Boarding FAQ

List of 14 items.

• Who takes care of boarding students?

  Approximately 40 faculty members live on our campus in Southborough along with Fay’s boarders, creating a supportive and diverse boarding school community. Faculty and staff members live on each floor of every dorm. These live-in dorm parents are the primary caretakers of boarding students in the evenings and on weekends and spend two or three days per week on the floor. In addition, other faculty members are associated with dorms as added dorm parents. All dorm parents are trained to address the needs of middle school boarders.

• What are the dorm rooms like?

  Dorm rooms at Fay offer ample storage for student possessions and come furnished with a bed, desk, closet, and dresser. Students are encouraged to decorate their rooms to reflect their interests and personalities.

• Does everyone have a roommate?

  All boys in the dorms live in double or triple rooms. All younger girls and many girls in 8th grade also have roommates. Learning to live with another person is an important life skill that encourages organization, responsibility, and respect. The chemistry between roommates is important, as is developing trust and respect for each other. Dorm parents work with roommates to resolve any issues and encourage open and honest dialogue to help students make the most of their year together. International students are placed in rooms with students who are not from their home country to encourage the development of the English speaking skills.

• What if a boarding student gets sick?

  The Wellness Center includes a state-of-the-art Health Office with a registered nurse on duty daily between 6:30 AM and 10:30 PM, as well as overnight when necessary. The school works with a local physician to address any medical issues and can provide assistance for both short-term and long-term care of sick students.

• Can my child bring and use a cell phone?

  Boarding students are allowed the use of their cell phones between sports and dinner (4:30 - 6:00 pm) and during choice time (8:30 - 9:15 pm) on weekdays, on the weekends, and when traveling to or from campus. Students register their phone with the Residential Life Office upon arrival at school. Multiple phones are located in the common rooms of dorms to enable boarders to communicate with friends and family from home. 

• How will I know what my child is doing at Fay?

  The best way to learn what your child is doing is to call the dorms and talk to them directly. Your calls are welcome! Information on weekday and weekend activities is regularly posted for parents of boarding students on the School website. Additionally, there is regular communication and updates from the Residential Life Office to boarding parents.

• Can students leave campus on weeknights?

  After the first two weeks of school, boarders with local relatives or friends are free to leave for dinner or an evening excursion with parental permission. Academics take priority on school nights, so boarders are expected to return for study hall. Establishing relationships with day families is a rewarding way for boarding students to enjoy a home-cooked meal and experience a change of scenery from campus.

• Do international and domestic boarding students live together?

  Yes! Fay is a community that encourages students from all backgrounds to interact and learn from each other. To that end, most U.S. students are paired with international roommates (and vice-versa). Students who share the same non-English first language are not placed in the same room. As students enter their second year, they can request roommates for the following year.

• Do boarding and day students hang out together?

  Yes! Whether it is in class, on the athletic fields, or at a weekend event, there are ample opportunities for boarders and day students to interact and form lifelong friendships at Fay. Local families routinely invite boarding students home for dinners or weekends. Special weekend events such as movie nights, sports tournaments, and dances also provide a chance for boarders and day students to spend meaningful time together outside of the academic day.

• How do boarding students traveling alone get to and from school?

  Many students travel to and from Fay School on their own. These students are met at and brought to local airports, train stations and bus terminals by an adult chaperone. The school takes care to provide unaccompanied minor services when necessary, and to ensure that students are adequately cared for throughout their travels. The Residential Life Office works with families to coordinate schedules and arrange transportation to and from Southborough.

• What is a closed weekend and when are they?

  The first two weekends and last weekend of the school year are closed weekends. This means that all boarders are expected to remain on campus to participate in various activities designed to build community at the opening of school and provide a culminating experience in the final weeks of the year.

• What are meal times like?

  Sage Dining Services provides an impressive variety of menu items to boarding students for all three meals of the day. Breakfasts always include options such as bagels, cereal, oatmeal and fruit, as well as hot items such as eggs, pancakes and French toast. Lunch is a great opportunity for boarding and day students to interact, and always includes a salad bar, fruit and yogurt in addition to the rotating menu items. Finally, the family-style dinner is a cornerstone of the Fay School boarding experience. Menu items reflect the multicultural nature of Fay and always include rice, as well as vegetarian and soup options. Students rotate in the role of waiter at each meal, and important community announcements are shared after the meal.

• Should my child bring a computer?

  Yes. Boarding students are expected to bring a laptop for both school and personal use. Once registered on the school network, boarders can access their school work, check assignments, and do Internet research within the parameters of our safety filters. The school supports both PC and Mac operating systems and also has numerous computers available in the dorms and academic buildings for students to work on throughout the day and night.

• Will my child be able to attend a house of worship?

  Yes! As an open and inclusive community, we welcome students from a wide range of religious traditions. On the weekends, we provide transportation to local houses of worship for those students who wish to attend.