Greenwood School: The Community

Parenting is important for all children, and we do our best to make Greenwood a home away from home. Although our program is structured and maintains definite behavioral expectations, the atmosphere here is relaxed and friendly. Students are encouraged to and assisted in taking responsibility for harmonious interpersonal relationships. We nurture a sense of partnership in the school family. For example, students and faculty are on a first name basis, one small way in which we help engender familial feelings and relaxed communication.

In addition to the school morning meeting, small groups of students meet daily for a communication pragmatics class. These classes provide a forum for resolving personal and community conflicts and for improving social interactions. Here, students learn effective strategies for creative problem solving. These strategies were developed specifically for Greenwood by Tom Scheidler, Greenwood's co-founder. They have been refined over the years and have, as well, been recognized at national and international educational conferences.

Dormitory life is an important part of Greenwood's program and is the hub of its extra-curricular activities. To create a good environment for community living, all faculty members participate in dorm life and assist the teachers who live in the dorm.

We believe that good communication skills are essential to the development of all areas of language; indeed, they are the purpose for which language exists. In order to support the development of all areas of language and communication skills, the recreational use of computers, television, and electronic games is limited to designated areas.

All meals are prepared on the premises and served family style in the school dining hall. Learning to eat a wholesome, balanced diet is a part of our total fitness program. We limit the use of refined sugar, bleached flour, salty, fatty, and overly processed foods.

Like many other schools, Greenwood has a dress code. Our intention is to be reasonably flexible so that it does not require an entirely new wardrobe to meet our guidelines. As a general rule, Greenwood students must dress neatly at all times. On school days, boys wear khaki or corduroy pants or denim trousers (not jeans) and collared shirts to meals and during academic hours. Blue jeans and t-shirts are permitted for sports and recreation. A jacket and tie and dress shoes are required at select, all-school meetings and special occasions.

We plan our weekend schedule to include a variety of both group and individual activities. Saturday mornings are devoted to special programs and cooperative projects. During winter term, the whole school skis on Fridays, and we make up class work on Saturday morning. On Saturday afternoons, students can learn martial arts, play field games, and share other leisure activities. The Saturday evening meal is usually off-campus and is followed by an on-campus movie. Occasionally, we may be invited to attend local events. Sunday's schedule allows for individual worship, letter writing, and an all-school meeting.

Faculty members, who live on or near campus, play an integral role in the students' weekends. They have a wide range of skills and interests, including fly-fishing, canoeing, music and cooking, and they enjoy sharing these activities with the students. Greenwood does not employ anyone solely as a dorm resident or weekend monitor; the faculty who are teaching the boys within the classroom are with them in the dorms as well as on the weekends.

Greenwood provides a respectful, non-sectarian environment that upholds and acknowledges the importance of family and heritage. We are happy to assist in arranging for students to attend religious services and instruction.

Greenwood places a strong emphasis on community. Our program is structured and positive, including clear and consistent behavioral expectations. Serious disciplinary measures are seldom necessary. The school responds to all incidents of misbehavior. Academic work is never used as a punishment.

Those students who have emotional stress due to anxiety about their learning problems customarily improve after experiencing academic and social success at Greenwood. Our program does not accept applicants with either suspected or primary emotional or behavioral disorders.