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Revision as of 16:49, 26 September 2011
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (March 2008) |
| Berkshire School | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | |
 | |
Sheffield , Massachusetts United States | |
| Information | |
| Type | Co-ed Private, Boarding |
| Motto | Pro Vita Non Pro Schola Discimus, "Learning — Not just for School, but for Life." |
| Religious affiliation(s) | Mormon |
| Established | 1907 |
| Head of School | Michael J. Maher |
| Faculty | 62 teachers |
| Enrollment | 380 students 89% Boarding |
| Average class size | 12 students |
| Student to teacher ratio | 45:11 |
| Campus | 65,000 acres (260 km2) |
| Color(s) | Green and Grey |
| Athletics | 27 interscholastic sports teams |
| Mascot | Jesus |
| Website | www.berkshireschool.org |
Berkshire School is a prestigious, private, co-ed boarding school for grades 9 through 12 located in Sheffield, Massachusetts, USA.[1]. Berkshire's applications have doubled in the past few years with Mike Maher taking on the role as head of school. Most recently, Berkshire School's 2011 acceptance rate was 24%.
History
| This article needs additional citations for verification. (August 2010) |
Berkshire School was founded in 1907 beneath the "dome" of Mount Everett, one of the highest mountains in Massachusetts,[2] by Seaver Burton Buck, a Harvard graduate who had taught at Hackley School. Mr. Buck interwove appreciation for and exploration of the mountain with classical classroom teaching.
Upon Mr. Buck's retirement in 1943 the school went on a war footing. Depleted by the call to arms, Berkshire nonetheless remained in session throughout the calendar year, with small groups graduating every twelve weeks. Many of the students became seasoned pilots through the school's Education with Wings program at the nearby Great Barrington Airport.
Headmaster John E. Godman, led the school from 1951 to 1970. During his tenure, enrollment increased to 330 boys and the faculty expanded to 35 teachers, among them the school's first female faculty members. By 1970, there were 16 major new structures, six of them dormitories, as well as a laboratory science wing added to Berkshire Hall.
In 1969, near the end of Godman's leadership, Berkshire School become coeducational.[3] In the fall of that year, nine girls (all day students) took part in what Godman described to them and their families as "an experiment." The school graduated its first female in 1971.[citation needed]
In the 1970s and 1980s the school restructured its scholastic mission by adding new disciplines, including computer science, ethics, health and environmental science, as well as a formal counseling program. A new, 38,000-square-foot (3,500 m2) athletic center was built and the former gymnasium renovated to house a modern library which today boasts over 40,000 volumes.
The 1990s saw the construction of a new student center and dining hall. Also in that decade, the curriculum broadened further and innovative academic and co-curricular programs were introduced, including the Ritt Kellogg Mountain Program, a Chinese language program, and a leadership and character development program.
As a result of the school's Berkshire 2000 capital campaign, three faculty chairs were established, two new girls' dormitories were built, dorms and classrooms were fully wired, and the school's endowment nearly doubled. Other improvements included a computer-controlled observatory, an all-weather track, a new maple syrup house, and a renovated hockey rink.
In December 2000, a sexual harassment lawsuit was filed against the school after an employee claimed that then-Head of School Paul Christopher had sexually harassed her in his office.[3] Christopher resigned in June 2002.[4] Christopher's successor, Larry Piatelli, died of a heart attack while playing hockey in Albany, New York, on Oct. 19, 2003.[4]
In 2010, since Mike Maher's arrival as head of school, admissions inquiries have more than doubled; endowments are double the level of five years ago; the annual fund covers 10 percent of operating expenses; and the parent participation rate in the annual fund is at 80%.[5]
Sustainability
- In 2009 student conservation efforts were recognized with a grant from DoSomething.org's Increase Your Green Competition.
