Written and adopted by the Student Council in 2012, the Community Pledge guides our actions, behavior, and conduct at Deerfield Academy. It reads:
“I will act with respect, honesty, and concern for others, and I will seek to inspire the same values in our community and beyond.”
This is the basis for every rule found in this book and should itself be regarded as the single most important rule at Deerfield.
Any community can survive only in an atmosphere where honesty—and the trust that results—is a guiding principle. Dishonesty is a breach of trust and subjects a student to disciplinary action.
Any student who lies in documents or statements submitted as part of the Disciplinary Committee process may be liable for dismissal.
Academic integrity is of the utmost importance at Deerfield Academy and must be one of the guiding principles in the life of every student. At the core of academic integrity is a bond of trust between teacher and student. By affixing their name to a piece of work, students pledge that, unless properly cited, the work is entirely their own. Students occasionally benefit from cooperative and collaborative learning; however, when work is submitted by teams or individuals, each student must be able to independently explain and defend the claims and ideas presented and must acknowledge the collaboration. Furthermore, students should be thoughtfully cautious in providing aid to their peers—donors of unauthorized aid may be in violation of the school’s Academic Integrity guidelines.
Academic dishonesty in all its various forms can be broad and complex, and no policy on academic integrity can list and describe every possible transgression. The Academy expects that each student will work to understand this complexity and will adhere to the highest standards of honesty. If there is doubt about the guidelines for academic integrity, students should discuss questions with a teacher.
Plagiarism is the use of another person’s ideas or work without proper acknowledgment. The source of the plagiarized material may, for instance, be another student’s paper, a conversation with a peer, an exchange with a tutor or parent, an encyclopedia, a scholarly text, or an Internet site; the source does not change the degree or seriousness of the plagiarism. Plagiarism usually occurs in two forms: 1) copying and 2) receiving outside writing help.
The first form of plagiarism (copying) may consist of the following:
The second form of plagiarism occurs when students receive unacknowledged help in preparing an assignment. Such outside help includes proofreading, editing, and assistance from, but not limited to, parents/guardians, proctors, tutors, or classmates. While students are encouraged to discuss assignments with faculty and other students, all writing should be their own. Again, when in doubt, students should acknowledge any help they receive. A student will receive a failing grade for any assignment in which plagiarism occurs. In order to ensure adherence to this policy and to resolve questions of authorship, the Academy reserves the right to electronically screen papers and other submitted work for authenticity.
If ever in doubt, students should speak with their teachers and document their sources.
When a student submits work to a teacher in a course, the teacher expects that the work has been completed and submitted only in that course. Using the same assignment for credit twice is a shortcut that provides an unfair advantage. Students are credited for completing a course only when they have met in good faith all the requirements of/for that course specifically.
In cases where overlap between assignments in two different courses might lead the students to perform fruitful, interdisciplinary work, they may submit the same assignment for credit with approval from both teachers—who may attach additional expectations.
During any quiz, test, or examination, or graded work, students may not access any electronic or smart device unless explicitly allowed by their teacher or by a documented academic or medical accommodation. Prohibited devices include—but are not limited to—phones, tablets, computers, smart speakers, smart wearables (watches, glasses, headphones).
All students must check-in, face-to-face, at curfew. Being out of the dormitory after curfew or leaving the dormitory after check-in without permission is a breach of trust and thus a major rule violation. Repeated instances of tardiness for curfew may, at the faculty resident’s and/or dean’s discretion, be considered a major rule violation.
| CURFEWS | Sunday-Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
| Ninth- and Tenth-Graders | 7:45 pm | 10:30 pm | 11:00 pm |
| Juniors and Seniors | 9:45 pm | 11:00 pm | 11:30 pm |
Ninth grade lights and devices (including tablets, phones, and computers) must be turned off by 10:30 pm, and, at this time, tenth-graders must be in their rooms for the night.
Without approval from a Dean for late departure, day students should be off campus at curfew. They may return after 5:30 am.
Quiet Hours are in effect Sunday–Thursday from 7:45 pm until the start of classes the following day; during this time, access to the Lower Level and Meadows is prohibited, phone calls are discouraged, and students are expected to create an environment conducive to study. (Feeds sponsored by faculty or proctors from 9:45 – 10:15 pm on weeknights are excepted from Quiet Hours.)
Study Hours are in effect Sunday–Thursday from 7:45 pm to 9:45 pm. During this time, all students should be engaged in academic work; social media, video games, and other non-academic pursuits are prohibited during Study Hours.
Juniors and seniors may choose an appropriate place of study on campus.
Ninth- and tenth-graders are expected to be in their dormitories. Rarely, with on-duty faculty permission, they may leave the dorm for extra help during the first hour of Study Hall.
Spending time together is an important part of any healthy relationship. At Deerfield, we encourage students to visit each other, to foster friendships, and to practice the skills that lead to meaningful relationships.
The Visitation Policy does not—and should not—assume that students requesting Visitation are engaged in an intimate, physical, or sexual relationship. These rules cannot sufficiently address the complex topics of intimacy and consent but strive to promote a safe environment for all students.
