Student Life

To heighten awareness of and commitment to moral and ethical living, specific activities are a part of the school’s ongoing program and throughout the day. The faculty use Responsive Classroom® techniques and philosophy for classroom management.

Responsive Classroom® reinforces the WES mission to create a supportive and positive community of academically excellent and joyful students. The program recognizes that academic success is best achieved in a socially successful environment. The core values of empathy, respect, and responsibility are emphasized, alongside social skills, self-regulation, and conflict resolution.

Recess serves as a necessary break from the rigors of concentrated learning in the classroom. This free time offers cognitive, social, emotional, and physical benefits that give WES’s students the necessary balance to develop a love for learning. All Early Childhood students have 2-3 daily recesses, a snack, and lunch to refresh and stay energized.

Lunchtime for Early Childhood is generally noon-12:45 p.m. each day. An optional hot lunch program is offered with food provided by Ridgewell’s Catering. Each day there is a hot entree as well as a sandwich and salad bar with fresh fruit. Families sign up by semester or half-year. Menus and lists of ingredients are published monthly.

The school believes that an important aspect of creating a productive school environment is appropriate dress. Students in PK3, PK4, and Kindergarten have a relaxed dress code, but all clothing should have age-appropriate images and messages.

Beginning in Grade 1, students have a formal dress code which is comprised of Dress Uniform and Daily Wear. Dress uniform is worn on special occasions such as All-School Chapels, school picture day, school performances, certain study trips, etc. The Dress Code changes as students matriculate to Middle School.

PK3/PK4/Kindergarten Dress Code

Children in Pre-Kindergarten 3, Pre-Kindergarten 4, and Kindergarten should wear play clothes that are neat, comfortable, and easily handled independently. Outdoor clothing should be suitable each day to allow a child to spend an hour outdoors comfortably. Long pants are recommended during the winter. All clothing, particularly rain or snow boots, should be large enough for the child to get on and off easily. Parents and guardians should avoid costumes, overalls, sandals, flip-flops, dressy shoes, party dresses, or fancy clothing that might be damaged or cause tripping, and clothes the child cannot easily handle in the restroom.

Daily Wear

When dress uniform is not required, students may dress in accordance with options for daily wear. All dress uniform components may be worn for daily wear.

Grade 1:

• Polo shirt (white, light blue, navy)
• Tan or navy skirt/skort or tan or navy chino pants/shorts
• WES plaid or navy jumper
• Any WES sweatshirt worn over a polo shirt

Dress Uniform

Dress uniform is required for select dates throughout the school year. These dates will be communicated in the Thursday NEWES and in division-specific communications.

Grade 1:

• White collared button-up only, long- or short-sleeve
• WES tie (required when the student chooses to wear pants)
• Navy blazer (optional for students wearing WES plaid jumper)
• WES plaid jumper
• Tan chino pants
• Solid black or white sneakers may be worn

This chart may also be helpful.