Xavier's School

Purpose Located outside Salem Center in Westchester County, New York, Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters is publicly known as a prestigious boarding school, founded in 1992 and providing an outstanding college preparatory education to middle- and high-school students. With a rigorous academic curriculum and a low student-to-teacher ratio, Xavier's sends its students on to the best colleges in the country. The school's true purpose is much more secretive -- Founded by its current headmaster, Charles Xavier, in his family's ancestral home, the school serves as a safe haven and training ground for young mutants to learn to cope with and control their powers. Alongside more typical high school classes, Xavier's students receive instruction and guidance from the faculty in responsible use of powers, the ethics of living with them, and how to eventually make their way back out into the world. Recruitment Xavier's is not publicly known to be a mutant school, and its students as welll as its faculty are found by proactive recruitment. The school is intended to help students who cannot attend school due to the danger posed from their mutations. Please keep that in mind when crafting your characters' backstory -- the overwhelming majority of their students are there because they need help to learn to control their powers, and were unable to go to their previous schools. If your character has a mutation that is under control and is not experiencing difficulties at their school, it is very unlikely that they would be offered a place at Xavier's. The sole exceptions are: a) mutant students from very wealthy families, who are, occasionally, offered spots at Xavier's even if their powers are not posing them any trouble -- with nearly all their students on scholarship, it's helpful to have a few students who are actually paying tuition. b) immediate family of current faculty (children, siblings) who are -- if they wish -- allowed to attend the school even if they do not require its specialized accomodations. Weirdly enough, very few human relatives actively want to go to Freak School, so this is rare. Faculty tend to be recruited on recommendation/word of mouth. It is not required to be a mutant to teach at Xavier's, but, obviously, it is required to be positively disposed towards them. OOC Note: Keep in mind that Xavier's is a middle/high school, not a shelter for wayward or distressed mutants. If you would like a character who is taking refuge at Xavier's, getting help learning to control their powers at Xavier's, etc. you need to make a teenage, student character. Your adult will not be accepted to train and learn at Xavier's, regardless of their own perceived need. Schedule The school year at Xavier's is divided into three terms. Breaks fall between terms, with summer term falling for two months beginning in early June. Though classes are not in session, the school is open residentially through all breaks. Students must have permission from their legal guardians to remain at school during breaks and holidays, including summer term. During summer term, an abbreviated class schedule is in place for those students needing remedial/make-up classes, or those enrolled in elective summer school courses. Daily Class Schedule Class Schedule Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday 7:00 - 7:45 Breakfast 7:00 - 7:45 Breakfast 7:00 - 7:45 Breakfast 7:00 - 7:45 Breakfast 7:00 - 7:45 Breakfast 8:00 - 8:45 Class A 8:00 - 9:15 Class A 8:00 - 9:15 Class C 8:00 - 9:15 Class A 8:00 - 9:15 Class C 8:55 - 9:40 Class B 9:45-10:15 Study/Break 9:25 - 10:40 Class B 9:25 - 10:40 Class D 9:25 - 10:40 Class B 9:25 - 10:40 Class D 10:20 - 11:05 Class C 11:15 - 12:00 Class D 9:45-10:15 Assembly/Break 10:50 - 11:35 Study/Break 10:50 - 11:35 Assembly/Break 9:45 - 10:15 Advising 12:10 - 12:55 Lunch 11:45 - 13:00 Class F 11:45 - 13:00 Class E 11:45 - 13:00 Class F 11:45 - 13:00 Class E 13:05 - 13:50 Class E 14:00 - 14:45 Class F 13:05 - 13:50 Lunch 13:05 - 13:50 Lunch 13:05 - 13:50 Lunch 13:05 - 13:50 Lunch 14:50 - 18:05 Athletics/Extracurriculars 14:50 - 18:05 Athletics/Extracurriculars 14:00 - 18:05 Athletics/Extracurriculars 14:00 - 18:05 Athletics/Extracurriculars 14:50 - 18:05 Athletics/Extracurriculars 18:30 - 19:30 Dinner 18:30 - 19:30 Dinner 18:30 - 19:30 Dinner 18:30 - 19:30 Dinner 18:30 - 19:30 Dinner Academic Calendar, 2020-2021 Summer Term 2020 June 19 (Friday) - Summer session faculty arrival June 21 (Sunday) - Summer session students return June 22 (Monday) - Summer session classes begin August 17-21 (Monday-Friday) - Exam week; special class schedule for exam period August 21 (Friday) - Summer term ends Fall Term 2020 August 26-27 (Monday-Tuesday) - New faculty orientation September 3-4 (Thursday-Friday) - Faculty meetings September 5-6 (Saturday-Sunday) - New