Registration

For those attending on campus

Housing Options

Please note that week-long, on campus housing is limited, especially for those needing air-conditioning. We will do our best to accommodate you but may not be able to meet all your requests.

Dormitories

Dorm residents will be assigned a roommate (you may request a particular Friend during the registration process), but you may also request a single room for an additional fee.

Please note that a single room incurs additional cost, and we need to prioritize these requests to meet medical needs. Many of the dorm rooms at Castleton are not air conditioned, so please clarify under housing needs if you require or simply prefer an air-conditioned room. Dinner, breakfast and lunch are included with all dorm and camping (see below) registrations.

Linens: We encourage you to bring your own bedding, including a pillow and blankets. We will also have a limited supply of linens available to rent. Please note that air-conditioned dormitories may be chilly and you may want additional blankets if your room is air-conditioned.

Parents must bring sleeping bag/bedroll, pillow, and towel for any children sleeping on the floor. Moving mattresses into neighboring dorm rooms is not permitted, and we are not able to provide mattresses or other sleeping supplies for children who will be sleeping on the floor.

Health Forms & Parental Consent

We must have a health form and parental consent for each child 18 and younger. Please fill out the required information on this website (which will look familiar to those who registered children for last year's Sessions or for Friends Camp). If your child will be accompanied by a sponsor rather than a parent, this is where you will provide that information as well.

Family Neighborhood

Interested in living with other families in community?

Families with young children are invited to request housing in the Family Neighborhood on the registration form. From early bird coffee and tea, to Parent Conversations, shared play spaces, and end-of-day story time, the spirit of community rises, drawing forth joy, warmth, mutuality, and care.

Questions or ideas? Contact Kara Price, Children and Families Ministries Coordinator, [email protected], (860) 712-6442

Camping

A limited number of tent spots are available, first-come first-served (please register early). Dinner, breakfast and lunch are included with all camping registrations.

Public camp sites are available at nearby Bomoseen State Park (just 7 miles from Castleton). If you choose this option, please register as a commuter for Sessions.

Commuting

Some Friends choose to stay off campus. All attenders must register and pay an attender's fee. Full-time commuters have the option of bundling meals with their registrations. Part-time commuters may purchase their meals directly at the dining hall counter.

Individual meal prices for 2024 will be posted shortly.

More information about bedding and what else to bring is posted below.

Dining on Campus

Special Dietary Needs: When you register you will be asked to list any food allergies or other dietary needs. The dining hall provides gluten-free and dairy-free offerings.

If you have medical dietary needs that you did not indicate at the time of registration, you should seek out the Access Resources coordinator to see whether they can be accommodated. The dining hall on campus has done a good job of meeting past allergy concerns.

The college has a limited number of trays for those with young children and mobility challenges. A limited number of disposable “clamshell” containers are available to carry food away for mealtime meetings. Other than travel mugs for coffee/tea, Friends are not allowed bring their own containers into the dining room.

Encourage parents with small children to go to the head of dining lines and offer to help them with trays if you are able.

COVID Policy

The University does not have any specific policies about COVID as of May 2024. All Friends are encouraged to be up to date on recommended vaccinations for COVID, flu, and RSV. Masking will not be required on campus but masks will be available on campus. The Fine Arts Center does have MERV-13 filtration in place for the safety of users. Friends are strongly encouraged to test for COVID before leaving for Sessions. Please refer to the NEYM Covid Policy for Sessions for details on our precautions this year.

Late Registration

Early registration will end on July 15. After that we will be in the Late/Walk-in Registration period. In order to prepare fully to welcome you on campus, after July 15 any Sessions registrations requiring on-campus housing and/or youth programs will need an additional verification from the Registrar before they will be considered complete. After July 15 we need to go through this extra verification to ensure adequate general housing and that there is sufficient staff in any desired youth programs to meet our child safety policies. Until the Registrar notifies you that your registration is complete, we cannot guarantee general housing or space in youth programs. Thank you for your understanding.

For Those Attending Online

Many Friends across New England will be gathering at Castleton University from August 3 through 7 for Annual Sessions. Many portions of Sessions will be available online including the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, Meeting for Business, the Bible Half Hours, Sunday Plenary, and Coffee House. We are offering Choices (workshop/reflection group) leaders the option of being in-person, online, or both at separate times. More information on those offerings will be available closer to Sessions

Once you are registered, you will get a confirmation email for your registration. Links and more information will be sent a few days before Sessions. NOTE: If you are registering to attend Sessions on campus, you will have information on the links on the back of your name-tag and do not need to also register for online Sessions.

Cancellation Policy

On Campus: If you need to cancel your registration to attend on campus, there will be a charge of $50 if you cancel before July 15; the balance of what you have paid will be refunded. If you cancel after July 15 there is a cancellation fee of $100 or 50% of your cost whichever is lower. If you need to cancel due to illness, you will receive a full refund.

On Zoom: If you need to cancel you on-line Sessions registration after July 15 there will be a cancellation fee of $25 or your Sessions fee whichever is lower. If you need to cancel due to illness, you will receive a full refund.