Cocurricular Program
How do we live together and support each other at the Mountain School?
Much of the learning that happens at the Mountain School occurs simply in the act of living with each other in a healthy and adaptive way. Knowing a place and taking care of it, as stated in our mission, includes knowing and taking care of each other. Living in a dorm, eating together, having fun, coming up with solutions to problems, maintaining our mental health, and holding each other accountable are all social acts and important skills that we practice together over the course of four months.
Living in community includes dorm life, dining, affinity groups, school gatherings, and collectively deciding what to do with the time we have with each other.
RESIDENTIAL LIFE || FOOD & DINING || SCHOOL FORUMS || WEEKENDS || ADVISING || AFFINITY GROUPS || SAFETY & WELLBEING
Residential Life
Students live in one of five dormitories, ranging in size from seven to fourteen students, mostly in rooms that house two or three people, though some singles and quads are available. Each dorm’s common room quickly becomes a place for music, conversation, or studying during quiet hours. Each dorm also has one or two affiliated dorm faculty who support and manage the house.
Most days conclude with check in, a short dorm meeting with all students and a faculty member. Residential life provides a setting for students to build lasting relationships with each other and their dorm faculty.
Food & Dining
Shared meals are at the heart of the Mountain School experience.
Meals at the Mountain School are participatory, with everyone lending a hand in cooking and cleaning up afterward. Chefs develop menus that feature simple, hearty dishes prepared from scratch, aimed to acquaint eaters with a place-based diet. Through the Commons Work program, students are encouraged to spend time in the kitchen, helping prepare the meals and getting to know the chefs. Our dining norms and rituals encourage all diners to be present while eating, connect with others, and appreciate the labor from planting to harvesting to preparing, that has gone into our nourishment.
Our Culinary Studies course provides enrolled students an opportunity to learn the technical and creative sides of cooking, contributing ideas and effort toward our community’s meals. We recognize that many cultural traditions center food as a point of connection and celebration, which we explore in the course.
Our chefs do an amazing job of providing dishes that meet a wide variety of dietary and allergen guidelines. At every meal there are options without dairy, meat, gluten and eggs. We have supported students to find a healthy diet here at TMS, including those with nut allergens, Celiac’s disease, and diabetes.
Come prepared to try something new and share your own favorite recipes!
School Forums
All-school gatherings and discussions are essential to getting to know each other and helping the school run smoothly. The weekly schedule includes several opportunities for the whole school to gather and discuss relevant topics. Five days of the week begin with a short Morning Meeting where anyone can share announcements. On Wednesdays, we have a longer School Meeting with an agenda set by students and faculty, alike. Each Friday night, students gather for conversations and collaborative activities that might include a guest speaker, facilitated small-group discussions, or community building activities. Students are welcome and encouraged to bring up a topic and speak their minds.
Weekends
How to spend time with each other is an ever-present question at the Mountain School and weekends represent a significant portion of that time. Saturdays include a morning work period to maintain the campus and a fun nighttime activity planned by students. Sundays are less structured and provide opportunities for spontaneous adventures with support from the faculty on duty.
Weekends can be whatever it is that you need! Time for learning, relaxation, joy, socialization, exploration, or any combination of that.
Advising
While at the Mountain School, every student has a faculty member as an advisor and meets with them once a week. Your advisor is there to see if your needs are being met and make sure you are getting the support you need. They can help you with a variety of things including time management, stress management, addressing conflicts and/or challenges, and academics. Your advisor also serves as the liaison for your parents/guardians and your sending school.
Affinity Groups
There are three affinity groups managed by faculty and available to students who self-identify accordingly: BIPOC (Black, Indigenous & People of Color), LGBTQ+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and others), and FLI (First-Gen & Low-Income).
Additionally, students may work with faculty to offer other affinity groups according to interest. Past semesters have had affinity groups for Dis/Ability, Children of Divorced Parents, and Jewish Students. These groups provide a space for students to connect with each other and with faculty members.
Safety and Wellbeing
Physical and mental health are essential to students’ success at the Mountain School. We have a school social worker and a school nurse who coordinate with the Student Support Team to manage care both on and off campus. Services range from one-on-one counseling to arranging doctor visits to distributing medication. Reach out to our school nurse and social worker by emailing health@mountainschool.org.