Student Orientation September 7 (Monday) - Returning Students Must Check-in (by 6 pm) September 8 (Tuesday) - Required Opening of School Assembly; Classes Begin September 28 (Monday) - No classes - Yom Kippur (begins at sundown on Sept. 27) October 10-12 (Friday-Monday) - Family Weekend (No classes Monday) October 15-16 (Thursday-Friday) - Midterms October 31 (Saturday) - Halloween Dance (Casual) November 13 (Friday) - Last day of Fall Term classes November 16-20 (Monday-Friday) - Exam week; special class schedule for exam period November 20 (Friday) - Last day of Fall Term; Thanksgiving vacation begins November 24 (Tuesday) - Fall term grades/reports due (Faculty) November 25 (Wednesday) - Fall term academic review meeting, 9:00-13:00 (Faculty) Winter Term 2020-2021 December 6 (Sunday) - Thanksgiving vacation ends; students must return and check in before 6 pm. December 7 (Monday) - Winter term classes begin December 17 (Thursday) - Winter Ball (Formal) December 18 (Friday) - Half-day of classes; Winter vacation begins after classes end January 4 (Monday) - Winter vacation ends; students must return and check in before 6 pm. January 5 (Tuesday) - Classes resume January 14-15 (Thursday-Friday) - Midterms January 18 (Monday) - No Classes - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Mandatory all-school assembly, 9:45-10:45. February 8-9 (Monday-Tuesday) - No Classes - Mid-Winter Holiday February 13 (Saturday) - Valentine's Dance (Semi-Formal) February 26 (Friday) - Last day of Winter Term Classes March 1-5 (Monday-Friday) - Exam week; special class schedule for exam period March 5 (Friday) - Last day of winter term; break begins once exams end March 9 (Tuesday) - Winter term grades/reports due (Faculty) March 10 (Wednesday) - Winter term academic review meeting, 9:00-13:00 (Faculty) Spring Term 2021 March 22 (Monday) - Spring vacation ends; students must return and check in before 6 pm. March 23 (Tuesday) - Spring term classes begin April 5 (Monday) - Mid spring holiday, no classes April 22-23 (Thursday-Friday) - Midterms May 3-7 (Monday-Friday) - AP exams May 10-14 (Monday-Friday) - AP exams May 14 (Friday) - Spring Ball (Formal) May 21 (Friday) - Last day of Spring Term Classes May 24-28 (Monday-Friday) - Exam week; special class schedule for exam period May 28 (Friday) - Vacation begins after exams end. May 29 (Saturday) - Senior-Faculty Dinner May 29 (Saturday) - Senior academic review meeting, 9:00-13:00 (Faculty) May 30 (Sunday) - Commencement June 1 (Tuesday) - Spring term grades/reports due (Faculty) June 2 (Wednesday) - Spring term academic review meeting, 9:00-13:00 (Faculty) June 4-6 (Friday-Sunday) - Alumni reunions Summer Term 2021 June 21 (Monday) - Summer session faculty arrival June 22 (Tuesday) - Summer session students return June 23 (Wednesday) - Summer session classes begin August 23-27 (Monday-Friday) - Exam week; special class schedule for exam period August 27 (Friday) - Summer term ends XS School Rules ICly, all students at Xavier's are expected to be familiar with the rules and follow them while they are living at and attending the school. OOCly, clearly, people break rules and we do not expect all characters to be studious and well-behaved at all times! Just keep in mind that they have teachers who are telepaths, and boarding schools are highly prone to a busily turning gossip mill. There are things that are easy to get away with and things that are likely to be discovered; don't be surprised if your char's frequent class-skipping or curfew-breaking or bullying lands them in hot water with the school administration. Major Infractions Major infractions will result in more severe disciplinary action. Choosing to remain present while violations of any school policies are occurring may also result in disciplinary action. A large part of Xavier's safety lies in its discretion. Under no circumstances should information about the school's mutant status or the X-Men or the mutations of anyone associated with the school be divulged. If students believe they have found other children who would benefit from schooling at Xavier's, they should bring this to faculty attention rather than extending any sort of information or invitation themselves. Violence of any sort is prohibited at Xavier's. Hazing or bullying of any kind will not be tolerated at Xavier's. Hazing is defined as harassing, intimidating, bullying, or coercing another student with the purpose or result of embarrassment, disturbance, or humiliation. Bullying or discriminatory behaviour will not be tolerated. Leaving school grounds without permission. All students must sign out with and be cleared by the faculty member on-duty before leaving school grounds at any time. There is no requirement for a chaperone when leaving campus under normal circumstances. However, if there is a