Student life at ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½ is dynamic, challenging, and
(most importantly) fun.
Student passions are the driving force behind not just our curricular offerings but all student life programs from Kindergarten through Eighth Grade, and we encourage students to pursue all of their interests to the very highest level. ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½βs faculty and administration gives students an unprecedented level of support in creating an environment to follow what excites them most, often leading to results that dazzle in their creativity and thoughtfulness.
The best thing about student life at ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½ is that we place it in the hands of students themselves. Our faculty is always ready to support and guide our gifted students, but they do so as facilitators and allies. Students learn to explore new and exciting ideas, balance fresh passions with consistent and rigorous pursuits. They learn to succeed, to try again, and to pave new paths for inquiry.
Inside and outside of the classroom, our students learn that in order to learn about the world around them, they need to learn about themselves as well. β¨
The phrase “like-minded classmates” in our mission are not just words. Our students’ shared interest in learning about the world creates a student-driven environment where everyone feels seen. It is a place where very creative, quick-thinking, curious students come together and meet others who are very similarly wired. When one hears them engage with one another in a space where it is okay to be smart, it is truly special.
In Lower School, our students are learning what it is like to be part of such a community, exploring how to navigate situations and challenges outside of their home environment. They are embracing how to collaborate, compromise, and listen to each other, all the while creating the bonds of school friendships. Our Middle School students are strengthening all of those skills, figuring out who they are, exploring what matters to them, and thinking about how they can make a positive difference in their world β not just at ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½ but the wider community beyond it.
We purposely create cross-grade and cross-divisional opportunities to allow our students to connect and build community. From divisional and all-school assemblies to the Buddy Program that matches students in Kindergarten and Fourth Grade and continues as the students move from grade to grade, the ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½ student community has a foundation built on openness and acceptance.
Students in our Middle School also take the helm as community leaders in a variety of ways. The Middle School Student Council organizes activities and fundraising drives and members are asked to speak and host various school assemblies. Students also have the opportunity to serve as mentors for our younger students in Chess and Makers Lab and help the whole community as a Tech Dragon, supporting the ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½ Tech Team to troubleshoot issues as they arise.
Through all of these moments and more, every student that comes into 925 Ninth Avenue is understood and accepted for who they are as individuals and come together to form a community that allows them to go farther than they ever thought they could alone.
One of the hallmarks of belonging at ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½ are our Student Affinity Spaces. Student Affinity Groups in both the Lower and Middle School that provide supportive spaces for students to connect with peers and faculty who share aspects of their identity to explore their common experience. Our Affinity Spaces are created to promote activities, discussions, and celebrations that highlight the uniqueness of each group.
Our Lower School Student Affinity Spaces currently include Banana Splits Affinity Group (for students whose families have experienced divorce, separation, or loss of a parent); Girls Affinity Group ( for students who identify as girls); Students of Color Affinity Group (SoCs; for students of color), and Jewish Affinity Group (for students of Jewish ancestry).
Our Middle School Affinity, Allies, and Advocacy Spaces include Jewish Affinity Group (JAG; for students of Jewish ancestry), Students of Color (SoCs; for students of color), and Q&A (for those that identify as part of and allies of the LGBTQIA+ community).
Our spaces are opportunities to discover commonalities with others and to help our students understand that they are not the βonly oneβ in our community to experience their experiences.
