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Washingtonian Guide to Private Schools: Boarding Schools

St. Albans School
Mount St. Alban, Massachusetts and Wisconsin Aves., NW; 202-537-6435; boys 4th-12th grades; $39,411 (day), $55,750 (boarding, 9th-12th grades); 575 students.

Garrison Forest School
300 Garrison Forest Rd., Owings Mills, MD; 410-363-1500; coed preschool, girls K-12th grades; $24,460-$26,890 (day), $39,460 (regional boarding), $50,370 (boarding); 630 students.

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Mission
At Garrison Forest School, we prepare our students in and out of the classroom to thrive in a complex, changing world by challenging them to strive for academic excellence and to grow into informed, independent, and creative thinkers, by cultivating an authentic and resilient sense of self, grounded in respect and integrity, by creating a diverse and inclusive community built on a spirit of caring, and by inspiring young women to lead and to serve with passion, joy, and purpose.

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Georgetown Preparatory School
10900 Rockville Pike, North Bethesda, MD; 301-493-5000; boys 9th-12th grades; $32,120 (day), $54,820 (boarding); 490 students.

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Mission
As a Catholic school, Prep helps young men to grow in their faith and understanding of the teachings of the Church and to learn to put their faith into action in the service of others. We welcome students of all faiths, believing that conscious reflection on one's faith, whatever it may be, leads to spiritual maturity and a commitment to serve others. Jesuit education centers on the education of the whole person: mind, spirit and body. This is accomplished through cura personalis (Latin for personalized care and concern for the individual) and through a holistic curriculum.

Colleges Where the Greatest Number of 2013 Graduates Enrolled
Notre Dame, Princeton, and Stanford

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McDonogh School
8600 McDonogh Rd., Owings Mills, MD; 410-363-0600; $24,350-$36,420; 1,300 students.

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Mission
McDonogh School is a community that finds joy in work, in play, in discovery, and in the realization of personal potential. Strong, mutually respectful relationships inspire a passion for teaching and learning, a dedication to personal integrity, and a commitment to excellence. Embracing diversity of background, culture, and thought, the school builds upon its founder's original mission to provide life-altering opportunities and to develop in students the will "to do the greatest possible amount of good.

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Oldfields School
1500 Glencoe Rd., Sparks Glencoe, MD; 410-472-4800; girls grades 8-12; $31,003 (day), $48,634 (five-day boarding), $50,522 (seven-day boarding); 169 students.

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Mission
Oldfields School is committed to the intellectual and moral development of young women. In a culture of kindness and mutual respect, we encourage each student to make the most of her academic and personal potential. We seek to guide each student to grow in character, confidence, and knowledge by encouraging her to embrace the values of personal honesty, intellectual curiosity, and social responsibility.

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Sandy Spring Friends School
16923 Norwood Rd., Sandy Spring, MD; 301-774-7455; pre-K-12th grade; $15,750-$29,650 (day), $43,650 (five-day boarding), $54,600 (seven-day boarding); 550 students.

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Mission
Sandy Spring Friends School provides a welcoming and nurturing learning community with Friends testimonies and Meeting for Worship central to its life and vitality. A challenging academic curriculum, enriched arts program, inclusive athletics, and service opportunities promote intellectual excellence and strength of character. Recognizing the unique worth of each person, the school strives to develop individual talents and foster caring and effective citizens of the world.

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St. Timothy's School
8400 Greenspring Ave., Stevenson, MD; 410-486-7400; girls 9th-12th grade; $28,560 (day), $50,330 (boarding); 195 students.

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Mission
Founded in 1882, St. Timothy's School is a college preparatory boarding and day school, preparing girls to assume positions of leadership with moral focus and courage, intellectual honesty and acumen, and the confidence to act responsibly and ethically in all areas of their lives.

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West Nottingham Academy
1079 Firetower Rd., Colora; MD; 410-658-5556; 9th-12th grade and postgraduate; $17,600 (day), $46,100 (boarding); Chesapeake Learning Center for learning differences (an additional $8,97); 130 students.

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Mission
West Nottingham Academy is a diverse, student-centered, boarding and day school for young men and women in grades 9-12 and post-graduate. Since its founding in 1744, the academy has prepared students for the challenges of college and life through a curriculum grounded in the liberal arts and sciences, and a commitment to the intellectual, spiritual, and social growth of each student.

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Yeshiva of Greater Washington
2010 Linden La., Silver Spring, MD; 301-962-5111; Orthodox; 7th-12th grade; $15,545 (7th-8th grade day), $17,865 (9th-12th day); $22,115 to $22,865 (9th-12th grade boarding); 190 students.

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Mission
The Yeshiva of Greater Washington's mission is to plant Torah as a lifelong guide within each student and to provide the skills to succeed personally, professionally, and communally.

