Bard Academy and Bard College at Simon’s Rock
simons-rock.edu | 413-644-4400

Bard Academy is the nation’s first two-year boarding and day program designed to prepare ninth and tenth graders to start college early. Within six years of entering Bard Academy as a high school freshman, a student who matriculates into Bard College at Simon’s Rock will earn a Bachelor of Arts degree. The academy’s curriculum is designed and taught by college professors.

Bard College at Simon’s Rock is the only four-year college in the country specifically designed for students ready to enter college after the tenth or eleventh grade and begin working on their bachelor’s degree two years early. Simon’s Rock offers a curriculum in the liberal arts and sciences, taught by supportive, highly trained faculty who are leading scholars in their field. The college grants degrees in more than 35 majors. Simon’s Rock is tied for No. 2 for Most Innovative School and tied for No. 1 for Best Undergraduate Teaching in the region, according to U.S. News and World Report (2023-2024), and The Princeton Review ranked Simon’s Rock among the Best Colleges in the Northeast. Simon’s Rock was named a Fulbright Top Producing Institution for U.S. Scholars for the 2022-23 Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program.

Brimmer and May School
brimmer.org | 617-566-7462

Brimmer and May is a pre-K through grade 12, all-gender, independent day school that fosters active learners, compassionate leaders, and ethical global citizens. The ideal size of the school allows for personalized instruction in a student-centered, project-based learning environment. The school is big in terms of its ambitions for each student’s growth, academic achievements, and leadership skills. It is broad in terms of its diversity, strengthened by a commitment to equity and anti-bias education. It is huge in terms of the breadth, depth, and variety of curricular options and extracurricular opportunities. Yet, Brimmer remains small enough for students and faculty to have a true feeling of connection with one another, small enough for each member of the class, group endeavor, athletic team, and community not only to participate but also to shine. 

Stop by the campus in historic Chestnut Hill and see why Brimmer might just be the perfect fit. Visit brimmer.org to learn about Open Houses on Oct. 20 and Nov. 13, as well as other Admissions events throughout the fall.

Buckingham Browne & Nichols
bbns.org | 617-547-6100

Buckingham Browne & Nichols (BB&N) is one of the region’s premier day schools for students from pre-K through grade 12. The school prides itself on being an academically excellent, diverse, and inclusive community where students develop into lifelong learners who lead with kindness, curiosity, and integrity. Across its three dynamic campuses in Cambridge, Mass., BB&N’s innovative and identity-conscious programming prepares students to be responsible and open-minded as they engage with the world around them.

Supported by exceptional faculty and a robust sense of community, BB&N offers outstanding academics, competitive athletics, dynamic arts, and extensive extracurricular and co-curricular opportunities that allow students to explore and experience more of the world.

BB&N believes that enrollment in its community should be possible for any student and family, regardless of their ability to afford full tuition. For more information on applying to BB&N, contact [email protected] or visit bbns.org/why-bbn to start your journey and see the whole picture.

Catholic Memorial
catholicmemorial.org | 617-469-8000

The value of a Catholic Memorial (CM) education is derived from a mindset of excellence in the classroom, on the field, and through extracurricular participation. Through its unique pedagogy known as Knight-Based Learning, the CM faculty teach and coach with an understanding of how boys relate to information, creating in them ingenuity, adaptability, and self-made success. CM forges leaders who are faith-filled, have a strong work ethic, and know right from wrong. The school’s graduates attend America’s most respected universities and colleges and become leaders across Boston in business, law, government, military, and public safety. A CM education builds platforms on which students can stand with confidence and look you in the eye while shaking your hand. CM is a brotherhood formed through authentic diversity, compassion, and fraternal trust. It is a City of Boston school where character matters as much today as it did at its founding in 1957. 

Catholic Memorial is a college preparatory school for boys in grades 7 through 12, founded in the spirit of Blessed Edmund Rice and guided by the Essential Elements of an Edmund Rice Christian Brothers Education. Visit catholicmemorial.org to learn more. Register and attend an upcoming Open House, Sunday, Oct. 20 and Monday, Oct. 21.

Charles River School
charlesriverschool.org | 508-785-8213

A progressive, independent pre-K through grade 8 school in MetroWest Boston, Charles River School (CRS) has been creating lifelong learners for more than 100 years. CRS students explore new angles and think through disciplines by way of real-world themes. This approach has a profound effect on what students learn as they are encouraged to understand the “why,” and it offers countless opportunities to measure achievement. CRS gauges students’ academic progress and social-emotional growth, recognizes their willingness to take risks, and champions intellectual curiosity. 

