EXPLO Junior | Essentials Guide for Day Students

EXPLO Junior | Essentials Guide for Day Students

EXPLO Junior

GRADES 4-7 | WHEATON COLLEGE IN MASSACHUSETTS

2022 Essentials Guide for Day Students

CONTENTS

Dates + Deadlines

Communication

• Contacting EXPLO at the Exploration Center • Contacting EXPLO while on campus • Contacting or visiting your student • Emergency / after-hours contact information An easy reference to quickly find contact information and a guide to contacting EXPLO and your student:

At-a-glance summary of important dates and deadlines to help you plan your schedule and have an easy reference to deadlines for specific requirements:

• Arrival + Departure Dates • Important dates at-a-glance

• A view of campus activities • Contacting other families

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Getting ready to be on campus: Travel + Preparations

Health + Medical

This section summarizes all the health and medical-related requirements and policies:

• Transportation Options • Bus Schedule • Day Student Registration • Arrivals • Pick-Up + Late Nights • Summer Packing Preparation

• Immunization + Medical Records • A Note About Nuts • About the EXPLO Health Center

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Academics

Financials

This section is to help you plan and keep track of payments and expenses:

Find out more about the learning experience:

• Curricular Information • Making changes to courses + electives • Classrooms

• Payment of Bills • Miscellaneous Account

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The EXPLO Team On Campus

Learn more about life on campus, outside the classroom: Student Life on Campus

We have a 4:1 staff-to-student ratio on campus to make sure every student gets quality guidance and support as they live and learn at EXPLO. This section describes the types of staff members students can expect to interact with at the Program:

• Schedule • EXPLO IDs • Meals • Swimming • Evening Programming

• Experience a weekend trip • Try an overnight experience • Lost + Found

• Head of Program • Office of Student Life

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Communication

Contacting EXPLO at the Exploration Center (EXPLO Headquarters)

TO REACH EXPLO BEFORE JUNE 22, 2022:

932 Washington St. Norwood, MA 02062 Phone: +1 781.762.7400 Email: [email protected]

Contacting EXPLO while on campus at Wheaton College

TO REACH EXPLO FROM JUNE 22 – AUG 6, 2022:

EXPLO Junior Main Office: EXPLO Junior Nurse Fax:

+1 781.551.6700 +1 781.996.3139

EXPLO Junior Email:

[email protected]

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Contacting or visiting your student while at EXPLO PHONE + CELL PHONE POLICY While we encourage students to keep in touch with those close to them, we also want them to be fully engaged in our programming throughout the entire day and evening. Day students are not allowed to make or receive calls while on campus. Day students will have designated lockers to store their belongings in while they are at the Program. If a student carries a cell phone with them during their travel to or from the Program, they must keep the cell phone turned off and stored in their locker during the day. We are happy to speak with parents/guardians at any point during the Program. If you are concerned about your student, please call us.

PHONE MESSAGES

Parents/guardians can leave messages for their children, but students will not be called to the phone.

For Day Students — phone messages will be delivered at an afternoon check-in.

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Emergency / after-hours contact information

In the event of an emergency, families should contact our Office of Student Life and an Administrator will make appropriate arrangements. After hours (10:00 p.m. – 8:00 a.m.), call the Main Office and you’ll be instructed on how to reach the Admin on Duty. Please call the Admin on Duty for true emergencies only. For families of day students taking the bus to campus, our Main Office staff will be available in the early morning to answer bus-related questions. You should call the Main Office and you’ll be instructed on how to reach our staff. You should not call the Admin on Duty’s phone number.

A view of campus activities

We encourage families to explore the photo and video gallery that will be made available on our website. You can see what’s going on at the Program over the summer. We often post photos and videos of students and staff. We will notify you via email with login information when the galleries are ready.

Contacting other families

Some enrolled families want to make connections with other enrolled families in their area. The EXPLO Registrar will coordinate the communication between families. A requesting family who wants to connect with other families will send their information to the Registrar. The EXPLO Registrar reaches out to the families in the area (who fit the parameter) on behalf of the requesting family to open an introduction. Email addresses are on BCC, therefore are not revealed.

