Program Dates

Session I: Sunday, June 28 to Friday, July 17, 2009

Session II: Sunday, July 19 to Friday, August 7, 2009

Who's eligible

Our program is for high school students, rising freshmen to rising seniors. You are eligible if, during the 2008-2009 school year, you are in 8th, 9th, 10th or 11th grade. Students who are homeschooled or in ungraded programs are welcome. You can expect students here to be between ages 14 to 17.

You must also, through your application, show us that you are excited about spending three or six weeks focused on the arts, and that you expect to work hard. As one student put it: “Putney is easy-going and relaxed but at the same time rigorous and demanding.

Apply early

Enrollment begins January 1, with applications processed in the order we receive them. We must have a complete application before we consider you for acceptance. We do not save a place for you in the program or in workshops until we have received all parts of your application.

Classes vary in size, and many workshops fill quickly. For you to get a space in your first choice of workshops, application in January is strongly encouraged. Once workshops are filled, we maintain a waiting list from which accepted students are enrolled.

We reserve the right to cancel a workshop or offer new workshop choices because of changes in enrollment. Please apply early for the widest selection of workshops.

How to apply

• Download the Student Application as Word file or a PDF document and fill it out the form completely. Include non-refundable $50 application processing fee.

• For students requesting arts or writing workshops, submit 2 or 3 samples of your artwork or creative writing.  Photos (digital or 33mm) or high-quality color photocopies of your work are acceptable  Ideally, work samples are apropos to the workshops to which you are applying.  For students requesting music workshops, submit a digital audiofile (email to summer@putneyschool.org) or a cassette tape or CD recording, solo or small instrumental group in which your playing is idenfiiable. Samples of work are not required for students applying for the Program for International Education (ESL).  Find detailed instructions at this link: submitting creative work samples.

• Download the Teacher Recommendation as a Word file or a PDF document and give the form to a recent or current teacher familiar with your work, preferably in your area of intended study. Ask that the completed form be sealed in an envelope and signed across the seal before being returned to you. (Not required for ESOL students)
• Include photo of yourself in a setting of your choice..
• Assemble the above materials and mail to The Putney School Summer Programs. Placement in workshops is contingent on receipt of all application materials.
• Acceptance into the program is based on review of a completed application.
  

Tuition

Boarding Students:

$3450/one session   $6475/two sessions     

International Boarding Students (includes U.S. citizens/passport holders residing outside U.S.):

$3675/one session    $6825/two sessions

Day Students:

$1275/one session    $2200/two sessions

A non-refundable deposit of $1000 for boarding students ($350 for day students) is due within two weeks of notification of acceptance; this deposit is applied toward tuition. The balance is due by May 1. Students accepted after May 1 must submit full payment for tuition upon notification of acceptance.

Tuition for students who withdraw from the program prior to May 1 will be refunded, minus the application processing fee and tuition deposit. Because we must hire staff long before the start of the session, no tuition refunds will be made after May 1. No refunds will be made for any student who leaves the program or who is asked to leave for violation of program expectations.

Fees

There is an additional materials fee of $50 for the following workshops: Filmmaking, Glass Arts, Metalwork & Jewelry, Painting, Photography, Printmaking, Sculpture, and Wearable Arts. For those requesting pick-up or drop-off at Bradley International Airport in Hartford, CT, there is a $65 fee each way, with an additional fee for students traveling by air as unaccompanied minors.

Financial Aid

The deadline for applying for financial aid is March 1. We give financial aid whenever possible. Aid is awarded based on the financial needs of the family, the ability of the student, the enrollment needs of the program, and the resources available in the financial aid fund. In 2008, we helped students from families earning $12,000-$72,000. Since financial aid is limited, we give priority to students who have not received awards in prior years.

For financial aid forms and instructions, contact our office well before the March 1 deadline. To be considered for aid, students must submit a complete application for admission in addition to the financial aid forms.

Spending Money, Cell Phones and Valuables

Students must place any spending money brought to campus in an account with the Summer Programs business manager. While each student’s needs are different, most families find $100 - $150 more than adequate for the incidental purchases students may choose to make while at Putney.

Cell phones and personal computers are not allowed to be used on campus and must be deposited, along with other valuables, with the business manager. Use of portable personal electronics, such as iPods, is limited. We discourage students from bringing any portable electronic equipment. The Putney School Summer Programs cannot be responsible for lost or stolen valuables, cash, or other possessions while students are in residence at Putney.

Insurance

Students are required to have insurance that provides for medical coverage while attending The Putney School Summer Programs. International students are covered under a limited group medical and accident policy provided by the Summer Programs for the time they participate in the program.

Arrival & Departure

Students arrive on campus for registration between 1:00 and 5:00 pm on the first Sunday of the session and depart by 2:00 pm on the final Friday of the session.

Pick-up and drop-off of students on the opening and closing days of each session from the Amtrak train station or the Vermont Transit (Greyhound) bus station in Brattleboro, Vermont is provided free of charge.

Students arriving by plane should arrange flights through Bradley International Airport (BDL) in Hartford, Connecticut. Students who arrive at Bradley between 10:00 am and 3:30 pm on arrival day are eligible to sign up for Summer Programs’ shuttle service. On departure day, Summer Programs’ shuttles to Bradley run between 1:00 and 2:00 pm. Flight departure times should take into account that the shuttle time to the airport takes approximately one and a half hours. The charge for airport shuttle service, one-way, is $65 and is billed to the student’s account. There is an additional fee for students traveling as unaccompanied minors. If travel is arranged through other airports or at other times, transportation between the airport and Putney is the responsibility of the family. We are happy to provide the phone numbers for local transportation companies.

Day students

Day students enroll in morning and afternoon workshops and participate in Sing, afternoon activities, assemblies, and selected community activities. An average day begins at 8:25 am (Sing) and finishes at 5:30 pm (Afternoon Activities). Day students may request to spend the first and last nights of each session in dorms. Day students are expected to participate in the programs at all times that they are on campus. Day students may also participate in Evening Activities and campus field trips for additional fees.

Both-session students

For students who are staying for both sessions, the weekend between Session I and Session II is an opportunity to spend time with family off campus in the surrounding Vermont countryside. Students who remain on campus participate in a relaxing and supervised recreational program.

Directions to Campus Putney is about 100 miles from Boston and about 200 miles from New York City.  There is plane service to Bradley International Airport in Hartford, Connecticut, and bus and train service to Brattleboro, Vermont.  When traveling by car, take Exit 4 off Interstate-91 in Vermont; go north on Route 5.  In approx. ½ mile, in the village of Putney, turn left onto Kimball Hill/Westminster Road.  About 1 mile from the village, turn left onto West Hill Road.   About 1 mile up West Hill Road, veer left onto Houghton Brook Road.  The main entrance to The Putney School is the first paved driveway on the left.

click map to enlarge