Education Beyond the Classroom: The Role of Outdoor Adventure in Shaping Young Minds

As a church musician with a deep interest in education, I've spent years covering various aspects of private schools. Recently, I decided to explore America's Roman Catholic boarding schools. These schools are those bastions of faith-based education that have shaped generations of leaders.

What I discovered was fascinating: just nineteen schools across the country, each with its own unique character but all sharing a commitment to academic excellence and Catholic values. From the historic Georgetown Prep to the picturesque Santa Catalina School by the Pacific, these institutions tell a remarkable story of American Catholic education.

The snapshots of the schools use information that these schools have uploaded to Boarding School Review. I have added links to each school's social media and websites so that you can explore these schools as you search for a school that fits your needs and requirements.

Finally, when you click the school's link, it will take you to Boarding School Review where you can review a wealth of data about each school as well as a Quick Facts panel on the right side of the screen.

About the school:

• The Academy of the Holy Family (AHF), a Catholic high school for young

Boarding School Admissions: International Students

American boarding schools are an excellent option for families seeking a high-quality education for their children. Suppose you are a parent in Asia or Central and South America considering sending your son or daughter to a boarding school in the United States. In that case, this article will help you understand the steps involved so that you can make that happen. Many parents like you have done the same thing because they value American boarding schools' high academic standards. They also understood the return on such a significant investment in terms of developing a robust network of friends and associates throughout the global community. American schools offer excellent preparation for university-level studies.

International students make up about 15% of the student population in American boarding schools. Anyone who is not a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident of the United States is considered an international applicant by American boarding schools.

Attending a boarding school in the United States means that your child will join a school community with decades of experience educating international students. These schools have years of experience helping students from around the world adjust to their new lives in the United States, making that transition as smooth as possible.

We understand that sending your child far from home is a major decision. You will have many questions about the admissions process, visa requirements, and what life will be like at school. As a parent whose daughters attended American boarding schools,

Parents' Concerns about Sending Their Child to Boarding School

Boarding schools are renowned for their commitment to academic rigor and excellence. This dedication to high-quality education is often why parents consider sending their children to these institutions. That's why we sent our daughters to boarding schools. So, let me share some of the concerns and questions I had as a parent in the 90s when sending our girls off to boarding school was on the table.

Rigorous Curriculum and College Preparation

Boarding schools typically offer a challenging academic program designed to prepare students for success in college and beyond. Their traditional college prep curriculum usually includes:

• Advanced Placement (AP) courses
• International Baccalaureate (IB) programs
• Honors classes
• Specialized electives

These schools focus on developing critical thinking skills, fostering intellectual curiosity, and encouraging academic independence. The rigorous nature of the coursework helps students build a strong foundation for college-level work.

A few boarding schools offer an alternative approach to education, focusing on experiential and project-based learning. We style these schools progressive, and they typically emphasize:

• Hands-on, interdisciplinary projects that connect multiple subjects
• Student-driven inquiry and exploration
• Real-world problem-solving and application of knowledge
• Collaborative learning environments that foster teamwork and communication skills
• Personalized learning plans that cater to individual student interests and strengths
• Integration of technology and innovative teaching methods
• Emphasis on critical thinking, creativity, and adaptability

This progressive approach aims to engage students more deeply in their learning, develop 21st-century skills, and prepare them for a rapidly changing world. While progressive schools do

Teaching in a Boarding School: A Comprehensive Guide for Educators

Teaching in a boarding school is quite unlike any job in a day school. Why? Because in most schools you will live above the store, as it were. Most faculty, deans, and heads of school, as well as some key support staff such as the admissions and development directors, are housed in school accommodations as part of their conditions of employment.

I know what I have written to be true because I have had many friends and acquaintances over the years who have taught at boarding schools. I always came away from my conversations with them impressed by their love of teaching their subject at a high academic level to young people who were generally very keen to excel. As a parent, I was also impressed by the superb facilities at the schools my daughters attended. Libraries, classrooms, sports facilities, chapels, and a tremendous sense of history were part of the mix of memories I have from those years. My point is that if you want to teach at an institution where your work will be respected, you owe it to yourself to investigate teaching at a boarding school. Here's how to make that happen.

Home and School Intertwined

Boarding schools are self-contained communities. Students and faculty eat together. They share relaxing times watching TV and playing games together. That is because teachers and staff in a boarding school function in loco parentis. They take the place