<p>We recently took child #2 on a tour of boarding schools. I was somewhat surprised by his reactions to certain schools. He was very quick to determine whether he liked a school or not. Our first child liked every school we visited. The one school on our recent tour that our son loved the minute he stepped on campus was Berkshire. The campus is beautiful and the new science building is a great addition! The athletic facilities (son is a hockey player) are truly fantastic. Overall, we had a great visit. Can anyone comment on Berkshire? Things you like about and things you don't? It seems the Headmaster (who came from Taft several years ago) has really put an emphasis on improving academics. I like the traditional coat and tie dress code and sit down meals (2 a week- plus 1 advisor lunch). I like that they have a tutoring center if a student needs extra help. I was told that Berkshire is moving towards more of a global approach to education and plans to add international opportunities. I liked the Mountain program they offer. What I couldn't get a read on while on campus was do they teach to the whole child. I want my child to not only receive an excellent education but be exposed to core values. Any thoughts on Berkshire would be appreciated. Thanks!</p>
<p>I have personal experience with Berkshire on many levels (PM me if you want more information about my affiliation) from the early 90’s through 2005. If your son likes hockey, I think he will enjoy it. The new administration has made vast improvements to the campus. It is a small community and has always been very tight-knit. The faculty goes above and beyond to care for the students. My experience is that character education has been a large part of the overall curriculum and is the topic of most, if not all, All School Meetings. If he has fallen in love with the school and you (since you know him best) believe it is a good fit for him, I think he will have a great experience.</p>
<p>I looked at Berkshire last year (I am know an freshman at NMH), and I have to say there were aspects that I really liked. They have a strong math and science department, and great hockey. However, I was very disappointed by the arts and humanities at the school. Berkshire has practically no arts program or arts facilities, and their humanities seemed lacking to me. Even if your son is not into arts and humanities I think that it really said a lot about what the school stood for, and what they cared about. I didn’t feel that they were creating well rounded students, which is what a boarding school is about. However, school is really about fit, and if your son really enjoyed it and it fits him well, than definitely consider it. Also, if you have any questions about NMH, feel free to pm me, it’s a great school (and we have a highly competitive hockey program).</p>