holderness school

CONTENTS

WELCOME 1ACADEMICS 12COMMUNITY 22ATHLETICS 28ADMISSION 36

IN ADDITION TO SERVING AS OURMASCOT,THE HOLDERNESS BULL HAS INSTILLEDDIRECTION IN THE CLASSROOM AND ONTHE PLAYING FIELD SINCE 1879.

Welcome

AT HOLDERNESS STUDENTS FIND ROLES INWHICHTHEY ARE COMFORTABLE AND THAT CHALLENGETHEM TO EXPLORE THE FULL BREADTH OF THEIRPOTENTIAL IN MIND, BODY, AND SPIRIT.

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OUR VALUES

OUR MOTTO

Community:We cultivate the bonds that unite us and the role that

those relationships play in elevating learning and how we live.

Character:Webelieve that growth is rooted in initiative,dependability,

and fairness and in a person’s readiness to embrace new challenges.

Curiosity:Wematch academic rigor with a commitment to inquiry

as a means of forging a life–long pursuit of learning. �

Pro Deo et Genere Humano: For God and Humankind.�

OUR MISSION

Holderness School fosters equally in each student the resources

of themind, body, and spirit in the creation of a caring community,

inspiring all to work for the betterment of humankind andGod’s

creation.�

HOLDERNESS IS COMMITTED TO LIVING AS ACOMMUNITY THAT CELEBRATES AND SUPPORTSDIVERSITY IN ITS MANY FORMS, BECAUSEMULTIPLE PERSPECTIVES AND EXPERIENCESARE VITAL TO EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE ANDTO THE STRENGTH OF OUR COMMUNITY.

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FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

what do i love about holderness? I think it comes down to the factthat Holderness is not simply a school, it’s a lifestyle—a lifestyle that celebrates a number

of different things, and holds them all in a balance you’ll find nowhere else.

To live at Holderness is to be intellectually passionate and always curious; to be pub-

licly spirited and always attentive to the needs of others; to be physically active and always

in touch with the outdoors; to be artistically creative and always conscious of the power

of intuition and imagination; and to be aware, finally, of the spiritual dimensions of the

human experience.

Don Henderson, a legendary Holderness history teacher and a former coach of the

US National Ski Team, often quoted Robert Frost’s poem “Two Tramps in Mud Time.”

Don said that his object in living was to unite his avocation and his vocation “as my two

eyes make one in sight.” Don knew how to achieve that sort of vision. His work was full

of playfulness, and he and other great teachers here have helped the whole community to

live and work that way.

The different qualities of the Holderness lifestyle reinforce each other so naturally

that they blend into one another. Mind and body and spirit direct themselves in unison

to high achievement and an atmosphere of excellence—not the sort of excellence that is

arrogant or pretentious, but rather is expressed in a humble sort of confidence.

That’s what makes life at Holderness rich and full, and also what keeps me coming

back. It’s a recipe not only for success, but for the joyfulness a person finds in exercising

all of his or her gifts.�

– R. Phillip Peck, Head of School

ACADEMICS

OUR STUDENTS ARE KNOWN, NURTURED, ANDENCOURAGED. THEY FEEL SAFE TO TAKE THEINTELLECTUAL RISKS NEEDED FOR GROWTHAND INDEPENDENT THINKING.

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AT-A-GLANCEr GRADES: 9–PGr TEACHING FACULTY: 53r STUDENT–FACULTY RATIO: 6:1r AVERAGE TEACHING EXPERIENCE: 18 YEARSr FACULTY WITH ADVANCED DEGREES: 2/3r AP COURSES: 19r COLLEGE PLACEMENT: 99%r AVERAGE CLASS SIZE: 12r MAXIMUM CLASS SIZE: 16r ACADEMIC SUPPORT: AVAILABLEON INDIVIDUAL BASIS

r A SELECTION OF UPPER-LEVEL ELECTIVES:CHALLENGES TO GLOBAL STABILITY, THEMODERN MIDDLE EAST, STEM ENERGY,INTRODUCTION TO GEOGRAPHICINFORMATION SYSTEMS, INTRODUCTION TOCOMPUTER SCIENCE, AND CREATIVE WRITING.