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Blue Ridge School
273 Mayo Dr., St. George,VA; 434-985-2811; boarding only; boys 9th-12th grades; $41,500; 185 students.

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Mission
We specifically focus on helping boys reach their potential through personalized, structured, innovative learning practices in a college-preparatory, all-boarding community.

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Chatham Hall
800 Chatham Hall Cir., Chatham, VA; 434-432-2941; girls 9th-12th grade; $18,500 (day), $45,000 (boarding); 141 students.

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Mission
Chatham Hall prepares girls for college and for productive lives. Our rigorous educational program encourages intellectual growth, creativity, and personal responsibility. We foster the intellect and character of each student and, through our Honor Code, live in a community of trust. Grounded in its Episcopal heritage, the school welcomes students of all faiths and backgrounds.

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Christchurch School
49 Seahorse La., Christchurch, VA; 804-758-2306; 9th-12th grades; coed boarding school, coed day school; $19,500 (day), $45,600 (boarding); 202 students.

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What's New
Great journeys begin at the river. Knowing that each student comes to us with unique and infinite value, Christchurch, as an Episcopal school, inspires and guides each student's journey toward self-confidence, purpose, and identity. To help students succeed in that journey, we provide a sound college preparatory education in a caring, structured community. Part of that education includes stewardship of our river and awareness of the broader natural environment so that our students learn to look beyond themselves to their place in the world around them.

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Fishburne Military School
225 S. Wayne Ave., Waynesboro, VA; 540-946-7700; boys 7th-12th grades and postgraduate basketball program; $29,200 (boarding); 200 students.

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Mission
The mission of Fishburne Military School is to provide each cadet with a sound academic foundation, a healthy mental and physical environment, and leadership training for a better understanding of the obligations of honor, citizenship, and self-discipline.

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Fork Union Military Academy
4744 James Madison Hwy., Fork Union, VA; 800-462-3862; Christian; boys 6th-12th grade, postgraduate; $28,700 plus $3,000 for uniform; 500 students.

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Mission
Our mission is to educate, develop, and inspire young men in a college preparatory, Christian, military environment. Cadets build character, and learn leadership, independence, confidence, responsibility, and discipline in a setting that encourages mental, physical, and spiritual growth.

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Foxcroft School
22407 Foxhound La., Middleburg, VA; 540-687-5555; girls 9th-12th grade; $42,900 (day), $50,900 (boarding); 157 students.

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Mission
Foxcroft provides a residential learning experience for girls in which academic excellence, leadership, responsibility, and integrity are our highest values. What does this mean? Everything we do is curriculum -- curriculum is not only math and sciences and humanities but it's what it means to be a person. How do we live morally? How do we make the world a better place? Those are really the essential questions. ... And everything we do at Foxcroft is, in some way, a response to those basic questions.

What's New
An athletic/activity center with a dance studio and game rooms opened in the spring of 2010. In August of 2013 we opened Stuart Hall, a 50-student dormitory with faculty housing; the green building earned LEED gold certification leed. Also host a STEM competition with about a dozen high schools and 20 middle schools.

Recent Accomplishments
New Head of School, Catherine S. McGee installed. Celebrated our 100-year anniversary. Won the VISAA Division Two lacrosse championship.

Colleges with the Greatest 2013 Graduate Enrollment
Barnard, University of Michigan, Georgetown, UVA, William and Mary, Syracuse, UCLA, Wellesley, Richmond, Skidmore, Middlebury, Scripps, GW, Gettsyburg, Howard, Tulane, Elon

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Hargrave Military Academy
200 Military Dr., Chatham, VA; 434-432-2481; boarding only; boys 7th-12th grade, postgraduate; $12,900 (day), $30,800 (boarding), $34,650 (non-US boarding); 325 students.

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Mission
Refocus young men for college and the college track; teaching success in academics, athletics, character and spiritually; teaching young men who to be effective leadership in all walks of life.

What's New?
New dining facility; big push to raise the bar still higher on academics; new unique middle school program that is very popular with students nd parents alike.

Recent Accomplishments
Qualified six students for U.S. service academies for 2009/2010; Qualified five students for ROTC college scholarships; Qualified several students for athletic scholarships; 100% college acceptance for 2009/2010; 99.9% college acceptance since 2002.

Colleges Where the Greatest Number of 2010 Graduates Enrolled
East Tennessee State University (3); North Carolina State University (2); United States Military Academy at West Point (2); Virginia Military Institute (2); Liberty University (2).

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Madeira School
8328 Georgetown Pike, McLean, VA; 703-556-8200; girls 9th-12th grade; $41,224 (day), $54,555 (boarding); 306 students.

Massanutten Military Academy
614 S. Main St., Woodstock, VA; 877-466-6222; 7th-12th grade, postgraduate; $25,000; 152 students.

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Mission
Massanutten Military Academy's mission is to prepare cadets for their success by delivering structure and a superior educational experience. Our unique approach involves an environment built on collaboration, critical thinking, and innovation.

