A Glossary of Key Hackley Terms

 

Akin Common - This green space located in the center of campus, surrounded by the Middle School, Upper School, and Lower School, serves as play space for all our students, and is where the campus gathers for Convocation, Class Day, and Commencement. Akin Common is named for an alumnus and former trustee in recognition of devoted service to the school.

 

Allen Memorial Hall - This is a large gathering space located in the Middle School, which kindly shares it with the Upper School on all sorts of occasions. The annual Faculty/Staff Appreciation luncheon takes place here, as well as other parent and alumni gatherings. The MS uses Allen Hall for assemblies, drama classes, ping-pong and bowling tournaments, hive competitions, and recitals. Parents new to the school will be invited to Allen Memorial Hall for a “Welcome to Hackley” event in the fall.

 

Allison Trails - Cross-country, walking, and nature trails located beyond Pickert Field. The trails are named in honor of former coach and lower school teacher Dave Allison.

 

ASK - The “After School Knowledge” program provides after-school activities for fifth and six graders.

 

B&G – The amazing team of buildings and grounds support staff, managed by B&G director Bill Smith. These are the people who, quite literally, keep the campus running.

 

Class Day – On the last day of school, the entire student body and all faculty gather under a tent on Akin Common to honor and recognize members of the community for their accomplishments. Lower School students sing, and awards are presented to students in grades 8 – 12. The awards themselves say a great deal about the community’s values. While some awards recognize achievement, all awards emphasize character. For example, seniors and 8th graders are recognized for the way in which they demonstrate kindness, courtesy, and spirit of cooperation.

 

Coffee House –Upper School Coffee Houses, sponsored jointly by the HPA and the Upper School, are popular events at which students perform for their peers. These packed-house evening events showcase the many individual talents that contribute to our community.

 

Community Council – This is Hackley’s student government. Community Council is comprised of representatives for each class and members of the Board of Magistrates – students chosen by their peers to serve as a student voice in a range of disciplinary considerations.

 

Community Time – This is an important feature of our 7-day schedule. Twice in each 7-day cycle, the entire Upper School student body and faculty will be free for school meetings, grade meetings, assemblies involving guest speakers, student presentations, club meetings, Advisory, Peer Advisory, and more.

 

Convocation – Along with Class Day, Convocation is one of two days in the course of the academic year when the entire K-12 community gathers. Convocation is the ceremonial opening of the new school year, and is held during the first week of school. Mr. Wirtz welcomes everyone, the Community Council president offers thoughts and goals for the school year, and everyone joins in a rousing “Go Hack” cheer competition (which division can cheer the loudest? Usually, the Lower School wins.)

 

The Courtyard – This “outdoor room” surrounded by the science building, Allen Memorial Hall, the dining hall, and the Upper School is a favorite retreat when the weather is good. Students hang out and occasional classes will meet there.

 

Day – ‘What day is it?’ does not beg the typical response. Hackley’s academic calendar is on a 7-day rotating cycle, where each major course meets only 6 out of 7 days. What day it is informs student and faculty as to which classes and activities meet at what time. So you won’t always have the same class first thing in the morning or after lunch. For more information, see Drop Days.

Drop Days – Our seven day cycle in the Upper and Middle Schools incorporates a “drop day” for each major class. Each major course meets only 6 out of seven days, and “drops” on the seventh day. The “drop days” provide important benefits to students and faculty. Students gain an additional free period which can be used to meet with teachers, work on assignments, or just relax, and are assured a break from homework on the night a class “drops.” Because teachers are also free in the period their class drops, it’s a great time for students and teachers to meet outside class for extra help. Teachers are expected to avoid assigning double homework before a drop day, to assure that students may devote time those nights to their other courses.

Evidentials (aka “evies”) – This refers to the academic comments that Middle and Upper School teachers write to offer a descriptive and diagnostic snapshot of a student’s work in each class. Progress reports are sent home in in the middle of each trimester, while grades are awarded in November, March, and June.

 

Extended Day – This refers to the after school childcare provided by the Lower School for an additional fee. If a parent or guardian cannot meet a child at normal dismissal time, the child may remain at Hackley until 6:00 PM. Extended Day is supervised by Hackley teachers. There’s a “homework room” and supervised free play time. Students also have the option of participating in various After School classes (music, art, sports, science, etc.) in conjunction with the with extended day program.

 

FLIK – FLIK is the food service company that manages our dining room.

 

Gage House – The Head of School's house, named for the school’s third Headmaster, Walter Gage, who led Hackley for three decades.

 

Goodhue – This wing of the school was damaged by fire in August 2007 and reopened in August 2010. The new building offers expanded teaching, conference and academic office spaces, a student lounge, small group work areas and seminar rooms, and the Middle and Upper School library. The building was one of the first two buildings established at Hackley, through the generosity of Sarah Goodhue, an early trustee of the school, and is called Goodhue Memorial Hall in memory of both Sarah Goodhue and her father.

 

The Grille Room – This is the space between the switchboard and the entrance to the dining room. Students often have brief meetings here since it’s (A) centrally located and (B) close to food. Yet it’s “Grille,” not “grill.” We don’t cook burgers there, though occasionally a student will be “grilled” because he didn’t tuck in his shirt. We think it’s “Grille” due to the criss-crossing woodwork on the windows and cabinets.

 

Gym Night – A Middle School tradition in which students join for social gym time, movies, and pizza on a Friday evening. These events are scheduled regularly throughout the school year, alternating with other age appropriate social gatherings.