ACADEMICS

in the holderness classroom every student is in the front

row.With an average class size of , and with levels ranging from introductory to Ad-

vanced Placement, our curriculum is rich with choices.Our students are known, nurtured,

and encouraged, and they feel safe enough to take the intellectual risks they need to grow.

The school’s academic program is intentionally challenging, preparing students for

selective colleges and universities as well as for a lifetime of curiosity, inquiry, and learn-

ing.The program demands energy and hard work, and course selections are broad enough

to accommodate each student’s interests, strengths, and learning styles. In addition, expe-

riential learning is an essential component of every class; at Holderness you’ll find your-

self immersed in active learning both inside and outside of the classroom, often with our

alumni and community partners who are experts in their chosen fields.

Most of our teachers live on campus and are ready to provide students with extra

help outside the classroom. It’s not unusual to see students and faculty meeting after meals

or during a conference block. In addition, if a student requires further support, the office

of the academic dean can arrange for tutoring and extra help.

At Holderness energy and ambition are prerequisites; passion and accomplishment

are the reliable results.

first-year programThe ninth-grade curriculum prepares students for the challenges of independent school

learning.Ninth-grade students take a team-taught cross-curricular English/history course

that introduces comprehensive study and research skills. We foster class bonding, too.

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From Orientation Hike and the ninth-grade ropes course activity in the fall, to Project

Outreach and a class excursion to Church Island on Squam Lake in the spring, students

in the ninth grade build powerful bonds that last throughout their time at Holderness.

artsThe arts provide un-paralleled opportunities for learning and practicing creativity, imag-

ination, resourcefulness, and self-discipline. They also provide insights into the deepest

questions about who we are.

Holderness School’s Carpenter Arts Center offers courses in the studio arts, ceram-

ics, instrumental and choral music,music theory and composition, theater, and traditional

and digital photography. It houses a digital recording studio, a digital photography lab, a

traditional darkroom, a ceramics studio and gas kiln, a studio for still-life and portrait

photography, student gallery space, and more. Each offering is taught by an artist who is

a successful and practicing professional in his or her field.

A beloved arts tradition is School Night. Held in the -seat auditorium in the

Hagerman Center, School Nights feature student productions and performances as well

as visiting professional artists like poets Galway Kinnell, Robert Bly, and Donald Hall,

and performance artists like Taylor Mali, Rives, Ishle Park, and Shihan the Poet. Other

school nights have a musical focus. SizzlingNewOrleans bands like Big Sam’s FunkyNa-

tion have graced our stage and roused the school to dance many times throughout the last

couple years.

In addition to the arts courses that are taught within the regular academic hours,

Holderness also provides students with extra-curricular opportunities to pursue the arts

as an alternative to sports one season each year; offerings have included ceramics, pho-

tography, dance, songwriting, and theater.

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ARTWARD BOUND

OUT BACK

PROJECT OUTREACH

special programsAt the core of our experiential learning and leadership curricula is Special Programs, a

ten-day period inMarch during which our students, divided by graduating class, embark

on life-changing adventures: Project Outreach, Artward Bound, and Out Back.

r Project Outreach: Leadership begins by knowing how to serve others. In March the

ninth-grade class volunteers in Philadelphia’s expansive Fairmount Park, at St. Barn-

abas Mission—a homeless mission for women and young children—and at Phil-

abundance—the city’s biggest distributor of food to shelters, soup kitchens, and

struggling families. Participation in Project Outreach satisfies Holderness School’s

community service requirement, and awakens in many the desire to continue volun-

teering throughout their time at Holderness and in their lives after graduation.

r Artward Bound:Artward Bound is a ten-day residential art program designed for our

tenth-graders. It’s a time for Holderness students to learn and perform alongside

renowned musicians, poets, visual artists, and dancers. Each day students work in a

variety of forms including improvisational theater,mural painting, graphic design, ce-

ramics, papermaking,“chopper” bicycle construction, African drumming, and black-

smithing (yes,Holderness School has a forge!). Immersed in a diversity of art forms,

tenth-graders stretch and strengthen their creative capacities.