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Miller School of Albemarle
1000 Samuel Miller Loop, Charlottesville, VA; 434-823-4805; 8th-12th grade, postgraduate; $36,235 (five-day boarding), $40,480 (seven-day boarding), $49,980 (international), $19,890 (day); 170 students.

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Mission
With a unique emphasis on mind, hands, and heart, Miller School prepares young women and men for success in college and life. Distinguished by a rigorous and supportive program, talented faculty and staff, meaningful leadership opportunities, and small classroom settings, our congenial community builds responsible citizens, insightful thinkers, and compassionate individuals.

What's New?
The Miller School of Albemarle has recently inaugurated a pre-engineering curriculum track that incorporates design/build woodworking and metalworking with math and science classes to give students hands-on preparation for further studies in engineering. A new athletic offering is the year-round endurance team that combines cross country running, mountain biking, and road cycling.

Recent Accomplishments
Students are beginning their second year in Miller's newly-renovated state-of-the-art science laboratories. The school has just begun a comprehensive gym renovation to improve athletic and fitness facilities for its students.

Colleges Where the Greatest Number of 2010 Graduates Enrolled
Emory University, Hampden-Sydney College, Lynchburg College, Ohio State University, Sewanee: The University of the South, University of Illinois, University of Mississippi, University of St. Andrews (Scotland), Virginia Tech School of Architecture and Design, University of Wisconsin, and Washington & Lee University. The 39 students in the class of 2010 were awarded over $740,000 in scholarships for their first year of college.

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Randolph-Macon Academy
200 Academy Dr., Front Royal, VA; 540-636-5200; 6th-12th grade and postgraduate; $15,381-$17,814 (day), $25,714-$34,565 (boarding), $41,628 (international); 10-percent discount for Methodists; 293 students.

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What's New
The school has a new studio-art course, and a new state-of-the-art academic building opened in spring 2009. New in 2010: Special "high-flight" program for elite students interested in attending military service academies.

Recent Accomplishments
The Air Force Junior ROTC program was recently awarded a Distinguished Unit with Merit award. For the first time ever, a female was appointed corp commander.

Colleges Where the Greatest Number of 2010 Graduates Enrolled
Arizona State, Longwood University, Michigan State, University of Pittsburgh, Purdue, Virginia Military Institute.

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St. Anne's-Belfield School
2132 Ivy Rd., Charlottesville, VA; 434-296-5106; pre-K-12th grade; $10,975-$11,600 (pre-K and half-day junior kindergarten), $19,500 (full-day kindergarten), $19,500-$23,775 (1st-12th grade), $15,350 additional for five-day boarding, $25,975 additional for seven-day boarding; 888 students.

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What's New
In the fall of 2010, the school opened a $26-million academic learning village, which will be the home for the school's kindergarten through 8th grade students.

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St. Margaret's School
444 Water La., Tappahannock, VA; 804-443-3357; girls 8th-12th grade; $17,900 (day), $45,900 (boarding); 130 students.

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Mission
"As we grow in age, may we grow in grace." St. Margaret's School's motto reflects their commitment to the growth of young women in every area of their lives: growth in intellectual ability, spiritual maturity, social responsibility and physical well-being. St. Margaret's offers a diverse student body a sound college-preparatory curriculum, challenging to each individual. In a Christian environment, founded on the Episcopal tradition, both honor and character are developed. St. Margaret's seeks to inspire each student to make the best of herself and in so doing make a better world.

What's New
New focus on the river program, which includes educational, recreational, leadership, and athletic programs.

Colleges Where the Greatest Number of 2013 Graduates Enrolled
Virginia Commonwealth University, University of Mississippi, College of William and Mary, Randolph College, George Washington University

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Woodberry Forest School
898 Woodberry Forest Rd., Woodberry Forest, VA; 540-672-3900; boys 9th-12th grades; $50,200; about 400 students.

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Mission
The purpose of Woodberry Forest School is to develop in its students, under Christian principles, a high sense of honor and moral integrity, a deep respect for sound scholarship, a full acceptance of responsibility, a love of excellence, and a will toward personal sacrifice in service to others. It is likewise its mission, based on these ideals, to develop its students into leaders, to train its students toward a useful contribution to the democratic society in which they live, and to give them thorough preparation for the best colleges and universities consistent with their individual potentials.

What's New?
The Woodberry Forest community welcomed the return of Byron C. Hulsey ('86) as the school's ninth headmaster, on July 1, 2014.

Colleges Where the Greatest Number of 2013 Graduates Enrolled
University of South Carolina, University of Virginia, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Clemson University, Sewanee: The University of the South

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Mercersburg Academy
300 East Seminary St., Mercersburg, PA; 717-328-6173; 9th-12th grade. postgraduate; $52,700 (boarding), $33, 950 (day); 450 students.