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Dates + Deadlines

Arrival + Departure Dates

SESSION 1

SESSION 2

START

END

START

END

EXPLO Junior 360° Day

Monday June 27, 2022

Thursday July 14, 2022

Monday July 18, 2022

Thursday August 4, 2022

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DUE APRIL 15, 2022 (For details, go to your Student Portal) Important dates at-a-glance

Payment — All bills must be paid in full by April 15, 2022 (or immediately for those enrolling after April 15, 2022, to hold space). Campdoc medical form — CampDoc Medical Form must be received with complete information and up-to-date immunizations.

DUE JUNE 1, 2022 (For details, go to your Student Portal)

Arrival and departure info — Update your plans for arriving to and departing from campus.

Day Group Form — Indicate your day group preferences.

Parent/Guardian Comment Form — Help us learn about your child so we can support them on campus during the summer. Trip waivers — Optional trip waivers must be signed by a parent/guardian if the student would like to attend weekend trips that require a waiver.

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Travel + Preparations

Transportation Options

CAR DROP-OFF

Regular morning drop-off is between 8:45 and 9:00 a.m., Monday through Friday, outside Meadows dormitory adjacent to Lot 4. Please use Pine Street to access Lot 4 and follow signs to day student pick-up and drop-off. Should a student arrive after 9:00 a.m., they should be checked in by a parent/guardian at the Main Office. The Main Office is in the Balfour-Hood Student Center. Limited short-term parking is available behind Balfour- Hood or in the adjacent Lot 4.

CAR PICK-UP

Regular afternoon pick-up is between 4:15 and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, outside Meadows dormitory adjacent to Lot 4. If a student’s ride is later than 4:30 p.m., please meet and check your student out at the Main Office in the Balfour-Hood Student Center.

CARPOOLS

If you are interested in finding another family to carpool with, please reach out to the Registrar. They will do their best to connect you with other interested families in the area.

INCLEMENT WEATHER

In the event of inclement weather during car pick-up or drop-off, families may be asked to wait until the storm has passed or redirected to an alternate on-campus location. This ensures the safety of students, staff, and families participating in the process.

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Bus Schedule During the summer, our bus service will pick up and drop off your child at the same bus stop each day. In the morning, buses will remain at the stop until the listed time of departure, and buses arrive on campus at approximately 9:00 a.m. If a student should miss their bus and arrive after 9:00 a.m., the student should be checked in at the Main Office. In the afternoon buses leave campus at 4:15 p.m., and, students will be dropped off at their stop around the estimated time listed as the bus continues its route. Without written parental permission stating otherwise, a student must be met at their stop by a designated adult. If parents/guardians want their children to have the option of leaving a stop unescorted, parents/guardians must sign the appropriate section of the EXPLO Junior Day Student Transportation form on the Student Portal. You may sign up for our bus service at any time through the second day of the Program. Families signing up for the bus service after June 1 should contact EXPLO at 781.762.7400 to confirm availability. The fee for of the bus service is $75 per week.

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Session 1

Brookline, Holliston, Hopkinton BUS A 7:15 a.m. 5:55 p.m. 7:55 a.m. 5:05 p.m. 8:05 a.m. 4:55 p.m.

11 Pierce St. @ Pierce Elementary School (Rear of Pierce Elementary School)

Brookline

Holliston

370 Hollis St. @ Holliston High School

Hopkinton

90 Hayden Rowe St. @ Hopkinton High School (Driveway)

Norton

8:50 am.

4:15 p.m.

Arrive at/Depart from Wheaton College

Medfield, Canton, Sharon

BUS C

Medfield

7:30 a.m.

5:30 p.m.

17 Elm St. @ Wheelock School

Canton

7:55 a.m.

5:05 p.m.

696 Washington St. @ St. John’s School

Sharon

8:05 a.m.

4:55 p.m.

45 Wilshire Dr. @ East Elementary School

Norton

8:50 a.m.

4:15 p.m.

Arrive at/Depart from Wheaton College

Session 2

Southborough, Hopkinton

BUS A

Southborough

7:45 a.m.

