Hi, New Bears! We’re rising senior prefects Akari Ikeda, Mia Zayas, and Angela Pham, and we’re so excited to share one of the most lovable aspects of Berkshire: the nurturing student-faculty relationships that you'll developed during your time here. 

With a 4:1 student-to-teacher ratio, it is almost impossible to not get to know your teachers and faculty, especially with more than 80% of them living on campus with you. In addition to this, Berkshire’s amazing faculty members are essentially jacks of all trades, as they hold many valuable roles under the Mountain. From giving great advice, to driving you into town or the train station, to even helping you with laundry, Berkshire teachers are always there for you. 

Here are some examples of the versatile roles that faculty play in your Berkshire experience, and this doesn't even include serving as advisors to clubs, affinity spaces, or other leadership groups:

Advisors

Every new student is assigned an advisor when they come to Berkshire. The advisor program at Berkshire provides enriching student-faculty relationships as well as meaningful connections with the other few students in your advisory. Your advisor is your go-to person and your #1 advocate on campus. With such small groups, the advisory provides a place for a mix of students with various experiences and interests to get together and bond. From spending Wednesday lunches with your advisor, meeting on Friday mornings, to going to your advisors' house and meeting their families, your advisor and advisory make your time at Berkshire truly special. Ahem, my advisor Ms. McGovern is the best! She's always there to help with picking classes or giving advice when life gets overwhelming. Plus she treats us to breakfast regularly, which is so fun, cozy, and relaxing! It makes a difference knowing someone is always there for you. 

Teachers

Berkshire is so lucky to have an amazing faculty. Each teacher likely has another or many other roles within our community. They are some of the most influential and supportive people on campus. Due to most teachers living on campus, you run into them pretty much everywhere, from meals to sports events to hikes on the mountain. Teachers here want to get to know you. They want to watch you grow. They want to help you succeed and achieve all of your goals. They commit themselves to your personal growth, inside and outside of the classroom, and they have amazing stories to share. Do we have some favorites? We sure do, and too many to list! Get to know aviation faculty Mr. Lee who has some insane stories, such as camping out in an empty airport to avoid being eaten by bears, or fighting off kangaroos in the Outback. He's been there and done that, and always has time for tea with you! Another faculty member we love is librarian Mrs. Tuleja. You can always count on her for stellar book recommendations or encouraging pep talks, whether it's before a big game, an exam, or a stage performance.   

Coaches

Whether it's during a team breakfast, being taught during first period, or a bus ride to an away game, your coach is always there. Your coaches are likely to be your teachers, your dorm parents, or other forms of faculty, equally as awesome in each area. Have an issue off the field? Confide in your coach. Have an issue on the field? Go to your coach. Like the rest of the faculty here at Berkshire, your coaches want to know you and help you succeed in a comfortable environment. 

Dorm Parents

Dorm parents are faculty members who live in or are affiliated with student dorms. Dorm parents are there to help support you and to help create a “home away from home” in your time here at Berkshire. They will listen to any of your concerns and provide amazing advice and make you feel seen and heard. They are truly the best and the relationships you form with your dorm parents are so unique and special. They want the absolute best for you and for everyone else in the dorm, and this setting is really where you can see faculty as just regular humans (of course). One event everyone looks forward to is dorm snack every Saturday night, provided by our amazing dorm parents. The dorm parent on duty will bring a special meal of their choosing and draw the whole dorm together to have a Saturday night with food, drinks, and an awesome time! 

College Counselors

You'll be assigned to a college counselor during the middle of your junior year, but honestly, you'll get to know the whole department a lot sooner than that, not just because they also coach or do dorm duty but because they offer testing seminars, give announcements about college fairs, and attend form meetings that help prep you for various stages of the process even before it gets more one-on-one. As a student from Vietnam (this is Angela), I've found their support super helpful. My counselor, Mrs. Bogardus, helps me with everything from choosing my major,  narrowing down college choices, and perfecting my application responses. The dedication of our counselors makes this uber stressful process that much more manageable and I always feel reassured knowing they are there, that they are so hands on, and that they genuinely care about the best fit for our future. 

Head of School

Mia here... I'll close by saying that the coolest head of school I have ever met is Mr. Mulder. He's super involved in the community, and literally stands on the steps of Berkshire Hall to greet everyone in the morning before first period! Who does that?! He knows everyone's name, their story, their background, and he's always there with a warm and approachable smile. You can also find him playing chess with the chess club, so maybe add playing a game with Mr. Mulder to your Berkshire bucket list.