CRS students are surrounded by masterful teachers who are committed to collaboration and connection. CRS offers a co-teaching model with two full-time, experienced faculty members in each classroom. CRS’s unwavering commitment to equity, belonging, and community life is rooted in its mission to graduate students who “know themselves, understand others, and shape the future of our diverse world with confidence and compassion.” CRS is intentional in its ongoing work to cultivate an environment in which all members of the community learn the skills and develop the tools necessary to thrive in the ever-changing 21st-century world. Learn more at the Open Houses on Nov. 2 (pre-K through grade 8) or Nov. 21 (grades 6 through 8). Visit charlesriverschool.org to discover more ways to connect.

Cushing Academy
cushing.org | 978-827-7300

Cushing Academy develops curious, creative, and confident learners and leaders. Founded as a co-educational institution in 1865, the school is located one hour west of Boston and draws students (grades 9 through 12 and postgraduate) from more than 30 countries and 30 states to its rural, 162-acre campus in Ashburnham, Massachusetts.

Combining outstanding academics with a robust program of athletics, arts, and cultural offerings, the academy’s dynamic faculty leads a holistic, student-centered approach to learning. At Cushing, students build confidence and intellectual curiosity; they are pushed by their teachers and peers to explore and elevate their unique range of talents, abilities, and interests.

Community plays an essential role in the Cushing experience; 96 percent of students live on campus, and the school’s academic, social, and athletic support is singularly designed to promote opportunities for leadership and personal growth. At its core, Cushing Academy empowers students in all aspects of their lives and builds a foundation for a lifetime of independence, learning, and the pursuit of excellence.

Dedham Country Day School
dedhamcountryday.org | 781-329-0850

Dedham Country Day School (DCD) believes that balance matters — in learning and in life. They combine challenge with support, pedagogical tradition with innovation, and robust academics with outstanding arts, athletics, and service opportunities to create a program that is balanced and whole. Children learn who they are as diverse individuals and as part of a broader community. Acceptance is a given, and children find encouragement in every connection they make. It’s a community that nurtures, nudges, and gives. That’s how DCD grows “whole” children with the intellectual and emotional capacity to contribute to the world and enjoy meaningful lives.

Visit DCD’s 20-acre campus and you’ll get an immediate sense of how children learn to think creatively and critically, with the support they need to better themselves and grow. From Pre-K through grade 8, students tackle hands-on projects, collaborate, take risks, solve problems, and, most of all, enjoy their experience. 

Connect with admissions to learn more, and join a classroom observation to experience a day in the life at DCD. Visit dedhamcountryday.org/admissions for more information.

The Fenn School
fenn.org | 978-318-3606

Is your son ready for more responsibility, challenge, independence, and opportunity?

For 95 years, Fenn has asked boys to rise to the promise of the school’s motto, Sua Sponte. Loosely translated as “It’s in your hands,” it calls on them to take ownership of themselves, their education, and the well-being of others. Focusing on core values of honesty, respect, empathy, and courage also supports the character education central to the Fenn experience.

With caring and experienced faculty as their champions, Fenn boys in grades 4 through 9 are known and affirmed while facing academic challenges, taking safe risks, building their confidence, and stretching to fulfill their potential. Fenn’s learning landscape helps to achieve this, from small-group team teaching that provides young students with individualized attention in reading, math, and executive function to schoolwide project-based learning that inspires student creativity and collaboration. A grade 9 capstone partnering students and nonprofits to solve real-world problems is also a signature program.

Fenn boys enjoy a 39-acre campus in historic Concord, Massachusetts, while hailing from 41 cities and towns. Transportation and tuition assistance programs support Fenn’s diverse families. Learn more during a call with the Admissions team or at an Open House on Sunday, Nov. 17, from 10 a.m. to noon.

Lexington Christian Academy
lca.edu | 781-766-2162

Since 1946, Lexington Christian Academy (LCA) has provided exceptional academic preparation, operating under the belief that faith and learning are inseparable and indispensable in a Christian education. As a co-educational boarding and day school for grades 6 through 12, LCA uses faith to build a stronger foundation of knowledge, critical thinking, curiosity, and a sincere quest for truth. The academy offers beautiful athletics facilities that are home to the LCA Lions — decorated and competitive EIL and NEPSAC teams. The school’s MakerSpace is fully equipped to give students interdisciplinary opportunities to experiment and explore. Career Exploration Trips connect students with local companies and industries, including Mass General Hospital, local architecture firms, Boston Crime Lab, and the Massachusetts State House.