Deerfield’s dorm room Visitation Policy acknowledges some students—regardless of their gender identity or sexual orientation—are engaged in relationships that are more than simple friendships. The closeness of our community and our current gender-binary housing system require a degree of trust.
The following rules are guided first and foremost out of concern for student safety:
In the first-floor common rooms below, Visitation does not require faculty permission but is subject to the following guidelines:
Monday through Friday, common room visitation is allowed from 2 pm until 15 minutes before curfew.
On Saturday and Sunday, common room visitation is allowed from 11 am until 15 minutes before curfew
The legal drinking age in the United States is twenty-one. The Academy forbids the use, purchase, attempted purchase, possession, distribution, and sale of alcohol and illegal drugs—in any form, even for students of legal age. Similarly, the Academy forbids the possession of equipment and paraphernalia, including vaporizers and electronic smoking devices, involved in the use of prohibited drugs. Also forbidden is any material, such as synthetic urine, designed to circumvent drug/alcohol testing protocols or results. Students who choose to remain in the presence of others who are violating this rule—regardless of the level of their participation—may be subject to a disciplinary response.
Please note: While possession and/or use of marijuana/cannabinoids has been decriminalized or legalized in some states including Massachusetts, the use and/or possession of marijuana/cannabinoids continues to be prohibited by Deerfield Academy.
The Disciplinary Committee will consider possession or attempted purchase of any alcohol in excess of 1.5 liters as evidence of intent to distribute; for drugs, the Committee will follow MA state guidelines.
Students who use illicit drugs such as opiates or cocaine, those who abuse prescription psychotropic drugs, and/or those who mix multiple drugs or consume such drugs and alcohol simultaneously may be subject to immediate dismissal.
Students who are found to have participated in the sale of alcohol or prohibited drugs on campus may be subject to immediate dismissal.
The Academy forbids the misuse or misappropriation of prescription drugs. Misuse includes taking a prescription drug or being in possession of a prescription drug that has been prescribed for a different person. Misappropriation includes acquiring drugs from any source other than the student’s healthcare provider or the Health Center; it also includes cases when a student provides a prescription drug to another student who is not the intended recipient. Psychotropic medication, a class of medication that requires special supervision in a boarding school environment, may only be used in strict accordance with the Psychotropic Medication Policy, which is available upon request from the Health Center.
All students at Deerfield should feel safe. When that is not the case, they should seek out a trusted adult (advisor, faculty resident, cocurricular supervisor, teacher, counselor, etc.), who can offer support and guidance on available steps to address the mistreatment—regardless of its nature—and to help make it stop. Examples of mistreatment include, but are not limited to the following:
Options for addressing these behaviors include: mediation, consultation with the Community Conduct Committee, and referral to the Student Life Office for consideration and possible disciplinary action.
Students are subject to the Academy’s rules—and potential disciplinary response—for both offline and online activities. We recommend that students manage their online privacy settings carefully and review the Academy’s Acceptable Use Policy.
We require that students:
Students should recognize that community members have varying degrees of comfort with their words and images being captured and/or posted online; they should consider others’ privacy and exercise discretion when recording and sharing material. In this vein, wearable computing devices, hidden cameras, and other devices designed for surreptitious recording are prohibited. Students operating remotely controlled or automated cameras (e.g. GoPros, helicopters, timelapses, etc.) should exercise special care to protect the privacy of others. Drones may only be used with explicit permission from a member of the Student Life Office, obtained at least 24 hours in advance.
Theft—including using others’ possessions without explicit prior permission—is a major rule violation at Deerfield. Students must be clear on this standard and recognize that the unauthorized use of someone else’s information (including login credentials), clothes, bicycle, scooter, etc. is considered theft.
The burning of anything (tobacco products, incense, candles, etc.) poses a serious risk to all occupants of a building and is prohibited. Open flame, including the lighting of matches or lighters, in any building, except under the supervision of an employee, is also prohibited. Inappropriate use of fire extinguishers, emergency lights, smoke or heat detectors, or fire alarms presents a significant safety risk and will be considered a disciplinary matter.
Students are not permitted to possess gas grills on campus. The storage and use of charcoal grills require employee permission and supervision.
Firearms, weapons (including knives), ammunition, fireworks, or other explosives are prohibited.
Students are not permitted to possess gas grills on campus. The storage and use of charcoal grills require employee permission and supervision.
False forms of identification and the use of others’ identification with an intention to deceive are prohibited.
Students who repeatedly miss school commitments or display behavior disrespectful and unbecoming of the Academy may face disciplinary action up to and including dismissal. When a student’s general citizenship and demeanor repeatedly fall below the Academy’s expectations, a faculty review may result in a recommendation to the Head of School, Assistant Head of School for Student Life or Dean of Students for disciplinary response, up to and including suspension or dismissal.
A continued accumulation of minor infractions or incidents of personal misconduct—including the accumulation of Accountability Points—may also be considered a violation of a major school rule.
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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