Greetings! We are your Co-All School Presidents for the 2024-25 school year, Stella Demmert and Michkael McKenzie. We’re excited to meet you in the fall! To help get you into a bear's state of mind, we wanted to introduce ourselves and let you know what to expect next year. You’ve probably already started wondering, “What will my day be like?”, and we’re here to tell you!

It’s Time to Get UP!

While Michkael is a morning person and Stella is not so much. Stella says that this is due to Michkael being an absolute grandpa… he goes to bed at 10 pm! And if you try to get a hold of him after that point… forgetaboutit!!! Many people go to the gym in the mornings, do any work they haven’t finished, or go to breakfast early to hang out with friends! What's your favorite breakfast food?

Michkael: I usually begin my day at around 6-6:30 am. It may seem early, but I have been doing it for a while, so it’s more of a routine than a bother. Honestly, I am not a huge breakfast person but when I do eat, it always slaps!! Typically, I go for a toasted bagel with cream cheese, orange juice (sometimes with my Emergen-C inside it), cereal, and fruit. I am usually there with my friend Jeremiah Chaves, so we sit there and just talk about what our plans for the rest of the day are. 

Stella:  Every morning, I wake up around 7:00 and get my day started. Whether that's with a nice shower or splashing some cold water on my face, I’m ready to conquer the day! I’ll head back to my room, get ready for school, and then have some yogurt and fruit from my fridge with my friends. Typically, we will use our fridge to store coffee and chai, which are great ways to get energized for the day ahead. We’ll then pack our backpacks for the day and head to class around 8:20!

It’s Time to Lock In!

Classes start at 8:30 am, giving you plenty of time to get up and head to breakfast before the first period starts, or you could attend office hours at 8:00 am before classes begin. On Mondays and Thursdays, we have an All School Meeting (ASM for short). On Mondays, the ASM leaders (All-School Presidents ) give the student body a rundown of what to expect for the coming week, and on Thursdays, Head Prefects give us a rundown for the weekend. After ASM, all bears head out to finish the rest of the class day. 

Michkael: This is where my slogan comes in, “Lock in.” During the academic day classes run from 8:30 to 3:00 pm, and of course we leave space in there for lunch. We also have half days every Wednesday and every other Saturday when we have classes. Wednesdays are from 9:00 am to 11:35 am, and right after classes you attend advisory lunch. This is the time to debrief with your advisory, talk about the past couple days, speak on what is coming up in the following days, games, social events, virtually anything. On Saturdays we have classes from 9:00 to 11:35 am as well, and similar to Wednesdays, after the academic day on both half days there are usually games. If it’s not your own game then you’re out there supporting your fellow bears! The academic day is when you want to “lock in” because you need to zone in on your school work, so that you can enjoy the rest of the day. 

Stella: Yes, Lock in! The Academic day is a time for students to participate in subjects, delve into various areas of study, explore new concepts, and engage in interactive learning experiences that they want to pursue in the future. My favorite class this year was Race Class Gender where we engaged in really challenging but eye-opening topics and ultimately fun discussions and presentations. With a buffet of awesome courses to choose from, Berkshire lets students mix and match to create an educational experience that's as unique and thrilling as they are! 

Afternoon Fun!

After classes are done for the day, everyone heads to afternoon activities from 3:30 to 5:00 pm depending on what you do in the afternoon. 

Michkael: Since arriving at Berkshire, I have had the opportunity to indulge in many different sports/activities. This array of afternoon commitments have ranged from Track and Field to Theatre. Berkshire makes it so that you have a home during the afternoon, you will find something that you enjoy and love! For example, I play JV basketball during the winter… Hey, I’m no LeBron or anything, but I have a lot of fun playing. We offer so many amazing activities during the afternoons, but say one day you’re thinking, “Hey, why don’t we have this or that… at Berkshire, I think it would be really cool!” You can do what Noboru Tsuru '25 did and start your own afternoon activity!

