|
Hillside
School
Marlborough, Massachusetts
Thomas
O’Dell – Director of Admissions
508-303-5731
The Hillside
School is a small junior boarding school for
boys in grades 5-9. While some of the boys who attend Hillside
are “traditional learners”, others have learning or attention
issues, which have prevented them from reaching their academic
potential. Hillside School enrolls 120 boys as boarders and
day students from 12 states and three foreign countries.
They offer a “strong, fundamental education within a nurturing
family environment. Caring, qualified faculty aim to instill
core values of honesty, respect for others, responsibility,
self-discipline, and hard work with the goal of developing
each boy’s academic strengths, civic and social awareness,
and personal standards.”
The Hillside School is set in the middle of a 260 acre wooded
campus, has it’s own spring-fed pond, a working farm, and
4 acres of athletic fields. The boys at Hillside reside in
four faculty-supervised dormitories including a “farm dorm’
for selected students in grades 5-6 who choose to assist
with the farm program. There are 45 faculty and administrators
who teach, 21 women and 24 men. Faculty are chosen for their
ability to motivate students through their teaching strategies
and their commitment to helping young people reach their
full potential. “Faculty are involved in all aspects of the
educational program. In addition to teaching, they are coaches,
dorm parents, study hall supervisors, and advisors to the
various clubs and campus groups.” All students must take
part in a sport or athletic activity in each trimester.
The Hillside School uses a “Recognition System” where students
earn points in the areas of effort, organization, and respect
for others. Points earned are averaged weekly and form the
basis for establishing the student’s allowance and privileges
for that week. Students who require extra academic support
take part in the tutorial program, with small groups working
under the supervision of a learning specialist. Ninth graders
who maintain an A or B level status are exempted from the
point system for as long as they exhibit good conduct and
quality schoolwork. Each student meets with his faculty advisor
on a weekly basis. The school counselor is also available
as a resource to discuss social, emotional and academic issues.
Hillside offers boys of average to above-average intelligence
the chance to benefit from their “supportive and structured
environment.” Many applicants have not worked up to their
potential, either academically or socially. The boys are
admitted based on past school transcripts, standardized test
results, psychological/educational evaluations, and three
character recommendations. |