 

Hackley Online (HOL) – This refers to the online community for Hackley teachers, students, and parents. Teachers are required to post assignment sheets on their class pages (new students and parents will receive separate training on this). There are also calendar features which allow you to track all that’s happening around campus.

 

Hackley Parents’ Association (HPA) – The HPA sponsors numerous events ranging from lectures and benefits to the Book Fair and more. The HPA organizes parent volunteers to help out in many ways, including staffing the Tuck Shop and providing funding in the form of grants to support faculty projects and classroom needs.

 

Hale Tower – This is the section of the Upper School building with the gothic doorway and turrets. It is named in honor of Edward Everett Hale, a prominent Unitarian and author admired by the School’s founders. His portrait hangs in the entrance of Hale Tower.

 

The Hilltop – Typically, this refers to either the campus itself or the yearbook.

 

Hornet’s Nest – The Hornet’s Nest is the popular merchandise shop where members of the community may purchase t-shirts, sweatshirts, and other Hackley identified gear. It is located in the Tuck Shop.

The Johnson Center (or JCHW) -- The shorthand for the Walter C. Johnson Center for Health and Wellness, home since January 2018 to Hackley's fitness, health, wellness, and athletics programs.  Named for Walter C. Johnson, Headmaster from 1995-2016.

 

King Chapel – The Sarah Goodhue King Memorial Chapel, along with Goodhue Memorial Hall, was one of the first buildings established at Hackley through the generosity of benefactor and trustee, Sarah Goodhue. Mrs. Goodhue named the Chapel in honor of her daughter, who was the mother of Charles Goodhue King (a member of Hackley’s first graduating class). Non-denominational chapel services were a regular part of the original boys’ boarding school’s routine. While chapel services have long since been discontinued, the King Chapel is still an important gathering space for both practical and ceremonial purposes. It temporarily served as the campus’ library during the reconstruction of Goodhue Memorial Hall after the fire.

 

King Field – This is the lower field where baseball, softball, and soccer teams compete. It was named in memory of Charles Goodhue King, Class of 1900, grandson of school benefactor Sarah Goodhue.

Lindsay Room – This is the first room on your right as you walk onto the Main Quad. It’s a frequently used gathering and meeting space which, appropriately, used to be called “the Common Room.” In fact, many people still refer to it as such, but it was named years ago for Maurice “Pop” Lindsay, a revered Hackley teaching master who taught at Hackley from 1924-1955.

 

Lower School (LS) – LS refers to our K through 4th grades.

 

Middle School (MS) – MS refers to our 5th through 8th grades.

 

Minot Savage Hall – This is the section of the Upper School building where the Admissions office, Lindsay Room, College Counseling, and various classrooms are located. The building is named for Rev. Minot Savage, a nationally respected Unitarian minister of the late 19th century who became close friends with Hackley’s founder, Frances Hackley, and may have influenced her in the decision to found the School.

 

Mission Statement – “Hackley challenges students to grow in character, scholarship, and accomplishment, to offer unreserved effort, and to learn from the varying backgrounds and perspectives in our community and the world.” This mission statement is consistent with, but not to be confused with Hackley’s “motto” – Iuncti Iuvamus – which translates to “United, we help one another” and Hackley’s “welcome” carved above the main entrance – “Enter here to be and find a friend.”

 

PAC – This refers to the Performing Arts Center, which is located down the hill from the Upper Quad. The PAC is the site of assemblies, guest lectures, and both MS and US theatre and musical performances.

Philip Savage Hall – The section of the Upper School building with the “Enter here to be and find a friend” doorway, where the Head of School's office is located. It is named in memory of Philip Savage, a poet and son of Minot Savage (see above), who died young in 1899, the year the school was founded.

Pickert Field – This is the hilltop field behind campus where track and field, football, field hockey, and other athletics events are held. The field is named in honor of former athletic director and long-tenured football coach Robert Pickert. Just north of Pickert Field are two turf fields, a softball diamond, and DelMoro Field, which has both a baseball diamond and room for a soccer pitch.

Progress Reports – These are mid-term updates on student progress made available to MS and US families at the midpoint of each trimester. For more about academic reports and grades, see Evidentials.

 

Pushpage – Hackley sends “pushpages” – email blasts – to its community through a web-based communications system that enables the school to send messages to defined groups of people.

 

The Quad – The traditional center of the original campus, created in the first decade of the 20th century, and still the “heart” of Hackley to alumni and Upper School students.

 

Raymond Hall – Originally called the Raymond Scientific Building, this section of the Upper School building houses the Upper School office and many Upper School classrooms. It was the original home of the School’s science laboratories, and was named in honor of Mrs. Frances Hackley’s father, John Raymond.

Saperstein Arch – This is the stone arch that connects Saperstein Hall to Allen Memorial Hall. It’s where most of the school buses stop for Middle and Upper School students, and Upper and Middle School parents stop to pick up or drop off children. The Middle School entrance is located under the arch, as are the Tuck Shop and Infirmary. Beyond Saperstein Arch is Akin Common.

 

Tuck Shop (aka “the Tuck”) – This is the snack shop located under Saperstein Arch. The Tuck is run by the HPA and is open in the morning from 8am to 10:30am and again from 1:30pm to 4:30pm. Students are welcome to go there during free time to grab something to eat. If you have a hankering for something sweet or for a Hot Pocket, this is the place for you.

 

Upper School (US) – US refers to our 9th through 12th grades.

Zetkov (or Zetkov Athletics Center, or ZAC) – Hackley’s former athletics center, mostly used now for outside rentals and as extra space for the Hackley Music program. We also call it the ZAC, perhaps because it’s next to the PAC.