WHERE CHALLENGE MEETS BALANCE

At Bentley, we recognize that intentionally balancing academic achievement, co-curricular engagement,
and social-emotional well-being generates the most transformative student experiences.

A WEEK AT BENTLEY

Life at Bentley is rich with engaging experiences, inspiring discoveries, and community connection.
Click on the days below to learn more about how students in each division might spend a week on campus.

lower

middle

upper

Garden teacher with a Lower School girl in the Hiller Garden.

MONDAY

A week at the Lower School might start in the Hiller Garden with longtime Garden Teacher Ryan Nepomuceno (popularly known as Mr. Nepo), as students explore the life cycles of plants and taste a few of the green beans they are currently growing. Later, Lower School Mandarin teacher Ms. Hsu leads the class in an activity identifying common items around the classroom in Mandarin and practicing their characters.

A Lower School boy looks in a space capsule replica at the Science Center.

TUESDAY

On Tuesday, proudly wearing their color-coordinated Phoenix Fest t-shirts, the class embarks on a field trip to the Chabot Space & Science Center just a quick drive from our Oakland campus for some experiential learning about space exploration and the Solar System, the subject of an upcoming project-based unit.

Two Lower School girls work on paintings in the Art Studio.

WEDNESDAY

On Wednesday morning, the class files into Ms. Now's art studio to work on their future self-portraits, while the afternoon centers on kicking off the new Solar System project with Innovation Design, & Build Specialist Ms. Countryman, who often visits classrooms or hosts students in the Hiller Maker Space, located next to the Garden.

A group of Lower School students gathers to brainstorm together in Meadows Auditorium.

FRIDAY

Friday mornings means PACT time (aka Positive Action Character Teams), mixed-age groups of students K–5 called "families" who bond over group activities, games, and more. On this particular Friday, Today PACT teams are brainstorming how they can help teachers on campus with creative new storage solutions.

Middle School girls with arms around one another on the basketball courts.

MONDAY

Middle School students start each school day with Advisory, a special block for faculty advisors to meet with their student Advisory groups. The group of between 10–12 students often shares food and connection while diving into important SEL curriculum and academic check-ins. Students often stay with their same Advisory group throughout their Middle School or Upper School experience, enabling last bonds to form. On Mondays and Wednesdays, Advisory meets for an additional block later in the day to build on conversations and activities started earlier.

TUESDAY

On Tuesday, Middle School students may take part in a Design Thinking challenge with Ms. Countryman as part of their Elective block, considering how to employ the School's newest 3D printer to create a model intended to provide a solution to an on-campus problem. Long Elective blocks in the afternoons enable students to take deep dives into new and long-held interests and engage fully in project-based and experiential learning opportunities.

Middle School Student Council officers pose for a candid photo on a balcony.

WEDNESDAY

On Wednesday, students may spread out on the Oval for a sunny lunch outside or head to Club meetings, including those of the Middle School Student Council. More than just a title, Student Council officers work with their advisor, Ms. Beniyaha to implement real changes and improvements to student life at Bentley, planning fun events like movie nights and dances, getting their classmates involved in meaningful community service projects, and starting the Middle School's very own snack bar! All proceeds go directly back into Student Council programming.

THURSDAY

At Bentley, Middle-Schoolers are able to travel by bus to the Upper School campus in Lafayette (about a 10-minute drive from Hiller) to join Upper School students in electives such as Jazz Band, Concert Choir, Speech & Debate, and more. This close relationship between campuses gives Middle-Schoolers a chance to experience enriching academic opportunities on the Upper School campus that stay with them. So for many of our Middle-Schoolers, Thursday afternoon means hopping on the buses that shuttle our Middle School students over to Lafayette for one of these classes.

Middle School students crowd into Meadows Auditorium for Town Meeting.

FRIDAY

Ask any Bentley Middle-Schooler what Friday means to them and chances are they're going to respond: "Town Meeting." Full stop. On Friday afternoons, right before dismissal and the start of the weekend, the entire Middle School gathers in Meadows Auditorium for this beloved weekly assembly, which consists of team competitions (are you Fire or Ice?), hilarious games with faculty, student presentations and performances, and special guest speakers. MC'd by Mr. Brown, Town Meetings are designed to bring the Middle School to learn, connect, and laugh as they conclude another week at Bentley.

An Upper School girl paints her ceramic mask in the Art Studio.

MONDAY

A week in the life of an Upper School student at Bentley might kick off with a Monday morning Ceramics class, where students can settle into the week at the pottery wheel with their classmates before heading to History class and one of the Department's highly entertaining simulations of major historic events ranging from the Black Plague to the New Deal.

A group of Upper School students laugh together while seated in the Little Theater.

TUESDAY

Tuesday mornings are for Advisory, with tight-knit groups of 10–12 students meeting in cozy classrooms with their advisor to catch up, check in, and often play a game or complete an activity together. Tuesdays also offer protected time for clubs to meet, with offerings ranging from Building a Better Bay to the ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle) Club to Lift Her Up to Pickleball Club. After school it's off to soccer practice, where the team is preparing for a big game against league rivals before the team's postseason run begins.

An Upper School teacher stands in the middle of the classroom, leading an English seminar with students sitting at desks surrounding him.

WEDNESDAY

On Wednesday morning, students might start the day with their English seminar class, where teachers conduct college-level discussions and debates. The 2026–2027 Curriculum Guide offered seminar themes ranging from Shakespeare Sonnets to Jazz Literature.

Two Upper School boys playing basketball in the Gym.

THURSDAY

Thursday could mean Mandarin class, where students engage in conversation and prepare for the Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations later in the week, followed by a pick-up basketball game in the Athletic Center during lunch block, and a long 90-minute block to work on a Statistics class group project.

Upper School students cheer from the bleachers at a Spirit Rally.

FRIDAY

Friday might mean it's time for a Chem lab creating 3D molecule simulations using MolView modeling software before heading to the Athletic Center for a thunderous Spirit Rally during Town Meeting, where the Spirit Squad is getting everyone pumped for the home games on campus that evening. Friday also brings Flex period, a time to meet with teachers and get organized before the weekend, helping to ensure our students stay balanced, stay focused, and are ready for a fun-filled weekend ahead.

LOREM IPSUM