Arriving at Hotchkiss This Fall | |
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Move-in Dates and Times
Arrivals on campus will be staggered on the dates listed below.
New students should arrive at the Forrest E. Mars Jr. Athletic Center (MAC) for registration according to their designated date and time (GPS address: 22 Lime Rock Road).
Returning students should go directly to their dorms (assignments will be emailed to returning students on Aug. 30).
All students must sign up for individual arrival time slots using the arrival form below.
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Thursday, Aug. 31:
Fall varsity captains, orientation leaders, and proctors arrive at their respective dorms between 8:30-11:30 a.m.
Saturday, Sept. 2:
All new students arrive at the MAC between 10:30 a.m.- 2 p.m.
Fall varsity athletes and mathletes (by invitation only) arrive at their respective dorms between 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
Monday, Sept. 4 (Labor Day):
Returning students arrive at their respective dorms between 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
STUDENT ACTION REQUIRED: Registering for an Arrival Slot
Each student must sign up for an arrival time slot via the 2023 Student Arrival Form. Please note that this form is only accessible to students as they will need to be signed into their Hotchkiss account to select a slot. Students should coordinate with their parent/guardian about the date and time of their arrival.
Students should make every effort to arrive on campus by the dates outlined above. If your arrival will occur beyond these timeframes, please contact Amber Jordan in the Deans' Office at (860) 435-3739.
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Sibling Students with Different Arrival Days
If siblings are scheduled for different arrival days, they may both arrive on the day that works best for your family. Note that all new students should arrive on Sept. 2. Please contact Amber Jordan at (860) 435-3739 to confirm the arrival date for your siblings.
A Note about Dorm Move-In
After new students complete registration in the MAC, they will move into their rooms where they will have the opportunity to unpack, decorate, and start making it feel like home. Family members should help their student(s) get settled in the dorms and will be invited for lunch and other afternoon programming before Orientation kicks off.
Returning students will receive their dorm assignments via email before arriving on campus. This will allow returning students to go directly to their respective dorms to check-in.
Roommate Information
Roommate assignments were sent via email to students on Friday, Aug. 4. For those of you who are new students, we hope that having roommate information will give you an opportunity to begin to get acquainted. For returning students, it should be a chance to do some planning before the start of school. Stay tuned for further information!
| For Families New to Hotchkiss | |
What to Expect on Move-In Day
We look forward to welcoming you to campus on Saturday, Sept. 2! Below is the schedule of activities for students and their families for the day. Additional information will be provided upon registration.
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| Time | Event | Location | | 11 a.m.-2 p.m. | Lunch available for new students and families | Dining Hall | | 2:30-2:45 p.m. | Dorm introductions for new students, families, and dorm teams | Dorms | | 3-3:30 p.m. | New students and families meet with advisors | Main Building | | 3:45-4:15 p.m. | Craig Bradley, head of school, welcomes new students and families | Elfers Hall | | 4:15 p.m. | Student and family farewells | Various | | 4:30 p.m. | New student orientation begins | Chapel | | 6 p.m. | Welcome dinner for new students | Harris House Tent | | |
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Orientation Activities
Orientation will begin for new students on the afternoon of Saturday, Sept. 2, in the Chapel. Over the course of two days, new students will meet regularly with their orientation groups to participate in various activities and workshops to familiarize themselves with School resources, culture, and other important elements of campus life.
Note: new day students are invited to stay in the dorms until classes begin on Wednesday, Sept. 6. Be sure to bring a sleeping bag!
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New Student Advisor Assignments
Advisor information will be available to students via email in early August. Students, families, and advisors are encouraged to reach out to each other in August to help prepare for the upcoming school year.
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Don't Forget! Required Summer Reading | |
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A complete list of required summer reading assignments was sent via email to students and their families on June 29 (books by class level and the All-School reading assignment).
Click here for a copy of the mailing.
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Reminders and Announcements | |
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An Update on Course Enrollments
The scheduling process is well under way, and initial course enrollments will be available soon. The Academic Office will send notice once these are available. The registrar will be communicating over the next few weeks with students who have conflicts in their schedule or need to make changes.
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2023-24 Proxy Required
All families are asked to identify an adult who is able to come to Hotchkiss on short notice to pick up their student in the event the School needs to close its campus, or their student becomes ill or otherwise needs to be off campus for unexpected medical, safety, disciplinary or other reasons. Whether the designated adult is a parent/guardian or an alternative emergency contact, this identified person should be someone available to come to campus within 24 hours and assume care of and responsibility for the student.
We recognize that identifying an emergency contact may be challenging for some families. Therefore, as a courtesy to our families, information about community-based resources that may be available to assist families in these types of situations is provided.
Click here for more information and to access the 2023-24 Proxy Form.
Questions may be directed to Amber Jordan in the Deans' Office (860-435-3739).
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2023-24 Required Health Forms are Due
Attention all families! If you have not already completed your required health forms, click here for more information.
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Personal Debit or Credit Card To Replace MyKidsSpending.com
The School’s partnership with MyKidsSpending.com is ending this summer. Instead, all students should come to campus with a personal debit or credit card. Our snack bar, campus store, post office, and vending machines are all equipped to accept debit and credit cards. We also have two ATMs on campus should a student need cash. (Please note, if your student had remaining funds on their 2022-23 MariaCard, a refund will be issued by check.)