In addition to LCA’s commitment to an excellent academic experience in the sciences and humanities, the school holds an equal commitment to an authentic and meaningful integration of faith into every aspect of learning. With weekly chapel gatherings and connections to faith drawn in every classroom, LCA faculty take the work of spiritual formation seriously, seeking to develop faithful stewards and leaders of the emerging generation. At LCA, students learn through hands-on experiences and have the opportunity to discover their God-given gifts. For more information, contact [email protected].

Montrose School
montroseschool.org | 508-359-2423

At Montrose, every student is called to greatness. The school’s rich liberal arts curriculum empowers girls to ask life’s biggest questions and prepares them to thrive at top universities. They graduate ready to navigate any challenge or seize any opportunity. Montrose’s nationally recognized LifeCompass™ character and leadership program is integrated into every aspect of school life. As a two-time National School of Character, the school partners with parents to help girls develop the habits of mind, heart, and character they need to flourish — and to shape the world for good. 

Head of school Katie Elrod often reminds the girls, “You are unique, unrepeatable, and called by God to greatness. You are here for a purpose.”

As one alumna says, “Montrose taught me how to consider arguments critically, how to disagree without being disagreeable, and how to ask questions — and actually listen to the answers — with people from whom I differ.” 

Experience the Montrose difference for yourself! RSVP at montroseschool.org/oh2024 for an Open House on Oct. 27 at 1 p.m. and Curriculum Night on Nov. 21 at 6 p.m. Montrose is an independent school for girls in grades 6 through 12, guided by the teachings of the Catholic Church. 

New England Innovation Academy 
neiacademy.org | 508-205-4270

New England Innovation Academy (NEIA) is a day and boarding school for domestic and international students in grades 7 through 12. NEIA prepares future innovators and entrepreneurs to shape the world as they see it. NEIA’s unique pillars inform the approach to education and encompass belonging and togetherness, entrepreneurship and innovation, integration and experience, taught through the lens of human-centered design. The Innovation Studio, a multi-disciplinary makerspace, is core to the NEIA experience, where students across grade levels learn to test ideas and create solutions that benefit the world. 

NEIA works with organizations like Babson College, partnering to teach their students courses in entrepreneurship and more. Set on a beautiful 26-acre campus in Marlborough, Massachusetts, NEIA’s vision is to build partnerships and bring in resources from outside the school community to prepare students for success. At NEIA, students build empathy, take risks, and engage in hands-on community, environment, and industry projects. Explore NEIA by contacting the Enrollment team at [email protected] or 508-205-4270.

Newton Country Day School
newtoncountryday.org | 617-244-4246

Courage and confidence. These words inspired Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat through the challenges she faced in realizing her groundbreaking vision: to establish a global network of schools to educate girls who would transform the world. Founded in France in the 1800s, Schools of the Sacred Heart now flourish in over 40 countries and more than 20 locations in the United States. Sacred Heart Schools share a common philosophy of providing an education serious in its principles, strong in its studies, and rich in a spirit of life and love.

At Newton Country Day, the focus remains on the same core values reflected in Sacred Heart Schools worldwide. Highly motivated students and faculty of all faiths create a vibrant, welcoming community distinguished by vigorous intellect, thoughtful compassion, and joyful traditions. The program offers girls in grades 5 through 12 courses through the AP level with an emphasis on project-based learning. Arts, athletics, and community service are considered integral to the academic experience. Through the international Network of Sacred Heart Schools, students participate in service opportunities and academic exchanges across the world. Empowered by courage and confidence, young women graduate from Sacred Heart Schools eager to make a difference. 

The Open House is on Sunday, Nov. 3.

St. Sebastian’s School
stsebs.org | 781-247-0125

Combining the best of Catholic and independent school traditions, St. Sebastian’s School serves 380 boys in grades 7 through 12 in an inclusive community of academic rigor and spiritual depth. The order of the day at St. Sebastian’s is to love God, work hard, and take good care of one another. Every boy is known, loved, and called to greatness by dedicated teachers. An extraordinarily small average class size of 10 enables students to pursue excellence in every discipline within the school’s structured liberal arts curriculum, while exceptional writing and chapel speaking programs empower students intellectually and spiritually. St. Sebastian’s commitment to diversity and its $4.7 million in need-based financial aid attract bright, promising boys from many communities and backgrounds. Graduates leave prepared for and excited about the challenges they will face in college and beyond.

Learn more about the upcoming Open House, taking place on Oct. 3 at 5:30 p.m., at stsebs.org/visit.

