Deerfield Academy instructors seek to provide students the tools and environment to facilitate formative learning. They do this through knowledge of subject, pedagogy, and support of students. On occasion students may need additional support outside the classroom to assist in their learning and comprehension.
When in need of academic support, students should self-advocate and are encouraged to first reach out to their teachers. Teachers at Deerfield often offer extra help outside of the class day through one-on-one sessions or regular, large-group sessions with open questions.
Peer tutors are highly qualified, vetted students who will meet one-on-one with another student to help them with a specific course. Peer tutors are available in the Boyden Library and Crow Commons for drop in appointments between 7:45-8:45 pm, Sunday through Thursday; no appointment is needed to attend drop in hours.
Students can also sign up for individual peer tutoring appointments outside of the evening drop in hours. Students can sign up for tutoring by email.
Each student is assigned a faculty advisor who assists in all aspects of daily life. Advisors act as an informal counselor to students and attend to students’ academic needs. Advisors assist in developing an academic program that bests suits the individual needs of each student. For first-year boarding students, advisors are typically the faculty resident or associate on their corridor. First-year day students are usually assigned one of their classroom teachers as an advisor. After the first year, students may request to change advisors or keep their present advisor.
Office Support
The Academic Affairs Office, through the Director of Academic Support, works with students when additional academic support is warranted. The Director can offer individual meetings to improve time management/study skills as well as writing support. Occasionally students may utilize approved independent tutors. Independent tutors who work with students on campus must be vetted by the Academic Affairs Office and meetings are held in the Boyden Library. Contact the Director of Academic Support, Mrs. Sheryl Koyama for a list of approved tutors.
Garonzik study hall is a distraction free environment in which to study. Study hall runs 7:45–9:35 Monday–Thursday evenings. 9th and 10th graders need to set a schedule of nights they would like to attend and communicate that schedule to their faculty residents and the study hall proctors. 11th and 12th graders may attend as drop-ins, but they should come for the entire time block in order to minimize distracting traffic in and out of the study hall. Students should leave their phones in their rooms or place them on the table at the front of the study hall. Computer use is solely for academic work during this time. For any questions about study hall, please contact the Director of Academic Support, Mrs. Sheryl Koyama.
The Deerfield Policy on Academic Accommodations details the Academy’s policy and processes governing students with documented learning disabilities who have or who seek academic accommodations. For any questions related to this document, please contact the Director of Academic Support, Mrs. Sheryl Koyama.
Support
Study Hours are in effect Sunday–Thursday from 7:45–9:45 pm. During this time, all students should be engaged in academic work; social media, video games, and other non-academic pursuit are not allowed. All underclassmen have proctors on their dormitory corridors. Proctors are chosen from the senior class; they act as role models and student mentors to the younger students. They are chosen for their maturity, their interest in helping others, and their ability to relate to people of different backgrounds and personalities.
Juniors and seniors may choose an appropriate place of study on campus. Ninth- and tenth-graders are expected to be in their dormitories.
7 Boyden Lane, PO Box 87, Deerfield, MA 01342
NOTICE OF NONDISCRIMINATORY POLICY AS TO STUDENTS: Deerfield Academy admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.
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