crisis students must be attended by a faculty chaperone or a guardian. Purchasing, possessing, using, or distributing any illicit or illegal drug, any prescription drug in a manner inconsistent with the instructions of the prescribing physician, or legal over-the-counter drugs for purposes other than legitimate medical treatment. Purchasing, possessing, drinking or being under the influence of alcoholic beverages. Dishonest acts of any kind, including cheating, plagiarizing, and other forms of academic dishonesty. Xavier's is a safe location for mutants to live and explore their powers free of the judgement and hostility encountered in the rest of the world. Students are encouraged to train and practice and explore responsible use of their powers while at the school. Use of mutant powers in malicious or destructive manners, whether towards persons, creatures, or property, is never acceptable and will be dealt with strictly. ALL out of school visitors, including family members, must be cleared by a faculty member and signed in with security while they are on school grounds. Additional Policies Students are not permitted to possess weapons or firearms of any sort, including BB guns. Permitted use of weapons during athletic activities and training sessions is allowed only under the supervision of a faculty member. Gambling for money is prohibited. Students are required to attend all their scheduled appointments punctually, including classes, assemblies, athletic sessions, or meetings with their adviser. Students who are ill and unable to attend their appointments must report to the medical bay; only Health Services staff may excuse students for medical purposes. Students with other schedule conflicts must receive a note, in writing, from a faculty member excusing them from their school duties. All Xavier's students are issued a cellphone for emergency use. Students leaving school grounds must bring their school-issued cell phone with them at all times. Xavier's cellphones come with a 'panic button' that alerts the school if students find themselves in trouble. Students are expected to utilize this if they are in danger: casual misuse of the panic button outside of emergencies will result in disciplinary action. All students are allowed access to the equipment in the computer lab and, for those with their own computers, internet connections are available in all dorms and wireless internet throughout the school grounds. All students utilizing school technology resources must comply with the acceptable use policy at all times. (Typical regulations about responsible use, prohibiting fraud, pirating, account sharing, malicious hacking, any illegal activities.) Sunday through Thursday, students under the age of 16 are required to be on school grounds by 8 p.m. and in the mansion building by 10:30 p.m. Students over the age of 16 are required to be on school grounds by 9 p.m. and in the mansion building by midnight. On Friday and Saturday nights, students over the age of 16 have no curfew but are still required to follow appropriate sign-out/permission procedures at all times. For students under the age of 16, Friday and Saturday night curfew is extended; students are required to be on campus by midnight, with no requirement to stay in the building. After curfew, students may not leave again before 5 a.m. There is no formal dress code at Xavier's; students are expected to exercise good judgement in the appropriateness of their attire, both in terms of offensiveness and of modesty. Students must change if requested to by a faculty member. Students are not permitted in Cerebro at any time. Students are not permitted anywhere on the second basement level without a faculty escort. Students possessing a valid driver's license are allowed to keep one personal vehicle in the school garage, if they first obtain the written permission from the faculty. Dormitory Rules Dormitories have quiet hours to allow students to sleep and study: any period of the day when classes are in session, and after 10 p.m. every night except Fridays and Saturdays. No out-of-school visitors will be allowed on the dormitory floor after 10 p.m. Approved visitors staying overnight at Xavier's will be given a room in the guest wing. Students may only be in their OWN dormitories after curfew. Exceptions may be made only by faculty and RAs. Open flames are not allowed in student dorms, to include candles, matches, incense, lighters, or uses of mutant powers that produce flames. Highly flammable materials may not be stored or used in student dorms. Students may not tamper with smoke detectors or fire alarm systems. Student rooms are required to be kept neat and orderly. Inspections for cleanliness will occur on a regular basis; inspection beyond simple observation is considered a room search and will not occur without