If you went to Beaver Country Day School in Newton, Mass. then you're familiar with the "Beaver Way." My friends at Colgate say that I went to a "happy, hippie school" but they clearly don't understand what makes our school so special. There are a couple things that are just so #beaver that you would have to go there to know.
1. No Finals
Yeah, you heard me. At Beaver, we don't have final exams. But, we get assessed in other ways such as projects, debates, and papers. So you can imagine taking a final exam for the first time in college was terrifying.
2. The Foyer
The foyer is the place to be. It's where the seniors hang out and there's an unspoken rule that underclassmen do not sit in nor mess with the foyer. As a freshman, it is your least favorite thing to walk by.
3. Nuvu
Nuvu is short for "new view." It's an MIT-run program where we can take a semester off of school and go there to learn and create. 3D printers, laser cutters, and a wood shop are just some of the attributes available at NUVU. Very few high schoolers can claim to have the same awesome opportunity.
4. Funday
It is exactly what it sounds like. We get a day of class canceled to do fun things. For example, some of us would go to Six Flags or have a hypnotist, bubble soccer, mechanical bull, and many more attractions come to our school.
5. Trimester Classes
Now, some other high schools have trimesters as well but at Beaver, we only have certain classes for part of the year. For instance, a Beaver student only has to take math 2 out of the 3 trimesters, and if that's not cool, I don't know what is.
6. Innovative
Beaver is so much more than a school – we are at the forefront of education. We consistently look beyond tradition, and beyond our walls to learn from and partner with the best. Because of this we are able to present classic and innovative subject matter in a creative environment that yields real results. - About Beaver
Beaver Country Day School describes itself as innovative and it is! Or at least that's what they called themselves when I was there. They're always changing.
7. Recess
Our middle school gets recess, but the high school doesn't even have a PE requirement. It's a bit of an odd system but works well.
8. Our Teachers
Our teachers are our mentors and friends. We love them and always friend them on Facebook after graduation. Some of us even text them throughout our first years of college.
9. Technology
Our school supply list has "computer" on it. We use technology in almost every project we create. Beaver especially loves to incorporate coding into its classes. Welcome to the school of the future.
10. "So Beaver"
Saying "So Beaver" holds special meaning to us. You can't understand the true meaning of it unless you go to Beaver yourself.
