Important Back-to-School Information | |
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Move-in Dates and Times
Arrivals on campus will be staggered on the dates listed below.
New students should arrive at the Mars Athletic Center (MAC) for registration according to their designated date and time (GPS address: 22 Lime Rock Road).
Returning students should go directly to their prospective dorms.
All students must sign up for individual arrival time slots using the arrival form below.
Thursday, August 31:
Fall varsity captains, orientation leaders, and proctors arrive at their respective dorms between 8:30-11:30 a.m.
Saturday, September 2:
Fall varsity athletes and mathletes (by invitation only) arrive at their respective dorms between 10 a.m-1 p.m.
New students arrive at the MAC between 10:30 a.m.- 2 p.m.
Monday, September 4 (Labor Day):
Returning students arrive at their respective dorms between 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
STUDENT ACTION REQUIRED: Registering for an Arrival Slot
Each student must sign up for an arrival time slot via the 2023 Student Arrival Form. Please note that this form is only accessible to students as they will need to be signed into their Hotchkiss account to select a slot. Students should coordinate with their parent/guardian about the date and time of their arrival.
Students should make every effort to arrive on campus by the dates outlined above. If your arrival will occur beyond these timeframes, please contact Amber Jordan in the Deans' Office at (860) 435-3739.
Sibling Students with Different Arrival Days
If siblings are scheduled for different arrival days, they may both arrive on the day that works best for your family. Note that all new students should arrive on September 2. Please contact Amber Jordan at (860) 435-3739 to confirm the arrival date for your siblings.
A Note about Dorm Move-In
New students will receive their dorm assignments at new student registration in the MAC. Upon completion of registration, new students will move into their rooms where they will have the opportunity to unpack, decorate, and start making it feel like home. Family members are permitted in the dorms to help their student(s) get settled and are invited for lunch and other afternoon programming before Orientation kicks off.
Returning students will receive their dorm assignments via email before arriving on campus. This will allow returning students to go directly to their respective dorms for registration/check-in.
Roommate Information
Roommate assignments will be available via email to students on Friday, August 4. For those of you who are new students, we hope that having roommate information will give you an opportunity to begin to get acquainted. For returning students, it should be a chance to do some planning before the start of school. Stay tuned for further information!
Additional information about move-in day and new student orientation will be provided in August.
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A complete list of required summer reading assignments was sent via email to students and their families on June 29 (books by class level and the All-School reading assignment).
Click here for a copy of the mailing.
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Reminders and Announcements | |
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2023-24 Required Proxy Due July 15
All families are asked to identify an adult who is able to come to Hotchkiss on short notice to pick up their student in the event the School needs to close its campus, or their student becomes ill or otherwise needs to be off campus for unexpected medical, safety, disciplinary or other reasons. Whether the designated adult is a parent/guardian or an alternative emergency contact, this identified person should be someone available to come to campus within 24 hours and assume care of and responsibility for the student.
We recognize that identifying an emergency contact may be challenging for some families. Therefore, as a courtesy to our families, information about community-based resources that may be available to assist families in these types of situations is provided.
Click here for more information and to access the 2023-24 Proxy Form.
Questions may be directed to Amber Jordan in the Deans' Office (860-435-3739).
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2023-24 Required Health Forms Due July 15
Attention all families! The Health Center staff requests your assistance in completing the required health forms on time. Click here for more information.
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Personal Debit or Credit Card To Replace MyKidsSpending.com
The School’s partnership with MyKidsSpending.com is ending this summer. Instead, all students should come to campus with a personal debit or credit card. Our snack bar, campus store, post office, and vending machines are all equipped to accept debit and credit cards. We also have two ATMs on campus should a student need cash.
For those who do not have access to a card, we encourage you to open a student checking account at your bank of choice to obtain a debit card. Alternatively, we have partnered with one of our local banks, Litchfield Bancorp. With parental permission, students can open a student checking account and receive a debit card associated with that account. The paperwork for this can be completed ahead of time. Litchfield Bancorp will be on campus during Opening Days should you have any questions or would like to wait to open an account until then.
To open a student checking account, contact:
Susan Dickinson, Branch Manager, Lakeville
Vice President, Litchfield Bancorp
[email protected]
Phone: (860) 393-9171
Fax: (860) 435-9223
Litchfield Bancorp – A Division of Northwest Community Bank
326 Main Street | PO Box 737 | Lakeville, CT 06039
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Ordering 2023-24 Textbooks
Online book ordering will take place in early August. We will email you the necessary information regarding the ordering process at that time.
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Laundry Options for 2023-24
There are laundry machines in the basements of Buehler, Dana, Garland, Edelman, Flinn, Memo, Redlich, Tinker, Watson, and Wieler dorms. The use of machines by students is free of charge, but students need to provide their own laundry supplies (soap, dryer sheets, etc.).
An optional laundry and dry cleaning service, E&R (the Campus Laundry), is located in the basement of Tinker Hall. Click here for further information. Please note there is a fee for this privately arranged service.
