Student Services

Student Life

The Collegiate experience goes beyond providing our students with a superior education. At Norfolk Collegiate, student life opportunities are the final piece to a great experience. Oaks are encouraged to explore their interests throughout their time at Collegiate through vibrant offerings in the arts, abundant athletics, volunteer opportunities and student-driven clubs.

All clubs are student-led and while many are longstanding, clubs also change yearly to reflect our current students’ interests. Clubs meet during the school day in the upper school to allow our student-athletes a chance to participate in athletics and in our middle school during the day and afterschool. As such, the majority of students participate in at least one sport with many students being three-season athletes in the middle and upper school.

And sometimes there are just not enough hours in the day, so we offer after-school enrichment opportunities for our students, such as strings, chorus, band, robotics, and more for our youngest students such as dance, chess, Girls on the Run and karate.

We also understand that the day doesn’t end at 3 p.m. for many of our working parents, so we offer before and aftercare for our lower and middle school students.

Throughout the year, students also participate in social interactions outside their classes. Whether it’s attending a dance, such as Homecoming or Prom, leading the way in the Student Government Association, starting a new club or taking to the fields or stage, the student life options allow each Oak to confidently explore his or her talents and passions.

Upper School Student Life Opportunities

List of 4 items.

Student Clubs & Organizations

Student clubs and organizations are one way for students to discover interests, expand their peer groups and enhance the school community. Under the guidance of a faculty or staff advisor, each club provides opportunities for students to develop a variety of skills, including how to facilitate a meeting, delegate tasks, hold others accountable to deadlines, plan and advertise events and present themselves and their club in a professional manner.

Each year clubs promote themselves to the student body and allow students an opportunity to join clubs that are of interest to them. Some of the clubs have included, but are not limited to:

Art Club | Meets throughout the year with students who are interested in making their own artwork. This club also oversees our annual Art in the Yard celebration.
CHKD | Students raise awareness about programming, identify volunteer and funding needs for the Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughter.
Dungeons & Dragons | Students meet weekly to play Dungeons & Dragons.
Equal Rights Club | Students discuss ways to educate their peers and raise awareness on topics involving equal rights for all.
Foodbank Club | Students work with our local food banks to identify needs (i.e. food donations, volunteer hours, etc.) and holds fundraisers to gather donations or advertise opportunities for volunteer hours.
Green Team | Students discuss everything related to creating and sustaining a healthy global climate. Club members often go on camping trips and organize fundraisers to benefit various environmental groups.
Mental Health Awareness | Students discuss the pressure and stress they are under in today's world, identify ways to support themselves and others, and raise awareness and money for local mental health and wellness organizations.
Operation Smile | Students work with our local Operation Smile organization as volunteers, raising awareness within our community about the work of Operation Smile, and participate in local fundraising.
Quiz Bowl | Students meet, in teams of four or five, to compete in the local and regional high school Quiz Bowl tournament.
Water Crisis Club | Students promote awareness of the global crisis related to access to clean water and raise funds for organizations committed to this issue.
Read More
Student Leadership Opportunities
Mighty Oaks are encouraged to lead with purpose, serve their community and make their voices heard. Upper school students have a variety of opportunities to develop their leadership skills, take on meaningful responsibilities and contribute to the Norfolk Collegiate community. Some of those opportunities include:
- Carolton Ambassadors
- Honor Council
- National English Honor Society
- National Honor Society
- Student Government Association
- Junior and Senior Class Officers
Social Outings & Class Bonding

Throughout the year, the Student Government Association hosts several events on campus, including the Homecoming dance and Prom.

Each fall the freshmen and sophomore classes participate in off-campus class bonding retreats, which are often some of the most memorable moments for our students.

Parent Ambassadors coordinate class-specific activities throughout the year and can include activities such as movie nights, bon fires and more!
Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteer service also is encouraged for all students, especially those in our upper school. Students volunteer by advisory group during LEAP Term at a nonprofit of their choice, as well as throughout the year through their clubs and organizations.

Favorite charities include the SPCA, the Ronald McDonald House, the Norfolk Botanical Garden, ForKids, Good Mojo Thrift Store, the Salvation Army and the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

Middle School Student Life Opportunities

List of 4 items.