dean approval. Pets are permitted to students only with faculty approval. Approved pets are the responsibility of the student to care for and oversee. Approval may be revoked for considerations of hygiene, student safety, and animal welfare. Academics Xavier's School runs on trimesters, with an optional summer term for students who wish to stay at school over the summer. In order to graduate, students must complete at least 60 credits of courses through their four years; in almost all cases, classes count as one credit per trimester. Students must enroll in a minimum of four and maximum of six classes per term, except for summer term. English - 11 term credits History - 6 term credits; three of which must be U.S. history and three of which must be non-U.S. history Mathematics - 9 term credits Language - 8 term credits of one language or 5 each of two; alternatively, can test out. Science - 6 term credits Art - 3 term credits; Must study at least two different disciplines (visual arts, theatre, or music) Physical Education: Two term credits per year; can use a season of athletics as a phys. ed. requirement Philosophy & Ethics: Six term credits Computer Science: 3 term credits; alternatively can test out. Health & Human Development: 2 term credits; must be Health & Human Development course (mandatory in 9th grade) and Human Sexuality All students, additionally, are paired with an advisor, to work with them all throughout their schooling to make sure they are properly prepared for graduation. This means making sure they are choosing classes that will prepare them academically for the future they want as well as making sure they are getting appropriate emotional help, practical life skills, and power control training as necessary. Additionally, students must successfully complete sixty hours of community service activities through the course of four years. Faculty advisors are available to help students find appropriate service projects. The following courses are available for students at Xavier's. (Courses noted with a * are mandatory.) Arts: Music Introductory/Intermediate/Advanced Theory and Composition (Teacher: Maya) AP Music Theory (3 Terms) (Teacher: Maya) Improvisational Music (Teacher: Maya) The Nature of Music (Teacher: Maya) Western Music History (Teacher: Maya) African Music & Culture World Music (Teacher: Maya) Film Scoring Popular Music in America (Teacher: Maya) Jazz History Band Chorus Jazz Band Orchestra (Teacher: Maya) Private Vocal or Instrumental Lessons (Piano & Cello private lessons: Maya) Arts: Theatre & Dance Introductory/Intermediate/Advanced Dance Performance Introductory/Intermediate/Advanced Dance Technique Fundamentals of Acting Intermediate/Advanced Acting Choreography Directing Costuming Lighting Scene Design Technical Production Public Speaking Arts: Visual Introductory/Intermediate/Advanced Drawing (Teacher: Jax) Introductory/Intermediate/Advanced Painting (Teacher: Jax) Introductory/Intermediate/Advanced Sculpture Introductory/Intermediate/Advanced Photography Introductory/Intermediate Video Introductory/Intermediate Architecture Introductory/Intermediate Computer Media Fabric Arts Mixed Media Printmaking Woodworking Quilting Ceramics Sculpture: Wearable Art Life Drawing (Fall term only. Teacher: Jax) Figure Drawing (Winter term only. Teacher: Jax) Color and Light (Spring term only. Teacher: Jax) AP Studio Art (3 Terms) (Teacher: Jax) Computer Science Computer Literacy Fundamentals of Computer Science (2 Terms) Introduction to Discrete Mathematics and Programming (2 Terms) Algorithms and Data Structures (2 Terms) Analysis of Algorithms (2 Terms) Introduction to Artificial Intelligence (2 Terms) Software Design (2 Terms) Network and Mobile Architecture (2 Terms) AP Computer Science A (3 terms) English Expository Writing* AP English Language & Composition (3 terms) AP English Literature & Composition (3 terms) American Literature African-American Literature Animals in Literature The Art of Protest: Revolutionary Writings Asian-American Literature Banned Books in the U.S. Creative Nonfiction Creative Writing: Poetry Creative Writing: Short Stories Electronic Literature Epic Poetry Gender Roles in Modern World Fiction Gothic Literature Graphic Narrative/Literary Comics Journalism Narratives of Native Peoples Play Writing Shakespeare Theories of Children's Literature Utopias and Dystopias in Literature African and Carribean Literature Middle Eastern Literature The Beat Poets Health & Human Development Health & Human Development* (must be taken freshman year) Human Sexuality* (Fall and Winter terms only. Teacher: Jax) The Pursuit of Euphoria History AP Art History (3 terms) AP European History (3 terms) AP U.S. History (3 terms) AP World History (3 terms) The 20th Century U.S., Colonialism - 1861 U.S., 1861-1941 U.S., 1941-Present Law and American