Visitors

CO-ED VISITATION
Co-ed visitation is a privilege for all students. Respecting other peoples’ privacy and sensibilities is paramount. Thanks to the hard work of students over the last few years the following rules have been agreed upon.

1. The times for co-ed visitation are as follows:

Weekdays: 5:00 p.m.–7:15 p.m.
Weekends: 9:00 a.m.–Midnight

2. Dorm students may visit rooms of students of the opposite sex during these times without checking with a dorm parent if the door remains fully open at all times.

3. A member of the opposite sex who wishes to study in the dorms outside of co-ed visitation times may do so in the lounges.

A day student violating a coed visitation rule may not be allowed in either dorm for the same amount of time that a boarder would lose coed visitation privileges.

Failure to follow these rules may result in a strike, loss of co-ed visitation or a meeting with the discipline committee. Both students (visitor and host) will receive consequences for coed visitation violations.

DAY STUDENTS
Day students are allowed to visit the dorms after school if they are accompanied by a resident student. Day students must report to the dorm parent on duty when visiting dorm students. Dorm students are responsible for informing their guests of dorm rules. A day student violating a dorm rule may not be welcome in the dorms.

OVERNIGHT GUESTS
Our program is only able to host current and prospective students as overnights guest. Students wishing to host a guest should seek approval from the Director of Residential Life or Dean of Residential Life 24 hours in advance and notify the dorm parent on duty. Parents of the guest should contact the dorm parent on duty to answer any questions as well as ensure permission for the visit. Though the visitor must agree to obey all Dorm and School rules, the host or hostess will be held responsible for the actions of the guest and will be expected to be with the guest at all times. Unless otherwise approved, visitors are not allowed during school nights. For information about the Backyard Exchange, see Experiential Education in the Upper School section of this handbook.

Host Family Program
The host family program is designed to encourage interactions between dorm and day students and their families and enhance the sense of community at OES. Periodically throughout the year the dorm staff will match students with an OES day family for an overnight or weekend.

Television Hours
Each dorm has a television and VHS/DVD player for student viewing. The volume should, of course, be held to a reasonable level; and good taste in choice of programs is expected. The dorm parents reserve the right to turn off a program that may be offensive. Also, the televisions may be on only during the hours listed below. Violation of these hours will cause both televisions to be turned off for a period of time.

MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY
• 3:00–7:15 p.m.
WEEKEND
• 3:00 p.m. Friday–7:15 p.m. Sunday

Dorm Rooms

ROOM CLEANING
Since students are expected to maintain neat and clean rooms, there will be room inspections on Sunday, typically at 5:00 p.m., at which time all rooms must meet our current cleanliness standards.

Prior to departing for the weekend, students must make sure their rooms are clean. This includes students participating in OES activities. Every room is inspected, and students are responsible for the cleanliness of their rooms, regardless of their weekend obligations.

At year’s end, cleaning and damages will be assessed by maintenance and charged to the student’s residence account if there is excessive damage or garbage in a room.

STEREOS
Students are allowed to play stereos during free time after school. Volume is often an issue—therefore we request that students always be considerate of others when playing music. Many students prefer headphones.

PETS
Students are allowed to have fish—all other animals are prohibited. Care and feeding are the responsibility of the owner. During vacations students must make special arrangements for feeding and care. Dorm parents are not responsible for students’ pets.

NOISE AND INDOOR PLAY
All overly loud, exuberant and boisterous activity should take place outside the dorm buildings. Under no circumstances should any kind of ball, Frisbee, or projectile be used in the dorms.

ROOM KEYS
Every student is given a room key and key card at the beginning of the year. A lost key or key card incurs a $10.00 replacement charge.

ROOMMATE CHANGES
When a student is concerned about his or her relationship with a roommate, he or she should take the following steps before expecting that any changes will be made.

1. The student can and should raise the concern with a dorm parent, Dean of Residential Life, Upper School counselor or academic advisor so that the school and the dorms understand that there is a concern.

2. The student and his or her roommate should meet separately with an Upper School counselor in order to explain their individual perspectives on the situation.

3. Once the counselor feels that he or she has a sense of what the concern is, the roommates should meet either separately or together at least two more times to problem solve before the dorms will consider making a roommate switch. These meetings should occur weekly for a couple of weeks.

4. Any consideration of a roommate switch will happen after these meetings have occurred and with the consultation of the school counselor and the Dean of Residential Life. The counselors and the Dean of Residential Life may decide that a roommate switch is not necessary.

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