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What is Solebury?
Imagine going to school and being energized. Imagine feeling respected, understood, and appreciated by your teachers. Imagine having the opportunity to discover new interests and to pursue the things you already love vigorously and fully. Imagine a place where being you is celebrated, and where people are kind to one another. This is what the founders of Solebury School wanted to make a reality. An intentionally small boarding and day school in Bucks County, PA, Solebury fosters a magical learning environment in which students’ individual interests are supported and developed. The 140-acre-campus has the friendly feel of a college campus, but with the structure necessary to inspire teenagers to become life-long learners.
At Solebury, students and teachers are partners in learning. They work together to develop critical thinking skills relevant to the local, national, and global issues of the day. As they come to understand both society and self, Solebury students recognize how their individual excellence is intertwined with the world, and they gain the skills and inspiration to improve their communities.
psst… don’t miss their Virtual Open Houses in Oct, Nov & Dec, details below…
The Solebury Approach to Education
Solebury keeps their student body close-knit, with 235 students and a student-to-teacher ratio of 6 to 1. Every Solebury student is expected to strive for educational excellence, and the community at Solebury is prepared to encourage this excellence. Cooperative learning between students and teachers is the Solebury ethos, and it prepares students for life in college and beyond.
Teachers and staff at Solebury believe all young people love to learn, and that it is their responsibility to develop a challenging and creative curriculum that makes this curiosity a lifelong trait. Students are encouraged and supported to dive deeply into what they are interested in, and find success in academics and beyond. At Solebury, students have the opportunity to explore their passions and focus their academic pursuits by choosing a concentration in one of four areas, offering a distinctive path to graduation: STEM, Global Education, Social Justice, and Teach2Serve (social entrepreneurship).
Life on Campus
Solebury’s campus is home to enchanting historical buildings alongside brand new, state-of-the-art facilities. Just 90 minutes from New York City, Solebury is located in charming New Hope, PA, along the Delaware River, nestled within acres upon acres of greenery. In 2018, New Hope was named “The Prettiest Town in Pennsylvania” by Architectural Digest.
Families may choose to have their children board on campus, or to attend day classes. On weekends, both day students and boarding students have opportunities to experience new adventures, such as trips to Philadelphia and New York City, hikes, bonfires, and ski trips. On weeknights, boarders have up to 90 minutes of study hall, during which they work with a teacher on any schoolwork they need extra support to complete. Students who live in dormitories at Soleburyspeak candidly about the meaningful friendships they form with their fellow residents, as well as the benefits of living with their academic community.
Solebury’s Mission Has Remained Consistent
Ultimately, it is the relationship between faculty and students that makes Soleburyunique from other schools. In 1925 Solebury was founded to create a school where individual students would be encouraged to develop their personal talents and capabilities. Today, this principle of meeting individual needs continues to guide the Solebury community, in which intellectual stimulation and independent thinking are of paramount importance. In meeting individual student needs, and encouraging students to push themselves to learn more, a diverse community of differing opinions, thoughts, and creativities is formed. This individuality and diversity is deeply respected by all Solebury students and teachers.
For more information, visit Solebury’s website, read their blog full of firsthand student experiences, and watch the many videos about life and community on campus.
Solebury School will be hosting Virtual Open Houses on October 17, November 14 & December 5 from 3-5pm. Register here.
