Dorm Life

The residential life program at Olney Friends School allows students to learn the skills necessary to live peacefully in community. By sharing private and public spaces with their peers, acknowledging and celebrating differences, and working through the inevitable conflicts that arise in a building housing 30 teenagers, members of the dorm community learn to speak to each other with respect and also to listen carefully to what others are saying.

There are no locks in the dorms. As stated in the Olney Friends School handbook, “While locks might keep some of our personal possessions secure, they do nothing to help us learn to both respect and trust each other.” The dorms are places where students learn to trust each other as well as take responsibility for themselves.

Roommates

In the fall, new students room with returning students. This ensures that newcomers have a peer familiar with Olney to help them adjust to Olney life.

In the spring, all students change roommates. This fresh start at the midpoint of the year gives everyone a boost.

Student Dorm Staff

Similar to resident assistants (RAs) in college, student dorm staff fill many roles. They often act as mediators when conflicts arise, help plan activities, and teach traditions and procedures. Student dorm staff also plan weekend dorm activities, ranging from late-night yoga to basketball tournaments to s’mores over the fireplace.

Each student dorm staff member has one weekly duty night, when s/he is responsible for checking room cleanliness during the day and checking students into the dorm in the evening.

Adult Dorm Staff

Adult dorm staff members live in the dorms and participate in the evening hours of students’ lives. They provide homework help after study hall, organize activities, and tuck students in at night. One adult dorm staff member is on duty each night. Each residence hall is led by four adult dorm staff, including one dorm head. Dorm staff are almost always members of the teaching faculty, so they know students well.

Dig Deeper: Reach out to Olney