Tenacre Country Day School
tenacrecds.org | 781-235-2282

Tenacre Country Day School’s mission — “Tenacre nurtures and challenges each child, every day” — is a statement that permeates everything the school does, from the academic program to social development to leadership training to community-building. Coupled with a commitment that “as a community, we strive to work hard, to find joy, and to be kind,” Tenacre’s mission allows the school to make the best of each student, from 4-year-old pre-kindergarten early learners to 12-year-old near graduates. The academic program lays a strong academic foundation for students. Small classes and flexible groupings allow the school to meet the needs of each student and provide the appropriate amount of nurture and challenge. 

Tenacre enriches children with extensions in the curriculum and provides appropriate scaffolding for emerging talents. Special subjects — science, Spanish, technology, music, art, library, and physical education — play an important role in Tenacre’s program, and all students from pre-kindergarten through grade 6 participate in each subject. Tenacre wants students to graduate from Tenacre as confident learners, caring citizens, and critical thinkers. Parents looking for a positive school environment can find it at Tenacre, where a supportive community and strong parent involvement provide an excellent foundation for a child’s future.

For more information about Tenacre Country Day School’s Open House on Nov. 2 and the school’s virtual Curriculum Night on Nov. 12, explore Tenacre’s website at tenacrecds.org.

Ursuline Academy
ursulineacademy.net | 781-326-6161

Ursuline Academy is an independent Catholic school for young women in grades 7 through 12 located on a private 28-acre campus in Dedham, Massachusetts. Each day, 375 students travel to campus from 57 different cities and towns around Greater Boston. 

Based on the 500-year-old legacy of St. Angela Merici, Ursuline schools worldwide are rooted in a belief in the power of women, the importance of education, and a commitment to using their God-given talents to better the world. 

Ursuline offers a diverse college-preparatory curriculum that includes 20 Advanced Placement classes and 15 electives, including music theory, visual art and design, drama, Python, computer science, forensics, psychology, and many more! Robust programs in the arts, athletics, and clubs round out the student experience, while a commitment to service and opportunities for leadership are emphasized for all.

Students at Ursuline become women who make a difference. In a tradition that combines the best of all-girls and Catholic schools, the school’s graduates emerge as women of integrity who engage in their communities with presence and purpose; they balance who they want to be as individuals with who they are meant to be as global citizens. A full 100 percent of Ursuline graduates matriculate at competitive colleges and universities across the country.

Wellan Montessori School
wellan.org/admissions | 617-969-4488

Discover Wellan Montessori School, where students are inspired, challenged, and empowered to reach their highest potential. Located in Newton Centre, Massachusetts, Wellan is an independent, all-gender school for students age 15 months through grade 8. This community-oriented school draws families from diverse backgrounds and currently includes students from more than 30 surrounding towns. Wellan’s Montessori-Progressive curriculum grants students the agency to forge their own personalized path, guided by thoughtful, highly trained educators. Engaging special offerings, like athletics, performing and visual arts, woodworking, and technology, are incorporated into the daily schedule. Wellan emphasizes innovation, community service, social justice, and empathy throughout the student experience. 

Graduates emerge as capable leaders who demonstrate strong academic skills that enable them to succeed at top-tier independent and public high schools. Interested in learning more? Visit wellan.org or contact Admissions directly at [email protected]. Need-based financial assistance is available.

Worcester Academy
worcesteracademy.org | 508-754-5302

Nestled in the heart of New England’s second-largest city, Worcester Academy is a co-educational day and boarding school for students in grades 6 through 12 and postgraduates. Founded in 1834, the academy blends rich tradition with a vibrant urban setting and an innovative approach to learning that extends far beyond the classroom. The school’s mission is to inspire students to pursue lifelong learning, engage deeply with the world, and develop into honorable individuals of strong, resourceful character.

Worcester Academy is more than a school — it is a vibrant community of curious, thoughtful, and generous individuals who thrive in diversity. Their core values — honor, respect, community, personal growth, and challenge — are fundamental to their mission, guiding their actions and reflecting their deepest commitments.

The legacy of Worcester Academy is best seen in the remarkable accomplishments of its alumni, who include Pulitzer Prize winners, NBA athletes, artists, entrepreneurs, and social activists. Their achievements stand as a testament to the solid foundation Worcester Academy provides, empowering students to reach their highest potential. Worcester Academy endeavors not just to shape scholars — but to cultivate confident, compassionate individuals who will leave a lasting impact on their communities and the world.