Upper School Student Handbook 2013–2014 - Milton Academy

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student life
school, the space is still seen as part of the larger residential community. When having any visitors
in his or her room, a student must realize that this space is meant for social privacy and not
sexual intimacy. Students need to remember that the rules governing the boarding community
have been developed over many years with the aim of creating a supportive environment for adolescents
who have taken on a challenging academic, athletic and extracurricular program.
Allowance
Boarding students are urged not to keep large sums of money in their possession. The Business
Office handles accounts from which a boarding student may withdraw a weekly allowance in the
amount decided upon by the parents. A check must be deposited into this account before students
may withdraw from it. Allowances may be picked up in the Business Office on Thursdays
between 2:30 and 5:00 p.m. and on Fridays or Mondays, between 10:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. The
Business Office will also cash personal checks up to $50.
Cars
While boarding students are under its jurisdiction, the School assumes that they will not be driving
cars. Boarding students are not permitted to have cars on campus, nor may they drive a car
to or from campus except when with a parent or faculty member. Exceptions to this rule may be
made only by the dean of students.
Closed Weekends
During the year a number of weekends are designated as “closed weekends.” These include, but
may not be limited to, the weekends following summer and winter breaks. Boarding students will
be expected to return to campus at a predetermined hour, may not go off campus overnight, and
may be required to stay and participate in on-campus activities during the day or evening.
Common Space Computers
Each house has at least two computers for student use located in one of its common spaces.
Unfortunately, these alone cannot meet the demands of all students in the house. The following
rules in houses maximize the use of School computers for academic purposes:
1. Academic use of computers takes priority at all times. If a student is using a house computer
for non-academic reasons, he or she should give up use of that computer if another house
member needs it to work on an academic assignment.
2. During study hall, students in Classes III and IV have priority for house computers.
3. Computer games are NOT allowed on house equipment at any time.
Electronic Entertainment
Each house is equipped with a television VCR-DVD player for the communal enjoyment of students.
To encourage a studious atmosphere in the houses and the reasonable use of electronic
entertainment, viewing DVDs, TV or videos is not allowed during study hall and quiet hours.
Keeping up with the changes in technology (with delivery systems for music and video games,
for example) is difficult at best. The School’s principle is to allow an atmosphere conducive to
sleep and study. Therefore, house heads have the authority to set the standards of usage and volume
of media delivery systems in their houses. Speakers must never be set to disturb the campus
(e.g., speakers placed in windows for outdoor listening).
Health and Safety Inspections
In order to ensure the health and safety of our students and to support students’ efforts to follow
the School’s health and safety rules, house faculty will periodically inspect dorm rooms. The
deans’ office will schedule the inspections and will communicate specific procedures to the dorm
faculty involved. To determine which rooms will be inspected, two rooms will be drawn randomly.
A student leader will be present during the inspection, and the student whose room is being
inspected will have the option to be present during the inspection. We will provide little warning
for these inspections, and we appreciate the dorm faculty’s willingness to be available for them.
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