Society The Medieval Worlds 20th Century Russia China: The Last Dynasty Classical Greece Classical Rome Contemporary Middle East Early Modern Europe, 1350-1660 Absolutism and Revolution, Europe 1660-1800 Europe Since 1945 Japan: Tradition to Modernity Modern Africa Modern India Modern Latin America Modern China Pre-Colonial Africa Humans and the Environment Revolutions (Teacher: Tian-shin) Capitalism and its Critics War and Peace in Modern Times The 1960s: At Home and Abroad Language American Sign Language (Teacher: (NPC) Nadia Dirie) Arabic Chinese (Teacher: Tian-shin) English as a Second Language French (Teacher: Matt) German Greek Latin Japanese Russian Spanish French Theatre French Humanism Contemporary French Literature (Teacher: Matt) Japanese Literature German Voices: Authors Across German-Speaking Europe German Literature: Post-Holocaust Writings Spanish Literature: Magical Realism and Reality Spanish and Spanish-American Literature Hispanic Cinema Contemporary Hispanic Theatre Russian Literature Contemporary Chinese Literature AP Chinese Language & Culture (3 terms) AP French Language & Culture (3 terms) AP German Language & Culture (3 terms) AP Japanese Language & Culture (3 terms) AP Latin (3 terms) AP Spanish Language (3 terms) AP Spanish Literature (3 terms) Mathematics Algebra (3 terms) Geometry (3 terms) Trigonometry and Precalculus (3 terms) (Teacher: Kyinha) Integrated Mathematics (3 terms) AP Calculus AB (3 terms) (Teacher: Kyinha) AP Calculus BC (3 terms) AP Statistics (3 terms) Linear Algebra (3 terms) Multivariable Calculus (3 terms) Philosophy, Ethics, and Religion Bioethics: Humanity in the Post-Genomic Era* The Ethics of Power* (Teacher: (NPC) Xavier) Power and Social Responsibility* Ethics: Technology Ethics: The Environment Intro to Ethics Intro to Philosophy Existentialism Great Philosophers Nonviolence and Moral Leadership (Teacher: (NPC) Xavier) Proof and Persuasion Law and Morality (Teacher: Tian-shin) Justice and Globalization Christianities Islam Judaism Hinduism and Buddhism Paganism through History (Teacher: Matt) Faith and Doubt Religion and Popular Culture Religion, Literature, and the Arts The New Testament The Old Testament Comparative Religion Physical Education Introduction to Fitness Intermediate Fitness Challenge Fitness Yoga as Meditation Vinyasa Yoga Running Sports Nutrition Strength Training & Conditioning Self-Defense/Martial Arts Psionic Self Defense (for everyone regardless of psionic ability.)* (Teacher: (NPC) Xavier) Acrobatics and You: The Physical Element of the Circus Arts Swimming Horseback Riding Dressage Science Anatomy & Physiology (Teacher: Jean) Animal Behavior AP Biology (3 Terms) (Teacher: Kyinha) AP Chemistry (3 Terms) (Teacher: Jean) AP Environmental Science (3 Terms) (Teacher: Kyinha) AP Physics B (3 Terms) AP Physics C (3 Terms) Introductory/Intermediate/Advanced Astronomy Biology (Teacher: Kyinha) Botany Chemistry (Teacher: Jean) Classical Mechanics Dirty Water: Global Sanitation Disease and Medicine in the United States (Teacher: Jean) Ecology Electronics Evolution (Teacher: Kyinha) Fluid Mechanics Geology Introductory Genetics Marine Biology Microbiology Molecular Gastronomy: The Science of Food Molecular Genetics Physical Geology Seminar: Experimental Design The Brain and You (Teacher: Jean) Social Sciences American Popular Culture AP Comparative Government & Politics (3 Terms) (Teacher: Tian-shin) AP Macroeconomics (3 Terms) AP Microeconomics (3 Terms) AP Psychology (3 Terms) AP US Government & Politics (3 Terms) Cultural Anthropology Developmental Psychology International Relations Intro Anthropology Intro Psychology Principles of Economics Women, Gender, and Society Vocational Classes Automotive Mechanics (Teacher: Scott) Welding (Teacher: Scott) Metal Fabrication (Teacher: Scott) Carpentry Drafting Bicycle Maintenance and Repair Culinary Arts: Desserts and Baked Goods (Fall and Spring terms only. Teacher: Jax) Culinary Arts: From Soups to Steaks Horticulture (Decorative) Horticulture (Edible) Beekeeping Extracurriculars Life at Xavier's is not all classwork and training. Between sports* and student organizations, the students have a wealth of opportunities to choose from to enrich themselves outside the classroom. Athletics Fall Season Cross Country (BV/GV) Field Hockey (V) Football (V) Soccer (BV/GV) (Coach: Kyinha) Volleyball (GV) Water Polo (BV) Fencing (BV/GV) Winter Season Basketball (BV/GV) Ice Hockey (BV/GV) Swimming & Diving (BV/GV) Wrestling (V) Spring Season Baseball (BV) Crew (BV/GV) Cycling (V) Lacross (BV/GV) Softball (GV) Tennis (BV/GV) Track (BV/GV) Water Polo (GV) Gymnastics Ultimate Frisbee Student Organizations This is a sampling of student organizations that have been found among Xavier's students in the past. Feel free to add new ones that your char might be interested in or organize