How many students attend NMH Summer? Where are they from?

We typically have about 230-250 students, about 85% of them boarders and the rest day students. Last summer, students joined us from 19 countries. (Since the beginning of the program in 1905, we have had students from all 50 U.S. states and 129 countries.) This summer, we expect to enroll 300 students from around the country and the globe.

When is the application deadline?

Applications will be accepted until June 1. Courses are filled on a first-come, first-served basis, so the earlier students apply, the more likely they are to get their preferred classes. We strongly encourage early application, especially for students who need to apply for a visa to attend.

Families and students will receive a decision email from the NMH Summer office within a few days of submitting all application materials.

There are limited NMH SUmmer financial aid funds available. The deadline to apply for financial aid is March 1. Financial aid decisions will be announced by March 15.

Who can apply for financial aid?

Anyone may apply for financial aid, although the majority of aid is reserved for U.S. citizens. Financial aid funds for NMH Summer students are limited. Apply for Financial Aid

What type of visa do international students need?

International students may travel on a visitor visa (B1/B2 visa) or without a visa if they are from a visa-waiver country. An F-1 student visa is not required to attend NMH Summer.

Do international applicants need to provide TOEFL scores?

TOEFL scores are required only for students applying to the LEAD outdoor leadership program [link].

However, international students applying for programs other than English-Language Immersion must provide an essay written for their current English class and show the grade and handwritten teacher comments. Students should include a two-minute video of themselves talking about an unforgettable experience they had. They must not use a script or prompt cards - it should be a natural conversation. They may also submit their TOEFL scores but are not required to.

Students in the English-Language Immersion program will take a placement test the day after they arrive at NMH. They will then be assigned to the appropriate level. We offer seven levels, from beginning to advanced.

More detailed information on How to Apply.

When should families make travel arrangements?

Families should not book flights until their student is accepted and enrolled. We will then send guidelines to follow when booking flights. See our Transportation Guidelines for more information.

What’s the nearest airport?

Bradley International Airport (BDL) is the closest airport, about 60 minutes from campus. We provide pick up from Bradley.

If a student is arriving at a different airport, these car services provide transportation and unaccompanied minor services. Families should contact them directly for rates and reservations.

Green River Transportation: 1-413-883-6352

ride@greenriver.com

Thomas Transportation: 1-603-352-5550

thomas@thomastransportation.com

When should students arrive at NMH Summer?

Students must arrive between 10 am and 4 pm on Saturday, June 29. Classes begin on the morning of Monday, July 1.

Students enrolled in the English-Language Immersion program are required to take an English test on the morning of Sunday, June 30, in order to be placed at the appropriate level.

Students taking credit courses cannot afford to miss a single day of study, as they will be covering a full year of coursework in five intensive weeks.

What happens at the end of NMH Summer?

NMH Summer ends and all students depart on Saturday, July 20 for the three-week program or Saturday, Aug. 3, for all other programs. Special farewell events for students will be held on Friday, July 19, and Friday, Aug. 2. Students may opt to depart after classes end on Friday.

What are the dorms like?

Students in NMH Summer stay in one of six dorms, divided by age, with rising 7th- and 8th-graders in separate dorms from rising high schoolers.

Each dorm is managed by a dorm head and several teaching fellows (college seniors and recent graduates). Each dorm staff member acts as an advisor to a group of students with whom they keep in close contact throughout the summer, helping the students settle in and with homework and any issues or questions they may have.

The advisor should be the family’s primary contact to address any issues. Students will receive their advisor's contact information at registration on the first day. Pictures of a few of the dorms.

How does NMH ensure campus safety?

Well-trained, uniformed campus safety officers are on duty, keeping school residents safe and facilities secure at all times. Exterior dormitory doors are always locked, requiring those entering to have an ID card that is individually programmed to permit entrance into specified buildings.

Safety officers and the health center staff are equipped and trained to deal with medical emergencies. All dorm heads and dorm staff members are trained in first aid and CPR. Safety officers also respond to any other type of emergency and coordinate with local fire and police departments as necessary.

Students are given a room key and ID card at registration. If they lose their room key or card, it must be reported to dorm staff immediately, and a replacement will be ordered for them. There is a charge of $40 per key or ID card lost.

