Welcome home to
cheshire academy
Enrollment Resources for Families
We are thrilled to welcome you to Cheshire Academy, an institution rich in history and tradition that remains committed to providing our students with the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in an ever-changing world. With our exceptional academic program and strong athletic, arts, and co-curricular offerings, we are confident that you will thrive here – learning, growing, and finding a home in our warm and welcoming community.
Resources
This enrollment resources page includes information about registration forms, our health records platforms, dates, policies, and ways to prepare for the school year.
Note: As of June 18, 2025, enrolled families have access to the MyCheshire Parent Portal.
Questions? Contact registrationhelp@cheshireacademy.org.
REGISTRATION FORMS
Forms Checklist
Health Forms: August Schools
Please view the Welcome Letter from the Health Services team for information on our health record system, filling out health forms, and more.
At Cheshire Academy, student health information is collected, stored, and managed through the August Schools system to provide an efficient, secure, and consistent service to you and your child. August Schools is accessed through the MyCheshire parent portal on the CA website. On the parent portal, you will see a Health Services resource board in which the link to your August Schools account is found.
After accessing August Schools, parents will receive instructions on how to complete the online medical registration and obtain healthcare provider forms.
You will need to schedule your student’s visit with your healthcare provider to obtain a current physical examination and to ensure that all required Connecticut immunizations and health screenings have been received prior to arrival at school. All students require a physical examination every year due to our sports and activities requirement.
- DPT/DTap/Td(Diptheria/Tetanus/Pertussis) – at least 3 doses, with the last dose given after the age of 4 years.
- Tdap booster – dose given after the age of 11 years
- MMR (Measles/Mumps/Rubella) – 2 doses of MMR, at least 28 days apart, with the first dose given after the age of 1 year
- Hepatitis B – 3 doses, with the last dose given after 24 weeks of age
- Hepatitis A – 2 doses, 6 months apart, with the first dose given after age of 1 year
- Influenza vaccine – annually in the fall
- Meningococcal (A,C,Y,W) – dose after the age of 11 years
- Varivax – 2 doses, at least 28 days apart, with the first dose given after the age of 1 year; or medical documentation of Chicken Pox (Varicella) disease
- HPV vaccine series
- Covid-19 vaccine
All students are required to have a national medical insurance policy that is effective in Connecticut. Students from the United States are required to submit copies of their medical insurance cards into August Schools so their insurance can be properly billed if they require medical care away from campus.
All international students are required to be enrolled in our mandatory Cheshire Academy student medical insurance plan. This Student Accident and Sickness medical insurance plan will cover for the 10-month academic year. The health insurance charge is itemized on the tuition bill, and must be paid prior to students arriving at school. Please do not complete the section “Proof of Insurance.” The Health Center will complete all necessary insurance information and will upload the copy of the Cheshire Academy student medical insurance card into the system for you.
If you have any specific medical questions or wish to discuss any medical concerns regarding your child, please contact the Cheshire Academy health team at healthservices@cheshireacademy.org or 203-439-7280.
Welcome Letter & Health Form Registration Checklist
Additional Forms & Requirements
KEY DATES
August 1
All forms due
September 2
Student leaders & new international students who have opted into the international program arrive.
Optional Arrival
Returning international students may return today or Sept. 6.
September 6
Welcome Day w/ Families – All Day, Boarding & Returning International Students Arrive
September 7
First Day on Campus – Orientation, Convocation & Community Dinner
Required for all students
September 8
First Day of School – Classes & Afternoon Activities Begin, Continued Orientation
Zoom Meetings for New Families
Each room is equipped with a twin bed frame, mattress, desk, chair, closet/bureau, a small personal safe, overhead lights, and window shade. Some dorm rooms are fully carpeted. Most rooms house two students with limited singles in some dorms.
Suggested Packing List
For your bed:
- Pillows
- 2 Sets of pillowcases and sheets (twin – XL)
- Comforter, extra blankets
- Mattress pad (twin – XL)
For your room:
- Laundry basket and/or clothes hamper
- Laundry detergent, dryer sheets, stain remover
- USA-approved surge protector (non-surge protector power strips are not allowed)
- Small fan
- Small trash can
- Small vacuum
- Cleaning supplies
- Desk lamp
- Water bottle
- Extra storage (i.e. under-the-bed, stackable cubes, etc.)
