Salisbury School is proud of its Residential Life Program--integrating personal, social, and academic growth for our boys.
The Residential Life Program supports students in their multi-faceted development by focusing on and creating programming to promote nine core topics including service, citizenship, health and wellness, life skills, diversity, leadership, community building, school spirit and character education.
At the heart of this program are dorm-based, monthly gatherings. Our communal residences become important learning venues for discussions, allowing students and faculty learn from each other while strengthening their personal relationships. “By enhancing the residential experience at the School, we compliment the academic, athletic, religious and extracurricular opportunities at Salisbury,” notes Dean of College Advising and Student Services Bobby Wynne.
These gatherings allow for a free exchange of ideas between faculty members and students in a relaxed atmosphere. And meeting by dormitory allows for topics to be altered so that they are age-specific. The School recognizes that the developmental issues facing boys evolve and change as they mature.
Additional events are planned throughout the year to compliment the dormitory discussions. These may include motivational speakers, community service trips, school festivals, career panels, and special dinners.
The Purpose
The overarching goal of the Residential Life Program is to help students bring the words of the Salisbury mission to life. Currently, the School sees the mission woven into numerous areas of campus life including classrooms, chapel services, school meetings, sit-down dinners, the honor code and athletic fields to name a few. The Residential Life Program makes residential living a part of the educational experience as well.
Salisbury prides itself on providing its students with character-based education. The Residential Life Program seeks to enhance those experiences by encouraging student involvement, providing education in interpersonal communication and managing conflict, and taking pride in one’s own community. Through the dorm gatherings and program activities, boys are taught self-reliance, social skills, and responsibility while continuing to develop their personal integrity.
The Residential Life Staff
Staffing for the program involves both faculty instructors and students. The Deans’ Office and Health Services have worked to implement the program curriculum. Together they gather input on topics of discussion, chair the Residential Life Council (representatives from each student form), and coordinate the program schedule.
All Salisbury faculty members are involved in the monthly dorm meetings (those who do not reside on campus are assigned to a dorm as are day students). Faculty dormitory heads facilitate the discussion in each dormitory location. They receive continued education about residential life through weekly meetings throughout the academic year. Their role is to convey the importance of the curriculum to the other dorm parents, faculty affiliates and dorm prefects. They orchestrate the monthly gatherings and provide feedback to the Residential Life Team.
Student prefects are asked to assist with leading group discussions together with faculty members. Their participation is key to the program’s success as it allows the students to foster ownership of the program and brings accountability of student actions by students themselves. As the program continues to grow, it is anticipated that even more student leadership roles will be developed.
Dean Wynne is pleased with the development of the program. Realizing it is constantly evolving to stay current with student matters, he comments “I am so proud that the 'character' piece to a Salisbury education means enough to everyone in our community that we regularly devote time in of our schedule to further explore these life issues of the utmost importance.”
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