your own! Classics Club (Sponsor: Matt) Science & Tech Club Math Club (Sponsor: Kyinha) Chess Club (Sponsor: Matt) GSA Cryptology Club Rock Climbing Society (Sponsor: Jackson) Robotics Club Jewish Student Union Christian Fellowship (Sponsor: Jackson) Muslim Student Union Alianza Latina Asian Student Alliance (Teacher: Tian-shin) French Club (Sponsor: Matt) German Club Board Gaming Club Women's Forum Drumline Unaccompanied Minors (a capella group) Model UN Astronomy Club Debate Team Mock Trial (Teacher: Tian-shin) Peer Tutoring Odyssey of the Mind Culinary Society Movie Club Student Council Yearbook Student Newspaper Literary and Arts Magazine Archery Club Martial Arts Club Table-Tennis Club Tabletop Society Photography Club Hiking/Nature Club Wonderbolts (Equestrian Club) (Sponsor: Jackson) Xavier's Players (Theatre Club) Dance Dance Evolution (Dance Team) Society for Creative Anachronism Student Group Peer Support Group Note that because of the vast discrepancy in abilities among the student body, joining an athletic team must be approved both in tryouts and by the Xavier's Ethics board. XS Life XS Dorms Student dorms at Xavier's are segregated into two wings based on binary identified gender. Students who do not identify with a binary gender, regrettably, have to pick one of the two wings to live in. Nearly all dorm rooms are currently set up for two people; in some cases due to availability or extreme power related considerations, students may be assigned a dorm by themselves. The dorms at Xavier's are, as dorm rooms go, fairly comfortable. They are quite spacious, and come standard with a pair each of twin beds, dressers, nightstands, desks with bookshelf/hutch, and large closets. There is ample room in the dorms for students to customize their own half of their rooms as they like so long as it does not violate any school regulations. Bathrooms in the student dorms are shared with the wing; they have long rows of sinks and toilets on one side and, separately, the rows of showers, in their own enclosed booths with plenty enough space to bring all clothes and toiletries in and have them stay dry. The teachers' wing is on a different floor. Teachers who choose to live on campus get their own suites; they vary in size but all come with their own in suite bathrooms and some have small kitchenettes or small sitting areas as well. Roommate Assignments ICly, roommates at Xavier's are assigned by the administration, and cannot be specifically requested. Sometimes roommates do not get along; sometimes friction occurs -- usually these students will simply be told to learn how to get along. In cases of serious, persistent hostility/incompatibility that is impacting the students' ability to thrive, the students may request a change of roommate, though they may still not request a specific new roommate. OOCly, though, roommates at Xavier's are not assigned and are handled wholly and entirely by OOC agreement between players. Nobody will ever assign you a roommate here, so please do not ask. If you would like a PC roommate, you will need to a) see if there is someone who has a PC living in the same wing as yours who does not yet have a roommate and b) see if they are interested in being your roommate. If nobody is available, please either assume your PC has an NPC roommate or, if they are brand-new, may be one of the lucky few who has the double room to themselves until someone new shows up! Current PC room assignments at XS (check here to see if anyone is free/unassigned if you are looking for a roommate): Girls' Wing: Cassy/Samara K.C./Marinov Kelawini/Nessie Nanami/Naomi Astrid/Kieow Chloe Corlioni Sera Isolde Boys' Wing: Harm/Kavalam Beau/Tomas Lael Gaétan Spencer Zeke Advising at XS ICly, every student at Xavier's is paired soon upon arrival with an advisor. The job of the advisor is to make sure the student's needs at the school are being met and the student is being properly prepared for graduation/life after Xavier's. This means: helping them figure out their goals after high school, helping them a class and extracurriculars schedule that is manageable for them and will prepare them for a successful graduation, arranging that they get whatever access to coaching and therapy they might require (whether this is powers-based, medical, or psychological.) Please note that their advisor is not required to be the person who gives them powers-based coaching if it is needed, and advisors at Xavier's are, as a general rule, not selected based on similar powersets to students. When possible, students are matched with advisors based on personality and cultural competency -- meaning they try hard to pair students to advisors they think they'll get along with and talk to, not just advisors who can train them to use their powers. OOCly, similarly to roommates, advisors at Xavier's are