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As a boarding school Franklin Academy is a "round-the-clock"
community. In many ways, Franklin is really like
a small village where everyone knows each other.
Many of our administrators and teachers live on
campus or in the surrounding neighborhood with
their spouses, children, and pets. Franklin faculty are both colleagues and
neighbors, and the bonds of friendship and camaraderie
grow quite strong. Every teacher instructs in
the classroom, sponsors a variety of campus activities,
chaperones off-campus excursions, and serves as
a houseparent and member of both weekday and weekend
duty teams that provide supervision for our students.
Such a full engagement in the life of the Franklin
community allows students to see their teachers
in a wide variety of roles and in many different
settings. Whether at breakfast, lunch, or dinner
in the Dining Hall, throughout a Monday evening
on the second floor of the dormitory, in East
Haddam while completing a community service project
on a Wednesday afternoon, during an Individual
& Community class in the School House, or
on a Saturday afternoon trip to Mystic Seaport,
teachers and students interact across campus and
beyond.
We are on a first name basis with each other
- headmaster and ninth grader, classroom teacher
and senior - creating a closeness and informality
that promotes positive relationships.
Our highest priority from the very beginning
has been to create a school community where every
student feels safe, connected, understood, and
supported, as well as to forge an environment
that fosters health, intellectual curiosity, appropriate
risk-taking, and personal growth. Rather than
existing alone at the periphery of a school's
population, these children are thriving "front
and center" at Franklin Academy where they
have the chance to live and learn together in
an atmosphere of respect and compassion.
The Franklin Family -- June 2008
The following is the Franklin Code of Conduct by
which we all strive to live our lives in this community:
We respect each other. We recognize that
each person has the fundamental right to be respected
and accepted as a fellow human being. This is true
even when we do not agree with ideas or behavior.
We are honest. We do not lie to or deceive
each other. We speak the truth to the best of our
ability. We stand by our own work and actions and
do not blame others for our mistakes or take credit
for another's work.
We resolve our conflicts non-violently. We
do not use physical force or violence. We do not
use put-downs, call people names, or abuse others
psychologically or emotionally. We do not keep,
show, or use weapons of any kind. We consciously
strive to learn about non-violent means of conflict
resolution.
We show respect for differences. We do not
harass others because of differences in gender,
race, religion, sexual orientation, or for any other
reason. We do not make fun of or mock others for
differences of opinion, belief, or thought. We strive
to learn about other cultures and points of view
and to communicate respectfully even when we do
not agree.
We take care of ourselves. We take care of
our physical bodies and our mental and emotional
well-being. We seek help when we are having difficulty.
We take care of each other. We respectfully
encourage each other to be as healthy as possible
and report incidents or situations that could cause
harm to ourselves or to others.
We take care of Franklin Academy. We participate
in the on-campus service program, maintain personal
areas and possessions, and refrain from any activity
that is damaging to our campus. We actively work
to create and maintain policies and practices that
promote a safe and healthy community. We challenge
those policies and practices that do not do so.
Our questioning, debate, and participation in the
function and process of our community is the work
that is necessary to maintain a safe and healthy
atmosphere.
We take care of the world. We recycle, compost,
and participate in the off-campus service program.
We strive to know our strengths, talents and responsibilities,
and to address the needs of others and the world
around us.
Click on the play control to view a five-minute slide show of the many faces that comprise the community of Franklin Academy.
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