Program Description

Northfield Mount Hermon School

NMH Summer Session
Northfield, Massachusetts


		Program Description Program Overview Visit Web Site Get Free Info See Photos

For More Information, Contact
Northfield Mount Hermon Summer Session
1 Lamplighter Way
Mount Hermon, Massachusetts 01354-9638
413-498-3290
Fax: 413-498-3112
http://www.nmhschool.org
E-mail: summer_school@nmhschool.org

Type of Program: Academic credit and enrichment
Participants: Coeducational, students entering grades 7–12
Enrollment: 250
Program Dates: June 27 to August 1
Head of Program: Gregory T. Leeds, Director

Location

Located adjacent to the Connecticut River in a historic New England town in western Massachusetts, the natural beauty of the campus includes surrounding forests, a pond, a working farm, and mountain views.

Background and Philosophy

In 1900, the Mount Hermon School for Boys began utilizing the summer months as part of a year-round, three-term educational program, and in so doing the first version of the summer school was born. In 1960, the Liberal Studies Program was launched as an independent summer school open to non-NMH students, and this marked the beginning of an evolution into the modern version of what is now NMH Summer Session. Its goal is to provide a strong academic program in a supportive setting to students from a wide variety of backgrounds and cultures.

Program Offerings

College Prep Program—students entering grades 10–12
Middle School Program—students entering grades 7–9
College Prep This program is for capable, motivated high school students. Course offerings include Expository Writing, Academic Writing, Creative Writing, Literature and Composition, Writing and the Outdoors, Psychology, U.S. History, American Society and Culture, Algebra I and II, Geometry, Precalculus, Calculus, Chemistry, Biology, Physics, and English as a Second Language.
The average class size is 10 students. Academic classes meet six mornings a week, and each student chooses one major course. Some may qualify for academic-year credit if students make prior arrangements with their own schools. In addition, there are afternoon sports and minor courses in art, music, drama, and various other subjects.
Middle School This program is designed to provide students with the opportunity to experience serious academic work in a boarding school setting. Each participant takes two courses that are intended to help prepare him or her for the academic year. Offerings include Writing, Skills in Literature, Drama, Literature, Realistic Fiction, Pre-algebra, Algebra I, Field Biology, Geography, Beginning Spanish, Beginning French, and English as a Second Language.
There are two 75-minute morning classes each day, six days a week, and afternoon sports and minor courses.

Enrollment

Approximately 250 students attend each summer. They come from all parts of the United States as well as from abroad (50 percent). Twenty-two states and thirty countries were represented last summer.

Daily Schedule

7:30–8:15
8:30–11:30
11:30–1:00
1:30–3:00

3:30–5:00
5:00–6:30
6:00–7:30
7:30–10:00
10:30
11:00

Breakfast
Classes
Lunch
College Prep minor courses and labs, Middle
School sports
College Prep sports, Middle School minor courses
Dinner
Free time
Study period
Middle School students lights-out
College Prep students in rooms

Extra Opportunities and Activities

NMH Summer Session regularly provides activities that include trips to Boston and New York and excursions to Six Flags Amusement Park and white-water rafting. There are typically more than thirty different activities and trips offered each summer.

Facilities

The School’s facilities include phone and computer network connections in student rooms; online access to a library and more than 700,000 volumes; computer and multimedia labs; and a new performing and visual arts center with specialty studios for painting, photography, and dance. Athletic facilities include a gym with an indoor pool and a fitness center and outdoor playing fields and tennis courts.

Staff

Teachers are drawn from Northfield Mount Hermon’s school-year teaching staff and from other schools and colleges. In addition, 35 teaching interns from top colleges and universities assist with the program.

Medical Care

A resident physician and nurse are on call 24 hours a day.

Costs

Tuition, room, and board for on-campus programs ranged from $6000 to $6200 in 2008. About $400 should be enough for personal spending money. There is a $1500 nonrefundable deposit at the time of enrollment, which is applied to the tuition charge.

Financial Aid

A financial aid program makes it possible for students from all economic levels to attend. Financial aid grants are based on demonstrated financial need. Financial aid applications must be submitted by March 1, and families are notified of aid decisions by March 15.

Application Timetable

Inquiries are welcome anytime. There is no application deadline (unless a student is applying for financial aid, as highlighted in the Financial Aid section). However, students are encouraged to apply early, as some courses fill quickly. Admission decisions are made on a rolling basis, as soon as files are completed.