Campus Life

Students at Putney can spend their free time as they please on campus. Whether it’s playing music in the Currier Center, drawing or making jewelry in Wender, rock climbing in the Field House, or making friends hiking on our extensive trail system, we encourage students to feel at home in every space. 

Housing

Our dorms are home to anywhere from 10 to 30 students, each containing a dorm parent who works with the student dorm heads to balance the many things Putney demands and offers — jobs, schedules and choices. We also have five solar-powered cabins, where seniors have an opportunity to live on their own as responsible, self-sufficient members of our community.

Cabin Program

Ten to eleven students live in five cabins on The Putney School campus every year. The cabins are wood heated and, where possible, actively and passively solar powered. Yes, it's a big responsibility to live this way, so the selection process is rigorous. Here is a glimpse of the experience.

Dining

KDU bread

From students working in the kitchen or serving meals, to home-cooked meals inspired by international cuisines, to the smell of freshly baked bread wafting from the big brick oven that also provides heat and comfort during the winter, students, faculty and staff gather to share meals and socialize at the KDU. The majority of our food is homegrown, sourced directly from Elm Lea Farm.

Sing

all school sing

Every Thursday, our community comes together to join in song. The diverse compilation of songs has grown and evolved over the decades with input from students and faculty. It has been a powerful way to welcome guests, introduce cultures, explore religion and spirituality, and use our voices to empower and celebrate our humanity.

Outdoor Program

long fall

With 500 acres nestled in the eastern foothills of the Green Mountains, Putney students spend a lot of time outside. Hiking, climbing, cross country skiing, and learning wilderness skills is just the beginning. Our weekend trips feature outings such as moonlight kayaking or backing the Long Trail. At the start of every school year, students participate in Long Fall, a four day/three night outdoor experience focusing on skill development and teamwork.

Activities and Groups

school dance

The school organizes some evening and weekend activities, but most are student driven. Here are some examples of activities that happen around campus:

  • March of the Turkeys Celebration
  • Harvest Festival
  • School dances such as Snowball and Social
  • Coffee House
  • Hanging by the fire ring behind the field house (built by students during work day)
  • Weekend events to downtown Brattleboro and Northampton
  • Hiking with the Putney Outdoors Program (POP)
  • Relaxing on the hill in the sun
  • Reading by the fire in the library
  • Enjoying treats with your dorm
  • Student gatherings such at the Tea Club
  • Sunday Church
  • Pick-up soccer after dinner

We also have a number of student-led groups on campus. These are always changing, but here are some examples:

  • Diversity Committee
  • Feminism
  • Model UN
  • Poetry
  • POP (Putney Outdoor Program)
  • Spectrum
  • Sustainability Squad
  • POC Affinity

Keep Exploring

Food at Putney

Our food is homegrown—sourced directly from Elm Lea Farm. At Putney, students help with planting and harvesting of crops and everyday barn tasks such as milking and feeding the cows.

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Sing

______ AT PUTNEY, STUDENTS SING Our community comes together every Thursday to join in song. Sing has been a central part of the school’s educational program since its founding in

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Afternoons and Athletics

We believe in the value and importance of exercise for its physical and emotional benefits. The afternoon activities program offers a variety of ways for students to be active. All

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Outdoor Program

The Putney Outdoor Program includes afternoon activities, weekend trips, and Long Fall. Two student leaders co-manage the outdoor program with a faculty member, planning and leading trips during the year.

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Long Fall

At Putney, we encourage our students to explore the outdoors. Developing an appreciation for nature while fostering a bond as part of a community is baked into our culture, and

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Student Blog: Finding Home in a Cabin in the Hills

I have to admit, as much as I was grateful and excited to have the opportunity to live in a cabin, I was nervous to learn I would be living

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