The Frederick Gunn School, founded in 1850, is a co-ed boarding and day school for students in grades 9-12 as well as a post-graduate year.
Mr. Gunn had a deep appreciation for the natural world, believing that in nature students understand themselves as humans and their place in the world.
He took a principled stand against slavery and spurred students (and the town at large) to examine their beliefs. In addition to the habits and skills students will need in college and life beyond, we teach them to follow Mr. Gunn`s example: to cultivate wisdom, to be trailblazers, to act with conviction, and to value character as highly as intellect and achievement.
Club or Organization: Alphabet, Crossroads, Free Thought Society, Future Business Leaders of America, Green Club, Gunn Society, Highlander Ringers, International Club, Mathletes, Model United Nations, One World, Peer Support, Student Activities, Students for Social Action, Translation Club
School Notes
We believe in having heroes.The Frederick Gunn School is
about people, really, and one person in particular - Frederick
Gunn. Mr. Gunn (1816-1881) was a staunch abolitionist, intuitive
educator, and all-round outdoorsman. He created a school and an
enduring philosophy that encourages students to discover what they
believe in and to stand up for it. Today we emulate his instincts
and skills as an educator of young people and point our students to
him as a model of the type of citizens the 21st century needs.
Mr. Gunn's example reminds us of the importance of character,
confidence, and commitment.
Raising a teenager is never easy. Why do it yourself?Some
parents react to the idea of a boarding school with the question,
"Why would I give up that much control over my child`s life?" But a
moment of reflection leads us all to acknowledge that the prospect
of entrusting my child to a 24/7 community of expert adult
educators who have committed their lives to helping young people
meet and exceed their goals is actually the greatest gift a parent
can give their child. After all, if we`re honest, most parents are
doing the best they can, making it up as they go along, reacting as
their child passes through developmental stages. The Frederick Gunn
School offers adult teacher-mentors who have been there and
seen that, and who are especially gifted at anticipating what's
next for a teenager. Here we've created an environment dedicated to
the ideal combination of challenge and guidance, adjusted to each
student, so that a student discovers layers, abilities, passions
that break through what they`d previously imagined possible.
Doesn`t that sound like a partnership you want to enter?
We are a community.The Frederick Gunn School faculty are a
diverse group of educators who bring to our students a wide range
of experiences and expertise. We are happy to introduce them and
share their stories and voices here.
Our inclusiveness is our strength.Here no one gets lost in the
crowd, and in a matter of days a student will feel at home. Mr.
Gunn understood the importance of a diverse learning community, and
we take it seriously today as well. Still wondering whether
boarding school is better? We have welcomed an international,
purposefully diverse group of students for the past 170 years -
that`s right, Mr. Gunn had exchange students! - because we want
good students who are good people and who seek the good of others,
too.
The outdoors shaped Mr. Gunn. It shapes our students too.We
live in boxes - houses, dorms, classrooms, offices. It`s important
to get outside and orient ourselves in the larger world where there
are no walls and the horizon is the edge of our universe. Mr. Gunn
understood this and we continue the tradition today.
Appreciating the outdoors and our place in it is part of a
broad-minded education. It is also the best antidote we know to
rediscovering our humanity in a world of screens that somehow shape
our lives despite our best intentions. We believe that it`s not
enough just to tell kids what they shouldn`t or can`t do - by
reintroducing them to the unmediated natural world they rediscover
enduring sources of self and joy.
What are students getting ready for? Really?Our curriculum is
broad and we encounter a wide range of topics in the classroom. But
most importantly we learn how to learn, because that
lasts a lifetime, long after we`ve forgotten the names of the Tudor
monarchs. It`s preparation for college, certainly, but more
importantly for life long after college.
Beauty breaks everywhere.For 170 years students have come to
study at a lovely campus surrounded by woods, trails, rivers, and
lakes. Today Washington, Connecticut, and Litchfield County more
broadly, is known as an idyllic community where city-dwellers find
a country escape rich with charming shops, fine dining, and lovely
accommodations including The Mayflower Inn & Spa, part of the
Auberge Resorts Collection and just across the road from The
Frederick Gunn School.
A choice for something better.Students at The Frederick Gunn
School spend their high-school years growing up, growing wiser, and
growing more confident. They form lasting friendships by supporting
each other as they step outside of comfort zones alongside faculty
who truly believe in them. Coming to FGS is a choice to dig a
little deeper - to get past the shiny surface of so much that`s
around us. We would love for you to become a Highlander.
When is the application deadline for The Frederick Gunn School?
The application deadline for The Frederick Gunn School is Jan. 15 / rolling (applications are due on Jan. 15 but additional applications are reviewed year-round as space permits ).
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The average private school tuition in Litchfield County, CT is $26,388 for elementary schools and $62,930 for high schools (read more about average private school tuition across the country).
