Visiting Porter's

In one word, busy. Most students wake up around 7, which leaves the perfect amount of time to throw on jeans and a sweater before stopping by the dining hall for a quick bite to eat before class. There are seven periods in each day, with the exception of Wednesday. First period begins at 7:45, but most students enjoy a “sleep-in” once or twice a week, which means they don’t have class until 8:40 or even 9:35. Classes last for 50 minutes, with five minutes for passing. On Mondays and Fridays, the whole school gathers for Morning Meeting in the theater for announcements from faculty and students. On Wednesday morning, students and faculty gather again for a longer assembly period or class meetings. Thursday mornings include an advisor meeting period where advisors and advisees gather as groups and chat about school events, assessments, and upcoming activities. After Morning Meeting, assembly, and advisor meetings students often head to Milk Lunch, a 15 minute free period during which many students grab a snack or coffee in the dining hall or the Daisy Café or take time to change their books in their dorms or at lockers.

Most classes meet four times per week, and because Porter’s runs on a daily block schedule, students have free periods built into their day. Something that is great about Porter’s is the freedom girls have during these designated times. We can take a quick walk to Starbucks, power nap in the dorms, have a meeting with a teacher or a study session in the library. Of course, halfway through each day is lunch. The dining hall is packed with students and faculty waiting for delicious food. We have many options including the salad bar, the action station (which changes every day), and the hot food line. Classes continue after lunch and end at 3:15. Sports teams, theater and dance practice for 2 hours after school beginning at 3:45, and then the girls go to the dining hall. Then campus quiets down as day students usually head home and boarders get ready for study hall. Study hall is from 7:30-9:30, and then girls have free time until “lights out” at 11pm.

Wednesdays are a bit different than the other weekdays. Classes begin at the usual time, but they conclude at 12:30 pm. After a quick lunch, sports teams prepare for games either on our campus or at other schools in the Founders League.

Where do I begin? Porter’s is in a suburb of Hartford so it is far from isolated. Peppered throughout the Village of Farmington are our campus buildings, athletic facilities, and faculty housing. Many students walk, ride bikes, take school-provided shuttles or the occasional taxi to get to their desired locations. There are restaurants, coffee shops, nail and beauty salons, grocery stores, pharmacies, churches, and more within walking distance of school. Within a 10-minute drive there is an all-boys school with which we share events, a shopping mall, several movie theaters, and downtown West Hartford, which boasts restaurants, shops, theaters, and frozen yogurt places shops.

Of course, Porter’s also provides on-campus activities every weekend, including dances, community service activities, concerts and more. My favorite events are the Rainforest Concert, which supports environmental initiatives, and Relay for Life, which we host with Avon Old Farms School. The schools’ joint efforts last year raised over $70,000 to support cancer research and programs, and we had a lot of fun doing it!

Living on campus is a blast! The dorms are all renovated colonial houses. Each dorm is structured differently than the next, and some of the dorms are larger than others (but none exceed 40 students). The dorms have a homey feel, especially with the occasional mantel and fireplace inside some rooms! Each room comes with basic furniture—a desk and desk chair, bed, and dresser for each student living in the room—but many students bring comfy chairs, desk lamps, decorations and other items to make their rooms feel like home.

At Porter’s we have a special system in place in the dorms called the “Porter Plan.” This means that House Directors, our residential faculty, live in and run the dorms. House Directors work with Junior Advisors (student residence assistants) to attend to the concerns of the girls in each dorm. They also ensure that students follow the rules, develop a sense of independence, and learn to live with girls from all over the world. There is a huge support system in the dorms and just like sports and clubs, they are a great place to make friends. Students are House Directors’ full-time responsibility – they do not teach or coach.

The obvious answer from the tour guides is Revisit Day, which is when accepted students come back to campus and ultimately decide whether Porter’s is the place for them. This day marks the beginning of springtime in Farmington, and campus is buzzing with excitement for the end of the year and the incoming class.

There are so many things students get pumped up for on campus. The fall Traditions like Little Meeting and the Welcome Tradition, where the whole school welcomes New Girls, are favorites among many students. Late in the fall, students look forward to the snow and the possibility of a snow day, but when February rolls around, students eagerly await days when the spring weather comes. Like many other schools, Porter’s has a surprise day off, known as Mountain Day, once or twice a year.

Porter’s is a pretty optimistic campus in general, where girls rejoice over little things, like fresh-baked cookies in the dining hall and truly celebrate the bigger things, like getting into college.