Strong academic programmes. The opportunity to learn within a multicultural community. A mission encouraging its students to pursue meaningful lives based on honour, respect, and intellectual curiosity. These are just some of the hallmarks of Stoneleigh-Burnham School (SBS).
SBS is an all girls school that will prove to be an exceptional place where young women are empowered to stretch themselves and grow. The School has stellar academic outcomes; their graduates regularly secure places at some of the world’s most prestigious universities globally. The School also takes great pride in their mission to help girls develop confident, independent voices and the skills to flourish in a changing world.
In April 2021, a Grade 11 student at SBS took home the first place award at the World Individual Debating and Public Speaking Championships. Members of the SBS Debate & Public Speaking Society have qualified for the World Championships for the past nine consecutive years, a testament to the programme’s strength.
In a bid to make their education affordable to students from a wide economic range, SBS is proud to offer boarding tuition that is approximately 10% less than the national average and day tuition that is approximately 17% less of the national average.
“It was always the plan to reduce both day and boarding tuition, and I am immensely proud that the School’s new tuition rates will make an SBS education possible for more students,” said Head of School Stephanie Luebbers. The reasons for the reset were simple: to enrich the classroom and co-curricular experience; join the ranks of affordable independent schools; and connect SBS with the local Pioneer Valley community.
SBS attracts girls in grades seven to 12 from more than 15 states and over a dozen countries. Drawing on its 150 years of experience, SBS has been providing rich co-curricular programmes that include an array of activities and opportunities for students to develop their passion. SBS provides a caring, well-ordered environment where each student will find success and happiness as they study, partake in activities and develop their personalities.
The School offers an unrivalled choice of subjects — including the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme — taught in small classes by caring teachers and excellent facilities. Outside the classroom, students also have the opportunity to try new things, gain new skills and find new activities that can lead to lifelong interests through a wide range of extracurricular activities.
This includes opportunities to partake in debate and public speaking, community service, performing and visual arts, as well as athletics, to name a few. SBS also boasts of an Equestrian Center and is the only secondary school in the US to offer British Horse Society Certification. Students may also form new clubs according to their interests.
Students are responsible for running clubs, raising funds for a variety of projects, and reporting to faculty and staff advisors. Through involvement in extracurricular activities, they take risks, learn new skills, and become leaders. Ultimately, these experiences and opportunities help students thrive outside the classroom, giving them a platform to not only thrive academically but to also develop the self with a broad range of opportunities.
Pathway to academic success
The next generation is growing up in a world full of promise and possibility. SBS is the first girls’ boarding school in New England to offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme, a curriculum that encourages students to think and to draw connections across disciplines of study. The programme prepares students for success in the most competitive colleges and universities.
While academic achievements are important, these must go hand-in-hand with co-curricular activities that challenge students and a community that supports them. Students are encouraged to partake in some form of sporting or athletic activity to expand the expectations of their abilities, develop leadership skills, and learn how to work within a team. Students can choose from various sports and activities, including basketball, cross country, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track and volleyball.
Collectively, these experiences help students learn the importance of a healthy lifestyle while gaining new skills that will serve them well in university and beyond.
To learn more about SBS, click here.
Follow Stoneleigh-Burnham School on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter