Students

Student Characteristics

Successful BFS students have a strong sense of self, they know their own strengths and weaknesses, are able to express their ideas, opinions and perceptions, offer insights about their actions, and ask for help when needed. BFS students balance a joy for and openness to life with appropriate impulse control. They are kind-hearted and exhibit patience, compassion, tolerance and integrity. They express an appreciation of others by sharing, participating fully in classes, and by listening respectfully. BFS students possess average to superior cognitive abilities, with good reflective and expressive language skills. They are motivated and engaged learners who enjoy learning. They are resourceful, reflective and naturally curious. Though learning styles may vary, the successful student is able to contribute to class discussions and activities and works well in both large and small groups and independently.

Teamwork and Group Effort

We place a strong emphasis on teamwork and group effort within the community of the class. With one section in each grade, many students develop deep and lasting relationships with one another. When social dynamics become challenging, they are faced not avoided, and thoughtful adults help students work through conflicts in peaceful and constructive ways. BFS is most successful with students who can learn to work well with others, adapt to rules that benefit the group as a whole, and place their own needs within the context of larger community goals.

Big Friend / Little Friend

Students also interact frequently across grade levels through our Big Friend/Little Friend program which establishes sixth, seventh, and eighth graders as mentors to our youngest students. Each Upper School student is paired with a lower school student, and together they take part in a wide range of activities, including sitting together in Meeting for Worship, working on service projects, going to Peddlers’ Village for ice cream, and playing on the playground. Through these activities, our youngest students grow to be comfortable with our oldest students, and our older students develop their senses of responsibility, empathy, and caring. All the while, our Middle School children, meanwhile, look forward to the day when they get to be Big Friends. These inter-age experiences provide some of our most poignant moments at school and create many lasting memories.

Independence and Responsibility

We strive to develop a sense of independence and responsibility in our students that can sustain them personally and in academic and social settings. Classroom jobs create ownership in the class environment, Meeting for Worship offers an opportunity for children to practice listening to others and respecting diverse views, class trips provide experiences away from home that enhance confidence and develop self-reliance, and student committees allow students to work with peers in other grades on issues of importance, including service, stewardship, Joint Environmental Mission, and Meeting for Worship.

Students are guided by their understanding of the mutual Rights and Responsibilities they share as a community, rather than rigidly defined rules and regulations. While boundaries are clear, conflicts are resolved through dialog and restorative practices that emphasize the repair of harm to the community. Thus students learn to reflect on their actions and develop a sense of their place within a community.