“Walker’s is [what prepared] me to go out into the world.”
Wellness
Emotional and physical well-being are important ingredients for success in all areas of life. At Walker's, our vision of wellness is based on helping students to develop an awareness of their own strengths and resources. Healthy self-esteem begins with self-mastery and the knowledge of one's own competence and resilience. The Wellness Curriculum and program at The Ethel Walker School is designed to provide support, knowledge and tools to students as they move through adolescence.
Learn more about our Wellness Team and Counseling Center in the rest of this section.
The Wellness Curriculum
The Wellness Curriculum begins in sixth grade, where students attend a Wellness/Life Skills class weekly. This class covers decision making skills, conflict resolution, emphatic thinking and communications, among many other topics.
In seventh grade, students continue with weekly meetings in Wellness/Life Skills, and discussions broaden to include the challenges of adolescence, technology and its appropriate uses, dealing with stress, and developing a healthy lifestyle. Healthy boundaries in friendship and the impact of substance abuse on adolescent brain development are also covered.
Eighth graders continue the above curriculum, and it once again expands to include life transitions and social and societal influences.
In the Upper School, the Wellness Program expands to include leadership skills and public speaking in ninth grade, using a combination of outside speakers and faculty resources. The course covers freedom from chemical dependency, healthy sleep and nutrition habits, financial literacy, technology and cyber bullying, conflict prevention and resolution, stress management and more.
Sophomores take a semester long course in Women's Health and Culture, as well as a Tenth Grade Seminar involving the critical issues women face domestically and around the globe.
Throughout the Upper School, students have opportunities to develop peer leadership skills through participation in mentoring programs and student government.
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Walker's Centennial
– Danielle, ‘10
