Residential Program

The residential program at Rock Point School seeks to look after the emotional, social, recreational, and pastoral aspects of a Rock Point School student's education.  The dorm staff are vibrant, fun, educated, energetic, caring adults who guide the students through their daily community responsibilities as well as providing many opportunities for fun, personal growth, and trying new things. The residential program at Rock Point School is different from many other small private schools as it is staffed by an entirely separate staff.  In this way the student's social and emotional needs are given as much attention as their academics.

As a student at Rock Point School, you will live in a vibrant and interesting community.  The dorm staff all have experience working with young people and have lived varied and adventurous lives before coming to Rock Point School which they bring to their work with the students.  They seek, on a daily basis, to help the students embrace opportunities to learn about themselves, how to relate to others, and how to get where they want to be in the world. 

  The Residential Program at Rock Point School 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 program begins at 3 p.m during the weekdays and from 5pm on Friday until 5pm on Sunday.  The program consists of the following aspects:

We run sports classes four days a week from 3:15pm to 4:30pm. Students choose between the option of a walk or hike, and something more active such as basketball, soccer, hockey, dodgeball, sledding, snowshoeing, or frisbee.  In recent years we have also offered yoga classes in the school chapel.  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. 

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 rest of the building clean. In the evenings, there are work crews where each student is assigned a chore to help maintain the building.  There is a staff supervisor, and often a student supervisor, for each work crew who work alongside everyone else.  On weeknights work crews happen right after dinner.  On the weekends students sign up for one job per weekend and so only have to attend work crew once.

Study Hall

Evening study halls run for an hour from 7pm - 8pm 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.

Free Time

Students can spend their open time (any time when they are not supposed to be at meals, work crew, detention, or study hall) up in their rooms or in any of the recreational spaces around the building.  There is a game room with a pool table and a video projection system, a student lounge with board games, books, and puzzles.  There are also many other places around the building that become relaxing spaces when class it not in session.  Students are also allowed limited access to the property during open time.

Weekends And Activities

The dorm staff share their love for outdoor adventure and the arts, as well as just hanging out with students. Every weekend there are a range of activities, such as skiing, hiking, biking, cooking meals, attending art shows, poetry slams, music concerts, and plays. 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 more unusual activities have included poetry readings at a local coffee shop on a late Saturday evening, cooking a themed meal together, and the ever popular thrift store scavenger hunt.  

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

The Level System

Students can earn privileges such as having a cellphone, having a laptop computer during open time, leaving the property without staff, and missing meals by working their way up the level system.  As the student shows that he or she is taking care of responsibilities around the dorm, being a respectful and helpful dorm mate, being a good community member, is working well towards his or her goals, and is a positive influence on the other students, he or she can apply for a level raise.  There is a process of feedback and discussion between staff members and the student at every stage of this process.  There is no black and white checklist of what one needs do for each level.  It is decided by the staff members on an individual basis.

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 one woman staff members who live off-campus and work during alternating shifts. The dorm staff bring great energy, experience, and enthusiasm to their work. They are intelligent, caring and fun adults 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 dorm staff rubs off on the whole community.