At The Academy, students participate in the day-to-day decision-making and general life of the school in several ways: as class members, as members of teams, through their work in councils, and via their representative to the Board of Trustees.

Classes
The basic unit of student organization is the class (grade). Classes meet regularly to discuss matters of particular interest and concern and to comment on proposed activities.

Teams
So that students have a chance to interact across ages, teams are formed each fall. They consist of students from various grades led by seniors and juniors; faculty and staff are also members. These groups give themselves silly nicknames (like “Einstein’s Atomic Slippers”). They perform daily chores and serve community meals together, and participate in other activities during the school year.

Leadership Councils
Membership on a Leadership Council is mandatory for each student. These groups provide opportunities for students to engage in meaningful work in a variety of areas that are integral to school life.  Each Council elects its leaders and a clerk, who take responsibility for setting and driving the group’s agendas for meetings and for the school year.  Leaders learn “on the job” how to plan, delegate responsibilities, solicit and receive updates about current projects, and forge consensus among Council members.  Students may serve on different Councils each year, though many choose to serve on the same one throughout their Academy careers. Academy Councils currently include:

• The Arts Council
  
• The Community Service Council
• The Food and Gardens Council
• The Honor Council
• The Social Justice Council
• The Sustainability Council
• The Technology Council

GSA (Gender and Sexuality Alliance)
The Academy’s GSA (Gender and Sexuality Alliance) is a student initiated and led group of LGBTQ+ individuals and allies that seeks to promote a supportive and respectful culture for and between community members with different gender identities and sexualities. The GSA actively participates in the western Massachusetts GLSEN Conference, the national Day of Silence, and local Pride events in Northampton and Greenfield.

Student Representative to the Board of Trustees
Each year in the spring, students elect a member of the incoming senior class to serve as their representative to the Board of Trustees. The student member of the Board serves without a vote, but he or she does have a voice and acts as an important liaison between students and The Academy’s governing body.

Student Advisory Board
The Student Advisory Board is an open forum, and those that participate consider issues of relevance to student life that are best addressed by the school administration rather than the Board of Trustees. In this forum, students initiate conversation with the Heads of School regarding matters of daily concern.