Stella: Since coming to Berkshire, I’ve been able to dive into so many of my interests and discover new ones I never thought I’d love. Whether it’s playing volleyball, experimenting with different art forms, or exploring the great outdoors with RKMP, there’s always something exciting to do. One of my favorite things about Berkshire is how supportive everyone is in helping you find your niche. Last winter, I tried hockey for the first time despite having no experience on the ice... and I had an absolute blast! That’s what makes Berkshire so special – it’s a place where you feel safe to explore new things and where your passions can truly take root and flourish!

Mmmm Dinner!

Dinner is ready and served from 5:00 to 7:00 pm in the newly located dining hall in the Jack! Being able to walk from your locker room to dinner will be super efficient, at least during this renovation. If you're not really feeling the food that night, there are plenty of other options in our student center (Shawn's Place), our student-run sandwich shop DiPasquales, or you can order from local restaurants around town.

Michkael:  Dinner time is that cool-down point on campus. Clubs can meet, friends hang out, reading a book, eat dinner, whatever it is…it’s pretty chill. An example of a club meeting is our two acapella ensembles, Greensleeves and Ursa Minor. Greensleeves, which I have the pleasure of being a part of and leading next year, is our all-male identifying acapella group. Ursa Minor is our all-female identifying acapella group. They meet once a week, usually on Thursdays, in the evenings. Speaking to our local restaurants around town…I love Pizza! So on the nights that I am feeling a little *extra* I call up Robertos, place my order, and get ready to experience GREATNESS!!

Stella: For me, dinner time is perfect for hanging out with friends. YAY! When the weather's nice, we head to the turf to play spike ball, and in the winter, we love sledding down the hills. It's a great way to relax and have fun after a day of classes. Plus, there’s nothing like sharing a meal with friends, whether it’s in the dining hall or with takeout from one of the awesome local spots! On especially nice evenings, we sometimes get food from Shawn's Place and eat outside, enjoying the fresh air and good company.  Dinner time at Berkshire is all about connection and relaxation, making every evening something to look forward to.

Finish the Day STRONG!

Now it's time to wind down and get some homework done. After dinner, boarders would go to their dorms and check in with their dorm parent on duty at 7:45 pm. Study hall takes place from 8:00 to 10:00 pm. If you are an incoming freshman, you'll attend a more structured study hall in one of our academic buildings twice a week (usually opposite days from your roommate, so whoever is studying in the dorm on a given night has the room to themselves). There are many options around campus to work and get your homework done. You can go to Geier Library or Crawford Lecture Hall in Morgan/Bellas/Dixon if you have a pass, or you can just relax in your room and work at your desk. Where is your favorite place to study? 

Michkael: My favorite place to study is in our humanities building. On nights when I am not in Berkshire Hall for music center duty or Spanish tutoring, I head over there to study. I do enjoy my room but…that place is only for sleep! After I finish all my homework outside of my dorm, I head back and fall asleep for 10pm on the dot!

Stella: And then once it hits 10:00 pm, study hall is over, and it's time to go back to your dorm for a 10 o’clock check-in with a prefect or dorm parent, and then you're done for the day! You then have a free hour before it's lights out at 11:00 pm. Many take that time to get ready for bed early or you can hang with friends, maybe eat a snack in the common room. And this is just an example of a typical school day - there is more to come about what we do on the weekends from other school leaders. Take care until then!

Hello, New Bears! We were last year's Head Prefects for the 2023-24 school year, Will and Gracyn, and while we won't be here to welcome you in the fall, we still wanted to share our thoughts on what to expect when it comes to weekends at Berkshire. We remember wondering what our weekends would be like at boarding school, and we are happy to tell you, especially as we miss it so much already!! 

