Residential Life
Concord Academy boarding students live in six historic houses located along Main Street. Boarding students come from as far away as Bangkok and as close as Boston. They live together—seniors next to sophomores, 9th graders across from juniors—and they study, hang out, and learn from the diversity of perspectives gathered under one roof.
CA’s student houses feel like family homes because they once were. Beautiful, large, historic houses have been professionally renovated to create a “home-away-from-home” for our students. Every room is different; one might have a built-in window seat, another a corner nook. Each residence has four house faculty, most of whom live in the house. Many CA faculty live on campus with their families, so it’s not unusual to see our students playing with toddlers or tossing a ball with the family dog. House faculty check in regularly with students, chat about their day, watch movies together, and ensure that study hours and “lights out” are observed.
6
Student houses
22
Students in smallest house (Admadjaja House)
32
Students in largest house (Phelps House)
30
Faculty and staff members living in or affiliated with student houses
House Faculty
Each student house has multiple house faculty who live in apartments in the student house and house coverage affiliates also live on campus. Together, these caring adults supervise all aspects of house life, creating a welcoming, caring, and safe community for all residents.
Boarding Student Leadership
Boarding Council
The Boarding Council meets weekly to discuss matters relevant to the boarding community. The council comprises the head of boarders, the vice head of boarders, student heads of house, the director of residential life, and the dean of students. The council exchanges views on many issues, including changes in boarding rules. The council meets occasionally with the house faculty, and may make formal recommendations to the house faculty and the dean of students for their consideration and decision.
Student Heads of House
Each student house has at least one “student head of house,” who is elected by the boarding community and represents their house at Boarding Council meetings. The head of house conducts house meetings and assists students and house faculty in the general management of the house.
House Manager
Each student house has a “house manager,” a student selected by house faculty and the previous years’ Boarding Council. The house manager is responsible for assisting in the management of house jobs and for running the house store, making an assortment of delicious late-night snacks available.
CARE (Concord Academy Residential Enrichment) Program
New boarding students are given the opportunity to request a CARE family. CARE host families are parents of current students who live in the local area and wish to share their home and family experiences with a boarding student. Boarding students meet their CARE families at a dinner early in the school year. Throughout the year, boarding students in the CARE program enjoy outings and visits to their CARE family’s home in addition to treats and surprises. CARE host families also coordinate events in the student houses for the enjoyment of all boarding students, including the occasional Sunday sundae extravaganza!
Boarding/Day Student Overnights
Boarding student may, on occasion and with appropriate permissions, spend a weekday or weekend overnight at a day student’s home. The purpose of these nights is to provide students with a break from their normal routine and the opportunity to build relationships with local student’s families. Similarly, day students may choose to enjoy boarding life by staying in our campus student houses on occasion.
The Benefits of Living in Concord, Massachusetts
History and Literature
Concord Academy is situated in the heart of Concord, Mass. A town of literary and historic significance and the birthplace of both the Revolutionary War and the Transcendentalist Movement, Concord became home to writers and intellectuals during the New England Renaissance in the mid-19th century. Hawthorne, Emerson, Thoreau, and the Alcotts were among those who lived and wrote in Concord.
Concord Has So Much to Offer
Today, Concord offers museums, restored houses, and an abundance of significant landmarks including Walden Pond, The Robbins House, and the North Bridge Visitor Center. Restaurants, bakeries, coffee shops, boutiques, a bookstore, and a number of specialty shops cluster together along Concord’s friendly streets. Concord’s is a lively community that takes pride in its dual role of cultural center and suburban sanctuary.
Easy Access to Boston and Cambridge
The town’s proximity to Cambridge and Boston, situated 18 miles to the east, and its location on the MBTA commuter rail line, provides the CA community with access to the rich intellectual and entertainment offerings of a major metropolitan area.