HENNIKER — It's a hectic time for the staff at New England College as they get the school ready for the influx of students next week, and some students are already on campus training to be resident assistants in the dorms.

“We're always happy to see the kids return,” said Ken Richardson, a member of the college's facilities team.

For Richardson, who has worked for the college for eight years, and his fellow facilities employee Sandy Bostrom, a member of the staff for 13 years, the week before school starts is dedicated to making sure everything's clean, in working order, and prepared for the nearly 2,000 students who attend the liberal arts college each semester.

“The buildings have to be in order, the alarms and sprinklers need to be inspected, and the grounds people are going through and making sure everything looks nice,” Richardson said.

For Bostrom, the returning students are like her own kids who have been away from home for just a little bit too long.

“We miss them when they're gone,” she said. “It's good when they come back.”

Two students who returned early this year, Heather DeSousa and Stefanie Xuereb, are currently training to be resident assistants in the college dorms.

“We got here on Monday and we're going to have two weeks of training before everyone gets here,” said Xuereb.

The residents assistants are tasked with overseeing their floors in the dorms, making sure everyone's getting along and following the rules, and working together as a family, because when kids are away from home, their classmates become their family.

“We're learning how to deal with problems, and we're learning to be role models,” said DeSousa. “You have to be a good role model if you're going to be an RA.”

Xuereb said she decided to become a resident assistant because she likes helping people.

“Knowing that you were there for someone makes you feel good at the end of the day,” she said.

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Nancy Bean Foster may be reached at nfoster@newstote.com.