5:05 p.m.

211 Parkerville Rd. @ Wildwood Dr.

Hopkinton

90 Hayden Rowe St. @ Hopkinton High School (Driveway)

8:10 a.m.

4:55 p.m.

Norton

8:50 a.m.

4:15 p.m.

Arrive at/Depart from Wheaton College

Brookline, Newton

BUS D

11 Pierce St. @ Pierce Elementary School (Rear of Pierce Elementary School)

Brookline

7:30 a.m.

5:35 p.m.

Newton

7:55 a.m.

5:10 p.m.

1831 Beacon St. @ Winnetaska Road

Norton

Arrive at/Depart from Wheaton College

8:50 a.m.

4:15 p.m.

Day Student Registration

Day students will register on Monday morning when they arrive for the first day of the Program. Members of the Office of Student Life will greet students and their families with their EXPLO lanyard and registration packet. We’ll also collect the required negative PCR test results.

Arrivals

ATTENDANCE + CHECK-INS

Day students must check in daily as soon as they arrive. Parents/guardians should call the Main Office by 9:00 a.m. if a student will be absent.

After the initial morning check-in, check-ins occur every couple of hours throughout the day. Whether at meals, courses, Quad time, or Evening Events, students should always check in promptly with their Advisors.

EARLY DROP-OFF

Families may drop off students between 7:30 and 8:15 a.m. Students who arrive at this time will have breakfast at the Program and will participate in activities until the Program begins. Families will receive a form via email that they can complete each week to indicate which days they plan to use early drop-off.

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Pick-Up + Late Nights Students may sign up to stay late for evening programming any night of the Program (except for Sundays) an unlimited number of times for $40 per evening. Staying late means staying after the regular afternoon pick-up time of 4:15 p.m. Monday through Friday, and after trips on Saturdays, until 8:45 p.m. Students staying late need to make arrangements to be picked up, or they may use their one overnight opportunity.

Please note: there are no Evening Events on Sundays. Therefore, students should be picked up after their trips return at 5:00 p.m.

If parents/guardians are unable to pick up their student at 4:15 p.m., they will be able to pick them up before 5:00 p.m. without being charged for staying late. Any student staying past 5:00 p.m. will be charged $40, regardless of when they are picked up. During the week, if parents/guardians are unable to pick up at the 4:15 p.m. or 8:45 p.m. dismissal times, they are encouraged to pick up their children at one of the following times: 5:00 p.m., 6:00 p.m., or 7:30 p.m. from the Main Office, so as not to interrupt evening programming. Summer Packing Preparation We recommend a backpack to carry your personal items with you. Please label all bags with your child’s name and day group.

RECOMMENDED ITEMS

• Sun protection gear (sunglasses and sunhat, or baseball-style cap) • Reusable water bottle • Backpack/bookbag for day use

OPTIONAL ITEMS

• Inexpensive or disposable camera • Books or card games • Sports equipment (glove, racquet, etc. — students may also borrow from EXPLO)

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STUDENT DRESS CODE

While dress is generally informal, the Program has community standards to ensure that appropriate student dress provides a comfortable environment for all. These expectations will be made explicit to students at the Program, and we reserve the right to address breaches of our dress code. Dress code guidelines include, but are not limited to the following: No clothing that is too revealing (for example, tops that allow exposure of the belly button or loose clothing that allows exposure of undergarments) No clothing with offensive wording, logos, designs, etc., including those containing alcohol and drug references

NOTES

All belongings should be labeled with permanent markers or labels. We do have a Lost and Found, and are often able to return misplaced items if they are clearly labeled! For safety, flip-flops are not permitted for use as daily footwear, but may be worn in the shower or at the pool. We highly encourage sneakers/closed-toe shoes as students’ primary footwear. Lotion-based sunscreen and bug repellent are provided by EXPLO for use by all students. EXPLO does not permit aerosol-based sprays. Your child will have the chance to play a number of sports at EXPLO that will require them to wear a mouthguard, including soccer, field hockey, basketball, lacrosse, and rugby. We strongly recommend your child brings a molded mouthguard to the Program to take advantage of these activities. Students will also have an opportunity to obtain a mouthguard from EXPLO throughout the session.

