Being a faculty kid means sleeping, eating, and breathing Williston at most times of the day. Many of these children have been here since their first breath, others having moved in just months ago. Either way, being constantly surrounded by teens and other kids has its impact.
Williston has been home to hundreds of faculty families for years. With housing all along Payson Avenue, Brewster Avenue, and apartments built into every dorm, households have room to grow close to the school community.
Caroline Beaton is eight years old and has lived on campus for her whole life. Caroline lives in one of the Ford Hall Apartments with her mom, dad, two sisters, Ally (6), and Maddy (4), and their golden retriever, Max.
“Being a faculty kid, you’re still probably going to go to Williston. And your parents will probably, like, work there,” she said.
But what makes being a faculty kid so fun? “I have a lot of friends,” Caroline remarked before proceeding to list the many friends she has made Williston. “Ana, Fiona, Taylor, Harper…” The list goes on, proving even more how big this campus family really is. Ana and Fiona are the daughters of Jessica Rohan, while Taylor’s parents are English teacher Kyle and Nurse Lindsay Hanford, and Harper lives in John Wright with her parents, Bryce Shattie and Assistant Director of Admission & Financial Aid Sara Reid.
“They [the highschoolers] are really nice,” Caroline explained before taking a u-turn in topic. “I would rather have my own house. But that’s why we’re moving! We’re going to Taylor’s quad!”
Caroline and her family are moving to an apartment in John Hazen White this summer; they will be neighbors with the Hanfords and live on the Residential Quad after nine years in Ford.
Faculty kids know Williston like the back of their hand, every corner and path holds a memory more than walking to and from class. Having free roam in a campus brimming with possibilities is pretty exciting, and they make the most of their time by seeing as much as possible. Caroline’s sister, Maddy, also had some very insightful thoughts to point out.
Asked if she likes living on campus, she responded, “YEAH!” As to what her favorite part is about living here, her response was equally enthusiastic: “Mom!”
Jack Choo is currently in his sophomore year at Williston; he is a 16-year faculty kid who lives on Payson Ave with his dad, Science teacher Ken, his mom, his younger sister, Mary, a cousin, three cats, “one dog at one point and sometimes fish and a hamster.”
“The hardest part of being a faculty kid is probably just feeling like I’m missing out,” Jack said. He feels drawn between two sides of the school, boarders and day students. Jack explained that it’s tough not being in the dorm with friends who are boarders, but there is also a distance from day students who all live farther away. “However, this does not bother me much as I end up just chilling at my house anyway.”
Like all situations, weighing the positives and negatives is important. Knowing the benefits of living on campus is a valuable asset in a faculty kids’ experience. “I don’t have to drive anywhere, no commute,” Jack declared.
Maggie Garrity is a four-year-old faculty kid who lives in the residential quad with her mom Kate, her brother, Cam, and their labrador, Charlie. Maggie’s favorite part about living on campus is, “um, Mommy.”
To many faculty kids, their home is simply defined as home, no stamp of prep school approval, just home. When asked where she lives, Maggie responded, “I don’t know, Easthampton?” [Note: The only time Maggie was available for interview was 7:00 PM, near her bedtime, which explains her somewhat incoherent responses].
After living on a boarding school campus for so long, faculty kids feel a pressure to attend the school even stronger. Many of the kids on campus have opinions about whether or not this will someday be a place for them to learn.
Maggie doesn’t feel the need to go to school here however. “I’m already at Williston!”