For the bathroom:
- 2-3 towels
- Washcloths/loofah/sponge
- Shower shoes (i.e. flipflops)
- Shower caddy
- Toiletries (i.e. soap, shampoo/conditioner, lotion, face wash, razors, shaving cream, deodorant)
- Oral hygiene products (i.e. toothbrush, toothpaste, dental floss)
- Haircare products
- Bathrobe (This item is essential as we have dorm parents and other members of the community that live and work within the dorms)
For your closet:
- Clothes hangers
- Clothes for school (i.e. presentable academic wear, spirit wear, formal wear)
- Workout clothes & gear
- Casual clothes
- Sleepwear
- Weather-related outerwear (i.e. winter jacket, rain/snow boots, hat, gloves, etc.)
- Umbrella
- Lint roller or brush
For your schoolwork:
- Laptop w/charger
- Notebooks and folders
- Backpack
- Pens, pencils, highlighters
- TI-Nspire calculator
- Headphone
- Glasses/contacts
- Desk supplies (i.e. scissors, tape, sticky notes, paper clips, etc.)
Personal items:
- Driver’s license and/or passport
- Wallet (including debit/credit card, other IDs, medical insurance, etc.)
- Photos, cards/letters, etc.
- Posters (with Command strips for hanging)
- Books, movies, music
- Snacks
- Cell phone and charger(s)
- US power adapters
What Not to Bring:
- Aerosol Spray Bottles
- Candles
- Irons
- Toasters
- Hot plates
- Coffee makers
- Popcorn machines
- Electric blankets
- Rice makers
- Hot water pots
- Halogen lamps
- Immersion coils
- Heated foot baths
- Handheld clothing steamers
- Space heaters or air conditioners
- Non-LED “string” lights and LED strip lights
- Air Fryers
- Microwaves
- Diffusers
Cheshire Academy is offering students an optional Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Service. This service is offered through:
Registration opening soon!
Please do not place an order to rent or buy a refrigerator until you have received your dorm room assignment, as only one refrigerator is allowed per dorm room. We partner with My Cozy Dorm Room for refrigerator rental: mycozydormroom.com.
Mini-Fridge Rental Flyer
Mini-fridges are permitted in dorm rooms given the following parameters:
- Students are permitted one mini-fridge per room.
- All units must comply with Cheshire Academy safety standards and size restrictions. The fridge may not exceed 3.2 cu. ft.
Other appliances are not allowed including microwaves, hot pots or other cooking devices, toasters, coffee makers, blenders, irons, air conditioners, dehumidifiers, etc.
Also not allowed:
- Screens or television monitors larger than 32”
If you are interested in renting or buying a refrigerator, email communitylifedepartment@cheshireacademy.org.
ACADEMICS & COMMUNITY LIFE
We’ve made it easy for you. Download the Next Steps & Key Information sheet to for a quick guide on what to expect from the Academic Office, important dates, and International Baccalaureate® course offerings and fees.
Visit the All School Information resource board on the MyCheshire portal, and our Recommended Reading List for Summer Reading, organized by grade level, will be available soon. These are excellent books, selected for each grade level by our faculty across departments, and while not required, we strongly encourage students and families alike to read as many of them as they wish, perhaps even together!
Individual student class schedules will be made available on the MyCheshire portal in late August, as enrollment and scheduling continues throughout the summer.
This academic year, some classes will require physical or digital texts or resources. The textbooks will be posted to our All School Resources board on the MyCheshire portal in July.
Student requests to leave campus should be submitted via Orah, the online system we use for keeping track of students. These are to be completed by parents and students early in the week when they would like to leave campus. Please note that requests require approval from the Office of Community Life before a student can leave campus.
Orah should also be used for day passes. Day passes should be selected if a student wants to go beyond the town of Cheshire and will be away for more than one hour, but plans to return in the evening. Parents still need to give permission for those requests. Please provide as much lead time as possible for our planning purposes.
The goal of the Roxbury Program is to develop proactive, knowledgeable, and independent learners who take responsibility for their education and academic success. The academic coaching model of Roxbury utilizes a robust theoretical framework and research-based practices tailored to the Cheshire Academy mission, approach to learning, and range of students at each grade level. The Roxbury Program director and a dedicated staff of masters-level instructors have professional experience in education at the secondary and post-secondary levels and are skilled in meeting a range of learning needs.
