Community

Community in Upper School can be seen in the advisor-advisee relationship; the Senior Retreat; the All School Retreat; Fall and Spring Symposia; and Winter Mini-Sessions.

Advising System

At the heart of the Upper School community is the advisor-advisee relationship. Each student chooses one staff member as an advisor, with each staff member advising about ten students, who together constitute a homeroom. The advisor helps to design each advisee's schedule, acts as a personal counselor, and serves as the primary link between the School community and the student's family. Advisors consult frequently with parents and are responsible for writing the summary evaluation of the student at the end of the year. The special relationship between advisors and advisees contributes substantially to the School's atmosphere of trust and camaraderie. Advisees meet as a homeroom at the beginning of each day for announcements and again at the end of the day for campus clean-up. Time is set aside in the schedule each Friday for advisor/advisee consultation or advisee group activities (including off-campus lunch outings). Several times during the year, advisee groups engage in service and other community-building activities. On recent Advisee Days, groups have gone canoeing, spent the day at Wrightsville Beach, played laser tag, watched movies, prepared a gourmet brunch, and visited the Duke Gardens.

Senior Retreat

At the beginning of each school year, the entire senior class participates in a three-day retreat. Although there is plenty of time for fun and bonding, the focus of this retreat is to set a positive tone for the school year within the community. The senior class spends time thinking about aspects of leadership and how they will come into the year ready to step into a leadership role. We also have gone rafting on the French Broad River in NC.

All School Retreat

Early in the school year, the entire Upper School community leaves campus for a day of fun and community building activities. The All School Retreat, planned by the senior class with their advisors, is a great way for students to get to know each other and the staff. The day is filled with games and free time, ending with an all-school Silent Meeting. This year's All School Retreat was at Jordan Lake. The seniors broke the school into teams and set up team challenges like a canoe race and an egg toss. Look below to see some pictures from the 2007 All School Retreat.

Symposia

Fall and Spring Symposia are full days between terms that are devoted to a particular issue. Students who attend Clerks work with a faculty advisor to plan activities that balance learning and fun. Fall Symposium 2007 was devoted to science. Speakers from around the community came in to offer workshops about HIV drug development, global warming, looking at a cadaver, the science of hurricanes, fingerprinting and DNA analysis, among other topics. Past symposia have included: Health; Gender Roles; Communication; and Nuclear War and Disarmement.

Winter Mini-Sessions

The Winter Mini-Sessions are opportunities for the entire school to do community service. For two days before the winter break, students and staff work in small groups at local organizations provided much needed work. These Mini-Sessions might include work at: The Carnivore Preservation Trust, Durham Community Land Trustees, SEEDS, the Eno River State Park, Music Makers, and the Food Bank.