Student Life
National Association Director Marks onBoarding School’s 500th Post
Editor’s Note: For our 500th blog post, we invited friend and Independent Educational Consultants Association, Executive Director, Mark Sklarow to comment and reflect on onBoarding Schools’ contributions to families and the larger boarding school community.
Many thanks, Mark, for the kind words.
For those who live, eat and breathe boarding schools on a regular basis, [...]
10,000 Hours to Greatness: Unique Boarding School Programs Teach Every Student Skills for the Future
It has been argued that in order to excel at something or become an expert in a particular discipline, it takes 10,000 hours of work and practice. That is no doubt a great deal of time, which at 2 hours per day would take 13 years to reach.
But for high school students at many [...]
Getting to Know West Nottingham Academy
Jesse Roberts, West Nottingham Academy, Director of Admission, talks about the opportunities and experiences that set WNA apart.
A small coed boarding school with 120 students, WNA makes relationships paramount- student-student and faculty-student.
WNA, offers the requisite strong academics with the school’s emphasis on relationships and interaction overlaying everything the school does.
“What sets us apart is the [...]
Getting to Know Oldfields School
Parnell Hagerman, Associate Head, Oldfields School explores the practices & perspectives that help Oldfields reach every student in “very significant ways.”
Faculty dedication provides the foundation for the success and achievement for every Oldfields girl. They live their commitment to students through extra time and effort they make each day all the way through to their [...]
Student Tour Guides Take Viewers on a Tour of Vermont Academy
Vermont Academy is a 1:1 tablet school with students using tablet computers in classrooms, throughout the curriculum, and in most of their academic lives. Sophie and Julia show viewers that VA is far more than technology.
VA is very much about its connection to the school’s surroundings and its people.
Getting outside whether through an environmental science [...]
Getting to Know San Domenico School
Stacie Grant, admission officer, introduces San Domenico School.
She describes San Domenico students as involved, well rounded, and passionate. Whether it’s trying new things, pursuing social justice, or contributing to the community, San Domenico lives the school’s mission.
Some interesting details- San Domenico is is the only boarding high school (all-girls) in Marin County and the [...]
Hyde School: Focus on Fundamentals
NBC Connecticut reporter Brad Drazen published a piece titled “A School to Shape Character as Well as Mind.”
While we’ve covered Hyde School quite a bit, one part of Drazens’ article stands out. It provides a succinct, presentation of Hyde’s fundamental belief and teaching that attitude, work ethic, and character provide the foundation from which [...]
Afternoons at Proctor Academy: Many Talents, Many Perspectives
Editor’s note: we’ve covered the benefits & importance of afternoon athletics and activities in several posts. Physical recreation, drama productions, and club meetings provide outlets adding richness and breadth of experience to boarding school students. Kim Hurlbutt of Proctor Academy’s development office contributes this piece presenting Proctor’s thinking on the broadening of afternoon and activities [...]
Read MoreGetting to Know Vermont Academy
Sean Brennan, Vermont Academy’s Head of School talks about the strengths and underlying values of VA that he has come to understand during his first year as head.
Relationships knit VA into a tight community. VA students benefit from healthy relationships with involved adults. Everyone helps; kids help; adults help. Paraphrasing Brennan- Everyone working [...]
Lasting Effects of Girls Athletics
Studies and evidence have a nasty habit of turning conventional wisdom into superstition.
It’s hell when we’ve always done it that way becomes- the wrong way. It’s great when the evidence comes in on your side.
Many boarding schools have required some level of student athletic participation for as long as most us can remember.
The majority [...]
Getting to Know White Mountain School
Josh Lawton, White Mountain School, Director of Admission talks about the special opportunities and experiences available to WMS students.
WMS is the only school offering outdoor certification in Wilderness First Responding and Rock and Ice Climbing under the aegis of the American Mountain Guides Association.
Fundamentally, WMS believes that its consciously small, tightly knit community provides the [...]
Getting to Know Bridgton Academy
Chris Webb, Bridgton Academy (Bridgton, ME), Director of Admission, elucidates how the academic, social, and athletic of their post graduate population shape Bridgton’s programs. The school’s the only prep school for postgraduate young men.
All of Bridgton’s students hold high school diplomas and they (and their families) have come to the decision that an extra year [...]
Green Cup Challenge Video Contest
An optional video contest is part the annual Green Cup Challenge between schools. The student written and directed films must inform and motivate students regarding their choices and consumption habits:
Purpose: A student written and directed video for presentation to the school community to create awareness, excitement and motivation about the Challenge.
Theme: Creativity and [...]
Green Cup Challenge Highlighted on Emagazine.com
Emagazine.com, the online edition of E- The Environmental Magazine recently highlighted the Green Cup Challenge competition.
Competing to reduce electrical consumption and emissions, Green Cup Challenge Schools have begun recording their energy consumption each school working and hoping to reduce consumption the most.
The Green Cup Challenge has grown beyond its northeast boarding school roots and now [...]
A Vignette For Frustrated Parents
When I wore the dean of students hat at a boarding school in NH, I spent a good chunk of my time talking to parents about how their kids were doing and feeling.
From parents, the communication was often concern that their students weren’t listening, growing, and or assuming responsibilities as fast, or to as large an [...]
