Life on Dorm

Boarding students at St. Anne’s-Belfield School enjoy the best of both worlds: they learn the independence of living away from home, while having the adult support, caring community, superb facilities, and phenomenal offerings of a top-notch urban day school.

Enrollment in our boarding program is intentionally limited to allow us to maintain a sense of family and community. The health, safety, and well-being of each boarding student are our primary concerns at all times; beyond that we deliberately teach the habits of generosity, hard work in and out of the classroom, and independence.

Residential life at St. Anne’s-Belfield School is a challenging and rewarding experience. Students who graduate from this program leave the School with a first-class education, lifelong friendships, and the support of an entire community of students, families, faculty, staff, and alumni.

Residential Facilities

Students are housed in Walker House and Lee-DuVal Hall on our Greenway Rise Campus. A maximum of three students may share a room, and bathrooms are shared with next-door neighbors. Students are matched in rooms based on gender, age, and interests, and life with roommates allows students ample opportunity for immense personal growth. Dorm rooms are fully equipped with Internet access, and Wi-Fi is available campus-wide. Residential Life staff live throughout the dormitory buildings and in homes adjacent to the campus.

While every dorm room is furnished with the basics, students quickly decorate their rooms to reflect their own personalities, cultures, and styles. Shared laundry facilities are available for student use, and students contribute to the upkeep of their rooms and common spaces through daily and weekly times dedicated to tidying up.

Boarding students have shared common spaces where they can relax and enjoy the camaraderie of residential life. Widescreen televisions, a ping-pong table, and a piano are a few of the amenities in the common spaces. Students have access to the Student Activity Center, which includes a gym and weight room, as well as to the Lee-Duval Dining Hall should they like a quick snack or cup of tea. Our Dining Services staff prepares all meals on-campus, three meals per day on weekdays and brunch and dinner on weekends, and students may join in food preparation if they so desire. Birthdays (and half birthdays, for those with birthdays in the summer) are celebrated during dinner with the students selecting their birthday meals and desserts. Both boarding students and faculty help keep the dining areas clean.

Other facilities available to all Upper School students include state-of-the-art music and art studios, laboratories, a newly-renovated Dining Hall and Student Commons, a black box theatre, gymnasiums, weight training facilities, softball and baseball fields, tennis courts, squash courts, and grass and turf fields.

Boarding Activities

A wide range of activities are offered to our boarding students, including a Host Family Program with day student families, and the many academic, cultural, and athletic events offered by the University of Virginia just down the street. Organized weekend activities may include trips to the state capital of Richmond and Washington, D.C., our nation’s capital, as well as opportunities to explore the Blue Ridge Mountains, or enjoy activities in town such as laser tag, trampolining, movie night, ice skating, pumpkin carving, sledding, and participating in kickball, volleyball, ultimate Frisbee or ping-pong matches.

Throughout the year a number of special events also take place on dorm. Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Lunar New Year meals are a chance for boarding students to celebrate together and invite student or faculty guests to dine as a community. Lunar New Year dinner is prepared by the students, and host families, day students, and invited members of the University of Virginia community may attend. During the week before Winter Break, students may participate in a dorm-wide Secret Santa gift exchange, a fantastic bonding opportunity enjoyed by all who participate.

Boarding students also participate fully in the life and traditions of the School, including our annual Convocation ceremony officially opening the school year, our traditional Lessons & Carols service at the holidays, School Spirit Week, and more.

Daily Schedule

Weekdays

7:30 - 8:50 a.m.	Breakfast
8:00 a.m.	Orchestra and humanities classes
8:50 a.m. - 3:35 p.m.	Classes
3:35 - 5:30 p.m.	Athletics, drama, dance, or approved activity
6:30 p.m.	Dinner
6:45 p.m.	Announcements
7:30 - 9:00 p.m.	Study Hall (proctored by a dorm parent)
11:00 p.m.	Room check and lock up

Weekend schedules vary according to the activities and outings being offered. Meal times occur at 10:30 a.m. for brunch and 5:30 p.m. for dinner. Special schedules are set for three-day weekends and snow days.

School Breaks

St. Anne’s-Belfield School closes for Thanksgiving (one week), Winter Break (two weeks), and Spring Break (one week). The Residential Life Program also closes after Commencement for the summer break. Trips may be offered by the School during Thanksgiving and Spring Break. Students must stay with an adult during these breaks, and the School must be informed of their plans prior to their departure.

Student Safety

All boarding students have programmable key cards which allow them access to areas of campus that are locked to individuals who are not a part of the Residential Life community. Every dorm room door has an electronically-operated locking mechanism, opened with a four-digit code unique to every door’s lock. Dorm doors lock automatically upon closing. A dorm parent and members of the School’s security team are on duty at all times. These precautions work together to ensure our residential students’ safety on campus.