Suffield Academy
185 N Main St, Suffield, CT 06078
(860)668-7315
Esse quam videri — to be rather than to seem.
Suffield is an independent, coeducational, college preparatory boarding and day school for grades 9 through 12 and PG. The campus is located 20 miles directly North of Hartford, CT.
The school was founded in 1833 and is located on a 368 acre campus. There are ~410 students of which 18% are international (27 countries). Reasonably large day student population with only 67% boarders. The average class has 10 students. There is a 1:5 Teacher/Student Ratio.
Charlie Cahn- Head of School; has been in his post since 2004 and is an incredible asset to the school. Both he and his wife are very visible on campus and he greets students by name. Sean Atkins- Director of Admissions. 24% acceptance rate.
Curriculum: Students can choose from a wide range of courses, including 28 Honors and AP courses. 14 STEM courses are offered annually. The typical course load for most students each term is five full-credit courses. Each course meets twice a week for 45 minutes and twice a week for 70 minutes. Each student must take a leadership course each year.
Leadership Program: This program symbolizes the values at Suffield and is based on encouraging all students to be active, responsible community members. In grades 9, 10, and 11, students are required to take year-long leadership courses where the curriculum emphasizes experiential learning and self-discovery. 9th graders learn the discipline of “personal mastery,” where students develop vital skills, habits, and thought processes. 10th graders focus on values and citizenship through self-management, public speaking, and collaborative skills while introducing elements of group dynamics and service learning projects. 11th graders prepare for leadership by reinforcing the competencies of personal mastery established in freshman and sophomore seminars, while focusing more explicitly on developing the students’ leadership capabilities. Students in 12th grade engage as a leader in the community by holding at least one formal leadership position and participating in a senior seminar program. The Senior Seminars covers a variety of topics in a three-parts seminar: (1) topics including credit scores, types of debt, credit cards, and global topics such as the the 2008 recession; (2) helping students understand what is happening to their bodies when they feel stress and building strategies to manage these feelings; and (3) focuses on Title IX and its history, its impact on higher education and American culture, and current issues facing students and schools related to sexual misconduct.
Sports/Activity Requirements: There are 30 athletic teams and clubs and 34 outdoor clubs and after school programs for students to choose from. Students are encouraged to participate in an interscholastic team each season. If students prefer non-competitive alternatives, they may also choose to participate in SOLO (Suffield Outdoor Leadership Opportunities), where they go hiking, canoeing, kayaking, rock climbing, snowshoeing, camping, and other seasonal activities. There are other alternatives in art, music, theatre, academic programs, and community outreach.
On-Campus Work Program: Every student is expected to have an on-campus work assignment each term. The following is a list of areas where work assignments might be made: dining services, library, snack bar, Admissions Office, Health Center, bookstore, mail room, Dean of Students & Campus Life office, and fitness center. Work assignments are made before the beginning of each term and emailed to students. Students have the opportunity to request a specific assignment by signing up with the on-campus work coordinator.
Dress Code: During the academic day Monday through Saturday, students must follow Formal Dress Code. Formal Dress Codes includes a tucked-in dress shirt, belt, and visible necktie; a sleeved, collared blouse or two visible layers which consist of a dress shirt/sweater and one additional layer; dress pants, corduroys or khakis; or skirts or dresses that extend to the knee. For Saturday Morning Dress Code, students may choose between formal dress code and Suffield Spirit dress code, which allows them to wear Suffield regalia above the waist.
Seated Meals: Students are required to attend seated lunches and dinners on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. The meals are served family-style and seating assignments are changed each week.
Study Hall: Required evening study hall from 8-10pm Sunday through Friday.
Saturday Programming: Classes or special programming are held on Saturdays.
Residential Life: Students can participate in over 26 extracurricular organizations, such as student government, the singing group, chess club, the school’s newspaper, and weekend activities committee. The Advisor Program is an important part of residential life at Suffield Academy. Each student is assigned an advisor, who encourages and guides them throughout their journey at Suffield. Advisors host dinners and have scheduled meetings with their students. During the weekends, students can choose from a number of on- and off-campus activities. On-campus activities include dances, games on the turf fields, performances, and the annual Color Wars. Off-campus activities may be taking school shuttles to the movies, restaurants, or the mall.