Residential life and the dormitory program are essential parts of the dynamic learning and student growth at Rock Point. Through the opportunities and responsibilities in the dormitory program, students learn to become aware of themselves and others around them in a deeper way. Our small living and learning community helps us all to practice being accountable for our actions; to allow others to teach us; and to learn how to accept, support, and even forgive one another for mistakes.

As a student at Rock Point, you’ll have fun participating in a variety of staff-led activities; hanging out with friends in Hayden lounge or the library; and having conversations with staff about everything from “Is the universe shrinking or expanding?” to “make a sentence here that includes Bob Dylan, the Beatles, Britney Spears, and an alt group,” to “Just how clean does your room have to be to pass room checks at night?”

The Dormitory Program at Rock Point tries to create activities and situations that allow you to recognize and ask your most real questions, so that you can continue finding out who you are, who you want to be, and what you want to make of your life. We believe that everyone wants to feel fully alive and to become a contributing member of society, changing and creating our society as you participate in it.

The week in the dorm program begins at 3 p.m. and is filled with sports classes, study halls, work crews, a weekly store trip, and occasional outings in the afternoon or evening to readings, plays, and/or coffee shops.

We run sports classes four days a week. Students choose between the option of something like a walk or hike, and something more “competitive” such as basketball, soccer, hockey, or frisbee. Students are encouraged to participate, try new activities, and cheer on their peers. The main goal of the sports program is to get students out and moving, and students who haven’t enjoyed sports tend to find themselves having fun in spite of (or because of) the balls, pucks, or Frisbees flying around them.

Evening study halls are an hour long and are supervised by the dormitory staff. The computer lab is open, and students can get help from staff to organize and complete homework assignments.

Together, we work to care for the spaces we live in and learn what it means to share this responsibility together. Students are responsible for keeping the dormitory clean and for helping to keep the building clean. In the evenings, there are work crews where each student is assigned a chore to help maintain the building, and we have time for room cleaning and room checks. There is a staff supervisor, and often a student supervisor, for each work crew.

Students can be on their dorm floor any time during the evenings when they’re not doing work crews or in study hall. On weekday evenings, students must be on the dorm floors at 9:30 p.m. and into their rooms by 10:00 pm. All lights are out by 11:00pm.

The most valuable aspect of our Residential Program is our staff. Two women and two men live on the dorm floors in their own apartments. They are always available throughout the evening. In addition, there are two men and two women staff who live off-campus and work during alternating shifts. The Residential Staff (res educators or dorm staff) bring great energy and enthusiasm to their work. They are intelligent, caring and fun people who love working with young people. They work hard to be great listeners and role models for young people who are trying to strengthen their own lives. The energy, kindness, and playfulness of the Residential Educators rubs off on the whole community.

The Residential Staff share their love for outdoor adventure and the arts, as well as just hanging out with teens. Every weekend there are a range of activities, such as rock climbing; skiing; hiking; biking; cooking meals; or going to art shows poetry slams, music concerts, or a play. We also go on trips to Montreal and Boston, backpacking in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, whitewater rafting on the Hudson River, and deep sea fishing in Maine. Some of our quirkier events (activities) have included poetry readings at Dunkin Donuts on a late Saturday evening, cooking a themed meal together, live play readings in the front hall of the school, going to Home Depot to learn about power tools, and the Righteous Babe workshop for learning how to hammer a nail.

On weekends, students can sleep in, with brunch available until noon. On weekend nights, the students head upstairs by 11:20 pm.