LOCKERS

EXPLO provides lockers that students may use. Students must provide their own locks and a spare key and/or combination for safekeeping.

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THE FOLLOWING ITEMS ARE NOT PERMITTED AT THE PROGRAM:

Food, drinks, or candy

Computers or large gaming devices

Expensive or irreplaceable cameras or other items

Weapons of any kind (including pocket knives)

Matches, candles, incense, fireworks, lighters

Cash or credit/debit cards

Aerosol sprays of any kind (spray sunscreen, hairspray, bug spray, etc.)

Bicycles, scooters, “wheelie” shoes, skateboards, skates, hoverboards

Students may have the following items with them while they are traveling to or from the Program, but they must stay in their lockers during the day.

Cell Phones

Electronic devices with internet or communication capabilities (smart watch, GPS tracker, WiFi-based e-readers or MP3 players, etc.)

Tablets or handheld gaming devices

NOTE ON CELLULAR OR INTERNET DEVICES

Kindles, iPods, and other personal music/reading devices are allowed, but only for purposes of playing music and reading. Any cellular or internet capabilities must be deactivated for the duration of the student’s time at EXPLO.

Apple watches or other smartwatches/personal devices must also be disconnected from cellular, GPS, or internet capabilities.

Students found to be using WiFi, cellular, or internet services in an unauthorized fashion will face disciplinary measures, and the item will be confiscated.

EXPLO is not responsible for lost or stolen items.

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Health + Medical

Immunizations + Medical Records

Each student’s CampDoc Health Form must be received no later than April 15, 2022, with complete information and up-to-date immunizations.

IMMUNIZATIONS

EXPLO requires that all students and faculty be immunized against communicable, preventable diseases in accordance with state regulations. Please note that to protect the safety of our community, EXPLO does not recognize or allow exemptions to these immunizations. For safety reasons, students whose completed medical forms have not been received by the Program will not be allowed to register on Arrival Day, nor will they be allowed to remain at the Program.

COVID-19

All enrolled students must be fully immunized against disease according to recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the Center for Disease Control (CDC), and state requirements. All EXPLO students must be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 before attending EXPLO. This includes any “booster” shots for which a student is eligible based on the timing of their initial COVID-19 vaccination. For more information about required immunizations, please contact our Admission Office.

MENINGITIS VACCINATION

The Massachusetts Department of Health now requires new college and secondary school students who live in dormitories during the regular school year to obtain a meningitis vaccination. They have neither a requirement nor a recommendation for short- term dormitory life such as we have at EXPLO. EXPLO has never had a case of bacterial meningitis in its more than forty-year history. In light of these recommendations, however, we suggest you discuss the need for a vaccination with your healthcare provider.

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MEDICATION Massachusetts regulations forbid student self-medication. Students who keep medication in pill form in their rooms or medication in non-pill form that has not been approved for such use by the Head Nurse will be subject to dismissal from the Program. Day students are advised to take their routine medication at home. If medication must be taken on campus, we must receive orders for the administration of the medication from your child’s physician. This includes multivitamins. Medications in pill form — Students who plan on taking any medication in pill form (including vitamins) daily while at the Program are required to register with our pharmacy partner no later than June 1st in order to package that medicine and have it delivered to campus. This includes all medicine in pill form taken daily (whether prescription or over-the-counter/nonprescription, including vitamins), but does not include blister-packed medications like birth control. Medications in non-pill form — All medications in non-pill form (including inhalers, medicine in liquid form, and creams) MUST be brought to the Health Center during registration. Students may keep non-pill medications with them only if approved by the Head Nurse and accompanied by appropriate Medication Confirmation Forms. Other medications notes — International students are not required to register with our pharmacy partner and MUST bring their medications to the Health Center during registration on Sunday or on the first Monday of the session. All medication orders and directions must be written in English. EXPLO regularly stocks over-the-counter items such as generic Tylenol, Advil, Benadryl, Claritin, Zyrtec, Allegra, and cough suppressants for students to use for minor, intermittent issues. Students may not keep such medications in their rooms. Similar to our procedures with the EXPLO medical forms, students who take pill- form medication on a regular basis will not be allowed to register with us on Arrival Day if you have not already registered your child with our pharmacy partner. Our nurses must hold all student medication, including that of day students. Students may not keep medication of any sort, even over-the-counter medications, in their rooms, lockers, or on their person.

