Essential Life Skills Course Prepares Upper School Students Students for Day-to-Day Living

The first semester saw the debut of Essential Life Skills as an option for 11th and 12th grade students – a course taught by a variety of MFS faculty on a wide range of topics that will prepare students for the rest of their lives. The topics were divided into four units spread throughout the semester which featured explorations that spanned from one day to two weeks: 

• How-To (car maintenance, cooking, sewing, table etiquette, laundry, cleaning)
• Personal Finance (budgeting, saving, investing, credit cards, retirement planning)
• Professional Skills (networking and small talk, informational interviews, email etiquette)
• Well-being (happiness, mindfulness, healthy relationships, personal safety)

Head of School Julia de la Torre served as Lead Teacher for the course. “We designed this course in response to alumni feedback that, although well prepared for college, they wish they had had exposure to more practical life skills,” she said. “As our students head to college and beyond, we want to make sure they are not only academically prepared for what’s next, but that they have the practical skills to manage many of life’s opportunities and challenges.”

Students concluded the course 

Sessions included (with instructor listed):

• Laundry – Mitali Pande, Lower School Assistant Teacher
• Car Repair and Maintenance – Matt Lubicky, MS/US Science Teacher
• Small Talk and Social Gatherings – Mitali Pande
• Table Etiquette – Hunter Harris, Development Office Assistant
• Simple Cooking – Meredith Godley, Associate Head of School and Academic Dean
• Sustainable Cleaning – Pauline Williams, Preschool Assistant Teacher
• Sewing – Jenny Ragghianti, Kindergarten Teacher
• Saving and Investing – Dan Sussman (US English Teacher) and Scott Hanson (MS/US Math Teacher)
• Credit Cards – Hunter Harris
• Small Talk for Professional Settings – Mitali Pande
• Networking and Informational Interviews – Julia de la Torre, Head of School
• Email Etiquette – Mitali Pande
• Happiness and Mindfulness – Susan Batastini, Director of Wellness and Student Support
• Healthy Relationships – Ted Quinn, Fourth Grade Teacher
• Personal Safety – Ashlynne Thomson, Associate Director of College Counseling

Student feedback:

One of the most important skills to learn was self defense, which made me feel more equipped to be on my own. I think that this class was a great way of preparing us to go out into the world and be successful adults.
–Anna Thomson ’25

“My favorite lesson was table etiquette because it was fun to learn, and something I wasn’t sure about beforehand.”
–Rebecca Liu ’25

The most valuable skills for me were learning how to fix a hole in a clothing garment by sewing and many different aspects of personal financial literacy.
–Vikram Verma ’25

It is anticipated that the course will return as a one-semester course for 11th and 12th grade students in 2024-25.