Deerfield Academy

Deerfield Academy is an independent secondary school committed to high standards of scholarship, citizenship, and personal responsibility. Through a rigorous liberal arts curriculum, extensive co-curricular program, and supportive residential environment, Deerfield encourages each student to develop an inquisitive and creative mind, sound body, and strong moral character.

Set in a historic village bounded by river, hills, and farms, Deerfield inspires reflection, study and play, abiding friendships, and a defining school spirit. A vibrant, ethical community that embraces diversity, the Academy prepares students for leadership in a rapidly changing world that requires global understanding, environmental stewardship, and dedication to service. Our Core Values are

• Citizenship in a spirit of humility, empathy, and responsibility
• Face-to-face interactions characterized by joy and generosity of spirit
• Connectedness to our unique setting and the contemporary world
• Reflection and balance, promoting intellectual vitality and self-understanding
• Pursuit of mastery built on a foundation of breadth and versatility
• Shared experiences, large and small, as sources of relationships, identity, and community

Seventy percent of Deerfield faculty members hold advanced degrees and have expertise in more than one discipline. They are teachers, coaches, and program directors, and when you live where you learn, that learning extends well beyond the classroom.

• Student Life Office: The Student Life Office oversees all aspects of student life at the Academy. There is no more direct link between students and the administrative faculty than the Assistant Head of School for Student Life and the deans, who are in close contact with both parties at all times, and are always available to talk with students. Here are a few of the responsibilities that reside within the Student Life Office (aka “SLO”).
  • Management of clubs and alliances;
  • Setting the rules and expectations for students;
  • Approving overnights and other travel forms;
  • Oversight of the disciplinary process.
• Faculty Advisors: Advisors are the primary point of contact for Deerfield students, parents, and guardians. They have a strong working knowledge of the Academy’s academic program and work to ensure that students can navigate effectively, offering opportunities for exposure to new courses and in-depth exploration of existing areas of interest.
• Deans: Deans are the go-to resource for specific issues; Academic Dean Ivory Hills, Assistant Academic Dean Sheryl Koyama, and Associate Academic Dean Lydia Hemphill are responsible for all areas of academic life at Deerfield.
• Class Deans: Each class is assigned a dean who provides more personalized assistance to the students in their classes. These deans are part of the Student Life Office, and share similar responsibilities. For smaller issues, such as clearing APs and other non-disciplinary requests, students should be in touch with their respective class dean.
• Dean of Faculty: The Dean of Faculty’s Office is responsible for all matters relating to the Academy’s faculty.

Deerfield’s beautiful campus sits in the midst of rich farmland and meadows, bordered by the hills of the Pocumtuck Range to the east and the Deerfield River to the west. The changing of seasons in this graceful corner of New England, from the brilliant colors of autumn to winter snows to the sudden green of spring, enriches the lives of the Academy’s students and faculty.

Deerfield Academy’s 330-acre campus is nestled at the center of the 18th-century historic village of Deerfield. The town’s main street has retained its history and charm over the past 200 years since Deerfield Academy was first founded, and the well-preserved village now operates in part as a museum.

With Greenfield to the north, and the “Five Colleges” of Amherst, Smith, Hampshire, Mount Holyoke, and UMass 20 minutes to the south, the area is rich with cultural and intellectual resources, offering galleries, bookstores, restaurants, coffee houses, movie theaters, and a unique collection of shops.