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Shortly after his arrival in fall of 2000, Headmaster John McGee introduced the idea of “school families” as way of taking full advantage of Doane's unique pre-K through12th grade environment. Often in schools, group activities and programs are divided by age or grade level. Our Family program provides a supportive and beneficial atmosphere by combining students from all grades in a safe and caring environment. Each student is placed into one of twelve separate families, comprised of students and faculty members who serve as group leaders or "parents." Students and teachers remain in the same family throughout their time at Doane, creating friendships that span the school community. The school sets aside a half hour every Thursday morning to “Family” time. Each Family meets individually, typically in a “parent’s” classroom. Time might be spent on a community service project, celebrating a holiday or family member's birthday, or participating in an athletic or academic challenge against another family. Regardless of the activity, all families serve the same purpose—helping students discover that, regardless of age, they can enjoy, learn from, and depend on each other. Each Family is named in honor of someone of significance to the school. From past headmasters like Scarborough and Fearnley to William Huggs, the girls' beloved butler during the boarding era, the Family names, like many things on the school's campus, are reminders of the school's rich history and those who have come before us. SIBS is the upper school division of Family. Once a term the 7th through 12th grade students in each Family get together for informal discussions on topics or issues related to being a teen and the transition to young adult. In effort to create a safe and open space, the meeting is typically students only, and is lead by the senior members of the family. “Parents” meet with senior members prior to the meeting to go over any current school-related topics that should be discussed, but for the most part the discussions are student lead and driven. It is understood by all students that what is discussed is to remain confidential within the group, unless a topic is of a serious nature, at which time a “parent” is to become involved.
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