not assigned and are handled wholly and entirely by OOC agreement between players. Nobody will ever assign you an advisor here, so please do not ask. If you would like a PC advisor, you will need to see if there is someone who has a PC faculty or X-Man who is interested in being your student's advisor. If nobody is available, please assume your PC has an NPC advisor -- there is no situation, period, where a student will not have an advisor, so do not RP that they have not been assigned one. When asking about advisor/advisee relationships, it is a good idea to check in OOCly and make sure you are on the same page about what you all want OOCly out of that RP relationship -- some people might want to actually roleplay out advising sessions on camera while other people are not interested in that genre of scenes and might only want that as a background to inform your characters' relationship for other types of scenes, and it is better not to set yourself up for frustration if you want very different things! Mentor Assignments: Cerebro - K.C. Jax - Harm, Lael, Samara Joshua - Spencer Kyinha - Nessie Matt - Kavalam Maya - Naomi Shane - Marinov Tian-shin - Nanami Unassigned Students: Astrid Beau Cassy Chloe Corlioni Gaétan Kelawini Kieow Isolde Sera Tomas Zeke Dining at XS The kitchen is run by Savita Chavan, who has been the cook for many, many years at XS. She is fully human; her daughter was a mutant who graduated long ago. Meals happen on a set schedule (breakfast at 7 am, lunch around 12/1p, dinner around 6:30; shifted an hour later on weekends), but there are always plenty of snacks and leftovers kept around the extensive pantry for students who need more food in between meals. Xavier's does its best to cater to the wide variety of cultural and physiological needs of its students. The dining hall is NOT a restaurant or cafeteria with a full menu that kids can order from it's a school dining hall. Mealtimes generally include one meat and one vegan entree with a number of sides that students can pick and choose from to make their own meal as best suits them. Entrees and sides at a given meal will generally all be along a similar cuisine for ease of mixing and matching, with a wide range of dietary choices represented among the available options. While Savita's specialty is South Indian food, she tends to try and cater her cooking to the (predominately whiter, more American) palate of the school body; though there's a wide variety of recipes on rotation, they skew towards Things That An Uncertain Immigrant Thinks Would Be Inoffensive To A Wide Audience Of American Kids. Less often palak paneer, more often ravioli. XS Tech There is wifi everywhere throughout the mansion and covering a good portion of the grounds around the mansion. It reaches down to the boathouse and docks, but peters out soon into the woods. The computer lab is open 24/7, with many machines available for students who do not have their own personal computers. It is well-equipped with computers, scanners, and printers for all students' computing needs. All students are issued cell phones. Students must take their school-issued cell phones with them at all times when they are signed out to leave school grounds. They are expected to use the cell phones in emergencies; they are all equipped with a 'panic button' which will send an alert with the student's location to the school, dispatching available X-types to respond. Hitting the panic button OUTSIDE of actual crises is a severe infraction and will result in disciplinary action. These cell phones can be used for texts and calls within the US; anyone found using them for non-emergent long-distance purposes will also be subject to disciplinary action. Students are welcome to see the school's IT department if they have their own appropriately capable cellphone they would prefer to keep and use; they will install a similar panic-button app for them. All students, staff, and faculty receive Xavier's email addresses. The default format is first initial-lastname at xaviers.edu . So, e.g., Daiki Komatsu is dkomatsu@xaviers.edu. Alumnae keep their Xavier's email address for as long as they stay active with it; they can contact the school sysadmin to reinstate it if they let it go idle and it is deleted. Staff, faculty, and alumnae are allowed to pick up to two mail aliases for their email as well. So, e.g., Jackson, in addition to being jholland@xaviers.edu, can also be reached by jax@xaviers.edu or littlemisssunshine@xaviers.edu. Mail aliases must have some modicum of propriety; nothing vulgar or profane will be allowed. Xavier's internal network has extensive online support for all academics. Students can log in to check their class syllabus, assignments, announcements from teachers (which will generally also come with email notification), class discussions, lecture