Student Life

Student Support Services

side from the intimate friendships, personal teacher-student relationships, and peer support that are innate to life at Emma Willard, each student has numerous opportunities during the day—and in the evening—to forge meaningful connections with the adults in her life. Faculty advisors, resident faculty, dormitory affiliates, interns, and student proctors are the primary individuals who act to support the student in her academic and personal life at Emma Willard School. This immediate network is further enhanced and supported by an involved and caring Health Center staff, as well as both the Academic Dean and the Dean of Students. Collectively, this team has a good overall understanding of each individual student.

Advisors

Upon her arrival at Emma Willard, each new student is assigned a faculty advisor. This advisor is the first person for parents and teachers to contact when there is a concern about a student. Each student touches base with her advisor on Thursday mornings in a short advisee group meeting where she typically schedules a longer one-on-one meeting for another time. Formal advisor-advisee dinners, informal gatherings, and frequent conversations help build this important relationship. To insure that each student has the opportunity to form a close relationship with her advisor, advisors are limited to seven advisees. Advisors of boarding students have regular communication with the resident faculty for insight, particularly when a student is experiencing difficulty.

In May of her first year, a student may opt to remain with her advisor or select a new advisor for the following year. Preference in advisor selection is given to those students who opt to remain with their original advisor.

Resident Faculty

The resident faculty is a group of 13 professionals who live in the dormitories (with families and/or pets) and fulfill other roles in the Emma Willard community. Each houseparent is responsible for specific halls within the dormitories and is a resource for students about all aspects of life within and beyond Emma Willard School. Resident faculty members welcome frequent communication with parents and generally act as the parents away from home during all times—both difficult and wonderful—when an adult is needed. Among many other roles, the resident faculty give permissions, create and implement residential program and policies, oversee dining room activity, and provide many forms of care.

Dormitory Affiliates

A faculty member, administrator, or intern, each dormitory affiliate is assigned to a corridor. She or he spends one night per week from 5:30 p.m. until 11:15 p.m. on the halls overseeing study hall, serving as an adult resource (frequently in her/his academic area), and completing evening check-in. Dorm affiliates eat dinner on their duty night in the dining hall.

Health Services

An integral part of our student support network, the Health Services staff is a dedicated team of nurses, physicians, and counselors who are committed to ensuring the physical health and emotional wellness of all Emma Willard constituencies, especially the students. Located on the ground floor of Hyphen Hall, at the Archway, the Health Center is easily accessible to all students. The facility’s bright atmosphere and friendly staff are equipped to provide comprehensive health care for young women and manage everything from the common cold and distribution of medications to monitoring more serious health concerns.

Health Services are coordinated by Director Nancy Jo Phelan and rendered by local physicians, registered nurses, and a clinical counselor, as well as a consulting psychologist. Health care is available on an emergency basis 24 hours a day.

Interns

In addition to teaching two classes and coaching a sport or teaching physical education, each intern works as a dorm affiliate during the week and on weekends. As such, she is an integral member of the residential life program at Emma Willard. Having recently received her undergraduate degree and being fairly close in age and generation to Emma students, interns quickly form a comfortable relationship with the students on their assigned halls.

Proctors

Student proctors are seniors who are chosen by the dean of students and proctor advisor to lead, support, inspire, and guide the student body throughout the academic year. There are fifteen boarding proctors (one on each residential hall) and four day student proctors, all of whom participate in an extensive training program at the beginning of their senior year. From decorating their halls and day student lockers to interpreting and supporting school policies, proctors are an omnipresent force at Emma Willard. Each boarding proctor works closely with her houseparent/intern/dorm affiliate/peer educator team, where she provides student feedback and helps to establish appropriate support systems for the students on her hall. Day student proctors work closely with the dean of students to insure that day students’ needs receive appropriate attention and support.

Peer Educators

These students are trained and supervised by the school counselor and the group’s faculty advisor in a variety of adolescent behaviors, as well as in basic listening and assessment skills. In addition to supporting students on an individual basis, peer educators work to educate the school community about social or emotional issues in our midst and in society at large.