“Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire”
-- W.B Yeats
I am inspired by our School – our students, our faculty, our past and present, the beauty that surrounds us. In this setting, in this community, our students discover talents and strengths, passions and purpose. They graduate prepared to succeed in college and life. Enthusiastic about what is ahead. And believing in themselves.
Three aspects of our School are fundamental to our students' success: dedicated teachers, a strong community, and our belief in the importance of individual passions.
Our teachers know our students well, and help them reach their full potential academically, athletically, and socially. We believe in our students – in their ability to master a college preparatory curriculum, and in their particular talents and interests. White Mountain students know that their teachers care deeply, and as a result, often surprise themselves by rising to challenges they thought were beyond them.
Our community is diverse and vibrant. We are purposefully small, because only in a small community can we truly treat all members as individuals. Students find a level of connection here that you simply cannot find at a larger, more bureaucratic school. And because students really know each other, there are no cliques, and peers support each other. This is a place where it is safe to try something new – during a discussion in your history class, on a difficult climb at Echo Crag, or when taking on a leadership role in the dorm.
Within our classical liberal arts curriculum, we work to help students find and follow their own passions. Our strong academic preparation gives our graduates the firm grounding they need for success in college. Our focus on individual passions helps students find meaning and purpose in life, connecting with something larger than themselves.
Whenever I travel, my favorite part of returning home is when I drive through Franconia Notch and see the foothills and valleys spread out before me. As a school, we are blessed with an extraordinary location – situated among the most impressive mountains in the Northeast, and surrounded by true New England towns and villages. Our location sets a tone. It is a place for deep academic study, for enjoying the mountains, lakes and rivers, and for developing a connection with the greater world. Visit us, talk with us, and experience The White Mountain School for yourself.
Timothy Breen, Ph.D.
Head of School