BREAKING NEWS

On June 25, 2010, the Board of Trustees of Brandon Hall School unanimously voted to change the by-laws of the school to include the female boarding component. The following week, a generous gift from an interested Foundation helped set in motion turning the dream into a reality.

On August 22, 2010, Brandon Hall will open an on campus cottage devoted to the boarding of eight young ladies, grades 7-12 (PG). Incorporated into the residential portion of this cottage will be the presence of the Director of Women’s Services whose job will be dedicated to providing counseling support, coordination of activities, and the adjustment to boarding school life for these young ladies.

Brandon Hall is metropolitan Atlanta’s only traditional, college preparatory boarding program.. There are two types of boarders, those five-day boarders who live in proximity to the school and go home on the weekends and those seven-day boarders who are full-time boarding students and go home on holidays and special weekends or occasions.

Given the students served by the school and the school’s mission, there are several major benefits to boarding:

1. Since there are few schools in the United States with a college preparatory academic program that provides one-to-one and small group classes, the boarding program allows young men to come and take advantage of the school’s unique opportunities.
2. The program allows for more consistent, organized and structured days in which there is a close accountability for both personal and study habits and the completion of homework.  Faculty supervise evening and, in some cases, afternoon study halls to give students the time and focus to do their work.
3. For students accustomed during the week to watching a lot of television, playing computer games, going out evenings with friends, or simply ignoring homework, the program provides an objective situation that minimizes distractions.
4. In some cases, parents have become frustrated as they try to impose schedules and standards.  Boarding removes the parent from the day-to-day supervision and provides a more objective situation.
5. For students who enjoy athletics and other extracurricular activities, the program allows for designated times for the activities while consistently upholding the academic emphasis. 
6. International students learning English as a secondary language benefit from being immersed in the English language and American culture.  American students enjoy the benefits of knowing students from other countries and cultures. 
7. Students also learn to live in a community with their peers not only by sharing accommodations but also by helping keep their rooms, halls, restrooms, and common areas neat and clean.  Areas of student leadership are afforded through the student prefect program.