Buddies Core Document
OVERVIEW
When Trinity launched its Upper School in 2006, the Buddy system was a student initiated program designed to enrich the corporate body of the school through the individual investment of older students into younger students. The program expanded each year, in conjunction with the growth of the school, and has seen us adjust from pairing specific classes (older to younger) to utilizing the House system. Now held thrice annually, the Buddy times are set apart in the midst of our school calendar to allow for the vital work of communal friendship, mentorship, and enrichment. At its heart, it remains one of the most vibrant examples of independent student leadership and relational mentoring in our school.
GOALS
- To develop rich relationships over the course of the year between Grammar school students and their Logic and Rhetoric school Buddies, respectively.
- To cultivate student leadership through service, maturity, and a love for their younger peers in our older students.
- To model compassion, joy, and friendship for our younger students.
SPECIFICATIONS
Buddies are assigned through the following pairings:
- Kindergarten with 7th grade
- 1st grade with 8th grade
- 2nd grade with Cincinnatus House
- 3rd grade with Boethius House
- 4th grade with Patrick House
- 5th grade with Dante House
Buddy times are set as follows:
- Logic School is from 11:00 - 11:40
- Rhetoric Houses are from 1:00 - 2:00
Buddy Days are set on the school calendar at the beginning of the year with the input of the Dean of the House System, the Grammar School principal, and the Upper School principal. They can be viewed on the all school calendar.
Buddy activities occur on the school fields, softball field, and in the courtyard; they get first priority on those days for those locations.
The procedure for a Buddy event is as follows:
- Upper School students are released from their classes; their teachers accompany them to the courtyard, where they separate by grade/House.
- Class/House representatives go to their respective Grammar class and lead their Buddies out to the field assigned for their activities. Grammar teachers and their aids accompany their classes to the fields.
- Buddy activities are student led; ALL faculty remain present for the entire event to ensure safety, assist student leaders in their activities, and offer support as necessary.
- At approximately five minutes to the end of their Buddy time, student leaders will assist in organizing the Grammar students and lead them back to their classes with their teachers.
- Equipment used for Buddy events will be cleaned up by student and faculty leadership; all fields and play areas will be cleaned and restored to their original state after the event.
NOTES
Faculty involvement
As this program is highly valued in the life of Trinity, it is expected that all faculty, teachers assistants, and staff will support the student leaders in their efforts to make the best experience for the entire school. This includes: accompanying classes to the event, monitoring the event to ensure safety, supporting the student leaders as necessary, etc. The role of the faculty is to whole-heartedly and joyfully support the student leadership.
Scheduling
Obviously, as with all aspects of our school in this peculiar season, Buddies are part of the evolving plan for the year. Our desire is to have every particular of our program, and we will work within the guidelines of the school to make that happen.
Part of recognizing the importance of these events is scheduling them during times which constitute an investment by our entire school; specifically, during regular class time hours. While it is always the goal when scheduling these events to avoid major conflicts (CIF playoff/championships, AP test days, etc), in the life of our school, it is impossible to ensure that these events will not be inconvenient for our classes. When a Buddy event is scheduled, it is akin to our chapel times, corporate times, and other significant assemblies. Students are not excused from participating for regular academic purposes.
Facilities
Since Buddy events involve nearly the entire school and require significant space for success and safety, scheduling of the school fields will prioritize accommodating and reserving spaces for the Buddy events.