Destination Boarding: North America

04 Dec 2018

With some of the world’s most beautiful natural spaces, top academic institutions and abundant career opportunities, you would be wise to consider a North American boarding school for your child’s education.

There’s a great range schools with different focuses throughout the US, so whether you want your child to study the International Baccalaureate (IB), to pursue a particular faith or explore America’s wild spaces, there will be something for you.

With excellent pastoral care, American boarding schools offer a welcoming home away from home to all students.

Another bonus will be that your child will achieve an impressive level of English fluency, opening doors to universities and careers all over our increasingly globalised world.

Source: Wasatch Academy

The global outlook and sense of independence they gain from attending such a boarding school will set them apart in the workforce, instilling a sense of confidence and belonging.

We’ve selected three of the country’s top boarding schools to inspire you on your search for the best education.

FLINTRIDGE SACRED HEART ACADEMY – CALIFORNIA

Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy is an all-girls, day and boarding high school set in the beautifully enviable hill-top location of La Cañada Flintridge in Southern California.

This Catholic and Dominican independent school integrates study, prayer, service and community into the lives of young women. The pillars of Dominican life are at the heart of FSHA, a school that believes its single sex curriculum allows girls to take centre stage, find their voice and transform into responsible adults.

Academic excellence is the core of FSHA, and the school’s broad curriculum – and distinctive four-year research program – take learning beyond the classroom, with Advanced Placement Classes available for those pushing the boundaries. The student-teacher ratio for all is an impressive 8:1.

Source: Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy

With a full class schedule and extra online courses throughout summer, the FSHA curriculum thoroughly prepares young women for their journey into higher education.

FSHA graduates have gone on to become scholars, athletes, writers, visual and performing artists, and leaders within their communities. Flintridge girls take risks, try new things and accept challenges within the safe and supportive environment of FSHA, learning to succeed and fail with dignity and grace, ultimately discovering their special talents and unique gifts.

If you choose to send your daughter to Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy, she will be welcomed with open arms to her new home on the Hill, and she will leave a well-rounded young woman, ready to pursue a life of faith, integrity and truth.

ANNIE WRIGHT SCHOOLS – WASHINGTON

Annie Wright Schools is proud to be an IB World School; one of fewer than 20 in the country to deliver IB programs at all three levels to pupils age three to eighteen. The Lower and Middle Schools offer co-ed programs in Preschool up to Grade 8, while separate Upper Schools for boys and girls offer day and boarding options in Grades 9 to 12.

With a historic campus that includes an indoor pool, two gyms, science and technology labs, art and music studios, a theater, outdoor gardens, play areas, athletic fields and open spaces, Annie Wright Schools are nestled in the beautiful North End neighbourhood of Tacoma, Washington.

Source: Annie Wright Schools

At Annie Wright, every student is treated as an individual, enjoying small class sizes, differentiated instruction and an engaged faculty. The school’s IB program nurtures inquiry, empathy and a global perspective and prepares students for secondary study wherever they choose in the world.

But as we know, school is not just about academics. Annie Wright Schools offer extensive athletics opportunities in addition to daily physical education classes. The schools employ experienced coaches to work with students from a young age, helping them grow into athletes while focussing on skills acquisition and fostering healthy competition, sportsmanship and teamwork.

This method has paid off in recent years as several of Annie Wright’s teams – including volleyball, tennis and track – have gone to State.

During summer Annie Wright Schools, offer inquiry-based adventure activities for kids from any school, ages 3 to Grade 8, so you know that if you’re particularly busy, your children will be in good hands all year round!

WASATCH ACADEMY – UTAH

Wasatch Academy believes itself to be the best private school in the US. Set within the beautiful Rocky Mountains of Utah, its rural location provides a safe and exciting place for students to learn while offering unparalleled opportunities to play in the great outdoors at the weekend.

Source: Wasatch Academy

The academy offers personalised learning with small class sizes, full-time dorm parents and a project-based education approach. Here, students elevate their knowledge into a lifelong pursuit of curiosity.

On top of excellent sports and arts facilities, Wasatch Academy offers innovative and rare opportunities for children to pursue their interests.

For example, the school has a Center for Evolving Technology Studios, where students learn 3D animation and video game design; an Engineering building where they can explore robotics and rocketry; a concrete transition skate and BMX park and Equestrian facilities.

For it’s incredibly wild location, Wasatch Academy is easily accessible from Asia, Latin America, the US and the rest of the world, with Salt Lake City International Airport not far away.

International students are welcomed wholeheartedly, as the Academy prides itself on its culture of respect, dignity and kindness. Currently, the school is home to students form 40 countries and 35 states, offering English Language Learning programs to help students bring their skills up to scratch.

“Everyone has a place, everyone fits in.”

*Some of the institutions featured in this article are commercial partners of Study International