The Birch Wathen Lenox School

Borne from a foundation of dedicated leadership, ethical achievement and earned respect, the BWL motto, "Integrity, Loyalty, Civility," represents the heart and soul of The Birch Wathen Lenox School. The ideals of integrity, loyalty and civility complement The BWL Banner Guard, which prior to major School ceremonies, parades our founding School names and dates on respective banners, reminding the BWL community of its eternal commitment to core ethics.

The BWL School vibrantly approaches academics, athletics and social issues with the utmost sensitivity at all times. The same diversity that enriches the School socially and culturally also offers young people a clear perspective on the various faiths, beliefs and behaviors that define and shape our world.

Ethical values are interwoven into daily life at BWL. Our Peer Relations Program and our mandatory Community Service Program both promote responsible citizenship. All extracurricular pursuits, such as Student Council and Model United Nations, are recognized annually.

The environment at BWL incorporates personal diligence, devotion and determination that allow every individual student to feel a sense of ownership within the community. Students in Lower, Middle and Upper School contribute to BWL and foster a sense of fellowship by working together. As the students and faculty at BWL embrace each day and the challenges it brings, the significance of “Integrity, Loyalty and Civility” is reflected in all their pursuits.

Birch Wathen Lenox embraces coeducation to help prepare students for a mixed-gender society. In an atmosphere that is both challenging and nurturing, boys and girls at BWL benefit from a conscious coeducation devoted to each individual's importance within the School community.

Many studies have examined the effectiveness of gender-specific schooling. This single-sex philosophy toward education, particularly the belief that adolescent girls show improvements in mathematics and science in an all girls environment, has undergone clarification in subsequent studies that suggest less conclusive findings. In fact, an addendum to a report by the American Association of University Women found "no overall evidence that single-sex education was better for girls than coeducation."

At BWL, small classes, individualized attention, and a focused, gender-fair curriculum contribute to our students' successful education. The School's commitment to its motto of “Integrity, Loyalty and Civility” brings a strong sensitivity to the commonalities and differences among all students as they develop voices to express themselves academically, athletically, socially and artistically.

Girls and boys are recognized and respected both as separate genders and as members of the same community. The School's curriculum takes the same care in recognizing this duality by offering gender-balanced studies and units of study that are equally devoted to significant figures from each gender.

Student athletes at Birch Wathen Lenox experience the maximum benefits of a coeducational approach. Both genders participate together in physical education classes, while each plays a wide range of sports. Boys and girls can compete interscholastically as early as Grade Five. Sportsmanship and friendship flourish as athletic skills and physical fitness soar. Both genders thrive from the program's cultivation of sensitivity, respect, assertiveness and confidence.

Each spring, boys and girls are equally acknowledged for high levels of achievement in academic excellence and for consistent efforts. Highly sought-after scholarships are awarded to Eighth Graders for their remaining years at BWL.

At Birch Wathen Lenox, all students are instilled with an immense sense of pride in their unique abilities as they grow into mature young adults. In our coeducational Schooling environment, both boys and girls flourish and are well-qualified to excel in the outside world.

An independent, coeducational college preparatory school in New York City, Birch Wathen Lenox has forged a singular mission. The School is committed to a rigorous, traditional academic program. At the same time, it is open to adapting innovation consistent with its traditional values. The School strives to develop the unique potential of each student by cultivating intellectual, aesthetic and ethical excellence. As preparation for social responsibility, BWL instills the values of integrity, loyalty and civility in the K through 12 experience. In addition, the BWL tradition is to build character through an abiding regard for educational inquiry, mutual respect and personal renewal.

Diversity at BWL encompasses a broad spectrum of ever-evolving concepts and ideas, all of which connect to nurturing the individual. Our Mission Statement includes the phrase, “nurturing the individual in the community”—this expresses the importance of tolerance and inclusivity, as well as our commitment to celebrating differences. As we work toward specific goals related to diversity, we continue to participate in several successful forums where students and faculty meet regularly to discuss their plans.