Summer Residential Activities Assistant

Deerfield Academy, a private, coeducational boarding school founded in 1797 and annually serving approximately 650 students in grades 9-12, seeks to hire Residential Activities Assistants for the EXP Summer Program 2026.

EXP is an intense 3-week program designed to give middle school aged students from around the world a taste of life at a boarding school while encouraging their creativity and pushing intellectual boundaries. This position is expected to work from the start of Faculty/Staff training on July 3rd, 2026 through July 27, 2026.

Reporting to the Director of Summer Programs, the EXP Summer Residential Activities Assistant will provide supervision, plan and execute activities, and offer mentorship for the students selected for the EXP Program at Deerfield Academy 2026. 

There will be special consideration for applicants who graduated from Deerfield Academy.

Primary responsibilities include:   

• Collaborate with the Leadership Team to create, run, and supervise all free times, co-curriculars, activity times, and special events; plan, organize, and lead a student club.
• Live in the dorm acting as a responsible, mature presence and monitoring EXP students throughout the program; provide a safe, nurturing living space for students while establishing a strong community between students and staff.
• Advise 8-10 students, offering personalized advice and support throughout the program.
• Assist with the implementation of a Communications and Leadership class.
• Collaborate with the Heads of Residential Life to cover dorm duty, implement activities, and lead meetings in the dorm.
• Chaperone field trips.
• Attend meals and lead or co-lead sit-down tables of students.
• Know and enforce the rules of the program responding to rule breaking and following up with the leadership team to maximize safety; assist with any moment-to-moment issues that arise outside of the classroom in the residential life aspects of the program.
• Be prepared to assist teaching faculty as needed with delivering course content. This could include preparing class materials, assisting/overseeing student project groups, offering constructive input and feedback, working with specific students, classroom behavior discipline, organizing the classroom workspace, cleaning up at the end of the day/session/program, and other duties as assigned.
• Work closely with teaching faculty and leadership team in developing trust and open communication in responding effectively to dorm and campus concerns.
• Maintain contact with the leadership team on any issues, concerns, or successes that occur.

Qualifications:

• Recent high school graduates and/or current undergrad college students, preference given to candidates who graduated from Deerfield Academy;
• Candidates must be over 18 years of age prior to the start of the program;
• Required to sleep in the Academy-provided dorm room housing for the duration of the program;
• Must have experience with adolescents, with preference given to candidates who can demonstrate success in interacting and relating well to adolescents in middle school, both domestic and international;
• Strong collaboration, interpersonal, and organizational skills, with a strong attention to detail; must be effective communicators, and have good listening skills.
• Desire to expand their personal skills and knowledge while promoting innovative ideas to students;
• Desire to embrace the pace of  a fully immersive, residential summer program;
• Ability to take initiative and to multi-task independently and effectively; 
• Ability to handle confidential information; ability to make productive and responsible decisions when supervisors are not present;