Orientation

The Orientation program at CA is designed to help new students cope with the transition to high school and, in many cases, to boarding school, as well.

Each year, current CA students return to campus five days early to prepare the campus and the student houses for school.  This team of forty-five students, called the OLT (Orientation Leader Team), works with the Boarding Council, including the head and vice head of boarding, and the student heads of house, to welcome new students to campus.

Student Voices

“Being able to both experience Orientation as well as be a part of it has made my time here at CA worthwhile.  It is a venue I use to give back to my school.” — Chris, Junior

“First impressions always count.  As a boarder, Orientation displayed a terrific feel of my new home, school, friends, mentors, and the town of Concord.  In retrospect, the leaders during those few days gave me some helpful pointers and tips, including conquering homesickness and making new friends, that helped me tremendously throughout my freshmen year.   Orientation is essential for a confident social and emotional beginning at CA.” — Tripp, Freshman

“Coming here from a public middle school made me really nervous. I had no idea what to expect! Orientation made the whole transition so much easier! From the enthusiastic student orientation leaders to the extremely helpful faculty, I really felt like I made the right choice!”

— Laura, Freshman

“Orientation was a lot of fun.  It was a great chance to meet people, and though it seemed a little bit overwhelming at first, everybody was really nice and made sure that you had a great time.” — Trip, Sophomore

“It’s always exciting to be one of the first to see who will join our community for the next four years and being an orientation leader is awesome because you get to have an influence on how people feel when they first set foot on campus”  — Aisha, Senior

“I arrived at Orientation knowing no one and feeling very worried about the upcoming year.  When I left, I had met many wonderful people who I was excited to get to know, I had gotten a taste of the energy and excitement of the CA campus and I felt assured of what to expect when classes started.” — Emme, Freshman

“Orientation was a chance for me to meet new students and orientation leaders while also getting to know the school itself. At Orientation I bonded with people who I am still extremely good friends with now.  It was a great experience and I look forward to welcoming new students in the coming years.” — Nola, Sophomore