What does a typical day at NMH Summer look like?

Expect to keep busy at NMH Summer. Weekdays include classes, fun activities, study time, advising, and free time. Students in the seven-day program spend weekends taking part in field trips and other activities and enjoying some down time. Students in the five-day program go home for the weekend.

See the 7-8th grade daily schedule or the 9-12th grade daily schedule for details.

What do students do in their free time?

NMH Summer students have access to all facilities on the campus, which sits on 746 acres in the beautiful Connecticut River Valley in western Massachusetts.

That includes the $30 million Gilder Center, with 17 classrooms and labs for math, science, engineering and environmental studies. Gilder, the “greenest” LEED building on campus, was built using local, low-carbon, high-efficiency materials and includes a dashboard where students can track energy and water usage.

NMH’s sports facilities include two full gymnasiums with badminton courts, three basketball courts, a 25-meter swimming pool, two volleyball courts, the newly renovated 6,000-square-foot Calagione Fitness Center, and a new wrestling center. There is also a dance studio, a track, soccer fields, six tennis courts, eight pickleball courts, a beach volleyball court, two baseball fields, a softball field, and a boathouse on the Connecticut River. In addition there are cross country running and walking trails throughout the campus wooded areas.

Students gather to socialize with friends, play pool or table tennis, or join in one of many organized activities in the Blake Student Center. The building includes a snack bar, lounge, game room and campus store.

Schauffler Library, home to more than 70,000 books and other materials, offers quiet areas for study or reading as well as classrooms and a computer lab.

The Rhodes Arts Center has a dance performance space that doubles as a black-box theater as well as a larger theater and numerous art studios.

Alumni Hall, NMH’s fabulous dining facility, serves a variety of hot and cold food, with a deli bar, salad bar, dessert bar, fresh fruit station, and ice cream.

What should students pack?

Please review the packing list. Clothes must be neat and clean and should not be deemed offensive or contribute to disruption of NMH Summer. Students should bring clothes for a range of temperatures; while summer days in New England can be quite hot (90 F/45 C), evenings can be cool (60 F/15 C). For off-campus trips to the theater or worship services, students are expected to dress appropriately.

Laundry is collected weekly on Friday and returned the following Tuesday, so students should pack sufficient clothing. Students should bring enough clothes for a minimum of six days, as the first collection is on the Tuesday after arrival (July 2), with clean laundry returned on Friday, July 5. After this, the normal schedule will begin.

Do students need a computer?

Yes, all students must bring their own laptop, tablet, or Chromebook, as all courses (including math) regularly assign work that requires use of a computer. Computers should have Google Chrome installed as a web browser. Many teachers assign both in-class work and homework that require writing and submission of work via the Google drive.

NMH does not provide computers for students to use during class, and although there are a limited number of computers for use in the library and computer labs, these will not satisfy students' in-class needs.

Which classes require special equipment?

Digital photography students must bring their own digital SLR camera (not fully automatic; it must allow for manual focus). NMH does not have cameras for student use.

The LEAD outdoor leadership course requires: a backpack, a hat, closed-toed shoes/hiking shoes, bug spray, sunscreen, a water bottle, a waterproof jacket, and water shoes if possible (not required).

What items are not allowed at NMH Summer?

Due to health and safety/fire regulations, the following items are not permitted: curtains; cloth wall or ceiling hangings; matches, lighters, or fireworks; dry floral arrangements or evergreens; electric blankets; foam padding, including foam mattress pads; electrical items such as air conditioners, televisions, coffee or tea-makers, hot plates, popcorn poppers, toaster ovens, irons, etc.; candles; incense burners; high-intensity lamps (including halogen lamps) or strings of decorative lights; pets of any kind; large furniture; upholstered, stuffed, or beanbag chairs; wicker furniture; weapons or knives (including Swiss Army knives); and plastic, straw, shag, or rubber-backed rugs.

What sports equipment should students bring?

Most sports do not have any required equipment, with these exceptions:

Soccer: Cleats and shin guards are required. Soccer usually takes place on artificial turf.

Tennis: Students must bring a tennis racquet and tennis shoes with smooth, non-marking soles. NMH provides balls during official tennis practice. Students who plan to play during free time must provide their own tennis balls.

