The Boarding Conference

August 11–14, 2008

The complexities and demands of dormitory work and living offer substantial challenges to new or inexperienced teachers. The 32nd Annual Boarding Staff Conference will provide an intensive, comprehensive, four-day introduction to the practical and philosophical issues confronting the boarding school teacher. The 2008 conference will be held August 11-14, 2008.

Experienced dormitory personnel from independent schools and mental health professionals will lead eight major presentations and five role-playing sessions. Small groups led by conference faculty will meet seven times, allowing each participant the opportunity to discuss in detail issues presented in the formal presentations, to address individual concerns and question, and to find practical solutions.

Time to relax, meet new colleagues and socialize will include a cookout, an evening in Boston and daily opportunities for exercise.

Large Group Presentation Topics

Life in a Boarding School
Being Part of a Dormitory Staff
Basic Counseling and Advising
Issues of Adolescence
Opening Day
Issues of Difference
Boarding School and Parents
Teaching
Supporting GLTB students and faculty
Maintaining a Personal Life

Small Group Discussions

Avenues of Support within schools
Student Leadership
Discipline Issues
Encouraging Communication
Legal Issues
Hazing and Bullying
Range of Policies at Different Schools

Special Features

Role Plays
Evening Panel Discussion with Boarding Students
Specific Break-out Sessions for Teaching, Coaching and Dormitory Issues
An Evening in Boston – You can explore the city

Boarding Staff Conference Information

Attendance
All participants are expected to attend all Conference sessions. Participants are required to stay on campus because we have two evening events and we do not want participants to travel late at night. Also, the social interaction and networking that happens during the hours in the dormitories are an important part of the conference. Important but less informal conversations about our work at schools often take place during these times. If you need housing on the Sunday night prior to the start of the conference, please contact the Summer Programs Office at 617-898-2481.

Directions
Click here for directions to Milton Academy from various locations when traveling by car, taxi or subway.

Travel Information to Milton Academy
Milton Academy is easily accessible from AMTRAK’s Route 128 Station (in suburban Westwood), which is a 15 minute taxi ride from the campus (Taxi fare from Rte. 128 Station usually runs about $20.) Boston’s Logan Airport has connections to most national or international airlines. The commute from Logan airport by taxi or rental car can take as little as 20 minutes if off-peak times, and as much as one hour during morning and evening rush hour. (Taxi fare from Logan usually runs about $50.)

Parking, Taxi and Subway
Adequate parking space is available on campus at no charge. Canton Town Taxi can usually have a taxi at the Academy within a short period of time; their number is (781) 821-4242. Milton Academy is a one mile walk from the MBTA Red Line subway (The “T”) to Boston and Cambridge. This walk, however, can be difficult and time-consuming if you have luggage. You can often get a taxi from the subway, or call one if none is currently available.

Location of the Boarding Staff Conference at Milton Academy
Registration for participants will take place in the Kellner Performing Arts Center on Centre Street (#10 on campus map). A sign marked “Registration” will be placed on the sidewalk outside Kellner. Most of the sessions will take place in the air-conditioned Ruth King Theater. The registration time is on Monday, August 11 from 10:00 – 11:30 a.m. Lunch will be available following registration at 11:30 a.m.

Departure
The Conference will end promptly at 12:00 p.m. on Thursday, August 14. Lunch will be available. Participants need to check out of their dormitory rooms by 2:00 p.m. on Thursday and return their key directly to one of the program directors at the registration desk in Kellner.

Dining
The meals for the Boarding Staff Conference will be provided by Milton Academy’s dining service, FLIK. Daily meals will include vegetarian options. Meals times and locations are noted on the agenda. If you have any other dietary requirements please let us know.

Boarding Information
Participants will be housed in Milton’s West Campus in the new Norris House and Centre House dormitories in single room accommodations. All dormitory rooms are equipped with a pillow, sheet, towels, and blanket, and are air-conditioned. Depending on gender numbers, women and men will either be housed in separate dorms or on separate floors with separate bathrooms. You will receive your specific room assignment when you register. Participants are advised to bring a bathrobe or equivalent (bathrooms are dormitory style), an alarm clock, tissues and small reading lamp. The swimming pool and tennis courts are available for participants during free time each day at 5:00 pm. The fitness center is open on Tuesday from 4:00-7:00 p.m. for participants. Please see the attendant on duty in the fitness center to fill out the necessary forms prior to using the equipment.

Dress
Conference dress is summer casual, i.e. whatever you find cool and comfortable (shorts, jeans, t-shirts, sandals, etc). Dress clothes are not needed. You may want to bring recreation/work out clothes, swimsuit, athletic shoes, and tennis rackets and balls.

Personal Computers/Internet Access
Internet access will be available from computers located in the dorm common rooms and in the Student Center. Logon information is as follows: Username: boardstaff; Password: board2007 If you bring a laptop computer with you, do not plug it into the wall Ethernet outlet in your dorm room. Also, do not use the phone jack in the room to plug in a modem because Milton Academy uses a digital phone system that is incompatible with standard modems.

Emergency Numbers:
Milton Academy Campus Safety: 617-898-2911 or ext. 2911 from an in-house campus phone. Milton Hospital: 617-696-4600. Emergency (Fire & Police) 911.

