DAILY LIFE



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. While Taft does have some single rooms, most students have a roommate. 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. Rooms are equipped with beds, bureaus, desks and overhead lights. Televisions are not permitted, but stereos and radios may be played during certain hours of the day. A telephone is available in each dormitory room, and students are encouraged to bring a phone card with them.

Though the basic organization of the dormitories 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.

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.

In 2008, weekend trips included visits to:
  • New York City
    Students visited Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty, followed by shopping in the theater district.
  • Boston
    On day One of this overnight trip, students participated in educational tours of Plimoth Plantation, Plymouth Rock, and the Mayflower II. On day Two, students walked the Freedom Trail in downtown Boston, shopped at Quincy Market and on Newbury Street, and viewed Boston on land and water onboard an authentic, renovated World War II amphibious landing vehicle.
  • Lake Compounce Amusement Park
  • Other entertainment included on-campus DJ dances, exciting shopping and movie trips, a fabulous arts festival, and various other on-campus activities.

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. A physician assistant visits the school on a regular schedule and 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 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.