Lincoln Academy will welcome 64 resident students – 29 more than last year – as the new school year starts and the private Newcastle high school’s boarding program continues to grow.
Lincoln Academy Associate Head of School for Finance and Strategic Planning Margot Riley has worked at Lincoln Academy for 22 years and played an active role in establishing the residential program.
The program began as a two-year pilot program in September 2011. Six resident students were housed in private homes in 2011-2012; while 12 boarding students attended LA in the 2012-2013 school year.
The second year, Riley provided housing for resident student Alan Lin, who came from China to attend Lincoln Academy.
“I became Alan’s second mom, his Lincoln Academy mom,” Riley said. “I care very deeply about our resident student program and am pleased it has grown so well.”
Hillcrest House, diagonally across from Poe Theater on Academy Hill Road, was purchased by Lincoln Academy as the resident student program became permanent during the 2013-2014 academic year. Hillcrest House provides housing for six resident students.
By August 2013, Hall House, next to the main school building, opened as a boys residence, housing 24 students.
During the 2013-2014 academic year, 35 resident students were enrolled, with 24 at Hall House, six at Hillcrest House, and five with host families.
Director of Enrollment and Marketing Sheryl Stearns said enrollment of resident students now stands at 64 for the 2014-2015 year.
As the anticipated resident student enrollment grew, and with a new dormitory not slated to open until February 2015, Lincoln Academy began to secure additional rental housing as the 2013-2014 school year came to a close.
Director of Resident Life Ken Stevenson said the school has rented three additional properties for the short term until the new dormitory is ready for occupancy.
Stevenson said the former Flying Cloud Bed and Breakfast on River Road in Newcastle will house 12 students. Next door, Riverview House will house 10 students. Another eight students will live in a two-story condominium on the third and fourth floors of the Newcastle Square building.
The three new rental units will house 30 students. This, along with the 24 beds at Hall House and six at Hillcrest House, provides 60 beds for the 64 students.
Two faculty members will live at each of the five housing units. The remaining resident students will stay with host families.
Both Riley and Stevenson said great care was taken by Lincoln Academy in selecting each of the three new rental properties.
The condominium sits above the Newcastle Publick House restaurant and its second-floor lounge. Riley said the condo has a private entrance and a private elevator. No resident student or faculty will need to pass through the restaurant to get to their rooms.
“We looked very carefully at the building, the security, the security video surveillance system, and the burglar and fire alarm systems,” Riley said. “The safety of all our students is absolutely vital to the long-term objectives of the resident student program.”
