Parents FAQs

What happens if my child needs extra support with academic work?

Teachers expect students who are experiencing academic difficulty to meet with them outside of class time. Normally, a teacher can provide up to one extra help session every week with a particular student. If students are experiencing academic difficulties that require a greater level of assistance, they should meet with the director of academic support. The director, and members of her staff, help students with organization, study skills, and time management. If long-term tutoring help is needed, the director of academic support can assist in making arrangements for this kind of support. The family bears the expense for this tutoring.

Students who need assistance with a particular assignment, or would like immediate advice about organization and time management, can also seek help in the Academic Skills Center, located in the lower level of Cox Library. The Academic Skills Center is staffed throughout the academic day and during several evenings each week.

How do I ensure that the School responds to educational testing information about my son or daughter?

Please pass along any educational testing information to the director of academic support (617-898-2401). The director, working with the academic dean, will ensure that the School follows the appropriate policies in response to the testing information.

What should I do if my child cannot come to school because of illness?

Please call the attendance line (617-898-2923) as soon as possible, and before 9 a.m., on each day of absence. If your child is a boarder at home with you and unable to return to the School because of illness, please call the house head and the attendance line before your child is expected back in the house.

What is the procedure for excusing my child from school for matters other than illness?

If a student has an emergency medical appointment, parents should follow the procedure described above for cases of illness. However, if a student has a medical appointment scheduled well in advance, the student should pick up a Special Absence Request form from the deans’ office and get signatures from the appropriate teachers. For more information, please see the “Attendance” section of the Student Handbook or call the deans’ office at 617-898-2143.

Are there weekends when students are required to be on campus?

Each school year includes a few closed weekends during which boarding students are required to remain on campus for special programming. These may include, but may not be limited to, the weekends following major breaks. In addition, day students may be required to come to campus for some special programming.

What are the attendance expectations at examination time?

During the School’s examination period we will excuse students from school only in cases of illness or family difficulty. Examinations normally take place during the last full week of January. Please check the School calendar on the website for the exact dates of this year’s exams. Weather cancellations occasionally extend the exam period, so exams may occur on the Monday or Tuesday following exam week. Families making plans need to be aware that students may be required at School for rescheduled examinations.

What are the attendance expectations on the days that vacations begin?

The School does not excuse absences for early vacation departures, or late arrivals, except in unusual circumstances. (Please see page 20 of the Student Handbook.) We urge you to refer to the School’s calendar as you make travel plans. Families should schedule departures for several hours after a student’s final school commitment. Advance planning is often needed to secure airline reservations for the Thanksgiving vacation. At Thanksgiving, and for winter and spring vacation, houses stay open until the day after classes end, so students can take flights the following morning rather than miss classes. The last week of school through graduation is considered particularly important, and special absences will not be granted except in cases of personal or family difficulty.

Can my child be excused from classes to participate in a family vacation?

In all but the most extreme circumstances, we will not excuse students from classes to participate in a family trip planned to coincide with another school’s vacations.

Where can I order a birthday cake for my child?

Dining Services will be happy to accept orders for birthday cakes at 617-898-2327.

Are Milton Academy gifts available?

The bookstore (617-898-2110) offers a selection of Milton Academy gifts. You can also shop online at milton.bncollege.com

Are the houses class specific?

No, each house includes all four classes, a feature of Milton residential life that students love and that makes each house feel more like a large family.

How does the housing selection process work?

Working together, the house heads, the associate dean of students, the director of student multicultural programming and admission officer make housing decisions. They place students in houses with an eye toward creating a good balance of age, background, race, ethnicity and student interests. Students think of their houses as their “family” away from home, and they normally live in the same house throughout their Milton years.

Do students stay in the same room throughout their Milton stay?

No. Each house has its own policy on determining a student’s room. In some houses, house parents assign rooms, while in others, students may draw or choose which room they would like. In some houses, students switch rooms and roommates at mid-year.

Do I need to send furniture?