Learn more about Roxbury at cheshireacademy.org/roxbury
There is a $150 per-semester fee for music lessons, select courses, and ensembles. The fee will appear on family accounts for any student who participates and is charged only once each semester, even if a student is participating in more than one offering.
Dates
- Sept. 12-14
- Oct. 24-26
- Feb. 13-15
- April 17-19
About
Community Weekends serve to cultivate a cohesive campus community through shared experiences, including special programming aligned with the Academy’s mission and core values. These weekends also provide opportunities for organized large-scale activities and events.
Questions?
Should you have any questions, please reach out to one of the following individuals via email:
Marc Aronson, Dean of Academics, marc.aronson@cheshireacademy.org
Young Kwon, Associate Dean of Academics, young.kwon@cheshireacademy.org
Colleen Altenburger, Dean of Students, colleen.altenburger@cheshireacademy.org
Alex Conaway, Associate Dean of Students, Director of Making SPACE Program, alex.conaway@cheshireacademy.org
Jennifer Guarino, Associate Dean of Students, Director of Campus Life, jennifer.guarino@cheshireacademy.org.
dress code
All clothing should be clean and in good condition with full coverage from underarm to mid-thigh. Tops must have straps or sleeves. Clothing should also allow students to participate fully in all academic activities.
If a student or parent/guardian is concerned about school dress or unsure whether certain attire is permissible under Appropriate Academic Dress, please contact the CommunityLifeDepartment@cheshireacademy.org before wearing questionable attire to school.
*Students will need Formal Wear as soon as they arrive on campus, and starting at Convocation.
Gray dress pants, white button-down dress shirt, white blouse, gray skirt, or gray dress. All students are required to wear a navy blue blazer with the Cheshire Academy school patch affixed to the left side. A Cheshire Academy school tie or bow tie should be worn with a white dress shirt. All clothing should be clean, without holes, and in good condition.
Not permitted on Formal Days: white T-shirts, white polo shirts, white sweatshirts, gray jeans, gray leggings (unless worn under a skirt or dress), gray yoga pants, gray sweatpants, slippers, rubber flip-flops/slides, or Crocs.
If a student or parent/guardian is concerned about school dress or unsure whether certain attire is permissible under Formal Wear, please contact the CommunityLifeDepartment@cheshireacademy.org before wearing questionable attire to school.
At no time at school or at school-sponsored events may a student wear:
- Clothing decorated with messages expressing derogatory references
- Clothing decorated with messages advocating or advertising violence, alcohol, or drugs
- Clothing expressing obscenities or displaying inappropriate graphics or logos
- Clothing expressing messages that are contrary to our school values and/or otherwise violate school rules
TECHNOLOGY
The information below covers technology requirements and answers to some common tech-related questions. More detailed information can be found in the Technology & Information Services section of the Student and Family Handbook, including our Acceptable Use Policy.
All students are expected to have a laptop which meets the following requirements:
● Microsoft Windows or MacOS
● Built-in webcam & microphone
● No older than 2–3 years
● Sufficient privileges to install software and system updates
Additionally, laptops should have an active warranty/support plan in case of damage or disrepair. Students are responsible for having their laptop repaired or replaced as necessary in a timely manner–the Technology office does not service personal devices.
If purchasing a new laptop, we encourage students to choose a device they will be comfortable using throughout their high school career. We do not recommend any particular brands or hardware specifications beyond the requirements listed above.
Chromebooks, tablets (such as iPads), and smartphones do not satisfy the laptop requirement. Although they may offer similar functionality, this restriction allows teachers to build their classes around consistent technology expectations and helps to avoid compatibility issues. Students are free to use these as secondary or backup devices but are expected to have a primary laptop for all classes.
Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, etc.) and Adobe Creative Cloud (Acrobat, Photoshop, etc.) are provided to students free of charge and do not need to be purchased separately.
1 TB of cloud storage via OneDrive is also provided for storing schoolwork and files.
In accordance with our Acceptable Use Policy, students are not permitted to use VPN, proxy, or traffic anonymization software. Wireless hotspots and other networking hardware are also prohibited.
If you would like to know more about our technology policies, resources, and safeguards, please feel free to contact us at support@cheshireacademy.org with any questions.
Cheshire Academy Parents & Families Association (CAPFA)
Hello and welcome!
Sasha Russell
Director of Constituent Engagement
