Residential Life Mission
	The residential life team is very sensitive to the fact that personal habits and character traits established in adolescence can determine one’s character as an adult. They are constantly aware of the sacred trust placed in them by parents for the overall formation of their sons during this critical period of life. They consider their work a vocation and a service to the Catholic Church, the nation, and indeed the world. While part of their mission is certainly to prepare students for selection to a worthy college, the dorm parents do not consider this education an end in itself. In addition to academic formation, residents will receive the spiritual and human formation required for a life of authentic service, responsibility, and commitment. While Prep’s resident curriculum is an organic and ongoing process, the following outlines its general philosophy and goals. They are adapted from “Go Forth and Teach: The Characteristics of Jesuit Education,” published in 1987 by the International Commission on the Apostolate of Jesuit Education.

	Communicating the Ignatian Vision
	St. Ignatius of Loyola, who founded the Society of Jesus in 1540, taught that one does not need to leave the world in order to find God; instead, one could discover God through the ordinary aspects of everyday life. The Resident Program seeks to foster this Ignatian principle in the following ways: a. Communal Prayer: Each Housemaster possesses the option of gathering his class each evening in community for brief prayer and reflection. Students pray together daily in class as well. b. Chapel Services: Every Sunday, on Holy Days of Obligation, and on special occasions, the entire residential community gathers in the chapel for Mass and/or a prayer service. c. Campus Ministry: An active Campus Ministry program, comprised of both faculty, day and resident students, coordinate Prep's liturgies, retreats, peer ministry, service trips, and other programs for the spiritual benefit of the entire school community. d. Deepening Discernment: Through an emphasis on personal prayer and reflection, students are encouraged to discover the role of God in their lives and the realization of a personal vocation. Each class also participates in an annual retreat. The theme of the retreats are outlined as follows:           i. Freshmen: Finding God in All Things           ii. Sophomores: The Challenge of Love in Action           iii. Juniors: Putting Love in Action           iv. Seniors: AMDG (For the Greater Glory of God)

	Caring for Individuals and their Personal Growth
	The Jesuit concept of “cura personalis,” or “care of the person,” permeates the resident program and dictates its curriculum. Within the overall context of building a close community, the resident program also tailors its curriculum to fit the need of each particular resident as well as grade. This is accomplished in the following ways: a. Housemaster System: The Housemaster System is the heart of our curriculum. Each class is assigned a dedicated Housemaster who acts as mentor, disciplinarian, and advocate for his residents, and is the primarily liaison with his parents. The Housemaster is personally committed to the personal and professional success of each student in his charge. He is also responsible for the Dorm Parents who assist in supervising the students and live in the dorms. The duties of the Housemaster include, but are not limited to:           i. Act as liaison between parents and Prep teachers and the resident’s family.           ii. Observe and develop the overall personal and academic growth of each student, including extra-curricular activities.           iii. Care for the safety and well-being of each student as well as the maintenance of his dorm area.           iv. Build and maintain a sense of community, pride, and ownership within his class.           v. Provide conflict management and resolution for students as needed.           vi. Arrange transportation needs and assist in all other personal and administrative needs.           vii. Moderate one student life directorship, i.e., Student Activities Board, Intramurals, Faith and Service, or Senior Prefect Programs.           viii. Ensure nightly and weekly duty coverage for his class.           ix. Provide the example of an adult, Christian, male role model. b. Class Seminars or Workshops: The Residential Life program offers the following age and class appropriate seminars or workshops:           i. Freshmen: Seminars to establish solid study and time management skills and habits as well as to address relevant issues of high school life. Speakers such as the Dean of Students, Academic Dean, Chaplain, School Counselor, faculty and dorm parents, and even resident seniors participate in this “year-long” orientation.           ii. Sophomores/Juniors: Exposure to possible life choices. Accomplished professionals from diverse fields, many of whom are Prep graduates, will speak to both classes about their professions and what is required to realize them.           iii. Seniors: Preparation for college. Seniors will be personally and professionally prepared for the transition to college through regular meetings with the college counselor and the Dean of Residential Life.

	Fostering Continued Growth in Freedom
	Residential Life follows a graduated approach to student freedom. A senior resident preparing for college in an unstructured environment, for example, will possess more freedom than a freshman new to high school and boarding life. From Sunday through Thursday, for example, freshmen must be in their rooms for bed at 10:45pm; sophomores at 11:00pm; juniors at 11:30pm; and seniors at midnight. Off campus sign out policies also vary by grade and is explained in the handbook. Upperclassmen, seniors in particular, are expected to take more ownership of and be more actively involved as leaders in the dorms. Possible leadership roles include: a. The Senior Prefect Program: Seniors are selected by the Dean of Residential Life to serve as “senior prefects.” They assist the dorm parents in various tasks and projects and serve as mentors to the younger students, particularly freshmen and sophomores. Senior Prefects also serve as captains of the Intramural Program. b. Student Activities Board: The Student Activities Board is devoted to planning fun and meaningful extracurricular activities for all residents, particularly weekend trips and events with other schools. Two students from each grade level, two senior executives, and a Housemaster moderator comprise this creative and energetic board. c. The St. John Berchman’s Society/Faith and Service: Active at Prep for over a century, the St. John Berchman's Committee assists the Chaplain in planning liturgies. Members serve as lectors, servers, and music ministers. The committee is named after St John Berchman's, a young Jesuit saint known for his piety and influence over the young. This society works with the Student Activities Board to plan meaningful service trips for the resident program. It is also moderated by a Housemaster. d. The “Hoya Saxa” Intramural Program: All residents are divided into two separate intramural squads, one known as “Hoya,” the other as “Saxa” (the school’s motto). Intramurals convene every Wednesday night after study hall, which ends a half-hour early. Events include both sports and non-athletic competitions, officiated by the Residential Life staff. Teams are divided within grades to encourage integration, and scores and statistics are updated weekly on the main bulletin board outside the Dean of Residential Life's office. Each student receives either a blue or a gray t-shirt (the school’s colors) in their first year, depending on their team. The winning team each year has honors to the “Michael J. Daly” trophy, named after a Prep resident who earned the Medal of Honor in World War II. Every resident is required to participate in at least one intramural competition per year.