At the School for Children, children are immersed in active learning experiences both within and beyond the classroom. Students can participate in a variety of supplemental activities designed to expand their academic development, grow their interests and talents, and provide them with a robust education. Our programs and activities serve a wide range of interests and encourage students to engage in creative, intellectual, and social pursuits.
Clubs are an important part of student life in the Upper School. Below is a closer look at some of these opportunities available for students in fifth grade through eighth grade. Groups vary each year based on student interest and scheduling.
Coding deepens students’ computer programming skills as part of Coding Club. Working together with two mentor teachers, students learn programming languages, such as Javascript, Python, and Scratch, at their own pace. In past years, students have worked on graphics programming, robotics, and designing 3D models.
Community Dance explores forms of dance from cultures around the world, including Russia’s troika, French-Canada’s la bastringue, Virginia’s reel, Pakistan’s bhangra, and Cuban-style salsa. Students learn the power of dance in building community and have the opportunity to showcase their work during assemblies and school-wide concerts.
Cinema Paradiso encourages students to explore the world of cinema by writing scripts, filming scenes, and editing their own short films. Students explore storytelling techniques, learn the fundamentals of filmmaking, and discover how to express their unique voices through visual arts. With every project, Cinema Paradiso members practice teamwork, communication, and creative problem-solving, bringing their imaginations to life on screen.
Rock Band invites students who are interested in furthering their musical abilities (e.g., drums, bass, guitar, keyboard) and/or vocal skills. Rock Band rehearses every week, is open to all students, and does not require an audition to join.
Bank Street Live allows students to explore the process of research, discovery, writing, and reporting for our online newspaper. Students self-select topics related to Bank Street, global events, literature, food, identity, and other areas of interest. Visit the Bank Street Live website to check out character corners, poetry releases, horoscopes, sports, and more.
Book Club convenes a group of “whodunit” student detectives to listen to mystery audiobooks and discuss literary elements that drive the “whodunit” mystery genre. In the future, the club plans to write their own mystery short story together.
Debate Club offers students the opportunity to express their opinions about a variety of topics in a safe environment as they develop important skills like critical thinking, perspective-taking, and public speaking.
Social Justice Club empowers students to develop their identity as changemakers. From partnering with local organizations to combat food insecurity and period poverty to organizing reading sessions and spearheading environmental initiatives, students actively engage in impactful projects that provide an opportunity for them to contribute to a more equitable world.
Strategy Games encompass a variety of group-based board and card games, fostering collaboration among students through both energized tournaments and more casual mini-games. With a focus on enjoyment and community building, this club welcomes all students, regardless of their background knowledge, as they teach each other new strategies and tricks.
Yoga provides space for students to unwind as they engage in a blend of yoga sequences, meditation, rest, and breathing exercises. Students practice body awareness, physical breath work, reflection, and deep relaxation and approach invigorating challenges such as handstands and partner poses.
Assembly Committee serves as a supportive team for the Upper School that helps plan weekly assemblies, prepare exciting performances, select compelling themes, present captivating segments like “Book of the Week,” organize affinity spaces, and coordinate special guest appearances.
Yearbook Committee engages in the creative process of the school yearbook from start to finish by helping collect photographs, gather quotes from the school community, and build and design pages. Students get to know the many faces of Bank Street and celebrate the culmination of their teamwork at the end of the school year.
Assemblies are held regularly throughout the year, providing opportunities for our students to share experiences and build community.
Lower School assemblies bring children and teachers together through the joys of singing, moving, dancing, stories, and sharing. Our music, movement, Spanish, and library teachers lead our Assemblies, making these gatherings opportunities for young children to experience being part of a wider school community. A couple of times a year, family members participate in Lower School Assemblies. In later Lower School grades, classrooms participate in weekly assemblies in which they share projects or activities related to their curriculum work. Instrumental and dance performances from the music program are often featured.
The Upper School has a weekly assembly program designed around an annual theme. Upper School assemblies include guest speakers, games, student performances, and student celebrations.
The Buddies Program at Bank Street is designed to connect our youngest students to our oldest students, thereby strengthening our school’s community as they participate in a variety of activities together and learn through shared experiences. The partnership pairs each classroom with another classroom in a different grade for the full year, often with about five years between the classes. Teachers plan a variety of experiences in and out of school so that children have different ways to access the program and build relationships. In addition to in-school buddy activities, like reading books together, playing math games, and participating in creative science and art projects, younger students often attend school performances by their older buddies, such as the Rock Band concert or Science Expo, an experiential science fair.
The Bank Street community gathers throughout the year at several school-wide events to celebrate all of the great work our students accomplish. Examples of these events include seasonal concerts, the “Bank Street’s Got Talent” talent show—sponsored by the Parents of Children of Color—the Upper School Science Expo, and the Eighth Grade Musical.