Campus Life
Boarding Student Life
At The Hill, a dormitory is more than a place where students sleep at the end of a busy day. Students learn by living with peers from across the country and around the world. Whether through the weekly dorm meetings, lively Family Nights on Tuesday evenings, or daily interaction with peers and adults, boarding students make lifelong friends and learn important life skills in the process. Best of all, some of the most memorable, positive, and fun experiences happen within the dormitories!
As the family boarding school, The Hill provides a true second home for our students who reside on campus. Most Hill faculty members and their families reside in the dorms as dorm parents, and those who live in other faculty residences serve as affiliates to a dormitory. These faculty members support students as they learn to be independent young adults. Through caring guidance, boarding students learn the importance of respecting themselves and others, while at the same time learning to manage their time and study effectively during evening study hall.
Family Night in the Dormitory:
Family Nights are held on most Tuesday evenings throughout the academic year. This is fun time for students to get together with their dormmates and dorm parent.
Some of our students' favorite Family Night activities include:
- Broomball during the winter term on the Hall/Eccleston Rink
- Dorm feeds: baking brownies, take-out from local restaurants, ice cream sundaes, cereal night, and more!
- Scavenger Hunts and Capture the Flag on campus
- Movie nights - off-campus at a local theatre or in the common room
Dorm Parents:
To maintain the tradition of The Family Boarding School, faculty members and their families reside in apartments within the dormitories. This close interaction between students and teachers outside the classroom enables faculty to be more aware of each student's academic and personal goals, strengths, and weaknesses. Each dormitory is divided into halls, and each hall is overseen by one dorm parent. Dorm parents are responsible for the smooth operation of their dormitory halls and the safety and productivity of their students. They define the rules and set the standards for good communal living.
Dorm parents also encourage socialization on the hall by offering casual get-togethers and informal hall meetings. By establishing and maintaining positive relationships with his or her students, a dorm parent also serves as a means of support when students needs advice on personal or academic matters. Students get to know their dorm parents and their families quite well, and it is imperative for parents to also be acquainted with their child's dorm parent.
Dorm Prefects:
Prefects are sixth and fifth form student residential life advisers elected by the faculty and dorm parents to reside in dormitory halls. A prefect serves as assistant dorm parent and older brother or sister to the students on his or her hall. These leaders have the responsibility of keeping order, assisting with nightly check-in, offering peer counseling to younger students, and more.
Intensive training is required of all prefects including an initial orientation program and weekly training sessions conducted throughout the year. Rising fifth and sixth form Hill students who wish to hold this leadership position may submit an application to become a prefect. Qualities desired in prefects include sensitivity, self-discipline, maturity, and reliability. The prefect selection process is rather competitive; to be named a Hill prefect is quite an honor.
Evening Hours in the Dorm:
7:30 p.m. Check-in for all students
7:30 – 9:30 p.m. Formal study hall conditions. Students may sign-out of the dorm for extra help or to work in the library (Sunday- Thursday). Sixth form students have the privilege to go to the Student Center, Grille, or Fitness Center.
10:30 p.m. Third form lights out
11 p.m. Fourth and fifth form lights out
11 p.m. Sixth formers in rooms for the night
Midnight Strongly recommended lights out for sixth formers
Tuesday - Family Night: Library, Grille, and gym facilities close before dinner. Once checked in for study hall on Tuesdays, students are to remain in the dorm.