Leadership & Stewardship
Berkwood Hedge School cultivates a school-wide culture of leadership, stewardship, and service. Students learn to recognize opportunities to lead from any seat in their class, school community, and beyond.
In addition to our formalized programs, students are encouraged and supported as they step into every day leadership roles, whether that be volunteering to lead a group project, or being an upstander for a friend. We nurture leadership on multiple levels to help students develop strong connections to their community, learn to advocate for themselves and others, and understand the power they have to address issues that matter to them.
Buddy Program
A good school-wide Buddy Program promotes more than just those warm feelings; these programs enhance positive behaviors in both the older and the younger buddies. Older children love the sense of responsibility they feel for their younger buddies and are therefore motivated to be the best buddy they can be. The older students practice their skills of cooperation and collaboration with a younger child, who can learn those same skills by interacting with the older students. From taking turns and sharing knowledge, to listening to each other and helping and praising one another, students are all the while honing their social skills. These mixed age groups are part of the fiber of Berkwood Hedge School. The strong relationships established in "buddy" activities endure throughout the students' time at school and often beyond.
Stewardship
In the lower school program, service learning and stewardship begins in each classroom. Every K-4 class is responsible for the general care and upkeep of a section of the schoolyard. For example, our third grade class cares for our resident chickens. This Chick Coop Patrol ensures the coop is tidy and collects eggs to bring home to their families. These class stewardships help students develop a sense of pride and ownership in their school. Caring for space and community is also an important part of the middle school experience. Each student has an assigned task to help maintain the school’s physical space—from watering the plants to cleaning the tables in the Collaboration Lab.
Student Council
Participation in the Student Council is open to students in the fifth through eighth grade. Elected positions include president, vice president, treasurer, secretary, and representatives from each class. A student government election is held each fall where candidates run campaigns and give speeches making the case for why they are the best choice for the position. Student Council represents the entire middle school student body and introduces initiatives deemed important by their constituents throughout the year.
Clubs & Activities
For our middle school students, Friday afternoons offer a chance to explore new interests and activities with Clubs. Clubs are six-week long, student-led and teacher supported, mixed-grade classes covering a variety of subjects. It is an opportunity for students to share their personal passions and expertise with their peers. Past Clubs have included Running, Immortal Games, Gymnastics, Book Club, Poetry Club, Crafts, and Dungeons and Dragons.