Middle School Community Connections
Tower students experience unique opportunities to learn outside of the classroom, build relationships, discover new interests and contribute within our communities. Below are a few examples of student learning opportunities in the Middle School.
Commissioned by Settler: Students Design Bread Boards for Local Restaurant
Tower School’s middle school woodworking students were invited by husband-and-wife team, Chef Aaron and Shanna Chambers—owners of restaurants Settler and Bernadette in Salem, Massachusetts—to design bread boards for their tables.
Mr. Field and his students met with the Chambers to discuss their goals for these functional and aesthetic serving pieces. Back in the woodshop, their process began with discussions about the qualities of wood species and how attributes such as woodgrain, knots, and choice of finishing tools, impact the beauty and longevity of serving pieces. Each student then designed and finished a unique board to meet the clients’ specs, and presented their work at Settler.
The Chambers appreciated that in addressing the criteria for a successful board, each student’s design reflected their own personality. Shanna added, “It’s not easy to present creative work to a client, yet these middle school students did so with poise and confidence.”
What's next? The staff at Settler will test each design and provide feedback. Once a design has been selected and refined, these students will return to the wood shop to produce a set of 10 custom serving pieces for the restaurant. They are excited by the opportunity to learn and make well-crafted pieces for a client known for creating beautiful environments for gathering and dining.
The Chambers, who are also parents of three Tower students, invited the students to stay for lunch, beginning with their signature sourdough bread.
Community Service
Community Service is an integral part of Tower's educational experience, and is foundational in fostering compassion, responsibility, and civic engagement in our students. Through hands-on projects in our local communities, students recognize that their actions contribute to the greater good—and the impact they can make beyond the walls of the classroom.
This experience is deeply aligned with the mission of Tower, cultivating thoughtful, engaged, and community-minded individuals with confidence in their abilities to impact change.
We are proud of our students as they step into new opportunities with open minds and generous hearts. Among the services students engaged in, are:
- Working with SPUR to harvest, weigh, plant and water the vegetable gardens at St. Andrews Church in Marblehead
- Harvesting in Tower School’s raised beds to harvest and weigh vegetables and herbs for My Brother’s Table in Lynn
- Organizing a Halloween candy drive for children who are not able to trick-or-treat
- Cleaning up trash at local beaches, and along the rail trail in Marblehead
- Baking desserts to accompany meals for North Shore Residents prepared by Lifebridge
- Visiting residents at local nursing homes
- Planting perennials to beautify Tower School’s campus
- Providing classroom organizational assistance and project work for school administrators at Tower
Through monthly service, students live our mission, learning to advocate for themselves and others, contributing their skills, abilities and emotional intelligence in support of their school community.
Buddies
Tower students build community within their school through a monthly inter-grade Buddy program. Together, older students and younger students meet up for story time, board games, Legos, crafts or recess. Older students have an opportunity to teach or play with younger students, while young buddies enjoy spending time with big kids—and high-fiving in the hallways, later.
Student Government
Student Government (Stu Gov) is a peer-elected body comprised of students in grades 5–8. As representatives of all Tower students, they make the most of their leadership role and capacity to generate school spirit across all grades. They organize rallying, themed days (team jersey day; pajama pants & slippers day; 60s fashion day etc.) and help to envision, create and run events for Lower School students.
Additionally, Stu Gov may recognize a need in the greater community and work to create connection, support, and awareness. The food drive to restock the shelves at My Brother's Table is an annual favorite for students.
My daughter chose Tower for middle school, starting in 6th grade. Everyone at Tower was warm and welcoming. Our family immediately felt included and part of a great community of students, faculty and families. Anna received a great education, developed great friendships and has become a self-motivated learner who is well prepared for secondary school. I would highly recommend Tower School.
PARENT OF A MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT, AS POSTED ON NICHE.COM