellectually diverse and academically challenging community that nurtures curiosity, confidence, collaboration, and character in preparation for lives of meaning and accomplishment. Brewster students: Learn to master academic content and the skills that matter in life. Transform in an academically challenging
After school, students have access to a spectrum of co-curricular clubs. Believe in our shared responsibility for success. Through academics, athletics, arts, Understand their potential. and service to the community, Brunswick Feel empowered to achieve in an environment encourages every student to develop his talents to the fullest, to understand the obligation to inclusive of everyone’s unique talent. share them generously, to take risks to ensure Emerge with a strong sense of self and a deep growth, and to refuse to accept a narrow commitment to others. definition of himself. Know that Brewster is the way education should be: the perfect balance of academic and emotional development in a place where all can do their best without having to best each other. environment without standardization.
Brunswick rocken@brunswickschool.org 100 Maher Avenue Greenwich, CT 06830 203-625-5800 brunswickschool.org Open House: November 7, 2021 at 1pm (all grades) October 31, 2021 at 1pm (joint Upper School with Greenwich Academy) Students: 1,042 boys Teacher to Student Ratio: 1 to 6 Established 1902 Vibrant and growing, Brunswick School has been defined and distinguished for 119 years by its commitment to “Courage, Honor, Truth.” Enrolling 1,042 boys in pre-kindergarten through grade 12, the school believes that the strength of a young man’s character and depth of his spirit determines all genuine and lasting success. To that end, Brunswick strives to help boys and young men acquire the personal, intellectual, and physical training that will best enable them to grow into responsible adults who can make significant and lasting contributions to society. The school offers rigorous academics, including an advanced science research program, and, in a coordination program with Greenwich Academy, 83 Honors and Advanced Placement courses. Brunswick offers comprehensive arts, drama, and music, and a renowned language program that includes instruction in Arabic, French, Spanish, Mandarin, Italian, Latin, and Greek. Brunswick has four campuses on a total of 782 acres in Greenwich, Conn., and in Randolph, Vermont. The Upper School is located at 100 Maher Ave. in Greenwich, while the Pre School, Lower, and Middle Schools are located on King St. The 620-acre Vermont Campus is home to the school’s permanent on-campus wilderness education and applied-classroom-learning program. The school also offers competitive athletics, with 17 varsity sports played on state-of-theart facilities. The athletic fields and sports complexes, including an ice rink, natatorium, and track-and-field facility, are located on the King Street campuses. Brunswick believes that a complete education must include lessons beyond the classroom. Even the youngest students participate in volunteer opportunities, which often evolve into full-fledged service projects at the Upper School.
The Cedar School 203-808-5005 info@thecedarschool.org 200 Pemberwick Rd, Greenwich, CT 06831 The Cedar School is a co-ed day school serving high school students, grades 9-12, in the Fairfield, Westchester County, and New York area. We help students with languagebased learning differences, such as Dyslexia and challenges with Dysgraphia, ADHD, and more, build their strengths, understand their challenges, and become independent learners and effective self-advocates. We focus daily on creativity, individuality, and differentiation. Students should look forward to school—it should be inspiring, interesting, and deeply engaging. Every day. The Cedar School was co-founded by Clay Kaufman, founding head of school, and Ben Jenkins, with a grand opening in the fall of 2021. The Cedar School is a local private high school option that offers students academic challenge while giving them a multi-sensory approach to learning, the skills they need for college and life, and the opportunity to build their areas of strength every day. Our brand new facility at 200 Pemberwick Rd in Greenwich, CT currently serves our first class of students, offering them a space to explore their individuality and succeed academically. Our academics feature small class sizes, individualized instruction, and an emphasis on college preparation, giving our students the opportunity to succeed in a non-traditional, personalized academic environment. Visit our website at thecedarschool. org to learn more. Contact admissions@ thecedarschool.org to schedule your tour.
Choate Rosemary Hall bellis@choate.edu 333 Christian Street Wallingford, CT 06492 203-697-2000 Founded in 1890 Students to faculty advisor: 4:1 This is where amazing things begin. Where anything is possible. At Choate, you will work hard to develop your talents to the fullest. And along the way, you will discover new paths and possibilities. Choate students stand out for their desire and drive for knowledge, their passion, their creativity, their energy, and their commitment to service.