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Your Home Away from Home: Boarding Program at WMA in Wilbraham MA

Female students smiling in dorm

What to Expect From Boarding at WMA

More than half of WMA's 400 students live on campus, which makes boarding the heartbeat of life at Wilbraham and Monson Academy, not an add-on. Located in Wilbraham, Massachusetts, approximately 90 miles from Boston and 25 miles from Hartford, Connecticut, WMA is one of New England's most accessible boarding high schools for families traveling from the Northeast, internationally, or anywhere in between.

Students come from 12 U.S. states and 32 countries. They share dormitories, dining halls, athletic fields, and classrooms, and 100 percent of them go on to college. The boarding program is built to make all of that possible by giving students the structure, support, and community they need to thrive far from home.

See below for a list of suggested items to bring to campus as a boarding student.

PACKING LIST

Two students sitting in their dorm room
Dorm Parents

Every WMA dormitory has at least four dorm parents who live inside the building. They are full-time teachers and coaches during the day, which means they know your student in the classroom, on the field, and in the hallway before curfew. At night and on weekends they guide students through homework, spend time with boarders in the common room, and manage off-campus permissions. There is always a dorm parent on duty.

Each dorm also has a student prefect, a trained peer leader who assists dorm parents and serves as a point of contact for boarders navigating daily life on campus.

 

Take A Peek Into WMA's Boarding School Dorms

WMA has four dormitories, each with its own character. All include faculty apartments, a furnished common room, a refrigerator, a microwave, and on-site laundry. Dorm assignments for new students are sent in early August, and all new students are placed in double rooms with a thoughtfully selected roommate from a different background.

We encourage students to make their rooms feel like home. They may choose to add personal touches like posters, bedding and other decorations to create their dream room.

“I believe that living on a campus as a boarding student has helped me grow personally, because without the guidance of my parents I’ve been forced to develop myself and I’ve become more independent as a person.’’

- Vicky L. '28, boarding student

 

 

Getting Here and Getting Home

WMA makes travel to and from campus straightforward for boarding families. With advance notice, the school arranges transportation between campus and four major transit hubs: the Peter Pan and Greyhound bus station in Springfield, Massachusetts; the Amtrak train station in Springfield; Bradley International Airport in Hartford, Connecticut; and Logan International Airport in Boston.

Transportation is available between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m. during major school breaks and long weekends. Students sign up through the Deans Office. During designated on-campus weekends, students are not permitted to sign out for overnight trips.

Dorm Life: FAQ

More Than a Massachusetts Boarding School
Families considering boarding high schools in New England will find WMA offers something hard to replicate: a campus where boarding is the norm, not the exception. With students from 32 countries living and learning side by side, faculty who know their students as people, and a college placement record of 100 percent, WMA is built for students who are ready to take on the world.

Schedule a visit or request information to learn more about life on campus.