Middle School Houses enjoy friendly competition

By David Flatau-Jones ‘23

Leal House proudly displays its Canstruction during a recent competition.

As students and faculty returned to The Wardlaw+Hartridge Middle School this year, they were greeted with a new, exciting initiative: The House System. What began on the second day of the school year has progressed in the following months to a wildly successful addition to the school culture.

Ms. Jennifer Rose, the Head of Middle School, is responsible for bringing this stellar idea to fruition. The House system places each W+H Middle School student into one of three different Houses, each emphasizing different values chosen by the students to build a sense of community. This is a brilliant move by Ms. Rose, as it helps to preserve the school’s rich history and traditions, while also promoting a strong sense of unity among the student body, with the apt motto of “Three Houses, One Family.”

The three houses are named Leal, Hayward, and Scribner, after the original founders of Wardlaw-Hartridge. Members of Leal House pledge to be ambitious, enduring, and loyal. Hayward students vow to be academic, honest, and youthful, while Scribner students are leaders, resolute, and self-aware. The students were empowered to select these characteristics themselves, making their dedication to upholding these values that much stronger.

The students take part in activities which will provide opportunities for leadership, self-expression, and creativity. Each house is led by student Captains and Co-Captains, as they engage in a friendly competition. As each month goes by, the Houses gain points, awarded for successes in said friendly competition, as well as for students’ contributions to the community through their respectful and kind actions. The House with the most points each month receives exciting rewards such as highly coveted Dress Down Days.

In a recent blog post, Ms. Rose explained, “Our House system is new, it is a cultural shift, it is forward-looking, and simultaneously, we are carrying on the history of our school.” The House system is evidently an exciting new endeavor for our Middle School, one which is sure to only become greater as years go by – this is only the beginning.