notes, grades, calendars, and any other media that the teacher has posted to help with class. All teachers of academic classes are given instruction in how to use this system when they start teaching; it is pretty simple and intuitive and does not require much tech savvy. Teachers are required to post their syllabus and assignments, at the least, here. For this reason, not knowing about assignments is never an excuse; if class is missed, the week's assignments and topics are posted online and all students have plenty of internet access. A teacher forgetting to post an assignment, however, is an excuse, so teachers should get used to being on the ball with this. Xavier's sysadmin is very On The Ball, although nobody seems to ever have seen him. Any and all network problems can be directed to cerebro@xaviers.edu, though, and tend to be answered uncannily quickly. The network does not inherently have any constraints on it for things like file sharing and porn and general Misbehavior, but students will find that things outside of the school's Acceptable Use Policy (things like: attempted hacking, illegal activity, using obnoxious amounts of bandwith nonessentially, etc. ) are quickly discovered and quashed. Students -- or malicious outsiders! -- will also find that their network is remarkably secure and resistant to malicious tampering and intrusion. Students attempting to test the network's security will even occasionally receive an email offering advice, and explaining what they did wrong, along with a suggestion that should they wish to practice their "1337 haxx0r skillz" they should take one of the many CS classes offered by the school. The Neighborhood, and Beyond Xavier's School is located in the town of Salem Center, a town of around 5000 people in Westchester county. Salem is a small and close-knit community, the type of place guidebooks probably call "charming" or "quaint". Its town center makes a deliberate effort to retain the same general feel it has kept for generations, old-fashioned storefronts and cobbled streets with a lot of eye for aesthetic and very little thought for accessibility. While there are some things to do in town -- an arcade, a diner that's popular with the students, a roller skating rink, a small movie theatre -- in honesty the primary recreational activities of the youth who live there are Getting High Behind the roller skating rink, movie theatre, etc. The Weirdo School up at the old Xavier place is something of an open secret in town; while people don't know for sure the full scope of the school they are well aware that there's a Higher Proportion Than Usual of freaks that come into town from there and have grown to a grudging mutual tolerance. At just under a mile from campus, getting to the town center is a middling walk on a pleasant day, or a very quick bike or car trip. Westchester County is just north of the Bronx. In zero-traffic conditions, it takes approximately an hour by car to get from the school to Manhattan -- in most actual New York City congestion situations, tack at least an extra half an hour onto that. Public transit is a more hit or miss prospect -- the school is served by commuter rail; the schedule is geared around people getting to and from day jobs in the city and not to the needs or desires of people wanting to get FROM Westchester TO the city on an after-school/weekend schedule. Timed correctly, the trip from Salem Center to Grand Central Station by train is often quicker than sitting in traffic and will run about an hour as well -- however on top of that needs to be factored in time to get from downtown Manhattan to wherever people actually want to be, as well as the fact that the train runs extremely intermittently on weekends and does not run late at night. The trip by buses (which are necessary to get back in between trains) requires several transfers and can take well over 2 hours from downtown, depending on transfer times and how behind the buses are. Roster These are the current PCs who have some affiliation with Xavier's. Faculty Maya Mukhopadhyay Faculty/X-Men Jax Holland '10 Roberto "Kyinha" da Costa Matt Tessier Hua Tian-shin Students Astrid Ingrid Bjerke Cassy Villeneuve Chloe Corlioni Gaétan Tessier Harm Sun Isolde Kowalski Kavalam Ramakrishna Neelakantan Kelawini Māhoe Sumalee "Kieow" Suphamongkhon Lael Isaiah Winters Leonidas Beauregard Thigpen Nanami Māhoe Naomi Winters Nessie Grace Pelayo Samara Rhys Sera Tessier Spencer Holland Tomas Regina Ferris Zeke Davis X-Men Clarice Ferguson (Blink) Daiki Komatsu '15 Joshua Salinas Kitty Pryde '12 Shane Holland '16 Alums Anette Eccleston '10 Victor Borkowski (Anole) '16 B Holland '16 Desi Tessier '16 K.C. Love '20 Kisha Dorogoi '17 Lyric Sagal Dirie '17 Taylor Marinov '20 Nick Thanh Gleason '17 Peter Parker '16 Rasa Djalili '15 Tabitha Smith '15 Taylor Allen '17