Optional: baseball/softball glove for the faculty-student softball games.

What’s the food like?

The food at NMH Summer is amazing! Alumni Hall, our dining facility, serves an extensive variety of options, including vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free offerings at every meal.

What about students with food allergies?

All Families should note any allergies in their student’s medical information so the relevant staff can be informed.

When is the dining hall open?

Monday through Saturday, Alumni Hall is open for breakfast (7:15-8:30 am), lunch hours (11 am-1 pm), and dinner (5–6:30 pm). On Sundays, continental breakfast is offered from 8-10 am, with brunch from 10 am-1 pm and dinner from 5-6:30 pm.

Snacks and “fast food” items such as wraps, omelets, and breakfast sandwiches may be available at the snack bar and the Campus Store located in the Blake Student Center on campus.

Required Vaccinations

Important! Please read this notice with recent changes to state vaccination requirements.

What are the COVID-19 requirements and protocols?

COVID-19 vaccinations are no longer required at NMH. However, we strongly encourage all community members to follow CDC recommendations for the COVID-19 primary vaccination series and boosters and to seek advice from their medical practitioners on vaccinations and boosters.

As always, we advise community members

Surveillance and diagnostic testing will be offered while students are on campus, if needed.

Students with COVID-19-like symptoms will be seen at NMH’s O’Connor Health and Wellness Center. (Day students may choose to see their primary care provider.) Any student diagnosed with COVID-19 must be collected from campus within 24 to 48 hours and remain off-campus for the remainder of their isolation period.

Additional details regarding COVID-19 protocols will be provided to families near the start of the program if necessary. All families must agree to and abide by NMH’s COVID-19 testing requirements and protocols.

Do students need health insurance?

All students are required to have health insurance that covers them while at NMH Summer. (See Tuition and Fees: Additional Expenses.)

What health information is required?

Prior to a student's arrival at NMH, families must complete medical information on our online healthcare portal, including student medical and mental health history and immunization records. All students are required to provide documentation of a doctor’s physical completed within 12 months of the NMH Summer start date, so families may need to book this appointment ahead of time.

What happens if a student gets sick at NMH Summer?

NMH’s school physician is available weekdays at the O’Connor Health and Wellness Center and after hours when necessary. If a student becomes ill outside of outpatient hours, the advisor and dorm head should be notified. Inpatient services are provided by the nursing staff as required. School nurses are on duty during posted hours and on call at all other times; 24-hour emergency care is provided at the local hospital.

If a day student is sick, a parent or guardian must call the NMH Summer office at 413-498-3290 to report the absence so that we can inform all necessary personnel. Do not email teachers or interns, as they may not check messages during class and the summer office must account for any absences immediately.

What if students take prescription medication?

Families must inform NMH’s O’Connor Health and Wellness Center about any medications taken by students.

Prescription medications from home — including psychotropic medications (antianxiety medications, antidepressants, medications for ADD or ADHD, and some sleep aids) — must be shipped or hand-delivered by a parent or guardian to the health center. Medications may not be mailed to students, and students may not bring medications to campus if not accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Allergy medications and a schedule for dispensing them must be given to the health center. Antibiotics, allergy and cold preparations, and nutritional supplements are dispensed as needed.

All medications are held at the health center and dispensed to students. Students may not keep any prescription medications in their rooms.

What is the absence policy?

All absences must be approved by the NMH Summer office. Attendance is required at all classes, sports activities, and work assignments. Students should not request to be excused except in cases of illness. In such cases, they may be excused by the school physician or nurses only. Students who miss an excessive number of classes are liable to dismissal.

Whom should families contact with medical or health-related questions?

Please email the O’Connor Health and Wellness Center staff at nurses@nmhschool.org.

How do families submit tuition and fees payments?

Families may pay online through the NMH Summer payment portal using a credit card, debit card, or e-check; or by check or bank wire. Read more here.

How do families put spending money into their student’s account?

Families can deposit money with NMH for the student's personal spending account through our online payment portal, and those funds can be withdrawn from NMH’s cashier. Students with ATM cards can access spending money by using the TD Bank ATM in the Blake Student Center.

