Academics
Lower School
PACT
Leading the PACT in Character Development Programming for Lower School Students
Bentley’s annual Phoenix Fest Carnival is held at the beginning of each academic year on our Upper School campus in Lafayette. This all-day, K-12 event for over 700 Bentley students features inflatables, carnival games, face painting, arts and crafts, prizes, field games, and a delicious barbecue lunch from the Bentley Commons.
As a tradition, each of our nine “Little Bentley” grades (K-8) wear different colored tee shirts, while the entire Upper School student body wears the classic Bentley blue.
This beloved event is a tribute to the interconnectedness of our school, with our oldest students delighting in and caring for our youngest learners. The entire event is run by students for students.
This beloved event is a tribute to the interconnectedness of our school, with our oldest students delighting in and caring for our youngest learners. The entire event is run by students for students.
Although we were unable to enjoy Phoenix Fest in-person this year due to COVID-19, an all-day virtual extravaganza was a fun, memorable experience for all members of the Bentley community.
Beth Crowley, PACT founder
We wanted to create more than just a conflict resolution program. We wanted to focus on character education and core values. A key element is empowering students to be able to talk to one another calmly and respectfully.
K-5 PACT Families
PACT families consist of students from grades K-5 with one teacher at the helm. These families stay together for several years to allow younger students to really get to know students from older classes. This multi-year family approach also enables Kindergartners to immediately belong to a network of support, easing their transition into a structured school environment.
Over the years, the program has evolved to meet the ever-changing social climate among children, and Bentley faculty members and PACT families actively work together to employ and test different modalities to see which are most effective and beneficial for students.
Over the years, the program has evolved to meet the ever-changing social climate among children, and Bentley faculty members and PACT families actively work together to employ and test different modalities to see which are most effective and beneficial for students.
PACT Family Fun Day
Each Lower School academic year concludes with the PACT Family Fun Day, planned mostly by the fifth-grade students as their parting contribution to the Lower School community. Activities last year included relay races, a video booth with a green screen, and other fun games and experiences.
Now in its 13th year, The PACT program is so successful that Bentley has been approached by numerous other schools that want to emulate the program.
Now in its 13th year, The PACT program is so successful that Bentley has been approached by numerous other schools that want to emulate the program.
