Every K-8 student, faculty and staff are members of family groups. There are 20 family groups comprised of faculty/staff advisors, middle school leaders, and younger students. Family groups meet approximately once a month with changing activities and a different focus each time. What is constant is the time for bonding and connection between students as they remain in their family group from kindergarten through 8th grade.

Every grade has a buddy pairing with an older and younger student. Even our youngest students in the ECC are paired with a 7th grade buddy. Buddies have positive effects on both younger and older students, as they provide a positive role model for younger children while encouraging empathy in the older students. All of our students look forward to the time they get to spend with their buddies!

We begin and end each week in community gatherings, a special time for the K-8 and parent community to gather together in the morning. Gatherings incorporate songs, celebrations, presentations and more.

Every Wednesday morning the ECC community gathers for their morning sing. It’s a wonderful celebration of songs students have been learning, and a time for the community to bond together.

Middle school affinity groups were established in 2019 by a committee of students to foster more inclusivity amongst their peers. So far, the students have met using racial and cultural identity as the criteria, discussing allyship. WNS seeks to establish affinity groups as a vital part of the student experience, listening to every voice in order to ensure that every student feels represented and heard.