That is what is so interesting about boarding schools like ours; powerful, lifelong friendships are forged quickly and within a short period of time, young people find themselves surrounded by positive peers with similar aspirations.  The bonds that tie them are already strong and it is only December!

As the students look forward to the end of term and to getting back to some quality time with their families, it is often with some reservation, as they will also miss the day-to-day contact with their new boarding school friends.

At Brentwood College School, the boarding houses will end their term with special house Christmas dinners and the exchanging of ‘Secret Santa’ presents.  They will then return to their families filled with stories of new relationships, new experiences and new opportunities.  It is at these times when parents fully realize the richness of the boarding school experience and the very special gift that they have given their children.

Photo credit: Falling Sky via Creative Commons

Photo credit: Randolph-Macon Academy

Thanks to Cleseste Brooks of Randolph-Macon Academy for making us think on this front.

She penned her first installment of “Boarding School: 12 Ways to Ease Into Living With a Roommate, Part 1,” where she puts more emphasis on the personal, and interpersonal, parts of arriving to school in the fall.

We’ve written extensively over the years on what to bring to school. It’s always good to train a second (or, more) set of eyes on a subject in order to see all the angles. One always learns from a different point view.

Packing for school is no different- what to leave at home, how to approach orientation. In our writing, we’ve got most everything covered- in terms of ‘stuff.’ Reading Brooks shows us that we’ve omitted the interpersonal part of going, arriving and orientation.

Over the years, we’ve assumed much of the interpersonal stuff, but she’s spot-on to point it out and recommend some strategies and approaches.

Communication and interpersonal skills are honed through practice and they are the foundation of successfully living and working together.

Her first six suggestions:

1. …introduce yourself to the roommate and his or her parents. Be the friendly one…
2. Strike up a conversation and find out if there is anything you are both interested in…
3. Be willing to share–be honest about yourself…
4. Be willing to share your stuff…
5. …look after your roommates things…
6. Discuss such things as expectations, pet peeves, and jobs within the room…

A successful year begins with successful communication. Whether you’re a new, or returning student, or, a dorm parent, or, administrator, I recommend spending a few minutes reading over Brooks suggestions.

Her suggestions got me thinking about some things that I had begun (perhaps, wrongly, or, lazily) to assume.

You can’t underestimate the role of meals in a boarding school. Cafeteria, or sit-down, meals are where the school comes together multiple times daily to slow-down, share, enjoy each other, and eat.

A good dining hall can make the whole school work.

Great food and great people in the dining hall mean so much and they often go- not unthanked- but unhearalded. If it’s all good, faculty and students can take the food and the people for granted.

Proctor Academy has produced, “What’s Cookin‘” a warm 3 minute video montage of student and faculty favorite dishes sprinkled with a little bit of backstory from the kitchen.

Never underestimate the work and effort put in by the kitchen crew; remember to thank them every day.

Klein’s extensive travels throughout the world coupled with his culinary background gives him the ability to serve dishes that are the envy of many boarding schools. “These [boarding] students are far from home, and dining is an important factor in their overall happiness, particularly for the international students,” says Baylor’s head chef Brian Biggs.

“Traveling gives me a chance to see a wide variety of foods and different ways to present them,” adds Klein. “I have been to the oldest restaurant in the world (Sobrino de Botin in Madrid), where they specialize in roasted pig. My all-time favorite dinner experience was the wood-charred ahi at Merriman’s in Kauai, Hawaii. I would have to vote for Thailand as my favorite area to eat because they are so passionate with their food. They use all of the senses to bring out the best in what they offer.”

Some of the Baylor Dining Hall menu options include:

• Bulgogi (Korean barbeque stir fry)
• Ginger roasted salmon salad with mizuna greens
• Rice noodles
• Pad Thai noodles
• Wasabi peas with a green tea vinaigrette
• Mongolian beef
• Mu shu pork
• Kalbi ribs
• Lo mein pho (Vietnamese noodle soup)
• Hibachi-style rice bowls

Saint Bernard Preparatory School seniors J.C. and Mary Katherine provide insights into opportunities and approaches unique to a St. Bernard’s education.

Their tour highlights the school’s connection to St. Bernard Abbey and the participation of the monks in school life.

St. Bernard Prep is an educational mission of the Abbey. Their traditional academics feature small classes and a strong latin program. Students and faculty take advantage of the tranquil campus socially and academically. Science classes use Lake Placid and the dark night sky and student socialize on the quad. Athletic facilities are very strong for a small school.

J.C. and Mary Katherine also introduce the Ave Maria Grotto, one of Alabama’s strongest tourist attractions.

Mary Katherine and J.C. capture the strength of St. Bernard’s when each, respectively says, “I’ve built such a family here. This is my second home.” “It gave me the chance to shine.”

Below are 5 reasons why parents should consider boarding school for their child.

5. Exceptional Resources

Boarding schools typically have resources that most public schools cannot match.  These include superb facilities such as media centers, dorms, and athletic venues just to name a few.  Other resources students can take advantage of are the people.  Teachers at boarding schools usually have a first degree in their subject and a high percentage (70%-80%) will also have a masters or terminal degree.  The hiring of teachers at boarding schools involves not only a thorough review of the prospective teacher, but references from previous teaching jobs and a desire and passion for their teaching subject.

4.  Class Size

Parents want the best education for their children and many times this comes down to individual attention.  Boarding school class sizes are generally 10-15 students.  A low student to teacher ratio is important because your child can get the individual attention needed that many public schools can’t give.