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Student Activities - Required Waiver
Throughout the school year, Hotchkiss contracts with Neon Entertainment and Party Vision, LLC to provide amusements. These amusements include, but are not limited to the following: bounce house, mechanical bull, dunk tank, inflatable water slide, laser tag, and obstacle course. Students in all grades are invited to participate and must have a “Participant Waiver and Release of Liability" on file with the company.
PARENT ACTION REQUIRED: Please log into Veracross to complete your student's digital waiver.
Questions may be directed to Marcie Wistar P'27, director of student activities.
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How to Ship Items to Campus
If you are shipping items or supplies to campus, please do not send packages until August 22. (We accept packages sent via all common carriers — e.g., U.S. mail, UPS, FedEx, DHL, etc.)
Please send mail and packages to students (using their legal name if possible) at this address:
Student's Name (first and last)
The Hotchkiss School
11 Interlaken Road
Lakeville, CT 06039
Any shipped parcel or package will be available for student pick-up at the Hotchkiss Post Office during Orientation. Please note the School does not deliver packages directly to the dorm room.
Questions for the Hotchkiss Post Office? Call (860) 435-3299.
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2023-24 Student Transportation Schedule
Click here to access the 2023-24 Transportation Schedule.
New This Year: Hotchkiss will offer return transportation from JFK Airport, on a trial basis, after Thanksgiving, winter, and spring breaks. Operation of the bus will require a minimum of 10 students, and pricing will depend on the number of students, with a maximum fee of $100 and a minimum fee of $40. If there are fewer than 10 students confirmed on the reservation deadline, the bus will be canceled and families will need to make private, individual transportation arrangements.
Reservation instructions and information will be included in each month’s Family Update, beginning in August.
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For Families New to Hotchkiss | |
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Reminder: Parent/Guardian Action Required to Establish Veracross Account
On July 11, an email was sent to all parents/guardians directly from Veracross, Hotchkiss’s student information management system. If you have not already created your account, the email will guide you through the steps to do so.
Access to Veracross will allow you to view:
- Your student's schedule
- Your student's grades and comments (posted at mid-term and the end of semester)
- Your student's attendance
You will also use Veracross to:
- Update family contact information (address, phone numbers, email address, etc.)
- Submit absence requests for your student
Once your new Veracross credentials have been created, you'll be able to access Veracross from the Hotchkiss Parent Portal landing page. Simply click on the "Veracross Login" as shown.
Having trouble logging in? Please contact Registrar Heather Mechare at (860) 435-3186 for assistance.
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New Student Hotchkiss Accounts Now Active
Kevin Warenda, director of information technology services, sent an email to new students on July 11 containing their Hotchkiss username, password, and instructions on how to access their Hotchkiss email account (subject line "Action Required: Hotchkiss Student Login Account Information”). New students are encouraged to login as soon as possible as this is now the account the School will use to correspond with them moving forward. In addition, students will need to be logged into their accounts to sign up for an arrival time slot.
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Reminder: Final Transcripts Due July 15
Your student's final official transcript must be sent to Hotchkiss by July 15 in order to be registered for courses in 2023-24.
Please have it sent to [email protected], faxed to (860) 435-1525, or sent via U.S. Mail:
The Admission Office
The Hotchkiss School
11 Interlaken Road
Lakeville, CT 06039
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New Student Advisor Assignments
Advisor information will be available to students via email in early August. Students, families, and advisors are encouraged to reach out to each other in August to help prepare for the upcoming school year.
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New Family Webinar Replays Available
In case you were unable to join us, remember to watch the informational webcasts hosted for new families. They contain useful information for those joining the Hotchkiss community. Click here to watch these videos.
Upcoming Webinar: Parenting from Abroad
Join the director of international programs for an overview of ways that families can prepare for the Hotchkiss experience, with particular attention paid to some of the typical challenges that students from abroad encounter and how their families can partner with the School to help their students find success. Current parents Esther Ma and Harvey Lee P'24 and their daughter Quisha '24 will offer personal insights as well.
Event Date: Friday, July 21 at 6:45 a.m. EDT
A Zoom event link will be sent to all registrants. A replay will be posted for those who are unable to join us.
Questions may be submitted in advance. Click here to register!
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Class of 2024 Families: Save the Date for this Important Webinar Event
"Processing the Recent Supreme Court Decision on Affirmative Action in Higher Education"
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Please join us for a conversation with Daymyen Layne, director of diversity, equity, and inclusion, and Serena Oh Castellano, director of college advising, about the recent Supreme Court decision.
Thursday, July 27 at 7:30 p.m.
Email invitations and registration information will be sent to students and families soon.
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“Welcome to Hotchkiss” Receptions for New and Returning Families
Be sure to join us for a reception where new and returning families can meet one another before School starts in the fall! Invitations will be emailed to families with homes in the regions listed below.
Lakeville, CT: Wednesday, July 19 | Register here!
Hong Kong: Thursday, July 27 | Email Sunie Gorey for information.
Atlanta, GA: Sunday, August 6 | Register here!
Rye, NY: Thursday, Aug. 17 | Register here!
Boston, MA: Sunday, Aug. 27 | Register here!
New York, NY: Date to be announced soon
International Families: Friday, Sept. 1 (on-campus)
Questions may be directed to Associate Director of Alumni and Parent Engagement Sunie Gorey at (860) 435-3131.
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