The Cambridge School of Weston - Review #15

At CSW student involvement is very different then at other high schools. Everything that happens at CSW from what type of coffee we drink to the new dorm parents and teachers that get hired, the students have a say and their input truly matters. The Cambridge School of Weston is one of two high schools in the country that lets students becoming active voting members of the Board of Trustees. The community is built by the students and for the students, everyone has an opportunity to let their voice be heard and everyone's voice matters.The student/teacher relationships are CSW are very unique. Teachers and students are one a first name basis, which automatically initiates mutual respect in the classroom. The teachers are creative and innovative, yet they admit they don't have all the answers and encourage the students to search for them themselves. The teachers dedicate so much time inside and outside of the classroom to helping their students with projects, ideas, or personal issues. I consider many of my teachers more than teachers but mentors and role models. They are definitely the aspect of CSW that I miss the most.

I think the best thing that happen to me at CSW was I was given the tools to discover who I was and what my place is in this world. CSW had a profound impact on how I see myself and others and truly opened my mind to the world around me.

I think the most important thing is to be open minded. It's a big step to go from living at home to living in a dorm and it's not always an easy transition. Be as friendly as possible and don't be afraid to take chances; meet new people, take classes you wouldn't normally take, start a new club, travel abroad, and step outside your comfort zone!

The people were the best part of my high school experience. Everyone from the students to the teachers from the head of the school to the maintenance staff was friendly, welcoming, and got to know you on a personal level. It made the learning environment very comfortable.

Everyone is different and you just have to keep that in mind. Try new things and always keep searching for what feels best for you. The community is small and people really take care of each other so it's easy to find your favorite study place or the best places off campus to go out for dinner. If you want some advise ask the people around you, they are more than willing to help :)

The Academics at The Cambridge School of Weston were life changing. Class schedules are set up in blocks so that each student takes four classes at a time and every five weeks classes change. This allows the students the dive deeper into their classes because classes are and hour and a half long. The classes are very small. I've had the range from 22 (with three teachers for the whole class) to 5 people. This allows the teacher to spend a lot of individual time with each student and it makes sure that no student is left behind. Teachers give students their email and their home phone numbers and students are allowed to contact teachers if they need help with something. Classes are challenging and students will be asked to look at the world, at the classroom, and at themselves in ways they've never done before. But there is a lot of support if a student feels overwhelmed. Because of the block scheduling, students get to pick their own classes. Unlike most high schools, instead of taking English 101 I was able to pick classes like Gay and Lesbian Literature or Epics and Heroes. Most people have to wait until college till they can pick their own courses and have such amazing and detailed classes offered to them. But at CSW even a freshman gets to choose what and when they want to take their classes.

Everyone at CSW must complete three courses of athletics a year. CSW offers a wide range of spots and athletics that the student can choose from. They have basketball, baseball, women's field hockey, soccer, yoga, biking, cross country, ultimate frisbee, wilderness trips, rock climbing, dance classes and the list goes on. What liked most about CSW's Athletics was that anyone could play any sport. Most teams have Varsity and Jr. Varsity so if you where just starting out you could still participate. All four grades were represented on any sports teams and there was never any hierarchy between people who played certain sports and people who didn't. Everyone supported everyone and if you weren't on a sports team, changes were you probably went to a game or two to cheer on your friends.

CSW is one of the few high schools I know of where the arts are taken seriously and are given true respect. In the visual art program alone, there are almost 40 classes offered a year for students to take with a very large variety. CSW offers art classes that most colleges don't offer, such as assemblage, collage and film and identity. CSW has a darkroom and a digital photo lab along with a whole building dedicated to studio art, two galleries, and an installation room. No matter what level students are on they are encouraged to take as many art classes as they like. The teachers are refreshing and open the student's eye to a new world of art. While at the same time there are able to help students who are knew with art and student who would call art their passion. The Music department offers so many ways to learn, explore, preform, jam, and have fun with music. There are ensembles that preform every month, guest musicians that come in all the time open for the public, composing classes, appreciation and theory classes. Whether music is a way of life or a casual hobby the teachers are willing to help students with personal projects and are very enthusiastic about teaching. What makes CSW's Theatre department unique is the variety of classes they offer and also the chance they give students to put on their own performances. Much like the dance department, there are show that are acted, directed, lit, and run solely by students.

CSW offers so many different types of clubs and committees and if there one you want is there, you can very easily start it by simply making an announcement at assembly or sending out an email. There is an hour period for lunch each day which gives students enough time to go to a multitude of clubs a week. Ranging from student government boards like Judicial Board and Advisory Board to Year book and literary magazines to film clubs and common interests, there are a lot of extra curricular activities for students and they all have a warm welcoming environment for anyone to go to them.

My dorm became my home at CSW. Each dorm has no more than 25 people in it, which makes everyone in the dorms like family. You grow to love your dorm mates and the tight, small boarding community is like no other community I have ever experienced or heard of. Everyone truly cares for each other and wants to look out for each other. The dorm parents become so close to you, they open their doors to you and help you with anything and everything. Rooms are cozy and comfortable, if there is a problem with a room mate the dorm parents and dorm leaders are there to help fix everything. I had some issues my freshman year and the dorm parents, my roommate, and I all had a meeting together to sort things out. Each dorm has its own common room, computer room, and kitchen so that the students can continue to live their lives as if they were at home. There are dorm meetings and dorm clean ups once a week that help students to bond with each other and take care of the place they live.

Because CSW is such a small community you very easily get to know everyone. The dinning staff is so wonderful and nice, they get to know all the students and take care of them. Sometimes you can request a certain meal if the dinning hall hasn't offered it in awhile. There are always many options for eating, such as a hot meal, a cold meal, soups, sandwiches, salads, and deserts. The dinning hall is a wonderful space because no matter who you are you can sit down at any table and be welcome.

CSW is in the perfect location. It's located in the small town of Weston, which has a beautiful library and some fun things to do in town like craft centers. In walking distance from CSW is the town of Waltham which has a ton of convenient stores, chains, and small locally owned businesses such as the Waltham thrift store or New Mother India Indian restaurant. There are many fun things to do in Waltham such as go shopping, go to the local movie theatre or go out to dinner with friends. There is also a train less than a mile away from school that will take you into Cambridge and Boston with ten minutes. It's grate for weekend actives is a student wants to go to a baseball game or hang out in Harvard Sq.

What I liked most about the social life at CSW was that each year I was there I had friends form all over the country, all over the world, and all different ages. Although there's a lot of class pride (especially for the seniors) I never felt uncomfortable or unequal to any of the other students regardless of their age. All four years I was there I had friends who were freshman, sophomores, juniors, and seniors.