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Please note that a Medication Confirmation Form must be completed by a licensed physician for each medication administered at the Program.

INHALERS + EPI-PENS Any student who is in need of an inhaler(s) will be asked to keep the inhaler(s) in the Health Office. If this presents a problem based on your child’s medical situation, please contact the Registrar prior to the start of the Program. Any student who is in need of an Epi-Pen will keep their Epi-Pen with them throughout the day. Our Health Office keeps a stock of Epi-Pens that can be used as a backup should the need arise. A Note About Nuts EXPLO is a nut-free program. All of our meals and snacks are prepared and served in peanut- and tree-nut-free environments to minimize the triggers our more food-sensitive students might face. Students with allergy concerns should contact our office before the start of summer.

About the EXPLO Health Center

An EXPLO Health Center is set up on campus exclusively for EXPLO staff and students. There will be nurses on duty 24/7.

Parents/guardians can contact the EXPLO Health Center by calling the Main Office.

Due to the age of our students, parents will not be notified in the event of basic first aid (cuts, bruises, and scrapes) or the administration of over-the-counter medicines for minor ailments such as an upset stomach, headache, or menstrual cramps. Parents can expect to be contacted prior to a child starting any new prescription such as antibiotics, illnesses that require an overnight stay in the Health Office, or in the event of an accident or serious injury when a child needs to be brought off-site for medical treatment.

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Financials

Payment of Bills

We expect the Program to be filled to capacity — as such, some students will be placed on a waitlist. If any payments are incomplete by April 15, 2022, spaces may be opened to students on the waitlist. Please contact the Registrar at 781.762.7400 with specific questions. After June 1, 2022, all payments must be made by a certified bank check, cash, or credit card. Students who have outstanding balances will not be allowed to register on Arrival Day, nor will they be allowed to remain at the Program.

Miscellaneous Account

Part of the tuition and fees paid by every EXPLO family goes to the student’s Miscellaneous Account. Students may not withdraw cash from the Miscellaneous Account. That account is established for the following purposes: Trip fees — Trips carry varying fees depending upon the destination. Rather than ask students to handle money for these trips, we deduct those fees directly from their Miscellaneous Account. See below for more information about day students and weekend trips. Lost items — If a student loses their student ID, we will replace it and deduct the fees from the Miscellaneous Account. Evening programming fee — Day students are required to be picked up by 4:15 p.m. Students who are not picked up by 5:00 p.m. will be required to join the rest of the students for the evening activities and will be provided with dinner. An automatic fee of $40 will be drawn from the Miscellaneous Account. If a student’s Miscellaneous Account is running low and needs to be replenished, the EXPLO summer Banker will make all reasonable efforts to contact families to replenish accounts. If a student’s account becomes overdrawn and is not replenished, EXPLO may deduct the overage from the student’s Damage Deposit. Tipping of EXPLO staff — EXPLO has a no-tipping policy. However, the staff works hard all summer to support students and your words of gratitude are appreciated. You are also welcome to make a contribution to our scholarship fund.

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Academics

Our students live and learn alongside their peers: Grades 4+5 (Pioneers) | Grades 6+7 (Voyagers)

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Curricular Information

EXPLO 360°

Students in our multi-course 360° Program choose from more than 50 courses and electives — so they can explore more of what sparks their curiosity and start to step outside of their comfort zone.

