There are many things I love about being Head of School, but one thing I cherish the most is the opportunity to observe each child’s unique trajectory here at Berkshire Country Day. I have an inspiring view of our students’ individual multi-year experiences in connecting the dots between what they learn in school and what they see in the real world; between individual areas of study; from grade to grade.
Our intentional curriculum informs and guides those connections, starting in Preschool. Inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach, our Preschool program provides a nurturing, stimulating an educational environment that supports each child’s learning style and developmental readiness. Experienced teachers encourage children to create, play, take risks, listen, and find their voices as they explore the many resources of our historic 27-acre campus.
In Grades K–3, children proceed through predictable stages, each at their own pace, and each in their own way. Our Lower School classrooms and program are carefully structured to support those individual journeys. Through guided discovery and inquiry, our expert faculty help children build a solid foundation in reading, writing, and mathematics; explore and expand their understanding of the world around them through science and social studies; discover their creative talents through music and art; and grow as responsible citizens through our social curriculum, Responsive Classroom®.
Fluent learners by third grade, our students enthusiastically embrace the challenges and opportunities of Middle School, where they adeptly move from the concrete to the abstract. The Middle School program cultivates confidence and self-sufficiency, building the skills that will help students become independent learners, articulate advocates for themselves and their work, and motivated community members. They begin to take deeper advantage of our arts and athletics program, and are challenged by an increasingly vigorous academic program. As their world expands, they benefit tremendously from the fact that Berkshire Country Day School offers the resources of a larger school with the intimacy and sustained connections of a smaller one.
Finally, our Upper School program is thoughtfully designed to allow our students to become the very best versions of themselves—as students, community members, and citizens — demonstrating increasing levels of achievement in academics, the arts, and athletics. In subject matter, as well as in quality and vigor of discourse, many of our classes resemble high school classes. We set high expectations for Upper School students, fueling their acceleration toward greater independence and maturity as they take full advantage of the many resources BCD offers.
At the end of their personal BCD journeys, our 9th graders graduate with a strong sense of self, able to see how they will engage across multiple dimensions and areas of study. They are well-prepared to take on any high school program, and ready and eager to assume a variety of leadership roles.