3.  Being Smart is in Style

Often times, boarding schools provide academic scholarships for students that excel in the classroom.  And because boarding schools are typically comprised of students that do well academically, it is more acceptable to be labeled “smart” than it is in a public school setting.  “Smart” kids in public schools are often labeled nerds and are open to ridicule.  This negative stereotype is avoided in a boarding school setting due to everyone’s desire to get the most out of their academic opportunities.

2.  Athletic Scholarship Opportunities

Because boarding schools have some of the best resources available, student-athletes have every opportunity and advantage to excel at their sport.  Top of the line facilities and experienced coaches are ingredients that often go into boosting a student’s athletic abilities.

1.  Personal Growth

Boarding schools provide an environment for students to develop while reaching their full potential.  The preparation they receive while at boarding school allows them to excel in life beyond their boarding school experience.

Blair Academy senior, Scott ’11 shares his insights and thoughts about the ways that Blair’s strength as a community binds the school and runs through all aspects of a student’s Blair experience.

Scott touches on the conversational tone set in classes. Sharing thoughts and ideas occurs across all subject areas is “…one of his (Scott’s) best memories…” Scott gives an impromptu appreciation of his ninth grade history teacher, Mr. Schmalenberg, who taught him how to research and use the library.

The Society of Skeptics speakers program brings accomplished professionals to campus to speak to students on topics ranging from science, to current events such as the Haitian earthquake, to Tourette’s Syndrome, to NCAA basketball.

Peddie Week provides an energetic rivalry week and break to the routine each term with spirit activities and skits. The week concludes with every Blair athletic team playing its Peddie rival on the same day with the victorious school claiming the Kelley-Potter Cup.

Blair students benefit and stay engaged through activities and pursuits from all directions and fields. For Scott, even as a day student, Blair’s community shines and makes the school. “It’s really the people here who make it what it is…”

The moratorium comes about through community discussions about the effects of technology on individuals and the larger school community.

“We’re talking about and tackling this as a community…It takes a high level of awareness and fortitude to recognize the common traps we all can fall into with regard to the use of technology because it is a tool that is helpful and fun, to step back and be able to identify what isn’t so great about it-and then do something about it,” Hyde Head of School Laura Gauld  explained. (No-Tech Tuesday, Hyde School)

Constant connections and information stream can be great, but just about everyone has a story of being unable to disconnect and/or a vignette covering some way that technology has lesson life quality that they enjoy.

“…technology has also paradoxically resulted in isolation for many young people, often turning them away from meaningful relationships with their families, friends, and peers…”(No-Tech Tuesday, Hyde School)

Hyde’s discussions revealed a community undercurrent desiring more ‘face time’ versus texting/e-mail, etc.

“…One common pitfall expressed [in discussions] was the decline of face-to-face interaction as a result of choosing electronic messaging over any other form of communication. Suspending use of technology on “No-Tech Tuesdays” is one way the school hopes to encourage face-to-face connectedness and sharpen social skills…”(No-Tech Tuesday, Hyde School)

No-Tech Tuesdays are not an answer, or, a solution.

The experiment is about exploring choices, priorities, what they mean, then, deciding what’s important and what works best. We hope Hyde community members will write and reflect on how the experiment played out and whether, or not, the results prompt any changes school community thinking and policies.

This could be the first brick laid in a slow school movement.

What do you think? Could you stick to the experiment?

Photo credit: Mykl Roventine licensed under Creative Commons

Tim Molak, Woodside Priory School Head, weaves Woodside’s connection to place throughout his campus tour with AdmissionsQuest’s Peter Baron. Woodside’s geography and physical plant help make Woodside an engaged and contemplative community.

Woodside’s five Benedictine values- hospitality, spirituality, individuality, community, and integrity- come to life through the school’s campus and programs.

Tour highlights include, Founders Hall, the Performing Arts Complex, Benedictine Square, and the Chapel.

The school gathers each Tuesday in the Chapel for an exploration of a life experience or lesson. Solar panel installations throughout campus and the Performing Arts Center’s living roof provide daily practice of the schools commitment to environmental stewardship.

The Performing Arts Center supports the participation of almost one-third of the student body. The fact that much of the faculty- boarding and day- makes the campus their home makes clear the importance and vibrancy of living and working together.

As Molak concludes, Woodside provides a great small-school community with unique attention paid to the mind, heart, and soul of each student.

Sandra, Marianapolis Preparatory School class of ’10, takes viewers on a campus tour in the spring of her graduation.

She does fine work showing and expounding on campus highlights such as the biology labs in which she excelled, the chapel and its role as a community hub- hosting far more than religious functions- plays, concerts musicals, school meeting.

The chapel is also home to a Marianapolis senior right of passage, Senior Voices. As public speaking component in the curriculum, each senior is required to speak to the community- to publicly share- something they believe important and right.

Sandra’s presentation before the school proves most impressive.  English is her fourth language and Marianapolis is her first fully English educational experience.

Sandra and Marianapolis shine in her presentation of the community. Connection with peers and faculty runs throughout Sandra’s tour. She talks about the importance of morning advisor meetings beginning the academic day each Tuesday through Friday. (Chapel begins Monday mornings.) Support and connection stand as the hallmarks of Sandra’s Marianapolis career.

The school provided her with high calibre academics and personal relationships. Friendship. Academics. Adult Relationships. Support. A great school fit.