Frequently Asked Questions About The Boarding Program (Ames Hill)

What is the Ames Hill Program and who are the Ames Hill students?

Ames Hill is the residential program for boarding students in grades 9-12 who attend The MacDuffie School. Our boarding students live in five large, historical houses located on Ames Hill Drive on the MacDuffie campus. Ames Hill students come from all over the world: Asia, Africa, Europe, and South America.

What is the centerpiece of the Ames Hill Program?

The Ames Hill Program is very unique and different from other boarding programs. This is not a typical boarding program with large dormitories, never-ending hallways and meals in dining halls. The MacDuffie Boarding Program is exceptional because of the family friendly atmosphere that had been created in each house by a group of students and the house parents. Ames Hill students live in their homes as a “family” and quickly foster an atmosphere of understanding, acceptance, and respect. They take care of their homes, they eat dinners together, they help each other, and they can always count on support from their house parents and house prefects.

Where and how do the Ames Hill students live?

Ames Hill students live in 5 houses around the circle that are within a short walking distance from the school building, the library and the gym. There are separate houses for girls and boys in grades 9-12. There are 8-12 students and a house parent living in each house. The houses have a common area for students with Internet access, computers, a piano, and a TV set as well as a dining room, kitchen, bedrooms for students and a private living area for the house parent(s). Most of the students occupy double rooms with a private or shared bathroom. There are some single, triple and quad rooms in the houses.

Who are the house parents?

House parents are either married couples or individuals who live with students in the houses on campus. Most of the house parents have a full time job on or off campus. All Ames Hill House Parents have in common the commitment to ensure that students live in safe, clean, attractive homes. They help students with their social adjustment to the residential program.

Are Ames Hill students responsible for cleaning their homes?

MacDuffie is a “self-help” School; all students participate in the work and upkeep of the School as part of their role in the community.  This self-help concept is also incorporated into the Ames Hill houses. Students in each house are assigned to daily chores that may include helping with meal preparation, setting the dinner table, loading the dishwasher, or taking out the trash. Students are responsible for keeping their bedrooms and bathroom neat at all times. All housemates work together to keep their houses clean and to provide a pleasant living environment for each other. Sunday early evening is a cleaning time for Ames Hill students and their house parents. They all clean the common area, kitchen, and dinning room together.

How about the meals?

Ames Hill students eat most of their meals in their houses. In the morning students prepare a light breakfast before they leave for school. On school days, Ames Hill and day students eat lunch in the School’s dining hall.
On most evenings students have a sit-down dinner with their house parents and housemates. The dinner is prepared by the house parents who accommodate students’ dietary needs. The dinner time is very important to all residents as they eat a tasty, home-cooked meal and talk about school or plans for the coming weekend. The Ames Hill community often has weekly gatherings in one of the houses. On Wednesday nights, all students, house parents, and guests have a festive dinner in Castle house. On Fridays and Saturdays students have a choice of ordering take out, going out, or just enjoying another home-cooked meal.

What do the students do on weekends?

There are plenty of weekend activities for Ames Hill students. Some of the most popular activities include bowling, roller skating, movies, and playing pool. Students participate in seasonal activities: apple picking, carving pumpkins, and decorating a Christmas tree. There are regular van rides for the students to nearby places like local malls, the bank, and Starbucks. Students attend cultural events, such as concerts, musicals, and art exhibits.

Twice a year Ames Hill students attend overnight trips. Recent destinations have included Philadelphia, Boston, and New York City. These tours usually include sightseeing, museums visits, a musical or a concert, a group dinner in a local restaurant, and a campus tour of one of the universities. The trips are a great opportunity for Ames Hill students to visit another city and to get to know the other students.