STUDENT LIFE
Meet Our
RESIDENTIAL LEADERS
Leah Shapiro
Project Coordinator & House Parent
Pursuing Interests
Student Life
John Dewey students learn how to gain healthy control of their lives in an environment that promotes self-respect and respect for others. The daily schedule provides a basic structure, yet also encourages the development of time management skills in order to meet the demands of a challenging curriculum. Students attend classes, study regularly, participate in groups, complete household responsibilities, engage in physical exercise, and interact with their peers. When their schedules allow, they also pursue other areas of interest such as art, music, sports, gardening, and volunteer work.
A Rewarding Environment
Daily Life
Learning to manage daily life is a personalized and very real marker of growth for our students. They attend classes for much of the school day, though our model is more similar to a college schedule than that of a typical high school. Between classes, they study or fulfill their responsibilities around the house. They also prepare and serve the lunch and dinner meals. Students gather for community meetings and therapy groups 3x/week. In the evenings, students prepare for their classes (either individually or in small groups) during a quiet study hall from 7 until 9 p.m. Every night there is a peer-led Night Group.
During free time, students may read, work on homework, socialize with their peers or staff, go to town to visit the coffee shop, public library, do errands, play piano or their instrument, take a walk outside, bake cookies, read the newspaper, go to a dance class, or fulfill various chore responsibilities around the school or grounds.
Friends and Fun
Weekend Life
After a Saturday morning study hall, students fulfill academic and personal responsibilities or engage in recreational activities. They may go into town for movies, shopping, and meals. Weekend and break activities, often initiated and planned by students, are approved by the Dean of Students and facilitated by the house parents.
Building Character
Responsibilities & Leadership
With the guidance and supervision of the staff, students help run the John Dewey Academy. We empower students to take ownership of their lives and their community in order to facilitate the development of integrity and moral leadership.
Students undertake responsibility for the maintenance and management of the school, including planning menus, ordering food, cooking, maintaining the grounds, planning community outings, helping the business manager with administrative tasks, and cleaning the building. Working in teams, they learn to address real-world tasks in a disciplined way. As they rise to positions in which they must render their opinions, act decisively, and delegate responsibilities, they develop strong leadership abilities. Student leaders manage the day-to-day duties of the business, academic advising, housekeeping, kitchen, and maintenance teams and also serve as academic advisers and tutors. Students play an active role in formulating and implementing school policies. Although the Head of School retains the right to make the final determination, he remains accountable to the students, staff, and parents.
Enriching Daily Life
Extracurricular Opportunities & Clubs
We encourage students to pursue their passions and interests through a variety of extracurricular activities and student-initiated clubs. In the past, students have:
- Started a variety of clubs: Magazine, Fashion, Economics/Investment, Cinematography, Gardening, Photography, Chess, and Weight Lifting
- Mentored children in the Big Brothers Big Sisters volunteer program
- Volunteered with a local environmental organization (Greenagers)
- Volunteered at various community events
- Participated in writing competitions and workshops such as The New England Young Writers Workshop (“Bread Loaf”), Poetry Out Loud, and local poetry “slams”
- Entered art, music, and academic competitions
- Created and maintained a community garden
- Interned with a federal judge
- Hosted a weekly music program on a local radio station
- Interned with a local newspaper
- Interned with the Town Hall
- Participated in Model UN
Individual Discovery
Sexuality, Health & Wellness, and Diversity
We believe in nurturing the development of the whole child, and to that end, we provide programming to address issues of sexuality, health, nutrition, wellness, and diversity. These may be stand-alone classes, seminars, groups, or community lectures. In some cases, this educational material is woven throughout academic classes. Some examples include: weekly yoga and sitting meditation, a mindfulness-based wellness course, sexuality and sex education seminars; and psychoeducational groups, classes, or lectures on racial inequalities, gender stereotypes, economic inequalities, sexual and gender identity, etc
Health & Wellness
Recreation & Athletics
As a destination resort, the Berkshires region offers multiple cultural and recreational opportunities, including classical music, theater, dance, museums, and lectures. We are in close proximity to a variety of well-known cultural destinations including: Tanglewood, Jacob’s Pillow, Shakespeare & Co., Chesterwood, Berkshire Theater, Mass MOCA, Barrington Stage Company, and the homes of Edith Wharton and Herman Melville, to name a few. During the summer, students can hike, swim, and camp; in the winter, ski slopes are only three miles away.
Because the John Dewey Academy is a small school, we do not have organized sports teams. However, when there is interest, students often organize basketball and soccer games, tennis matches, ultimate frisbee, and long runs or biking excursions around town. There are opportunities to play sports in the community and against other small high school teams in the area. We encourage students to maintain a regular exercise schedule which can consist of a variety of enjoyable activities including: hiking, biking, running, skiing, swimming, weight lifting, dance, yoga, pilates, etc.
Get In Touch
Contact Us
JOHN DEWEY ACADEMY
389 Main Street
Great Barrington MA 01230
Admissions: (413) 528-0084
Phone: (413) 528-9800
Fax: (413) 528-5662
Email: Info@jda.org