Student Clubs & Organizations
We believe middle school is a time for our students to accept new challenges, engage in new activities and stretch their wings. Our students are able to do this in a variety of ways, from participating in organized athletics to finding their voice in chorus or discovering their inner inventor and problem-solver through Design Thinking. Below are some of the opportunities offered for middle school students.
- Model United Nations
- Forensics
- Spelling Bee
- Geography Bee
- Art and Art Contests
- Book Club
- Confidence Club
- Craftivists Club
- Diversity in Superheroes
- Honor Council
- National Junior Honor Society
- Robotics Club
- Podcasting Club
- Ping-Pong Club
- Lead the League
Student Leadership Opportunities
Leadership can take many forms, so we pride ourselves on offering our students the opportunity to develop the skills necessary to lead, whether it’s through collaborative classroom work, student-run parent-teacher conferences, being captain of an athletic team or serving in the Student Government Association.

Opportunities include, but are not limited to:
- Community & Belonging Student Advisory
- Student Government Association
- Honor Council
- National Junior Honor Society
Social Outings & Class Bonding

Throughout the year, the SGA hosts Hangout Nights on campus and include musical entertainment from an area DJ, dancing and refreshments.

Each fall the seventh and eighth-grade class participate in off-campus class bonding retreats.

Parent Ambassadors coordinate class-specific activities throughout the year and can include activities such as movie nights, skate parties, volunteer opportunities and more!
Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteer service also is encouraged in middle school. Members of the National Junior Honor Society also dedicate a specific number of hours to community service each year.

Favorite charities include the SPCA, the Ronald McDonald House, the Norfolk Botanical Gardens, ForKids and the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore and Nauticus. A partnership with Hospitality for the Homeless and other area nonprofits enables students to volunteer on campus after school.

Lower School Student Life Opportunities

List of 5 items.

Enrichment Activities
Enrichment activities are designed to provide our lower school students with the opportunity to participate in additional after school or before school programs. The programs change each trimester and include, but are not limited to:
- Karate
- Chess
- Girls on the Run
- Dance
- Band
- Strings
Learn More
Student Leadership Opportunities
Leadership can take many forms, so we pride ourselves on offering age-appropriate opportunities for our youngest students to develop the skills necessary to lead.

Opportunities include, but are not limited to:
- Student Council Association
- Class Representatives
- Safety Patrol
Student Clubs & Organizations

Whether they are cheering blue or white at the pep rally, picking strawberries during a field trip or learning how to tend a garden, Norfolk Collegiate's lower school offers a variety of ways in which students can take advantage of the experiences offered at our school.

Students are able to participate in clubs, field trips and a variety of enrichment opportunities. Our Oaks are able to choose from an extensive list of exciting clubs and activities, including, but not limited to:
Spelling Bees
Reading Buddies
Student Government Association

Fourth- and fifth-grade students also have abundant choices, including:
Birthday Heroes**
Forensics
Choice Time
Oak Street Journal
Oak Ambassadors Club*
* Denotes clubs available to fourth and fifth grade students only
*** Denotes clubs available to fifth grade students only
Social Outings & Class Bonding
Field trips provide our students with an opportunity to explore local sites while expanding on their classroom lessons. There are numerous field trips enjoyed by the students throughout the year, including, but not limited to:
- Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge
- Brookdale Farms
- Elizabeth River Project/Learning Barge
- Jamestown Plantation
- Michael and Kimthanh Lê Planetarium
- NOAA Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience
- Virginia Aquarium and the Marine Science Center
- Virginia Living Museum
- Virginia Zoo
Parent Ambassadors also host several opportunities for students and their families to bond outside of the classroom. Some of the activities include a movie night in the Hackney Theater, trip to see the holiday lights at the Botanical Gardens and more.
Volunteer Opportunities

The Oak Ambassador Club is a club for our fifth grade students and its emphasis is community service. Students who participate in the club go into the community with a faculty member and perform community service.

Some of their deeds have included sorting goods at ForKids, cleaning animals at the Norfolk SPCA, sorting food at the Foodbank, serving food at local soup kitchens and more.

Student Life Administrators

List of 3 members.

Katherine Garris

Lower School Dean of Students
Jill Archer

Interim Modern & Classical Language Chair: Middle School Dean of Students
Mr. Charles Fayton

Upper School Dean