Daily Life

2011 Highlights

Daily Schedule

  Weekdays Saturdays
7:00-7:45 Breakfast Breakfast
8:00-9:30 First Period Rotating Schedule
9:30-10:00 Assembly or Break Free Time until Lunch
10:00-11:30 Second Period Rotating Schedule
11:30-12:15 Lunch Lunch
12:30-1:10 Third Period Trips & Activities
1:15-1:55 Fourth Period Trips & Activities
3:15-4:30 Athletics (Wed. 1:15-2:30) Trips & Activities
5:00-6:00 Dinner Dinner
6:00-7:30 Extracurricular/Free Time Extracurricular/Free Time
7:30-9:30 Supervised Study Hall Activities
10:15 Dorm Check-in Dorm Check-in
10:30 Lights out Lights out

Dress

Dress for classes, meals and other school appointments is informal, with good taste and neatness prevailing. Shorts and slacks are permitted. Frayed or patched clothing is not. With the exception of ear piercing, facial or body piercing of any kind is not permitted. Students are required to bring items of more formal attire for certain functions both at and away from the School.

Dormitory Life

Summer School faculty members and teaching interns live in the student dormitories, and though the basic organization on the corridors is informal, structured study halls in the evening and constant faculty presence in the dormitories are recognized as essential to developing an atmosphere conducive to learning.

While Taft does have some single rooms, most students can expect to have a roommate. The rooms are equipped with basic furnishings, and a list of additional things to bring will be supplied to the students several weeks prior to arrival. Each student is responsible for the condition of his or her room, and all boarding students share in the cleaning of common rooms and corridors.

Taft is a wireless campus and while it isn't mandatory, boarding students are encouraged to bring a laptop computer for use during study hall. Personal audio equipment (iPods, etc.) are permitted, but the use of headphones is encouraged and may be required during certain specified periods. Televisions are only available for use in the common rooms. All student rooms are equipped with phones, but most students choose to carry a personal cell phone (not to be used during class or other school activities).

Athletics

Each summer school student must participate in athletics on weekdays from 3:15-4:30 p.m. The program is recreational and instructional. Sports offered vary according to the interests of the students in the program, and in past summers they have included tennis, squash, softball, volleyball, soccer, football, basketball, aerobics, running, ultimate frisbee and weight training.

Weekends

On the weekends, school-wide activities or trips are organized. All boarding students are expected to attend unless granted prior permission. Provided the required forms are filled out in the Summer School Office, students may leave school on the weekends, but are still expected to attend classes on Saturday morning. If choosing to leave campus for the weekend, students must return to school by study hall on Sunday evening. However, students are strongly encouraged to remain on campus for the weekends in order to participate in the extracurricular and organized social activities. Numerous hiking trails and lakes are within a short distance.

Connecticut offers a wide array of summer theater, music, and other attractions as well. In Watertown within walking distance from Taft is a small movie theater, an ice-cream parlor and a pharmacy. There are several fast-food and pizza restaurants nearby that also deliver. If the students choose to walk to town during their free time, they must sign out in the Summer School Office.

Taxi cabs and school-operated shuttles are available and remain common among students for their endless desire to revisit the malls. All of these commodities are of course available to students, but are unnecessary because of the busy social calendar and abundance of activities planned.

Last year, weekend trips included visits to:

Worship in Daily School Life

While Taft is a nonsectarian school, students are encouraged to attend the church of their choice. Catholic, Congregational, Episcopal and Methodist churches in Watertown are all within walking distance of the campus. Transportation to synagogues in Waterbury can be arranged through the Summer School Director.

Medical Services

The Martin Health Center is a fully-equipped facility with a registered nurse on duty at all times. In addition, a physician is on call throughout the day. Emergency medical service is available at St. Mary's Hospital, which is a ten minute drive from the campus.

Discipline

Students are expected to meet certain clearly defined standards of behavior, as reflected in the Fundamental School Rules. Fundamental Rules, which pertain to such matters as personal integrity, academic honesty, the use of alcohol, drugs, or tobacco, the use of automobiles, and the fulfilling of all school responsibilities, are designed to protect the rights and safety of the individual and to promote the smooth operation of the community as a whole. In addition, students may not smoke on campus, in Watertown, or on school trips.

The Director of the Summer School and the Dean of Students reserve the right to dismiss any student who cannot abide by the rules of the School or whose conduct is considered harmful to himself/herself or to the School.

Experience has shown us that students who are sincerely interested in making their school experience a valuable one do not find it difficult to follow the rules of the School.

TAFT SUMMER SCHOOL  | 110 Woodbury Road | Watertown, Connecticut 06795
Phone: (860) 945-7961 | Fax: (860) 945-7859 | SummerSchool@TaftSchool.org