Relationships between students in different grades allow all to develop deeper senses of compassion, tolerance, and empathy as well as a fuller understanding of the needs and experiences of others.
Middle School Advisory
WES Middle School students are assigned and meet weekly with the same group of Grade 6, 7, and 8 students and a WES faculty member. The faculty member serves as the advisor, and the group members, as a whole, provide each other academic and social-emotional support and mentorship. Faculty advisors casually “checking in” with students as well as initiating activities that foster stronger bonds within the group, develop strong moral character, and implement community outreach. Additionally, the advisor develops a personal and accessible relationship with each student’s families. To serve as a liaison, the advisor monitors each student’s academic achievement and helps students set reasonable, yet challenging goals.
For students, the Advisory Program gives them
- A “safe place” to grow socially
- A community of learners
- A place to be known by establishing relationships with peers across the Middle School
Advisory programs offer the structure to meet students’ developmental needs because it is a place in school where students are intimately known as a “whole child.” These elements of connectedness have the potential to improve academic achievement and the overall school experience for Middle School students.*
*Excerpted from the Association for Middle School Education, “Creating a Culture of Connectedness through Middle School Advisory Programs,” by Sarah Brody Shulkind, Jack Foote (https://www.amle.org/BrowsebyTopic/WhatsNew/WNDet/TabId/270/ArtMID/888/ArticleID/279/Culture-of-Connectedness-through-Advisory.aspx)
Leadership Opportunities
These are just a few of the leadership opportunities WES provides Middle School students:
- Student Government
- Student Admission Ambassadors
- First Friday Community Service Projects
By the time our students graduate WES in Grade 8, they have a multitude of opportunities to mentor peers and be mentored by others.