Meet The Residential Heads for the Boys' and Girls' Dorms

Bonnie Mansfield has been the girls' residential head at the Principia School for five years, but she also knows what it's like to have a child away at boarding school. Her three daughters all boarded at Principia, two of them in the Middle School dorm before Bonnie arrived, and one even spent a year at a boarding school in Australia. Bonnie knows from both sides what it takes for a boarding experience to be successful.

“Supporting young people as they grow into adulthood can feel a little bit like helping toddlers learn to walk,” she says. “Even if there’s a little teetering at first—and we keep our hands nearby to help steady them—ultimately, it’s natural and necessary to let them walk on their own.”

Part of letting high school students “walk on their own” is helping them gain a more expansive sense of home. “We all work hard,” says Bonnie, “to expand the students’ sense of home. That way, students know they always have what they need wherever they are.”

Clark Shutt, the boy’s residential head, has over 30 years of experience as director of Camp Leelanau in northern Michigan. When asked to describe how he works with young men, his response is simple: “Well, it’s not rocket science. It’s love.”

When asked specifically about his approach in the dorm, Clark explains, “We use a lot of teamwork principles to help the boys learn to take initiative, especially when it comes to being a good brother to those on their hall and to their friends. We challenge them to be unselfish and to strengthen their talents and leadership skills. Our goal is for them to understand that to be truly successful, they’ve got to do more than what’s merely expected. Ultimately, though, we want to help them cultivate a spiritual depth of thought and realize their capacity to heal.”