TA TREASURES
Our Residential Life Staff
Cathy Paradis , Director of
Residential Life
Since its beginning in the fall of 2009 , Thornton Academy ’ s boarding program has grown beyond anyone ’ s expectations . More than 1,000 students from 52 countries have lived in our dormitories , creating lifelong friendships that span the entire globe . One critical factor in the success of our program is the care and dedication of our residential life staff .
Currently , Thornton Academy operates five dormitories with twenty families serving as on-campus and off-campus residential life staff . These families provide support to our boarding students 24 hours a day , seven days a week . The majority of these families have been a part of our program for many years ; the Paradis , Davies , Roche , Brewer , and Hefler families have all served as residential life families since 2009 — more than a decade of taking care of our boarding students !
We sat down with Director of Residential Life , Catherine Paradis , and learned more about the success , challenges , and benefits of Thornton Academy ’ s residential life program :
KN : What makes the Thornton Academy residential life program special ?
CP : We provide a home-like environment and build great relationships with kids . Our students and res life families form a great close-knit community on campus .
KN : What benefits has being a dorm parent brought to you and your family ?
CP : Our own children have a built in network of friends , babysitters , and mentors that come from all over the world . They ’ ve been able to grow up in a safe neighborhood where there ’ s always someone to hang out with and learn from .
KN : How does the boarding program help to better the school in general ?
CP : I ' m thankful that former Headmaster , Carl Stasio , and the Board of Trustees had the foresight to look at starting the boarding program . All of our Thornton Academy students have access to a broader academic and extracurricular program than they would otherwise . Also , we hear so many great stories of kids making lifelong friendships with people from different backgrounds that they wouldn ’ t have otherwise gotten a chance to meet .
KN : Do these relationships continue after graduation ?
CP : All of our res life staff members keep in close contact with many of our former students . I love the holidays — we get so many messages from former students . We hear so many great stories of students staying in touch , years after they have left TA ’ s campus .
TA TREASURES
Story by Katy Nicketakis · Photos courtesy of Residential Life Staff
Residential life staff make weekends fun — from hiking trips and beach days to sporting events , on-campus game nights and other special programming !
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