Rooms are furnished with a bed, mattress, bureau, wardrobe or closet, desk, chair and wastebasket. Waiting to bring personal items until you are able to see your student’s actual room is best. Most other things that your child may need are available at the School bookstore or at local stores. Please note that storage facilities are very limited. Furniture cannot be stored over the summer.

If I send a trunk during the summer, what address should I use?

Please send it to:
Milton Academy
c/o Facilities Department
325 Randolph Avenue
Milton, MA 02186

Please remember to mark your property with your name and graduation year. We often find that items cannot be returned to their owners because they are not labeled properly.

How much spending money does my child need?

Boarding students are urged not to keep large sums of money in their possession. The Business Office offers allowance accounts for boarding students who can pick up weekly an amount previously decided by their parents/guardians. Funds must be deposited into this account before students may receive an allowance. Students may pick up allowances in the Business Office. Students must show a picture ID to pick up their allowance. Students may not pick up the allowance for another student. Allowance hours are Thursday from 2:30 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Parents/guardians may adjust the amount a student can pick up. The parent/guardian must contact Mary Roman (617-898-2292) or Marjorie Brazier (617-898-2283) in the Business Office by the end of day on Tuesday to adjust the allowance amount for that week only.

What should my child bring to Milton?

Students rooms are furnished with a center ceiling light, a bed (twin, extra long), desk and chair, closet, bookshelf, bureau and wastebasket. Click here for a list of what we recommend students to bring with them. If you bring a laptop computer, please purchase a lock for it. Bringing only those things you will actually use is a good idea. When children leave home for school with their personal belongings, increasing homeowners’ insurance to cover their items is prudent.

What should my child leave at home?

Students may not bring television sets, electric blankets, air conditioners, microwaves, space heaters, cloth tapestries, hot pots, irons (each house has one) or halogen lamps; these items are fire hazards.

Will my child have a phone in his or her room?

A student may request a phone in his or her room through the house head. Academy Technology Services will fill that request. If students plan to use a telephone in their room for long-distance calling, they should first request a phone through their house head, and parents can then sign their children up for long-distance phone service through the provider of their choosing.

When are houses ready for students to move in?

Paying attention to the School calendar and opening of School information about move-in times is important. Students cannot move in or return from school breaks earlier than the stated times because houses may not be ready and/or appropriately supervised.

How are meals handled throughout the day?

Milton serves three meals a day. Breakfast is served in Forbes dining hall, East Campus houses and in the West Campus dining hall. Lunch is served in Forbes dining hall. Members of a house eat dinner family style, with the faculty, three times each week, in Forbes dining hall, East Campus, and in the West Campus dining hall, and buffet style for the remainder of the week.

Can my child bring a bicycle to school?

Yes. However, students typically do not use bicycles for transportation; classrooms, athletic facilities and houses are close together. Some students use bikes recreationally. Storage areas are limited. We require all students to wear helmets when on a bicycle and to comply with all Massachusetts laws. In particular, when riding after sunset, every student must have a white headlight and a red taillight. If the bicycle does not have reflectors mounted on the pedals, the student must wear reflectors on both ankles. Students failing to abide by these regulations are subject to consequences up to and including mandatory enrollment in a bicycle safety course, work hours and the loss of the privilege to use a bicycle on campus.

Does Milton provide laundry service?

Milton provides weekly linen service (pillowcases, sheets, and towels) at no additional cost. Laundry bags may be picked up during registration. If students bring linens from home, they still need to pick up a laundry bag to have them laundered by E&R Laundry Service. Laundering of clothes, as well as dry cleaning, is available at an additional cost through E&R Laundry Service. Families will receive information directly from E&R Laundry Service during the summer.

Are students permitted to have overnight guests in their house rooms?

Yes, although overnights are not generally allowed during the week. In most cases, hosting a day student or visitor overnight occurs as it does in a private home. Students get permission from the hosting house parent and guests live by the “house rules.” The guest student’s parent needs to call the house parent to request permission. For more information, please see “Overnights” in the Student Handbook.

What is Milton’s policy on leaving campus after the end of the class day?

Milton uses a “Blue Card” system to ensure that house faculty always know the whereabouts of each student. The system is more fully explained in the Student Handbook, but in summary, a faculty member must sign a student’s Blue Card to give permission before a student can leave for any destination. Policies on leaving campus vary according to the age of the student.

Permission forms accessed through myMilton allow you to decide about certain year-long permissions you may give your child. Please think and talk these permissions through carefully with your child before returning your form.

How can my child get into his or her room during vacations if the need arises?

Students must get permission from their house head or Campus Safety to enter the house during vacations and must do so with a faculty or staff member present.

What are Milton’s policies with regard to students’ using public transportation?

Milton gives students an introduction to the MBTA system at the beginning of the year. Privileges for boarding students on the “T” are progressive, increasing with a student’s age: younger students must travel in pairs, at a minimum, and in groups of three or more whenever possible, and must be back early in the evening; older students, with parental permission, may travel by themselves during daylight hours.

What is the Host Family Program?

Day student and local boarding families volunteer to act as host families providing special support, a home away from home, for those students who come to Milton from a great distance. To request a host family, or to volunteer as a host family, please contact the director of student multicultural programming at 617-898-2319. When necessary, preference will be given to students who live farthest from campus.

Whom should I call first about any academic or social issue for my child?

Your child’s advisor

During the school day, how can I reach my child?

For emergency student messages, please call the deans’ office at 617-898-2143, Monday through Friday. You might also send your student an email message.

What email convention does Milton use?

firstname_lastnamexx@milton.edu
Where xx are the last two digits of a student’s year of graduation

How can I reach faculty members?

You can email a faculty member (a faculty/staff directory is available in parents’ myMilton account); connect to the faculty member’s office (through our switchboard at 617-898-1798); or send mail to the faculty member at 170 Centre Street, Milton, MA 02186.

If our family moves, whom do I notify?

Please log in to your myMilton account to update your or your family’s contact information. Alternatively, you may send updates via email or regular mail using the following addresses:
Regular Mail:
Address Updates
c/o ATS Department, Milton Academy
170 Centre Street, Milton, MA 02186

Email: directory_feedback@milton.edu

Does the School publish a newsletter for parents?

Centre Connection, the parents’ online newsletter, is published five times each year: August, October, December, February, and April. The current issue as well as all past issues are available on the website in the parents’ section at www.milton.edu.

Whom should I inform about my extended travel plans?

Parents who are planning to be away from home for any length of time must communicate with the student’s advisor and/or house head (for boarding students) or with the dean of students. This communication should include emergency contact numbers as well as ways in which parents can be reached in the event of an emergency or an impending disciplinary action. The School recommends that a responsible local adult be accessible if parents are away.

Will my child have Internet access in the houses?

Yes, students can connect a personal computer, tablet and/or smartphone to the School’s network and access the Internet from their rooms or house common areas; they may also access the Internet through School computers located in house common areas.

If my child brings a computer or mobile device, how does he or she connect it to the network?

Computers running a supported operating system can connect to Milton’s wireless or wired network. Supported operating systems include Windows (version 7 or higher), MacOS (10.74 or higher) and Chrome (44 or higher). Handheld devices can connect to Milton’s secure (MA-Secure) wireless network. Members of Milton’s Academy Technology Services (ATS) will be available at check-in during the opening of school to assist you and your child. Your children should bring their personal devices to the scheduled ATS opening of school sessions.

What networked services does the School provide?

The School uses Google Apps for Education and Schoology. Faculty, staff and students receive personal email accounts through Google’s Gmail service, and cloud-based file storage through Google’s Drive service. Schoology is the School’s learning management system through which students access homework and other information related to their coursework. Course information, library resources and student work are accessible through our website, www.milton.edu.

How can my day student access services on the network from home?

All networked services, including Google Apps for Education, Schoology, myMilton and the Milton website are available from any Internet-enabled device that has an active Internet connection.

Will my child need a personal computer while attending Milton Academy?

Though a personal computer is not required, most of today’s boarding students do bring personal computers with them to campus. The facilities in the School’s computer labs, Cox Library and the house common rooms are adequate to meet students’ academic needs.

If my boarding student’s computer has a problem, whom should he or she contact?

A student should first contact a “House Ranger,” a fellow student in the house who has been trained by Academy Technology Services (ATS) to solve minor problems. If the House Ranger concludes that the problem needs more serious attention, the student may bring the computer to the Help Desk. The Help Desk will perform minor or routine repairs.

If I want to buy my child a computer, what should I buy?

Students at Milton Academy use both Macintosh and Windows computers. You should choose the platform that is right for your family. If you have questions, please contact the Help Desk at 617-898-1767.

In the case of foul weather, how can I get information about School postponements or closings?

Students and faculty can learn about weather-related changes in School schedule in several ways. The School will send a broadcast phone alert to students, parents and faculty, and the Milton homepage (www.milton.edu) will have information available as early as possible. All major, local radio and television stations will broadcast the information, as well. We try to avoid weather-related cancellations once school is in session. If an early dismissal becomes necessary, notification is posted around the School and buses leave shortly after the last required class or activity of the shortened day.

May day students spend the night on campus as a guest of a boarder?

Yes, although overnights are generally not allowed during the week. In most cases, hosting a day student or visitor overnight occurs as it does in a private home. Students get permission from the hosting house parent and guests live by the “house rules.” The guest student’s parent needs to call the house parent to request permission. The Day-Boarder Exchange is an optional program whereby day students may live for a week in one of the houses or boarding students may live for a week in a family home. The plan does not have to be reciprocal. Permission forms are available in the deans’ office.

May day students drive to school?

Yes. Any student driving his or her vehicle to school must register it with Campus Safety. Students must park in assigned lots, and during the academic day they may not use their cars without permission from a member of the deans’ office. Before the start of the school year, parents and children should discuss whether this permission will be given.

What bus routes are available for day students?

There are a number of bus routes available for day students. The routes include Chestnut Hill-Newton, Wellesley-Needham, Needham-Dover-Dedham-South Natick, and Boston-Cambridge. For more information, please contact Denise Costello in the business office at 617-898-2285.

Can my child leave campus during the school day?

Students are not allowed to leave campus before 12:40 p.m. or their last academic commitment of the day, whichever comes later, without permission from the deans’ office.

Do I have to contact anyone if I want to host a student gathering at my home?

If you invite ten or more Milton students to your home for a team dinner, birthday party or other gathering, you need approval from the deans’ office at least 24 hours before the start of the gathering.

Should we insure our child’s personal property?

The School’s insurance does not cover students’ personal property. Parents should insure any valuable possessions that students bring to School.

How can I view my child’s bookstore charges?

A monthly itemized list of bookstore charges is available in parents’ myMilton account. You may view this list of charges by logging into myMilton, and selecting the “Bookstore” option under the “Student Info” tab.

Will I be asked to contribute to the School?

Milton needs support from families to help maintain the Academy’s excellence. More than 75 percent of parents have given to the Annual Fund in recent years, and we are working toward 100 percent participation. Your contribution is a vote of confidence in the School and the importance of your child’s experiences; your gift also helps fund crucial programs such as faculty salaries and financial aid.

Grades and Comments

When can I expect to see grades and comments?

Students in Classes I–IV receive interim grades and comments in mid-November and mid-April, and end-of-semester grades and comments in early February and mid-June. You will also receive an overview comment from your son or daughter’s advisor in November, February, and in June. You may view grades, comments, and advisor reports at myMilton, a portal on the Milton Academy website (www.milton.edu).

What should my child do if he/she feels sick?