Berkshire's school schedule consists of two-week schedules referred to as week 1 and week 2. We always have half-days on Wednesdays and Saturdays, but on week 1, Saturday classes begin at 9:00 am and end at 11:35 am. On week two, we actually don't have classes! Instead, we either get to enjoy a sleep-in (that's the BEST) or partake in some kind of speaker series, wellness activity, college counseling event, or workshopping event through our For Life programming. Some speakers have included: 

• Schuyler Bailar - On his journey as being a transgender athlete

• Feminista Jones - On racial adversity and social issues

• Jerome Edgerton Jr. - On his passion for drumming and being a leader

After classes or programming on Saturdays, most teams will meet for a team lunch before heading to locker rooms to suit up for athletic games, races, or matches. Home games might be staggered so we can attend each others' games, which is great for school spirit. Being a bear in the student section for a home game is exciting, thrilling, and never a snooze. Sometimes we will have themes for the games such as a Green Out or a White Out to promote spirit and cheer on our classmates. Teams can also announce their home games at All School Meetings in order to recruit fans. Bears are constantly supporting other Bears on this campus which makes being a part of the community so much fun. 

After games on Saturdays, or practice if you didn’t have a game or if you're in an art option or research option, some students will go for hikes up on the mountain. One of our favorite hiking spots is to the reservoir about 15 minutes up the mountain for a nice swim on a warm day, or you can hike an hour higher up to Guilder Pond. Another fun thing you may see on Saturdays, particularly when it's warm out, is students jumping in the watering hole! Located right next to the track, the watering hole is a small stream of water where students can take a break from the hot sun in the fall and spring. 

After watching some games, most students head to dinner anywhere between 5:00 and 7:00 pm when our dining hall is open. Students can be found playing spike ball, hanging out on the turf, or ordering dinner from local restaurants during this free time. You may even see some students utilizing grills outside of their dorm for a dorm barbeque! 

As the evening continues, our Saturdays usually consist of some type of event that is inclusive to all students. These might be themed dances, like the Green and Gray ball, spring carnival including dunk tanks and bungee jumps, outdoor concerts, open ice in the winter, form bonding events around campfires, and winter carnival where dorms compete in a series of relay races and a dance competition. On nights where we don't have a larger event, clubs will sometimes meet or students will rally in the Shawn’s Place cafe. Shawn’s is our student center where students can hang out and grab easy-to-go food throughout the day. At night, Shawn's turns into a social scene where students of all grades can interact and mingle. In the fall especially, students will “pack Shawns” on weekends where everyone is invited. We bring speakers and sometimes cool lights to gather as a student body, listen to music, have fun, and get to know students from all grade levels. 

Snow or sun, students at Berkshire are constantly out and about on this campus; however, there is plenty of time on Saturdays to recharge in your room, whether that's watching a movie with friends or getting ahead of your work. Saturday nights have endless possibilities here at Berkshire and are our favorite time of the week! We even have town trips to take advantage of, and those take place Saturday nights and Sunday afternoons.

When Sunday morning comes, students make their way to brunch in order to connect with each other about the previous night over some amazing food. Sunday brunch is a great tradition at Berkshire, whether it's because of the omelet bar, the amazing conversations, and simply our relaxing campus. Sunday brunch can also have fun activities like the Student Activities fair or the Valentine's Day rose distribution. By the time brunch is over, students will enjoy more outdoor time and then try and get some work done in the many different spots our campus has to offer such as the Morgan Bellas Dixon Science Center, the Geir Library, or Berkshire Hall. 

Honestly, most students love staying on campus to enjoy our fun weekends together! After a very relaxing Sunday and amazing Saturday it is safe to say that students are prepared for the school week ahead and are already looking forward to the next weekend.

Hi! We're Emma, Miller, Mia V, and Billy, four of your prefects for next year, excited to tell you about some of our favorite traditions here "under the Mountain", and there are so many more too! We hope as new bears you're excited to enjoy these as much as we do!

Pink Out & Skate-For-Her Games
Every winter, the Berkshire boys varsity hockey team battles it out against Taft in the Lucille D’Arco Memorial Cup (known as the Pink Out game). The annual Pink Out game raises money for cancer awareness in Berkshire County, and Berkshire students go all out with pink clothes and accessories. Its location switches between Berkshire and Taft each year, and the student body from the away school gets bussed to the game to support their team! The Pink Out game is a fantastic representation of the school spirit on campus! There is also a 'Skate for Her' event every January hosted by our girls varsity team and that is equally fun and engaging. It's a blast celebrating the strength of our girls teams and it's always touching to see what charity we contribute to each year.  

