Welcoming Communities

Families go to independent schools not because of an accident of geography, but because they identify with the school's mission, beliefs and dedication to excellence in education and want to be part of a community where everyone shares the same goals. Independent schools are committed to being the kinds of communities that provide a sense of common values and purpose and welcome everyone.

You'll feel it during the admission process. You'll feel it on parents' night and at your parent-teacher conferences. You'll feel it on the soccer field, in the theater, at the bake sale, in the dining hall and dorms, at the student art show and at the concerts. You'll feel it at all the different events schools plan to bring the community together.

Independent schools want you to be active participants in the community, to actively engage in the life of the school. Every school will have a wealth of volunteer opportunities, from chaperoning to fund-raising to helping the school get greener.

Schools believe that the strongest communities are those that value and include differences. Independent schools don't want to be places where everyone looks and thinks the same. Working purposefully to become more diverse, schools understand that welcoming difference enriches the community, enhances learning and makes schools more accurate reflections of the world in which we live.