"The Banana Splits”
This group is for students whose parents are separated or divorced. Students are encouraged to ask questions, clarify conflicts, and share feelings regarding their own personal situations. Developmental needs are assessed when discussing issues. Experience shows that the greatest benefit from this group is the support children feel from one another.
"The Friendship Club"
This group examines the ways in which children interact with one another. It helps to identify the special qualities that each child possesses, clarify values, and develop new pro-social skills. It also provides the students with constructive strategies in making and keeping friends, resolving differences, and working as a team, by reinforcing the concepts of self-confidence, respect for self and others, and cooperation.
“Campus Companions”
Campus Companions is an organization comprised of University School Upper School students who have volunteered their time and energy to mentor Lower School students. The mission of Campus Companions is to help children to reach their potential through professionally supported, one-to-one relationships.
Once per week an Upper School student will come to the Lower School to meet with a “buddy”. These students are selected by the Upper and Lower School guidance departments for their commitment to help others, their abilities to relate successfully to others, and to establish one-to-one mentoring relationships. They are then trained in interpersonal communication skills, agree to abide by the policies and rules of the program and are continually monitored by the professional staff of both the Upper and Lower School guidance departments. Grades one through five Lower School students are nominated to participate by their teachers and parents. After a child is nominated, they are screened for a “fit” with the personality of one of the Campus Companions . Boys mentor boys, and girls mentor girls.
“K-Kids Club”
K-Kids is a club for 4th and 5th grade boys and girls modeled on the Key Club of the Upper School. Key Club members act as mentors on various service activities and projects. The goal of K-Kids is two-fold: 1st to promote community service and 2nd to promote school spirit. Last year we had great fun in helping several organizations in our community. We painted socks with funny faces that were distributed to seniors in nursing homes and attended basketball games to support the Suns.
“Kids In Distress”
Kids in Distress is a club for 3rd and 4th grade students whose goal is to provide support and education about the issue of children of abuse. They develop and implement fund raising projects and produce educational materials for various non-profit organizations dealing with abused children.
“Dear Sunny”
“Dear Sunny” is an organization dedicated to promoting the sound principals of conflict resolution. They do this by teaching their peers conflict resolution skills, by helping their peers to resolve conflicts through the use of these techniques and also to write and publish responses to letters received from their peer concerning conflicts they experience in the course of their daily school lives.