Directors
Will Speers Will began working at the Boarding Conference in 1996 and became director in 2004. A graduate of Milton Academy and Princeton, with a Master’s degree from Middlebury College, Will has taught at St. Andrew’s School in Delaware since 1979. He has been an English, History and Religion teacher, Department Chair, Director of Studies, Director of Admission, Dean of Students, Assistant Headmaster for Student Life, and now Dean of Faculty. He has coached soccer and squash, and has lived in boys’ and girls’ dormitories. During a sabbatical year, Will taught at the Holderness School in New Hampshire.
Kim Samson Kim graduated with a B.A. from Wellesley College and an M.A.L.S. from Wesleyan and is currently a science teacher and class dean at Milton Academy. Previously, she was the Dean of Students at Milton and the Assistant Dean of Students at the Peddie School in New Jersey. Kim has more than 15 years experience running both boys’ and girls’ dormitories. She has been involved in curricular initiatives in chemistry, physics and several areas of affective education. She is also on both the Focus on Diversity and the Gender Committees at Milton and has been the SEED facilitator there for the last five years. Kim, on the staff of the conference since 1996, recently joined Will as the Co-Director.
Faculty
Heather Flewelling Heather Flewelling is Director of Student Multicultural Programs at Milton Academy. She has an AB from Harvard University and Masters degree in Social Welfare from UC Berkeley and has spent the last 19 years working in the field of education. At the secondary level, she has taught in South Africa and at St. Paul’s School in NH. After spending 10 years in higher education at UC Berkeley and Brown University, she returned to secondary level five years ago as a counselor and then moved into her current role at Milton.
Nigel Furlonge After graduating from the Boston Latin School and the University of Pennsylvania, Nigel began his career as a teacher in American History. Nigel has worked in three different boarding schools: Holderness (NH), St. Andrew’s (DE), and Lawrenceville (NJ). He also has degrees in American History from Villanova University and an M. Ed. from Columbia University having received a Klingenstein Fellowship in 2005-2006. In addition to his teaching, coaching and dorm parenting over the years, Nigel also served as the Director of Diversity, the Chair of the Honor Committee and the Director of Studies at various points. He is currently the Academic Dean at the Lawrenceville School.
Nicole Furlonge Nicole most recently served as the English Department Chair and Director of Diversity at St. Andrew’s School in DE. She graduated with a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania and immediately began graduate work in British and American Literature at the University of Michigan earning her MA. She returned to Penn, where she earned her Ph.D. in English. In addition to St. Andrew’s, where she worked for seven years, Nicole has taught at the Holderness School. She has earned fellowships from the Ford and Mellon foundations, and has published articles on African-American literature. When Nicole is not working on turning her dissertation, “On the Lower Frequencies: Listening and African American Expressive Culture,” into a book, Nicole is raising her 1 year old boy Lucas and his 3 year old sister Logan. Beginning in 2008, she will work part-time as an English teacher and as mentor teacher at the Lawrenceville School.
Nancy Gaynor Nancy Gaynor has been living and/or working in boarding schools for 32 years. Since 1986, she has been at The Hotchkiss School, helping to develop and run the counseling services on campus. She spent 18 years as a dorm parent, has advised a number of student organizations, and has served on various campus committees. For the last 12 years, she has been involved with the Independent School Gender Project. Nancy has a BA from The University of Hartford and an MEd from West Chester University.
André Heard André is currently the Associate Dean of Students at Milton Academy. A graduate of Milton Academy and the University of Virginia, André returned to Milton eight years ago, where he lived in a dorm and worked in admissions for three years. He then joined the dean of students’ office as Assistant Dean of Students for Residential Life and also became the house head of Milton’s new boys’ dorm, Norris house. During that time, he focused on creating a house culture and building systems to aid in the successful growth of Milton Academy’s residential community. In his new role as Associate Dean, André finds himself, for the first time since working at Milton, associated with but not living in a dorm.
Danielle Heard Danielle Heard received her B.A. from Williams College and her Ed.M. from Harvard Graduate School of Education. She completed the Klingenstein Summer Institute and the Harvard Business School Program for Leadership Development. Danielle held various teaching, administrative, coaching, and residential life positions at Emma Willard School, Dana Hall School, and Willow Hill School. Additionally, she worked with the Steppingstone Foundation for twelve years, most recently as the Executive Vice President of Programs and Operations. Danielle will be the new Assistant Head of School at the Nashoba Brooks School in June.
Dan Morrissey Dan Morrissey is the Dean of Students at Phillips Exeter Academy in Exeter, NH. Prior to this role, Dan was the Dean of Residential Life at Baylor School in Chattanooga, TN. Dan has taught Human Physiology, Health, Leadership, Physical Education, and run summer programs during his 20 year boarding school career. He has been both faculty in residence and dorm head in boys and girls dorms. Morrissey is a frequent speaker at national conferences such as The Association of Boarding Schools Conference and the National Association of College Admissions Counselors; he is currently a member of the TABS Conference Planning committee. He holds a BS in Exercise Science from B.U. and an M. Ed. in Education from Antioch College.