Winter Carnival
Our favorite day in the winter is Winter Carnival, a dorm competition full of fun activities and themed costumes. This past year, each dorm dressed up as a different childhood movie. Every dorm creates an ice skit to perform in front of the whole school, and members of each dorm participate in ice sculpting, tug of war, sled racing, broomball, and trivia to earn points for their dorm!

Mountain Day
Once every fall and spring, our head of school Mr. Mulder announces after the first period that classes are canceled for the rest of the day! It is a surprise and is always announced in an exciting way. This past fall, Mr. Mulder announced Mountain Day by running through our form meetings in a bear suit, and he rode into an All School Meeting on a scooter to announce it in the spring. We take advantage of Mountain Day by hiking up Mount Everett or along our own portion of the Appalachian Trail! We love hiking to Guilder Pond or the reservoir (and jumping into the water!) and South Pinnacle (with a scenic overlook).

Community Dinner
Each Tuesday night in the fall and spring, the entire school gathers in the dining hall for community dinner. The dress code is class dress, and every student is assigned to a random table of students and a faculty member. Community dinner provides students with the opportunity to meet students they may not otherwise interact with around campus. 

Open Houses & Dorm Snacks
Need a home-cooked meal every now and then? Berkshire faculty have you covered! This will happen lots of times randomly anyway, for various celebrations or just because, but every Saturday night in your dorm, the faculty member on duty will always provide a fun snack for the whole dorm... and then every winter we have 'Holiday Open Houses' where we travel across campus to faculty homes of faculty we don't always see in the dorm and get to hang out in their homes and do an around-the-world tasting of various treats. Saturday snacks is definitely a key part of dorm bonding you'll look forward to every week, and open houses are just another example of ways faculty bring us together as a community!

Green & Gray Teams
When you arrive at Berkshire, you will soon be initiated into either the Green Team or the Gray Team. You remain a member of that team for the rest of your time at Berkshire. There are many activities throughout the year that allow you to earn points for your team, like bringing a date to a dance or winning a volleyball tournament. 

Pro Vita Winter Session
At the end of February, Berkshire ends the trimester early and dedicates a full week to experiential learning and celebrations called Pro Vita Week! We learn hands-on life skills with over 60 courses to choose from and tackle cool and unique learning 'for life' moments, including amazing off-campus field trips or even out-of-the-country travel. Some recent examples include marine biology at the Island School in the Bahamas, dog sledding in Minnesota, and ice climbing in the Adirondacks! You will no doubt discover a new hobby or passion.  

Last Bear Standing!
During the spring, our Green and Gray leaders will set up a school-wide game of assassin but in order to get your person out, you have to give them a great big bear hug. The game gets more intense and stricter as the competition goes on for longer until there is only one Berkshire Bear remaining in the game. The faculty play among themselves as well! It's so fun and funny to see them running around too.

Senior Seal
You'll learn about this at orientation if you didn't already on your tours, but you'll notice a large Berkshire seal emblem on the ground as you enter Berkshire Hall's lobby. It's a long-standing tradition at Berkshire that only seniors are allowed to step on the seal... so step carefully as you head into BH and look forward to your senior year when you get to partake in this small but fun honor!

Prize Night & Graduation!
The whole community comes together plus loads of friends and family and even alumni to celebrate our full year of academic and character-driven accomplishments, with prize night in the Jack! Each department runs through its awards for each class, and then we all move the party over to a huge tent out on our football field with an amazing 9-piece band and an awesome dessert spread. Commencement then takes place the very next day, also in the Jack, and then a luncheon is held for seniors under the same tent. This is a special time of year, celebrating one another but especially the seniors as we send them off on their next adventure!

We hope you enjoyed learning more about the celebratory atmosphere here at Berkshire - and trust us when we say this is just a hint of the amazing environment you're about to experience. We look forward to seeing you under the Mountain soon!