Any time a student does not feel well, he or she should speak with the house head, a house parent or a teacher who will refer the student to the Health Center. During the academic day, students should go directly to the Health Center. Giving full information (on the School health forms) about your child’s health status (medical and psychological) is important, because it helps Health Center staff make better decisions about responding to a child’s illness or symptoms.

Registered nurses provide services throughout the school day to both day and boarding students, and overnight to boarding students who need medical attention. The nurses, in consultation with the school physician, determine appropriate care. In a medical emergency, we will make every effort to notify parents, and an adult will accompany the student to a medical facility, using ambulance transportation if necessary. In the event that we cannot reach you, your signature on the “permission to treat” form will allow medical professionals to provide necessary treatment. We will make sure that your child receives immediate care and will contact you as soon as possible. If at any time you sense that your child is ill, please call the house head or Health Center (617-898-2450, 2451) directly. Parents should understand that medical or psychological care that is provided by the nurses or counselors is covered by the medical fee. However, when a student sees a physician, parents will receive a fee-for-service bill.

What if my child requires medication?

Students must inform the Health Center about any prescription medication. Students may not keep prescription medications in their house rooms, unless the Health Center has approved it. Milton’s psychiatric consultant will meet with boarding students who are taking psychotropic medications, at the parents’ expense, to monitor the medication. In addition, boarding students who are taking psychotropic medications are required to meet regularly with a school counselor. All psychotropic medication must be dispensed by a nurse. Failure to abide by this regulation could result in disciplinary action.

Is psychological counseling available?

Students may engage in psychological counseling with a Health Center counselor on a confidential basis. They may schedule an appointment with a counselor directly, or through the nurses. Parents are also welcome to consult with the counselors when they have a concern about their child. If a student wishes to see a psychiatrist, that appointment may be scheduled through the counselors at the parent’s expense.

Will Milton release information about my child to the public?

Generally, Milton does not release information about a student without written consent of the parent(s) or legal guardians. Exceptions to this rule are the following:

• Recommendations or transcripts requested by the parent/student for employers, colleges and special programs
• Press releases or feature articles in print or on the website noting awards, activities, or academic or personal distinctions

Occasionally, a reporter may also ask to interview a student in connection with his or her accomplishments or participation in Milton Academy programs. The enrollment online forms that parents complete each spring allow parents to decline press releases or media interaction.

What types of activities take place during the weekend, and who may attend?

Between athletic contests on Saturdays and evening activities and performances planned by and for all students, boarding and day, from Classes I–IV, the Milton campus is a busy, well-lit center of life all weekend long. We encourage all students to attend planned weekend activities.

How are weekends planned?

Students plan weekend life at Milton. The Student Activities Association (S.A.A.) works with the support of the director of student activities to plan events for Friday and Saturday nights for Classes I–IV. Detailed information about weekend events can be found on the online Upper School calendar.

How can I learn about weekend events?

A full schedule of weekend events is available on Milton’s online calendar. Since students plan the activities, occasionally there are changes, so check frequently and late in the week for weekend activities. You will also receive a monthly email from the dean of students, highlighting important and timely information, including the line-up of weekend events available to students.

Are there any formal dances?

Each class typically holds one formal “creative black tie” dance per year.

What religious services are offered at school?

Boarders attend a required Interfaith Chapel service on Sunday evenings at 6 p.m. Chapel services include guest speakers of varying religious backgrounds, student and faculty speakers and special programs. These programs include services led by student organizations such as Onyx, the S.G.A., the Latino Association, the Jewish Student Union, Asian Society and GASP! (Gender and Sexuality Perspectives). The Chapel program brings the boarding community together to provide a context for spiritual reflection, and to teach students about different religious practices.

What happens if my child wants to worship off campus?

The School helps meet the religious needs of students of all faiths. Opportunities to worship in a number of religious settings are near the campus. Upon request, the School can help arrange transportation for students to various places of worship by contacting the deans’ office.