Advisory, Clubs, and Activities

Fostering a Successful Transition

The 9th-grade advisory curriculum focuses on supporting students as they transition into the high school environment. 

9th Grade Pillars From Our Great Eight:

• Adaptable and Courageous

Skills Focused On:

• Community Building
• Social Emotional Learning
  • Self Awareness 
  • Social Awareness
  • Relationship Skills
  • Responsible Decision Making 
• Goal Setting
• Study Skills
• Time Management/Organization Skills

Exploring Potential and Developing Essential Skills

The 10th-grade advisory curriculum shifts its focus towards exploration and skill development for continued growth.

10th Grade Pillars From Our Great Eight:

• Collaborative and Empathetic

Skills Focused On:

• Community Building
• Social Emotional Learning
  • Self Awareness: Leadership skills  
  • Social Awareness
  • Relationship Skills
  • Responsible Decision Making
• Goal Setting
• Study Skills
• Time Management/Organization Skills
• Future Planning

Exploring Ways to Become the Most Complete and Authentic Version of Oneself

The 11th/12th grade and Postgraduate advisory curriculum will shift its focus towards Self-Actualization, Identity, Esteem, and Personal Development.

There are several definitions for self-actualization; one, however, is most aligned with the work we aspire to do with Winchendon students. Love and Talbot (1999) define self-actualization as the process of establishing oneself as a whole person through the development of one’s abilities and understanding of the self. From the perspective of Maslow (2011), self-actualization is the pinnacle of development. It is a place of self-transcendence, that is, the individual begins to overcome the limits of the individual self and sincerely begins to seek higher levels of awareness.

Similar to the 10th grade experience, there is a continuation of an internal quest for purpose, identity, and belonging. There will be a purposeful examination of one’s values – those things we hold most dear; our sense of who we are and where we come from, our beliefs about why we are here – the meaning and purpose that we see in all we do and in our life. Additionally, there will be a deeper dive in understanding one’s sense of connectedness to others and the world around them. (Astin et al., 2011)

11th, 12th, and Postgraduate Pillars From Our Great Eight:

• Responsible and Ethical

Skills Focused On:

• Community Building: Create a supportive and inclusive environment within advisory groups to foster a sense of affirmative belonging, mutual respect, and shared purpose among all members.
• Social Emotional Learning: Developing essential skills to better understand and manage one’s emotions and build positive, long lasting relationships.
  • Self Awareness: Leadership skills  
  • Social Awareness
  • Relationship Skills
  • Responsible/Ethical Decision Making

• Goal Setting: Work on setting attainable, yet meaningful goals—both academic and personal—that will help the student stay focused and motivated during their final year of high school. These developing goals will support the student’s success now and prepare them for what’s to come.
• Time Management/Organization Skills: To learn and practice strategies to stay organized, manage schoolwork and responsibilities, as well as disciplining themselves to use time wisely. A greater focus will be on: how to prioritize tasks, avoid procrastination, and keep student’s materials in order so they don’t fall behind.
• Future Planning: Initiating the exploration of career options and personal interests to help the student figure out what excites them—and what they seem to be good at. Students will identify strengths and begin building a plan for life after graduation.