Dormitories on campus all require an issued ID or passcode to enter the building, and there is a security staff member on duty 24/7. Any visiting guests (parents or friends not part of the program) are required to register at the front desk with proof of identification and are not allowed to stay past 8pm.
In addition to the building security, our staff also live in the dorms with the students. Our staff are assigned to small groups of 4 or 5 students to mentor and supervise. Any small group trips off campus to a restaurant, store, or college visit are always supervised by at least one staff member and formal program trips are supervised by all staff. The staff is personally available to the students every night to check them in for the day and enforce curfew.
Our staff are there not only to provide supervision and technical insight to startups, but also to provide emotional and interpersonal support. In the past, we have found that the students will often come to rely on more than one staff member for different kinds of advice and will often include our staff in their activities as peers. These close relationships that our staff develop with the students have always helped us gain a better sense of the well-being and safety of our students.
The Head of Staff is always available to both students and parents to speak about any concerns that may arise during the program. All students and parents will be given the Head of Staff's information at the start of the program.