EXPLO Junior 360 Courses + Electives

EXPLO Focus

Our Focus programs are designed to provide Voyagers (Grades 6+7) with a deep-dive experience into a single subject area:

Veterinary Science Emergency Medicine Architecture + Engineering

Making changes to courses + electives

Most students eagerly anticipate the courses and electives they’ve chosen before the summer. EXPLO Junior courses and electives are just one week long, so it’s too disruptive to students, instructors, and the rest of the class to make a course or elective change once the class has begun. Students who are interested in making a change to a course or elective prior to the week starting should speak with an Instructional Coach within our Office of Teaching and Learning. The Office of Teaching and Learning will check to see if space is available and reach out to the parent/guardian to have a conversation about the request before making any changes.

Classrooms

Students are expected to move quietly in and near classroom buildings. Running, shouting, and playing music are not permitted in classroom buildings.

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At EXPLO, we encourage our students to choose novel activities that pique their curiosity. In doing so, they discover new skills, talents, and interests that they don’t always get to explore in school or at home. We aim to build their confidence and a lifelong love of learning by trying new things, making mistakes, and learning to ask questions that inspire deeper exploration.

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Student Life on Campus

EXPLO Junior at Wheaton College Norton, Massachusetts

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Day weekday schedule (M-F)

8:45 a.m. 9:15 a.m. 9:20 a.m. 10:45 a.m. 11:00 a.m. 11:45 a.m. 1:00 p.m. 3:30 p.m. 4:15 p.m.

— Arrival — Morning Greeting — Electives — Morning Activity Assembly — Morning Activities — Lunch — Courses* — Community Meeting — Regular Day Dismissal

*Students attend one course period in the morning, with a 10-15 minute break about halfway through the period.

Extended day schedule

If day students stay for evening programming, they can expect the following schedule:

4:15 p.m. 5:00 p.m. 6:15 p.m. 6:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 8:45 p.m.

— Floor Time with Advisor Group — Dinner + Quad Time — Evening Activity Assembly — Evening Activities — Evening Event — Late Day Dismissal

EXPLO IDs EXPLO IDs (issued at registration) must be worn at all times except while swimming, playing sports, sleeping, or showering. Lost IDs will be replaced for a fee of $5, which will be deducted from the student’s Miscellaneous Account.

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Meals

THE DINING HALL Students must wear shoes in the dining hall as required by state law. Vegetarian options are available at each meal. Students with special dietary requirements should call our Norwood office ( 781.762.7400) before the beginning of the Program to make appropriate arrangements. Lunch and an afternoon snack are provided Monday through Friday. Day students who stay late will be provided dinner. On the weekends, all students will be provided a sack lunch to bring on their trip.

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Swimming

There are a number of opportunities on and off campus for students to swim while attending the Program, including access to the Wheaton College pool. Day students should also bring a towel, swimsuit, and swim goggles if they plan to utilize the pool during available opportunities. Students will have the opportunity to complete a swim test during their time at EXPLO. The test consists of swimming roughly 30yds unassisted and treading water for one minute. Students who do not take or successfully pass the swim test may still participate in Free Swim activities but are required to wear a lifejacket (provided by EXPLO) while in the pool. Some field trips, such as Water Wizz, require students to pass the swim test in order to attend. Advisors will share the swim test schedule with students.

EXPLO alumni who have previously passed the swim test are not required to take the test again.

Evening Programming

Day students have the option to join evening activities and events as often as they want. The evening program fee is $40 per evening and includes dinner.

All students are invited to attend Off-Broadway Night and the Final Party, two popular evening events during the third week of the session. Day students who attend one or both of these evening events will not be charged for staying past the regular 4:15 p.m. pick-up time.

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Experience a weekend trip TRIP POLICY

Weekend and special evening trips are popular components of the Program. Day students are encouraged to attend all special evening trips, and may sample one weekend trip throughout the session.

Day students attending trips should be dropped off at 9:00 a.m. and picked up at 5:00 p.m. There is no bus service on the weekends.

Special evening trip destinations are assigned by grade, and day students who choose to attend will join others in their grade level. For weekend trips, students rank their top three trip destinations, and trips are assigned using a computer program created specifically for EXPLO Junior students. The computer assigns a trip to each child based on that child’s three preferences. EXPLO makes every effort to assign students their top trip choice, though it is not guaranteed.

SWITCHING TRIPS

There is absolutely no switching trips. Once trips have been assigned, you may go or you may cancel, but you may not switch.

