Most Deerfield students have immense respect for this school, this community, and their position here. This keeps them from violating to a large degree our codes of conduct while on campus. This is a source of school pride: at Deerfield, we keep it classy. Deerfielders brush off comments about DA “snobbishness” because we know that our critics are simply mislabeling the high standards we hold ourselves to.

Yet it seems that many of these same students see vacations such as Long Fall Weekend, Christmas Break, Long Winter Weekend, and Spring Break as exceptions to this standard. After months of holding themselves to standards well above those of many of their friends at home, Deerfield students take advantage of vacation settings, treating them as moments of “liberation” during which they can do whatever they want without fear of tarnishing their on-school reputation.

Keep in mind, however, that Deerfield maintains the right to take disciplinary action if, “whether under the Academy’s or your parents’ jurisdiction… your behavior jeopardizes the welfare or reputation of the Academy.”

For those who aren’t a part of or are new to the Deerfield community, these expectations may sound invasive and daunting. However, remember that DA to Z considers the core values of this community to be “respect for self, respect for others, and respect for the environment in which we live.” We must recognize the jeopardy in which our silly mistakes place the school. Everyone has dismissed schools during the application process based on reputation. Don’t let this happen to Deerfield.

Whether on campus or in another country, when you find yourself in a compromising position, refrain from misbehavior and keep it classy.