Maddie Hughes ’16: The Episcopal Academy’s Upper School administration has significantly reduced the sizes of freshman advisories this year in order to help them become more adjusted. Instead of the usual ten to twelve students occupying an advisory, there are now only three or four students per advisor. Dr. Delvin Dinkins, Head of Upper School, stated the new freshman advisory system “makes sense.”
He says, “That we noticed that some freshmen needed additional attention during the transition period,” Michael Letts, V Form Dean, agreed, adding, “The smaller advisories are more conducive to the freshmen, and it helps them become more adjusted. I think it’s a great thing.” With the new advisory size, “The advisor won’t be as overwhelmed with three or four kids, so they can make personal connections with their advisees faster,” said Dinkins. Holly Johnston, III Form Dean, belived, “It’s more manageable for the freshmen.” Johnston also thinks that having “that many eyeballs” on the ninth grade class gives her an advantage as well. “These advisors see their kids every day, so they have a better sense of what’s going on. If an advisor is having concerns about one of their advisees, they can connect with me and tell me what’s going on.”
freshman advisories now only have about three students per advisor.
Photo Courtesy of Sammi Ciardi ’15
According to Dinkins, “Freshmen will become comfortable faster—meaning happier students. Having that intimate group of a small advisory but being surrounded by a bigger homeroom has social benefits as well.” Dinkins added that there would also be academic and psychological benefits. “If academic problems surface, as an advisor you’re able to respond much more quickly to three or four emails than eight to ten. And as a student, it helps to know that someone is paying that much attention to you.”
Many activities in the freshmen class will now center around the advisories including an “advisory versus advisory dodge ball tournament,” said Johnston. Susan Swanson, III Form Advisor, accompanied her advisory to the freshmen pizza party before Friday Night Lights and said she is “looking forward to fun activities with her advisory.”
While many new freshmen view the transition to Upper School as a daunting task, the new advisory system attempts to make it a more seamless effort. Scott Patterson ’18 said he appreciates “how your advisors can get way more one-on-one with you…You can really talk to your advisor about what you need.” Jessica Brady ’18 stated the smaller advisories allow the advisors to “have more room to learn about you—it’s more personal between you and your advisor versus if you had more people in your advisory.”
With regards to the Class of 2018, Dinkins said, “There is a different energy this year within the freshmen class. I am excited to see where this class is by May. I’m hoping to see the students stepping out of their comfort zones and trying many new things.”