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At Westwood, leadership skill development is an integral part of daily curriculum. Our Montessori environment provides the framework within which students become self-directed leaders. Leadership skills are developed on three levels: individual, team, and organizational-each level building upon the other. Level One: To develop the personal foundations of leadership, Westwood exposes each student to the skill sets needed to be self-directed, believing that each person can be a powerful agent for change, an influencer during the adoption of new initiatives, and a model of productivity and commitment. Level Two: Team leadership changes individuals. As each student guides a team, they learn to facilitate group processes in order to streamline workflow, minimize interpersonal conflict, and align with the goals of the organization. The shift from practicing these skills to learning how to teach these skill sets to others is made in our classrooms. 
Level Three: Self-mastery. This level of leadership skill development encourages students to know themselves, to effectively express themselves, to control themselves, and to control their interactions with others. Waffle Breakfast & Halloween Carnival Each of these Westwood projects provides students with the opportunity to be team members and, eventually, to lead teams. Shakespeare Production Every year students in grades four through eight produce and direct a Shakespeare play, including light and sound systems, set design and construction, costume design and creation, and make-up. Guided by administrators, students add a twist to Shakespeare's masterpieces and the selected play is set in another era. Our most recent production, 12th Knight, was performed amid an American Western motif with an errant medieval knight wandering throughout the production. Students not only learn to perform Shakespeare but, also, the songs and dances of the chosen era. Past productions have spotlighted 1950s Havana and pre-World War I France. 
Through the annual production, students participate in a project that allows them to use their skills in the real world-whether their skills relate to public relations and publicity, carpentry, or design. By the time they complete eighth grade, students study and produce five Shakespeare plays. One of the main facets of The Westwood School is its sense of community; nowhere is this aspect more evident than in the support and respect the students give each other while preparing for their roles and production responsibilities. When a seventh grade student director gives direction, it is respectfully and promptly carried out; what an amazing demonstration of leadership and responsibility. While all students in fourth through eighth grades practice their project and team skills through the play, third grade students begin their introduction to the performances by managing the concession stands and serving as ushers. IBeanery Need your morning coffee fix? Join us at the IBeanery! This student-run coffee house offers specialty blends and juice drinks. As part of any Montessori adolescent program, and of the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum, students learn to run a business. Economics is an important part of the IB curriculum and our Secondary students have been preparing for years as they served their waffle and pancake breakfasts and prepared "On the Go" dinners for parents. Now, at higher grade levels, these students have designed a business that will help fund their school trips and other activities. They designed, oversaw the construction, and provided the finishing touches to the building remodel necessary to make their coffee house a reality. They studied the process of roasting beans, coffee blending, and types of machines used to make the various brews. They visited other coffee houses to determine exactly what their offerings would be. Students plan their daily duties, accounting system, and advertising. They conduct regular business meetings to discuss difficulties and decide on new strategies. Outdoor Adventure Trips Outdoor Adventure trips provide the framework for students to challenge themselves by emphasizing self-discovery, confidence building, and scholastics. Programs are designed to incorporate scientific field studies, along with team building and problem solving skills. 
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