Students with a TD Bank debit or ATM card incur no fees for withdrawals at a TD Bank ATM. For cards other than TD Bank, there is a fee per transaction, and the student’s bank may also charge a fee. To set up a TD Bank account, contact TD Bank directly.

NMH spending accounts should be set up ahead of time when paying the tuition bill by including an extra amount designated for the account. This can be done through our online payment portal on the NMH Summer website by adding the dollar amount under “Student Spending Account.”

The advantage of establishing an ATM account is that the on-campus ATM is available at any time, and students can also access ATM funds while on off-campus trips. The NMH cashier’s office cannot process ATM deposits and withdrawals, and students can only access their NMH spending account during certain hours.

Funds deposited with NMH cannot be accessed through an ATM. Students cannot make withdrawals from their NMH spending account on the weekends, so they must plan ahead. Students should not keep large amounts of cash on their person or in their room.

How much money should students bring?

This is a personal preference and will vary for every student. They should only need money for items such as toiletries, snacks, spending money on trips, and cash for traveling to and from NMH (for spending at the airport, for example).

How can families check their account balance?

Contact NMH's business office:

Joanne Graves: jgraves@nmhschool.org or 413-498-3268

Angie Fletcher: afletcher@nmhschool.org or 413-498-3189.

Families may also set up an account with My Kids Spending to access up-to-date information regarding your account. The accounts are updated nightly Monday through Friday.

What is NMH Summer’s refund policy?

See our full refund policy.

What are credit courses?

Many of our courses for rising 9th- to 12th graders ( marked with an asterisk* in the course descriptions) may be taken for academic credit. Many students are able to satisfy requirements during the five weeks for full-year courses, such as U.S. history, science, or math. A transcript with a letter grade and a complete course description will be sent to families at the end of the NMH Summer. The awarding of credit is determined by the student's academic-year school.

How much homework do students have?

This will vary depending on their courses. Rising 7th- and 8th-graders should anticipate two hours of homework a day, while rising 9th- to 12th-graders should expect up to three hours of homework, projects or group work.. English-Language Immersion students should expect two to three hours of homework per day.

Are courses held every day?

All students, regardless of their program, attend classes Monday through Friday. There are no minor courses or sports on Wednesday or Saturday afternoons or on Sundays.

Can students change their course selections?

It is possible to change a major course or minor course during the first days of NMH Summer. Such requests must be teacher-initiated and be approved by the NMH Summer director. Only the director or associate directors may authorize such a change. No changes may be made after the second meeting of a course.

Prior to the start of the session, limited course-change requests may be considered. Reassignment into another course is based upon course availability. Requests for course changes must be made by a parent or guardian via email to NMH Summer before May 1. The NMH Summer office will not accept requests for course changes by phone.

Sometimes changes may be necessary at the beginning of the session. If so, this will be communicated to the student’s family. No course changes will be made after the first Wednesday of the session.

Are there prerequisites for courses?

Any prerequisites will be listed in the course description, enabling students to choose the appropriate course. In addition, each course lists the appropriate grade level that students should be entering. In the final assigning of students to courses, proficiency rather than grade level alone is the essential consideration. Adjustments based on academic ability may be made during the first few days of classes.

How should families address mail to their student?

Use the following format:

(Name of Child)

(DORMITORY)*

NMH Summer

One Lamplighter Way,

Mount Hermon, MA 01354

USA

(*Students will receive dormitory assignments when they arrive for registration.)

How can students mail something?

There is a campus mail room adjoining the Blake Student Center.

What should families do if they cannot reach their student?

If a student cannot be reached by phone, text, or email, families should contact their student’s advisor or, if the advisor is unavailable, the dorm head. Their emails will be provided to you at the start of NMH Summer.

Is there internet access in the dorms?

Yes, wireless internet is available all over campus.

How do families contact the NMH Summer office?

Call the NMH Summer office during office hours: Monday to Friday from 8 am to 5 pm and Saturday from 8 am to 12:30 pm. Outside of office hours, please leave a voicemail or, if it is an urgent matter, call the NMH Summer duty dean at 413-498-3326.

The office email address is summer@nmhschool.org

For medical or health-related questions:

Please email the O’Connor Health and Wellness Center staff at nurses@nmhschool.org.