Section 1. The Avon Old Farms School Community

Section 1: The Avon Old Farms Community

Welcome from the Head of School

Welcome to our community! Avon Old Farms prides itself on developing men of character, using the structure of our core values—Brotherhood, Scholarship, Integrity, and Sportsmanship—as a guide. Each student is an ambassador and representative of our school, our alumni, and our wide network of parents and friends. Therefore, we expect our students to uphold these core values, both on and off-campus, and in their personal lives. Each student has the responsibility to be respectful, inclusive, and courteous at all times, honoring our tradition of being a good citizen and welcoming to every visitor on campus. We expect all of our students to continue this tradition.

In order to get the most out of the Avon experience, students must be fully prepared to invest the time and effort into its various components. Each student is expected to meet his academic commitments, fulfill his school job responsibilities, and participate in afternoon activities. I encourage students to explore their passions and look for opportunities to discover new ones in our diverse community, engaging with the curriculum and the many club offerings on campus. It is important to attend school-sponsored weekend activities and athletic contests to build community, forge relationships on campus, and meet students from other schools. Our most successful students engage in all areas of school life, making the most of the wonderful opportunity to attend Avon Old Farms School.

Our dedicated faculty and staff strive to develop strong partnerships with our students, parents, and caregivers to ensure a successful transition and create a home away from home. We support and encourage our students as they strive to meet their goals. We are here to help.

On the pages that follow, you will find resources and other information about our programs, expectations, and school rules that will be helpful as you either begin or continue your career at Avon. We ask that students, parents, and guardians read this carefully and refer back to the handbook as needed.

Your success is our success, and we look forward to working with you in pursuit of excellence while you are at Avon Old Farms.

Jim Detora P’12 Head of School

Hello Brothers,

For those of you who are new students, my name is James Morr. This year I have the honor of serving Avon Old Farms as your warden. To our returners, welcome home!

When reflecting on my years at AOF, the advice that comes to mind is this: seize every opportunity Avon has to offer. These opportunities will help create bonds for life, teach lessons beyond the classroom and provide memories that will last a lifetime. Some of my fondest memories include playing stickball on Ja,merson Green, my first Field Day freshman year, traveling to Salisbury with busloads of hockey fans hoping to beat them in their own house, socials with our sister schools, and swimming in Beaver Pond on a surprise Founders Day.

“Brotherhood” is what describes the bonds and friendships that develop and flourish from our years at AOF. It is a very real energy on our campus and continues long after we leave. Brotherhood comes from being there for a friend in need, teamwork, studying with a classmate the night before a big exam, helping a teammate achieve a goal they have been striving for, encouraging a friend to step outside their comfort zone to try a new sport or activity, and always having your brother’s back.

Your years at Avon are going to fly by faster than you could ever imagine. Whether you are a freshman or finishing your final year as a senior or PG, cherish every moment here at AOF. Be sure to use time management so you can excel in the classroom while also enjoying your chosen sports, activities, friendships, and free time.

Your Student Council will give our best effort to assure you enjoy the true Avon experience. We look forward to getting to know you and will always be available if you have any questions or concerns. Please do not ever hesitate to reach out to us.

Here’s to 2021–22! May our year be filled with learning, laughing, victories, lessons, excitement, respect, friendship, and ... brotherhood!

Aspirando et perseverando,

James Morr ’22 Warden

The faculty and student body at Avon Old Farms are very familiar with the School’s core values. In order to fulfill the School’s mission of helping our boys become good men, we must articulate and exemplify the values which are central to achieving our goals.

At Avon, our core values are honored, and the moral curriculum is a pervasive element of the culture. We strive to honor these values within our community on a daily basis and incorporate them into our residential life programs throughout the year.

In addition, each day in classes, at meals, on the playing field, and in the dormitories, our faculty and staff focus on imparting these core values, which are basic but powerful.

Brotherhood: Avon’s founder Mrs. Riddle said, “The ways in which we differ are far more important than the ways in which we are alike.” The Avon community encourages boys to respect and to serve all people, and to confront injustice wherever it exists. The strength of our community emanates from the rich diversity within our student body and, by appreciating our differences, we honor the unique gifts each of us brings to our community. Accompanying our respect for diversity is our support for each other, which is a powerful force in the success of our service programs on and off-campus.

Scholarship: We believe that learning is a noble pursuit whose purpose helps us understand the truth of life; this quest continues throughout our lives and Avon helps our students develop the open, inquisitive mind of a good man who will make a positive difference in his world.

Integrity: As Shakespeare wrote in Hamlet, “This above all: to thine own self be true, And it must follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man.” Being honest with ourselves makes it possible to be honest with those around us. If at a young age, we commit ourselves to live our lives as honest people, and acting truthfully becomes our anchor no matter what storms confront us, then we are building the character of a good man.

Sportsmanship: Because we know that valuable life lessons are learned through competition and by being a member of a team, our athletic program exposes boys to the tenets of fair play, respect for others, and teamwork. It also helps boys to understand the need to work with others to achieve a common goal, to graciously accept winning and losing, and to stretch themselves past their comfort zones to succeed.

Avon Old Farms School was founded in 1927 by Theodate Pope Riddle, Connecticut’s sixth licensed female architect. Theodate’s imaginative genius as an architect and her vision and determination to create a school for boys, combined with her personal wealth, made the founding of the School possible. The original architecture is modeled after structures in the English Cotswolds and was built in the Cotswold and Tudor styles from materials hewn from the School’s property. The School sits upon 860 acres of rolling woodland with the Farmington River to the east and Beaver Pond just a short walk south of the core campus.

The School has grown from 48 boys at its opening in 1927 to a current full capacity of over 400 boys in grades 9-12, including post-graduates. There are students coming from 26 states and 20 countries. The School mascot is the Winged Beaver, which reflects the School’s motto, Aspirando et Perseverando, from Latin, to aspire and to persevere. The School colors were originally described in the founder’s Deed of Trust as “crimson and blue” and are now most often referred to as crimson red and navy blue.

Avon’s history is rich and steeped in strong traditions—traditions of academic integrity, athletic prowess, artistic merit, social engagement, and community service—and we embrace and carry on these traditions with enthusiasm in our pursuit toward becoming good men.

Parent/Guardian Agreement

The partnership between the School and each student’s parents/guardians is invaluable in pursuing the mission. It is expected that parents and guardians, and any other adult associated with the School by virtue of their relationship with the student, abide by and be supportive of the School’s policies and procedures. If, in the sole judgment of the head of school, actions by the student’s parent/guardians undermine the School’s policies or procedures, or otherwise disrupts the School, the student’s enrollment may be terminated or may not be issued a re-enrollment contract.