Academic Support Services

The rigorous academic experience that students have at Berkshire requires of them work well beyond the classroom. The School has a number of structures in place to support our students and to encourage their best work.

 Study Hall

Since classes meet six days a week, students have study hall six nights a week. Study hall runs from 8-10 PM, Sunday - Friday in all dormitories and across all the academic spaces at Berkshire. Students are expected to work quietly in their rooms, in the library, with teachers in Berkshire Hall, or in other approved academic spaces. More structured study environments are available for many students as well, including the KCL study hall that fosters organizational skills and the Reading Room study hall where a strict code of silence is in place to ensure a distraction-free environment. Berkshire recognizes that different students require different study environments, and our goal is to provide a number of different possibilities.

Extra Help

The cornerstone of a terrific boarding school academic experience is having teachers available for extra help beyond the academic school day. Living next door to your history or math teacher is a luxury that boarding students at Berkshire take advantage of frequently. And Berkshire teachers pride themselves on being available often to work with their students in one-on-one or small group environments. For some students, those moments can be the critical piece that compliments in-class instruction and makes things click. Day students, of course, receive plenty of extra help, too.

Tutoring

When extra help alone is not enough, some students take advantage of additional tutoring services. These services, available for specific disciplines, are organized and arranged through Form Deans and the Kenefick Center for Learning.

The Barbara Kenefick Center for Learning

The Kenefick Center for Learning (KCL) is named in honor of Barbara Kenefick, who founded and fostered Berkshire’s Academic Support Program in 1992. The goal of KCL is to assist students who are able to meet the rigorous academic standards of Berkshire School, but need additional attention in order to develop the learning competencies that the curriculum demands. KCL is fully integrated into the academic and social life of the School and offers services such as basic study skills, subject specific tutoring, and assistance with skills necessary for college success including time-management skills. In addition, KCL provides help to all members of the Berkshire community in identifying and assisting students who have different learning styles or minor learning disabilities. Please contact Kristina Splawn, Director of the Kenefick Center for Learning, with specific questions.