The Boarding Experience

The Walnut Hill Residential Life Program offers boarding students a safe, supportive community on our Natick campus. Our eight dormitories range in size from 15 to 50 students and offer single, double, or triple rooms, which are assigned based on a student’s length of time at the School, his or her grade level, and room availability. Trained Dorm Parents supervise the dorms and serve as adult role models who are there to celebrate student achievements and assist with any challenges that arise. Our culturally diverse student population makes life in the dorms a rich and unique experience for all of our students, and the ability to live and learn together on campus offers our boarding students the chance to grow in their independence and develop meaningful and lasting friendships.

Life as a Walnut Hill Boarding Student

As a Walnut Hill boarding student, you'll spend the year in a supportive dorm community, surrounded by fellow artists and guided by dedicated Dorm Parents, as well as Campus Monitors and other School staff who are committed to making each student feel at home on our campus.

Students enjoy an array of events and activities throughout the year. Within the dorm, Dorm Parents and Dorm Presidents plan weekly meetings and events to build community and provide an outlet for connection, relaxation, and fun. Outside of the dorm, our Student Activities Board and Residential Life team plan excursions, activities, and celebrations—from trips to Boston, to lawn games on the Hill, to a game night in the Campus Center.

Boarding students and day students are given an extra avenue to connect via the Dorm Affiliate Program, in which day students are assigned a dorm for the year, with the opportunity to relax in the common room during free blocks and participate in dorm activities.

On any given weekend, a boarding student might catch the train to Boston's SoWa Market, join a nature walk on Natick's beautiful trails, meet friends for a weekend brunch in the Dining Hall—or perhaps all three. Regardless of your interests or preferred activity level, there is something for everyone at Walnut Hill.

Frequently Asked Questions

When are Dorm Parents available?

How do parents interact with their child's dorm parents?

Parents are encouraged to meet their children’s Dorm Parents in September and are welcome to contact them throughout the year. Anytime students need to request overnight permissions to leave campus, or if health or disciplinary issues arise, Dorm Parents are involved in communicating with parents. A list of the names and telephone numbers of Dorm Parents is sent to parents at the start of the school year.

How are dorm assignments determined?

In the spring, a housing request form is sent to all returning students. They are able to indicate their preferences for dormitory and roommate, and assignments are based on seniority. All new students are sent a housing form enabling them to indicate their living habits. When assigning new students a roommate, we work closely with the Admission Office to get a better sense of the student's personality, habits, and preferences. This helps us find the best possible match for each student. Dorms are divided by grade level (grades 9 and 10 or grades 11 and 12), and new students are typically matched with someone from their grade, though not from the same major.

Are dorm rooms furnished?

Will my child have a choice of roommate?

What leadership roles can students take on in the dormitory?

Dorm Presidents play an important leadership role in the structure and function of the dormitories at Walnut Hill. Appointed each May for the following year, they are students who are respected by the School community for their exemplary qualities of honesty, responsibility, dependability, fairness, leadership, and conduct. They assist with daily dormitory operations and build spirit in the dormitories by organizing in-dorm activities and events.

Dormitories

Boarding students at Walnut Hill are housed in eight dormitories. Students are generally assigned dormitories by grade level—with freshmen housed with sophomores and juniors housed with seniors—allowing for appropriate programming and support for students in each dorm. Dorms range in size from 15 to 50 students, and all are supervised by trained Dorm Parents. Students may live in single, double, or triple rooms. Most students share common bathrooms. New students should expect to have a roommate. All dormitories have a common living space with refrigerator, microwave, television, and DVD players for the enjoyment of all the residents.

Bishop Hall

Popular Links