Retaining Top Boarding School Teachers: Burnout, Pay & Attraction

Introduction

Boarding schools have long appealed to families seeking rigorous academics, structured environments, and global exposure. For students from abroad, however, enrolling in a boarding school involves more than just academic readiness. Challenges such as visa acquisition, long-distance travel, cultural adjustment, and ongoing emotional support require robust institutional infrastructure. In 2025, leading boarding schools increasingly view international support as a strategic priority—and some even market it as a key differentiator. Below, we explore how top boarding schools structure support across four domains: visa & immigration, travel & logistics, culture shock & adjustment, and ongoing support systems.

Visa & Immigration: Foundations of Legitimacy

For many international students, obtaining appropriate immigration status is the first major hurdle. Boarding schools typically engage with this process deeply.

Certification & Authorization

• In the U.S., only SEVP-certified institutions may issue Form I-20, essential for an F-1 student visa. Without this certification, international students cannot enroll legally.

• Once the school issues I-20, families must pay the SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) fee and schedule a visa interview.

• Schools like CH-CH explicitly note that their Admissions Office handles visa status and issues I-20 and supporting documents. chch.org

Document Preparation & Compliance

To satisfy immigration requirements, boarding schools typically assist in preparing:

Choosing a Junior Boarding School: A 2025 Guide for Families

Selecting a junior boarding school is one of the most significant decisions parents can make for their child’s education. Designed for students typically in grades 6–9, junior boarding schools combine rigorous academics with structured support, helping young adolescents develop independence, confidence, and character before entering secondary school.

As families weigh their options, the process of choosing a junior boarding school involves far more than browsing glossy brochures. Parents must carefully evaluate the academic philosophy, student support systems, community culture, and long-term outcomes of each school. This guide offers a detailed look at what to consider in 2025 when making this important choice.

What Is a Junior Boarding School?

Unlike traditional boarding schools, which often begin at grade 9, junior boarding schools are tailored to younger students—typically ages 10 to 15. These schools bridge the gap between elementary education and secondary boarding school life, providing:

• Small class sizes for individualized academic attention.

• Structured residential life that balances guidance with growing independence.

• Advisory systems that help students transition socially and emotionally.

• Extracurricular variety in athletics, arts, and leadership opportunities.

Many families see junior boarding schools as a safe and nurturing environment where children

5 Tips for Teen Travel (Updated October 2025)

Whether your teenager is flying back to boarding school, visiting family abroad, or embarking on their first solo trip, preparing them for safe, independent travel has never been more important. In 2025, student travel has rebounded strongly since the pandemic, with the U.S. Department of Transportation reporting record-high youth air travel during summer months. As more parents entrust teens to travel independently, equipping them with practical safety habits is essential.

Below are five updated teen travel tips for 2025—covering everything from airport navigation to digital safety—so your child can travel with confidence while giving you peace of mind.

1. Stay Alert in Every Setting

The number one rule for teen travelers is situational awareness. According to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), distracted passengers account for many missed flights and security complications. Teens, in particular, are prone to distractions from smartphones and earbuds.

Encourage your child to:

• Keep devices at low volume and glance up frequently.

• Listen for gate changes, which are often announced only once or via push notifications.

• Avoid napping at the gate, where unattended belongings can also be vulnerable.

• Pay attention during transit transfers (train, bus, rideshare pick-ups), where scams or misdirections may occur.

As parenting expert Dr. Lisa Damour notes in The Wall Street Journal, “Solo teen

Famous Boarding School Graduates (Updated October 2025)

Graduates of boarding schools have long gone on to shape culture, politics, science, and business on a global scale. Many continue to give back to the schools that nurtured their early ambitions—whether through service on boards of trustees, philanthropic support, or mentorship of current students.

The point of this article is simple: the dream of becoming something extraordinary often begins with the right foundation. Boarding schools equip students with independence, discipline, and confidence—qualities that help them realize their ambitions, whether on the stage, in the boardroom, or in public service.

While some boarding school graduates come from families of privilege, many started with modest means. What unites them is not wealth, but families who believe in the transformative power of a rigorous, well-rounded education.

Notable Boarding School Alumni Across Fields

Below is a cross-section of well-known figures who once walked boarding school hallways before becoming household names:

• Dan Brown – Bestselling author, Phillips Exeter Academy (Exeter, NH)

• Chelsea Clinton – The Clinton Foundation, Sidwell Friends School (Washington, D.C.)

• George W. Bush – 43rd U.S. President, Phillips Academy Andover (Andover, MA)

• Glenn Close – Academy Award-winning actress, Choate Rosemary Hall (Wallingford, CT)

• Mark Zuckerberg – Founder of Meta, Phillips Exeter Academy (Exeter, NH)