Hi, New Bears! Our names are Mairaed Campbell, Hemin Khalid, and Jeremiah Chaves, and we can’t wait to meet you all under the Mountain in the fall. In the meantime, we want to we want to dive a little deeper in sports and club culture here at Berkshire. 

After the academic day, there are plenty of opportunities for sports and clubs. Sports and other afternoon activities like art options or community service meet after classes, usually around 3:30 pm for practices and there are games in the afternoons on Wednesdays and Saturdays. These games are some of the highlights of our Berkshire experiences. In the fall, the Football team plays in a huge blackout game during the Homecoming weekend, as well as another huge blackout game for Boys Varsity Soccer. Right before we head home for break, some of our teams play in playoff games, which are also super exciting! 

In the winter, the Boy's Varsity Hockey team plays our rivals Taft in the D’Arco Cup. Each year, the game alternates between being home and away, and everyone dresses in pink and brings posters to the game. Whether it’s home or away, we always have a huge fan section cheering on our bears! The Girls Varsity Hockey team also plays in a charity game, Skate For Her, where there is a new charity chosen each year by the seniors. Both games are huge events on campus with most students coming out and supporting their friends and classmates! 

In the spring the, Girls Varsity Lacrosse team hosts a One Love game with food trucks for afterward. Throughout all of the seasons and through all levels of teams, there are also senior nights where we celebrate the seniors on each team with posters and decorations. Each year new traditions and games are made, making the afternoons and weekends one of the most enjoyable parts of Berkshire.

Clubs are also a big part of the afternoons here at Berkshire, to explore deeper passions and to create deeper connections (and this doesn't even cover our many affinity spaces which is another aspect of our DEI work or other leadership opportunities). Some clubs meet in the evenings after practice, such as the Astronomy Club which usually meets when it's dark enough at night, some will meet during the club meeting block on week 2 Tuesdays, and some clubs such as the Radio Club meet depending on whenever students are scheduled to host shows during study hall. We have a long list of clubs that exist at Berkshire, and every student also has the option of creating their own or resurrecting ones from the past. Below is a small snapshot of what you might find here at Berkshire... and who knows, maybe you have ideas for one of your own:

• 1907 Society

• 4th Soccer Club

• African Cooking Club

• Artificial Intelligence Club

• Astronomy Club

• Baking Club

• Bears Coding Club

• Cancer Awareness Club

• Chess Club

• Community Service

• Debate Club

• Dog Walkers Club

• Embrace Her Berkshire Chapter

• First Aid Club

• Fly Fishing

• French Club

• Games Club

• GSA

• Green and Gray Newspaper

• Green Key Society

• Investment Club

• Letters of Love

• Math Club

• Model UN

• Outdoors Club

• Robotics/Bearbotics

• Strength Club

• Sustainability Club

• WBSL 91.7 Radio Club

Hey there, New Bears! We’re Toby and Trevor, two of the prefects living in Mac next year! In early May, we were lucky enough to get a tour of the new Student Center, which is currently under construction and is slated to be completed in early 2025. The expansion of square footage compared to the previous structure makes the building a true hub for all different kinds of activities and people and will reflect the diversity and wealth of experiences that Berkshire has to offer. 

The building is going to have three levels, each with a different purpose. The lower level will house the students’ common spaces, with games like ping pong and pool, not to mention the beloved café Shawn’s Place, and the Bookstore. Students also get their packages and food deliveries there as well. 

The middle level is the cafeteria or dining hall. It houses the servery and a wide area for seating. Big windows let in natural light for a more enjoyable dining experience. It is also directly accessible from the two main entrances, facing Buck Valley and the Soffer Athletic Center. 

The upper level will house the new Music Center. With three spacious classrooms of varying sizes, music classes and ensembles can rehearse at their will. Students can also practice in the practice rooms that line the hallway of the new center. 

Based on our tour, there is a large contrast between the former student center and the forthcoming one, as the increased space and the inclusion of natural light mark just a few of the quality-of-life changes that will make this a true hub for all. We have included some pictures of under-construction details within the new student center, feel free to scroll through and learn about your new home in 2025!

"Our goal is to create a space that is tailored to Berkshire, where everyone is welcomed and has a space to come together as community, to play, collaborate, and interact.” – Daniela Holt Voith, Founding Partner, VMA, and Director of Design

The new student center seems like it will be perfectly set up to achieve all that Ms. Holt Voith said it would, and we look forward to welcoming you all into the hub of campus in January of 2025! We were wowed and we know we can't wait!

P.S. We have geothermal wells! The drill pictured has been digging numerous geothermal wells. These wells will provide heat in the winter, and keep the temperature cool in the summer. With renewable energy, these wells continue Berkshire’s recently achieved 100% renewable energy usage.