Hancock Information for Students and Families

Students are expected to attend Hancock, and we assume they will take the coach buses to and from camp. If that is not the case, they should let Hancock Czar Jackson Elliott know as soon as possible, sharing details about their attendance and/or travel plans. Note, there is no separate RSVP form for parents/guardians to complete.

• Camp Fuller Landline: 401-783-5359
• Jackson Elliott: 617-888-2518, jelliott@commschool.org
• Jennifer Borman: jborman@commschool.org
• Rebecca Jackman: 617-680-8682, rjackman@commschool.org
• Stephanie Poynter: 617-266-7525, spoynter@commschool.org

We encourage students to limit use of smartphones over the trip, so please resist the temptation to text or call your child unless absolutely necessary.

Address: YMCA Camp Fuller, Camp Fuller Road, South Kingstown, RI 02879

Note, given Memorial Day, we will not have additional post-Hancock holidays. Classes will be held as usual on Tuesday, May 26. 

Departure: Wednesday, May 20, 2026

• 7:30 a.m.: Day Heads and Bus Loaders arrive at Commonwealth School
• 7:45 a.m.: Food Czars and Tech Crew arrive at Commonwealth School
• 8:15 a.m.: All other students arrive at Commonwealth School

If you are sick or running late, contact the front office (617-266-7525) as soon as possible. Additionally, please label all belongings—and pack a hearty lunch! The first meal served at camp will be dinner.

Return: Friday, May 22, 2026

The buses will return to Commonwealth on Friday, May 22, between 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m., when students will unload them as usual.

Friday morning, watch your texts and emails for instructions; each grade will have a twenty-minute pick-up window. Please do not come early. Students are welcome to hang out at school while they wait. If your child isn’t ready when you arrive, keep driving/circle the block. The building will be open until 3:00 p.m. if students require a later pickup. 

Instructions for Pickups and Dropoffs by Car

We ask that those driving to school:

• Not stop on Dartmouth Avenue.
• Make stops as brief as possible and follow staff directions when given. 
• Stop away from school if possible, e.g., farther up on Commonwealth Avenue or on one of the surrounding streets.
• Consider carpooling or public transportation.

Returning students, faculty, and staff can attest: late May by the ocean can be cold—and our sleeping cabins are not insulated. It remains critical that students pack a warm sleeping bag and warm layers. Students should let us know if they need to borrow a sleeping bag.

Students should also label belongings, particularly duffle bags, sleeping bags, tents, and other nondescript bags! 

Essential Gear

• Bagged lunch for Wednesday 
• Warm sleeping bag
• Tent and extra tarp—only needed if camping outside
• Insect repellant (one effective against ticks, mosquitoes, and blackflies; also see “Health and Safety” below)
• Sunscreen
• Raincoat
• Warm jacket
• Toilet articles
• Flashlight
• Towel
• Two pairs of solid shoes
• Several changes of warm clothes
• Pillow and pillow case

Optional Gear 

• Reusable water bottle and/or canteen 
• Bathing suit (swimming will be weather and lifeguard dependent)
• Camera
• Compass
• Binoculars
• Musical instruments
• Books
• Games
• Sports equipment
• Plastic bags (for field clothes; also see “Health and Safety” below)

Gear Check/Inspection

For those camping, we strongly recommend conducting a thorough gear check as you pack: Do you have all of your tent stakes? Are there any holes in the outer tent/rain fly? Etc.

Electronic Devices

We aim to maximize social interactions at Hancock. To that end, we discourage students from bringing electronic devices, other than a phone. Some students and faculty elect to go device-free while we are there. 

Weather Forecast

Please check the weather forecast for South Kingstown, Rhode Island, as you pack for the trip. Remember we will be next to the ocean! If rain is likely, make sure that sleeping bags and suitcases are in labeled plastic bags so they don't get wet.

All students will be given the option of sleeping in a cabin or tent. The school can provide some tents, if needed. Students will be given the opportunity to request cabin/tent groups. They will then be assigned to sleeping spaces, confirmed the week of Hancock, with their preferences taken into consideration. After arriving at Hancock, students cannot change their sleeping arrangements unless they have special permission from our “Night Owl” (evening/overnight chaperone), Mr. Letarte.

With the exception of the bagged lunch on Wednesday, which students need to supply themselves, all meals will be provided by student kitchen crews. They will prepare each meal with faculty or staff supervision in a commercial kitchen. Snacks will be provided as well.

Please note: 

• Students with severe allergies and food restrictions should coordinate their needs with Mr. Gold and Ms. Sundberg before and during at Hancock.
• Students are welcome to bring their own food if they wish, including food that meets special dietary needs. They can store perishables in the camp kitchen refrigerator. 
• Beverages, including water and hot coffee, tea, and cocoa, will be available. We recommend packing a water bottle as well as a canteen or mug for hot beverages. 

Coach buses will transport students, along with faculty and staff chaperones. Buses will leave the school promptly at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, May 20. Please contact the front office (617-266-7525) if you are sick or running late. Also see our pickup protocol for Friday under “Schedule.”

Our expectation is that all students will take the buses. Any students who need to arrange alternative transportation to and/or from Hancock should share their plans in the Hancock RSVP Form. Please note that students CANNOT drive themselves or other students. Students being picked up from Camp Fuller must leave by 9:00 a.m., and they must check in with a Day Head before they go. 

Student jobs/crew assignments and daily schedules of activities will be shared in advance of the trip and posted at camp. Students may reach out to Mr. MacDonnell with questions. 

In addition to morning activities, unstructured time in the afternoons, and the traditional talent show and dance, students might join faculty and staff for:

• Hiking
• Soccer
• Card games
• Archery (with trained Camp Fuller staff)
• Climbing (with trained Camp Fuller staff)
• Playing music (bring your instruments!)

Weather and lifeguard availability permitting, boating and swimming may also be available.

Medical Care

A nurse will be at the camp throughout our stay. Students, faculty, and staff should contact the nurse or the nearest faculty or staff member IMMEDIATELY if they begin to feel unwell at any point.

We will call 911 in the case of a medical emergency. The nearest emergency medical facility is South County Hospital’s Wakefield Branch in Wakefield, Rhode Island.

Tick Prevention and Checks

We remind students and families to take precautions to limit tick exposure, including the following: 

• Pants should be tucked into socks or boots to prevent tick-to-skin contact.
• Students should pack extra pairs of long pants and socks, insect repellent for ticks, and permethrin for treating the outside of their tent if they are going to field tent.
• Students who have been out in the fields or woods should do self tick-checks as soon as they come in, then shower and put on clean clothes. Worn field clothes should get tied up in plastic bags and kept separate from their clean clothes. 
• Students should conduct a thorough tick check upon returning home, as ticks can remain attached for up to thirty-six hours.

Lifeguard

Swimming will only be offered if the camp’s lifeguard is available. Boating may be available with faculty-staff supervision as well. All water-related activities are weather permitting.