Community Work Program

Dating to the school's opening in 1914, the work program is one of Loomis Chaffee’s  oldest traditions. Mr. Nathaniel Batchelder, our first headmaster, believed that participation in “the useful labor of the school” promoted self-reliance and helped to foster democratic values; he felt that “the discipline of life comes from the normal acts of living.” Early Loomis students could be found operating on the school’s working farm.

The work program was revitalized in 1970 under the leadership of headmaster Fred Torrey and work program director Charles “Bruno” Vernon, who would go on to direct the program for almost 35 years. It was in 1970 that the program began involving faculty as well as students. Of the community work program, Vernon explains: “It involved community building. We hoped that students would appreciate their environment more if they had some responsibility for it… Plus, it brought us a little closer to the school that had been here decades ago.”

The curriculum of the work program creates natural pathways on which students can progress throughout their time on campus. Students begin their time in the Community Work Program in one of many Common Good Jobs. After their first term or year at Loomis —depending on whether they enter Loomis as freshmen or transfer students — students are given the opportunity to express a preference for the job they would like. Additionally, each spring we hold a Jobs Fair which allows students the opportunity to engage with faculty members and ask questions about each job available.

Many students progress from Common Good Jobs to one or more different leadership positions on campus. From Resident Advisors and Prefects to Tour Guides and Agriculture Proctors, there are many meaningful leadership opportunities available within the Community Work Program.

Faculty involvement in the Community Work Program is an essential component to its success. The faculty members who work as work program supervisors have chosen to work in this capacity and work shoulder-to-shoulder with students, not only mentoring and supervising, but also working collaboratively to get work done.

All jobs have faculty members supervising and working with small groups of students, giving the students an opportunity to work with and to get to know faculty members who they may not otherwise.