Your student is no doubt eagerly looking forward to spring break, which is set this year for March 6-10.
Even though undergraduate classes will not meet that week, the university will be closed only on Monday, March 6, and open for the remainder of the week.
Intent to Stay Form Deadline is March 3
If your student lives in Longwood-managed housing, be aware that in order for them to have access to their residence from 6 p.m. Friday, March 3, through noon on Sunday, March 12, they will need to file an Intent to Stay form.
The deadline to submit the Intent to Stay form is 11:59 p.m. Thursday, March 2. Your student can find the form at the Student Housing Gateway.
If your student does not file the Intent to Stay form by the deadline, they will not be able to get into their apartment/residence hall starting at 6 p.m. Friday, March 3, and continuing through noon Sunday, March 12. If there is a chance your student will need access during that window, they should file the Intent to Stay form.
For Students Remaining on Campus
Here are a few other items related to spring break that are especially relevant for students who are staying on campus or in Farmville for all or part of the break:
- D-Hall will close after lunch on Friday, March 3, and will re-open for dinner on Sunday, March 12. Regular hours of operation resume on Monday, March 13. Students can find up-to-date hours and information for all other Longwood Dining-managed food venues can at https://longwood.campusdish.com/.
- Farmville Area Bus Service(FAB) will end at 5 p.m. on Friday, March 3, and will resume at 1 p.m. on Sunday, March 12. There is no bus service for travel to Lancer Park during the break period.
- All residential communities will remain locked 24/7 during the break. Access to students’ assigned buildings will be via their Longwood ID card.
- Inspections by RA staff of Longwood-managed housing for safety issues and break-preparation compliance will take place starting at 5:30 p.m. Friday, March 3. Staff will enter rooms/apartments to conduct these inspections.
For Students leaving Campus
If your student lives in Longwood-managed housing and will be not be in residence during the break, they will need to complete the following list prior to leaving campus. Housing staff will be inspecting rooms/apartments during the break to ensure compliance.
—Remove all trash, contraband, and/or perishable food.
—Thoroughly clean assigned living areas, including the bathroom and common spaces.
—If applicable, adjust the room thermostat to a low/medium setting. Do not shut off the unit’s controls.
—Shut down and unplug all electronics (except minifridges and major kitchen appliances).
—Turn off all lights. Lancer Park residents should, however, leave the porch light on.
—Close and lock all windows.
—Lower all window blinds/shades.
—Lock all doors.
Traffic patterns for Johns and Moss Halls
Parents will be permitted to enter to load/unload vehicles on Spruce Street. To access Spruce Street, enter Wynne Drive from South Main Street, continue to Pine Street and turn onto the sidewalk in front of the Fitness Center.
Friday, March 3, noon-4 p.m.
One-way traffic exiting onto Redford Street and South Main (at the McDonald’s intersection) will be assisted by flag personnel. For departures before and after these hours, U-turns will be permitted on Spruce Street.
Sunday, March 12, noon-8 p.m.
During these hours, U-turns on Spruce Street will be permitted because the construction gate will be closed and no personnel will be on site.
Redford Street Remains Closed
Due to construction, Redford Street remains closed. This means you you can’t access Spruce Street from the campus entrance at the McDonald’s intersection.
No Parking at Nearby Private Businesses at Any time
Do not use the nearby private business parking lots. They are 24/7 tow-away zones. In other words, your car is subject to being towed all day every day, including weekends, if you park there.
Questions?
If you have any questions, please email them to Residential and Commuter Life at housing@longwood.edu or to the RA/REC staff within each community.
Heads Up for Next Year: A Different Kind of Spring Break
I also thought I’d give you a heads up about options for off-the-beaten-path spring break options for next year. Alternate Breaks, a student organization, and some Longwood offices organize service trips for spring break. In the past, students have traveled to destinations including Puerto Rico to help with cleanup from Hurricane Maria and to the Grand Canyon, Saguaro, Zion and Joshua Tree national parks for service-learning experiences. Information about these alternate spring break activities usually becomes available toward the end of the fall semester or in January. If you think your student would be interested, encourage them to keep an eye out for informational meetings.
Here’s a description of a trip organized by Campus Recreation:
This is an Alternative Break trip in coordination with Campus Recreation, the City of Miami, and the National Park Service. We will be doing service with Historic Virginia Key Beach Park and Biscayne National Park. After doing our food shopping and getting acquainted with the area, we will be doing environmental service projects in both parks during the day and camping at night under the stars. There will be daily reflections to solidify the service learning and all meals will be prepared and shared by the group.
—Sabrina Brown