For those who do not have access to a card, we encourage you to open a student checking account at your bank of choice to obtain a debit card. Alternatively, we have partnered with one of our local banks, Litchfield Bancorp. With parental permission, students can open a student checking account and receive a debit card associated with that account. The paperwork for this can be completed ahead of time. Litchfield Bancorp will be on campus during Opening Days should you have any questions or would like to wait to open an account until then.
To open a student checking account, contact:
Susan Dickinson, Branch Manager, Lakeville
Vice President, Litchfield Bancorp
dickinson@litchfieldbancorp.com
Phone: (860) 393-9171
Fax: (860) 435-9223
Litchfield Bancorp – A Division of Northwest Community Bank
326 Main Street | PO Box 737 | Lakeville, CT 06039
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Laundry Options for 2023-24
There are laundry machines in the basements of Buehler, Dana, Garland, Edelman, Flinn, Memo, Redlich, Tinker, Watson, and Wieler dorms. The use of machines by students is free of charge, but students need to provide their own laundry supplies (soap, dryer sheets, etc.).
An optional laundry and dry cleaning service, E&R (the Campus Laundry), is located in the basement of Tinker Hall. Click here for further information. Please note there is a fee for this privately arranged service.
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Student Activities - Required Waiver
Throughout the school year, Hotchkiss contracts with Neon Entertainment and Party Vision, LLC to provide amusements. These amusements include, but are not limited to, the following: bounce house, mechanical bull, dunk tank, inflatable water slide, laser tag, and obstacle course. Students in all grades are invited to participate and must have a “Participant Waiver and Release of Liability" on file with the company.
PARENT ACTION REQUIRED: Please log into Veracross to complete your student's digital waiver.
Questions may be directed to Marcie Wistar P'27, director of student activities.
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Campus Carnival T-Shirts—Order Yours Today!
The Senior Class annually hosts a campus carnival the first full weekend of school in celebration of the new year. As part of this tradition, they also design and sell Senior Carnival T-shirts to help raise funds for additional events and activities throughout the year.
These shirts, designed by Hannah Sun '24 and Daniel Gilbane '24, are available for online purchase through Aug. 20 (shirts will not be available for purchase after this date). The T-shirts will be shipped directly to campus and will be available for student pick-up at the carnival. Be sure to order yours today!
The Class of '24 thanks you for your support!
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UPS Summer Storage Update
All student items stored with UPS last spring will be placed in the appropriate 2023-24 dorm rooms on Aug. 24. If you have any questions, please contact Darryl Buchanan at (860) 989-4373.
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How to Ship Items to Campus
If you are shipping items or supplies to campus, please do not send packages until Aug. 22. (We accept packages sent via all common carriers — e.g., U.S. mail, UPS, FedEx, DHL, etc.)
Please send mail and packages to students (using their legal name if possible) at this address:
Student's Name (first and last)
The Hotchkiss School
11 Interlaken Road
Lakeville, CT 06039
Any shipped parcel or package will be available for student pick-up at the Hotchkiss Post Office during Orientation. Please note the School does not deliver packages directly to the dorm room.
Questions for the Hotchkiss Post Office? Call (860) 435-3299.
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2023-24 Student Transportation Schedule
Hotchkiss offers shuttle transportation before and after most School breaks. Reservations are available for purchase approximately four weeks before each break begins. Transportation schedule information and reservation instructions will be included in each month’s Family Update.
The first School break is Family Weekend, Oct. 13-17. Reservations for return transportation from New York City on Oct. 17 will be available beginning in mid-September, and students will receive information and instructions at that time.
If you have questions, please contact Laurie Grusauski via email.
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“Welcome to Hotchkiss” Receptions for New and Returning Families
Be sure to join us for a reception where new and returning families can meet one another before School starts in the fall! Invitations will be emailed to families with homes in the regions listed below.
Rye, NY: Thursday, Aug. 17 | Register here!
New York, NY: Wednesday, Aug. 23 | Register here!
Boston, MA: Sunday, Aug. 27 | Register here!
International Families: Friday, Sept. 1 (on-campus) | Register here!
Questions may be directed to Associate Director of Alumni and Parent Engagement Sunie Gorey at (860) 435-3131.
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Family Weekend: Save the Date Oct. 13-14
Family Weekend is one of our favorite events of the year—please mark your calendars! The full schedule and registration information will be available in September. Our official program begins on the morning of Friday, Oct. 13 and will conclude on the afternoon of Saturday, Oct. 14. Parents and guardians who arrive in Lakeville earlier are also welcome and encouraged to join us for an informal parent social gathering on Thursday, Oct. 12.
Experience has taught us that local hotels book up quickly in the fall, so make your reservations as soon as possible. Click here for a list of local accommodations.
Please contact Lisa Brown, chief of staff to the head of school, with any questions.
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Connecting with Grandparents
In an effort to better connect grandparents to the experience of their grandchild(ren) while they are at Hotchkiss, we ask you to please provide contact information for grandparents via this form. Doing so will ensure they receive select Hotchkiss communications including invitations to events, the Hotchkiss Happenings e-newsletter, and mailings such as the Hotchkiss Magazine. Of special note, Grandparents Day, which takes place every other year, is planned for spring 2024 and a "save the date" postcard will be mailed to all grandparents for whom we have contact information this fall.
Grandparents Day: Save the Date!
Saturday, April 20, 2024
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