CANCELING TRIPS

If you need to cancel a trip, you must call our office at 781.551.6700 and let us know as soon as possible. For trips with prepaid tickets (such as baseball games, IMAX movies, or theater shows) your child will be charged for the trip. In the case of trips that are not prepaid, such as Water Wizz, Canobie Lake, or the Museum of Science, your child will not be charged if they cancel. Please understand that these guidelines are put in place for the safety of our students above all else. Because we are sending upwards of 200 students out on trips each weekend day to many different trip sites, the only way we can make it all work fairly and safely for everyone is to have a system that we all abide by. Logistics such as making advance bus reservations, purchasing tickets, planning for meals, packing medications, and generating attendance lists prohibit last-minute changes and/or cancellations. All of our students must be accounted for at all times, which becomes difficult when children are switching or canceling trips.

We appreciate your cooperation in complying with the trip policies to make trips a wonderful experience for everyone involved.

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Try an overnight experience

Students are permitted to stay over for one night during their session provided they have registered in advance for an additional fee of $50 to cover housing and meals (dinner and breakfast).

Overnight availability may be limited during the third week of the session. This charge is deducted from the student’s Miscellaneous Account.

If students are staying overnight, they must have a signed permission slip from a parent/guardian. You can access this form on the Student Portal. Students should bring with them toiletries, a change of clothes, and any required medications in the original packaging. Please note: A Medication Confirmation Form must be on file with our Health Office for any over-the-counter or prescription medications. You can access this form on your child’s CampDoc health profile.

Lost + Found

EXPLO begins packing up to leave Wheaton on the last day of the Program (Friday, August 5, 2022), and will be finished moving out by Tuesday, August 9, 2022. We do have a lost and found at the Program, and we make every attempt to return lost items to students. If your child realizes they have lost something after leaving the Program, please call us as soon as possible to maximize the possibility of returning the item. We cannot store lost items for an indefinite period of time. The likelihood that we will be able to locate and return items after the end of August is very small. We encourage students to label all belongings before coming to the Program, which greatly increases the chances of return. EXPLO is not responsible for lost items. We strongly recommend leaving valuables at home.

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The EXPLO Team on Campus

Head of Program, EXPLO Junior

DAVID TORCOLETTI.

A wise and compassionate mentor to legions of students and educators, David is a beloved teacher and leader. He began his education career at Northfield Mount Hermon School (NMH), where he taught photography, lived in a dormitory, and coached. He went on to become a House Director, Campus Dean, and eventually, School Dean. While there, he was twice honored with the faculty residential life award. David then moved to Milton Academy, where he was a teacher and Dean of Students. In addition to leading EXPLO Junior, David consults with and advises independent schools and presents at professional conferences on student life issues. He is a summa cum laude graduate of Ohio University and earned his M.F.A. at Bard College as a Milton Avery Scholar. David is also a nationally recognized fine arts photographer with numerous museum and gallery shows to his credit. David has worked at EXPLO since 1998, and each summer moves to campus, bringing with him his family, including Rosie, a rescue dog who is part border collie and part mystery.

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Office of Student Life Staff The Office of Student Life staff live at the Program and are available to students and parents/guardians every day to help deal with all types of issues, large and small.

ADVISORS

Each Advisor Group has two Advisors who support day students with questions, problems, or concerns, during their time at EXPLO. Advisors meet with their students many times throughout the day.

RESIDENCE DIRECTORS (RDS)

Each Advisor Group has two RDs who supervise the Advisors and oversee the Advisor Groups. RDs help students and staff with problem-solving and discipline issues, and work closely with the Dean of Students. RDs are the main communication link with parents/ guardians. If you have any questions or concerns about your child, you will want to speak with their RDs.

DEAN OF STUDENTS AND ASSISTANT DEANS

The Dean of Students and Assistant Deans live at the Program and are available to speak with parents/guardians as well as students. The roles of the Dean and Assistant Deans are to actively support and supervise the Residence Directors and ensure the health and safety of the EXPLO community through planning, communication, and problem-solving.

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