student Life

At the Upper School, students are involved in a myriad of community service projects.  From volunteering as tutors at TEAM Academy, MKA's partner school in Newark, to  organizing benefit concerts for causes of their choice, from leading basketball practice for autistic children to working on Habitat for Humanity building projects, students assume responsibility for initiating, supporting and furthering community service.  In addition, there is a Fall Service Day, that sees MKA ninth and tenth grade students assisting local non-for profits ranging from Head Start to the Presby Iris Gardens. Additionally, eleventh and twelfth graders participate in a formal Community Service program.  Over two years, these students will be required to complete and log a minimum ten hours of service per year to non-profit organizations.

MKA also has a separate, voluntary service program that recognizes student achievements above and beyond the required hours and nominates students who successfully complete more than 100 hours of service for a Presidential Volunteer Service Award.

COMMUNITY SERVICE INITATIVES:
ABC Club
Animal Rescue
Book Mobile
Diabetes Awareness
FAAN (Food Allergies & Anaphylaxis Network)
Friends of CTC
Global 20/20
Habitat for Humanity
Healing Spaces
Helping Through Harmony
Love 146
Midnight Run at MKA
Red Cross
Smiles Make Miracles
Women's Issues

One distinctive feature of life at the Upper School is the House System.  Introduced in 2007 following an initiative from Student Government, all students, faculty and staff are divided into Houses named after the original buildings that housed Montclair Academy, Brookside and the Kimberley School - Bradley, Monjo, Strong and Walden. Familiar to many through Harry Potter’s Hogwarts, the house system is based on the centuries old British private school tradition and is designed to encourage healthy competition, foster friendships across the grades, create a greater sense of community and build lasting memories of MKA.

Led by House Captains, the entire Upper School community meets in their Houses on a regular basis, and results from monthly competitions that range from flag football to a battle of the bands  to determine the winner of the Montclair Kimberley Academy House Cup.

MKA's comprehensive exra-curricular offerings are an essential component of Upper School student life. Clubs and Student Activities meet both during and after school hours.  With 50 clubs and organizations appealing to interests as diverse as politics, the arts, fine dining and journalism, students have the opportunity to pursue a passion, as well as developing essential team-building and leadership skills outside the traditional classroom setting.

CLUBS:
Ampersand Creative Writing Club
Book Club
Chess Club
Computer Club
Cultural Clubs: Asian, International, Irish, Italian, Shades of Color
Environmental Action Club
Film Club
Finance Club
Fine Dining Club
Fitness Club
Gay-Straight Alliance
Jam Session
Junior Classics League
Model United Nations
Performing Arts
Photography Club
Political Action
Relaxation Nation
Robotics Club
Stylus
Ultimate Frisbee
Veritas

Academy News Student Newsaper - click here to see past issues
Cheerleading
Embassy - Foreign Language Magazine
Global 20/20
Green Campus Initiative
Jazz Band
Mock Trial
Speech & Debate Team
Step Team
Student Government
Stylus Arts Magazine
Yearbook

MKA also offers a comprehensive Outdoor Program for students in grades 6-12.  This program provides an alternative learning environment where leadership and teamwork are developed in conjunction with specific skills taught in accordance with the Leave No Trace Principles, part of a nationally recognized outdoor skills and awareness program. Supervised by trained faculty members, outdoor trips vary in length from 2-8 days, and offer opportunities in hiking and camping, rock climbing, biking, kayaking and canoeing, skiing and snowboarding and caving.