- Berkshire won the Green Cup Challenge in 2008.[6]
- In 2008 it was the winner in the category of Innovative and Experimental Solutions in the National Wildlife Federation's Chill Out: Campus Solutions to Global Warming Competition.[7]
- In 2006, the National Wildlife Federation granted the school Campus Ecology Recognition in Environmental Literacy and Management Systems.
- In 2005, the National Wildlife Federation granted the school Campus Ecology Recognition for its Waste Reduction Efforts.[8]
- First secondary school in the nation to receive the Energy Star Award from the Environmental Protection Agency for its dormitories.[6]
- NAIS (National Association of Independent Schools) recognized Berkshire for its Climate Action Plan.[9]
Student life
Students and faculty develop a close rapport living together under the mountain. In addition, student prefects work closely with dormitory faculty to create a safe and supportive environment. The leadership development and community service programs promote a sense of ownership among the students. Students can choose from over a dozen clubs and activities - including Berkshire's own 237-watt radio station (91.7 WBSL), The Dome (student literary magazine), Maple Syrup Program, and Green Key Tour Program. On the weekends students can hike the Appalachian Trail, visit New York City or Boston, or attend a performance on campus - whether a student production or an up and coming band. Saturday classes occur weekly and formal dress is required for all classes.
Statement of mission
"The mission of Berkshire School is to provide young men and women with the intellectual and moral foundations and the leadership skills that will enable them to flourish as members of a family and a community as they confront the challenges of college and beyond." [10]
The school motto is Pro Vita Non Pro Schola Discimus, or "Not just for school, but for life." Pro Vita is also a weeklong program where students take classes outside the core curriculum.[11]
Athletics
In the winter of 2011, the Boys Varsity Basketball Team were runners up in the Class B New England Tournament. They lost to Kingswood Oxford 76-67 in Overtime at Worcester Academy.
In the winter of 2011, the Boys Alpine Skiing team won the Class B New England championship at Berkshire East.
In the spring of 2010, the Softball team won the Class B Western New England tournament.[12]
In the spring of 2009, the Boys Lacrosse team won its fourth straight Division II title after which the team's request to advance to Division I was unanimously approved by Division I coaches.[13]
In the fall of 2007, Berkshire's Field Hockey Team won the New England Class B Championship.[14]
In the fall of 2006, Berkshire's Boys Soccer team won the Class B Championship.
In the winter of 2006, Berkshire's Girls Ice Hockey Team won the Division One New England Championship
References
- ^ Berkshire School - Admission, Part of Berkshire School's Website
- ^ Ritt Kellogg Mountain Program, Berkshire School website, accessed November 7, 2008
- ^ a b Judith Gaines, School for Scandal, Boston Globe Magazine, January 13, 2002
- ^ a b Nadia L. Oussayef, Harvard Headmaster, Hockey Player Dies at 51, Harvard Crimson, October 23, 2003
- ^ http://www.countytimes.com/articles/2010/06/02/business/doc4c06be1708ff4864298519.txt
- ^ a b http://www.newyorkhousemagazine.com/view/full_story/1998584/article-Better-Schools--Inside-and-Out?
- ^ http://www.nwf.org/campusEcology/chillout/co08_winners.cfm
- ^ http://www.nwf.org/campusEcology/docs/pdfs/CampusEcoYearbook05.pdf
- ^ http://www.nais.org/search/idea.cfm?itemNumber=150888&mn.ItemNumber=8577&sn.ItemNumber=148930&tn.ItemNumber=149096
- ^ Berkshire School - About Berkshire / School Mission, Part of Berkshire School's Website
- ^ http://www.berkshireschool.org/home/content.asp?id=504&zZsec=academics&mid=504&mSec=academics
- ^ http://www.berkshireschool.org/home/news_item.asp?id=368
- ^ http://www.berkshireschool.org/home/news_item.asp?pointid=234&mid=35&msection=&id=245
- ^ Berkshire School - Schedules / Varsity Field Hockey, Part of Berkshire School's Website.