r Out Back:Out Back began in and simultaneously challenges and supports our

juniors through this physically and mentally demanding experience. It fuses Holder-

ness School’s love of the outdoors, its commitment to experiential learning, and its

core values of curiosity, character, and community into an unforgettable wilderness

challenge.The ten-day experience in March teaches winter survival skills, orienteer-

ing, snowshoeing, winter camping, and above all, team-building.Ask anyHolderness

graduates about Out Back and you’ll hear not one, but dozens of stories and insights

about the Holderness experience that shaped their lives.

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AT-A-GLANCESOME OF THE MANY COLLEGES OUR STUDENTSATTEND INCLUDE:

r BATES COLLEGEr BOSTON UNIVERSITYr COLORADO COLLEGEr DARTMOUTH COLLEGEr GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITYr GETTYSBURG COLLEGEr HARVARD UNIVERSITYr HOBART & WILLIAM SMITH COLLEGESr KENYON COLLEGEr NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITYr RHODE ISLAND SCHOOL OF DESIGNr ST. LAWRENCE UNIVERSITYr STANFORD UNIVERSITYr UNIVERSITY OF DENVERr UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIREr UNIVERSITY OF RICHMONDr UNIVERSITY OF VERMONTr WHITMAN COLLEGE SENIOR THESIS

SENIOR THESIS

senior thesisSeniorThesis is an experiential educational opportunity designed to provide our seniors

with a platform fromwhich they can develop their intellectual curiosity as they delve into

topics of their choice.

Taken during the second semester of senior year, SeniorThesis is often referred to as

our culminating academic experience; our students develop research and independent

study skills throughout their years at Holderness and draw upon them to successfully

complete the four stages of this course: the research, the March Experience, a final proj-

ect, and a seminar presentation.

In addition, the SeniorThesis program acts as a bridge for seniors to move smoothly

toward college-level work with the additional guidance of experts, community and fam-

ily members, friends, and alumni.This type of experiential learning can help students find

a career path, pursue life-style practices, and develop hobbies and interests that last a life-

time.Whatever the takeaway, our students are better prepared for the road ahead.

college counselingTheHolderness School College Counseling Office is committed to finding the best match

for all students and supporting them during their comprehensive college searches. Because

of their extensive years of experience, the college counselors recognize that there is more to

a student’s college search than identifying an appropriate list of colleges.Themore a student

knows—about personal inclinations and college profiles—themore confident he or she will

be in the college process.To that end,Holderness students are empowered tomanagemany

school-related responsibilities, as well as to thinkmore creatively about the choices available

now and in the future.�

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COMMUNITY

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TO SAY THAT I LEARNED HOW TO MONO-SKI, ORHOWTOGET AROUND IN AWHEELCHAIR DURINGMYMARCH EXPERIENCEWOULD BE SIMPLYMISSING THEMARK. THE SENIOR THESIS FIELD EXPERIENCE HAS ADEEPER LAYER TO IT WHERE A STUDENT IS ABLE TOLEARN HOW TO INTERACT WITH THE COMMUNITYAS A PROFESSIONAL.

— WILL HUMPHREY ’10

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AT-A-GLANCEOUR STUDENT JOBS INCLUDE:

r BLUE KEY TOUR GUIDESr PANTRY CREWr LIBRARY WORKERSr GREEN SUPPORTr ADVANCEMENT WRITERSr COMMUNITY SERVICE VOLUNTEERSr DINNER STEWARDSr KIDDIE CREWr FLAG PATROLLERSr COMMUNICATIONS ASSISTANTSr OUTDOOR GROUNDS CREWr DIVERSITY PROGRAM TEAMr HOUSE AND FLOOR LEADERS

JOBS PROGRAM

COMMUNITY

leadershipLeadership is synonymous with Holderness. In a unique balloting system that has existed

for over fifty years, student leaders are selected by their peers on the basis of four values: fair-

ness, dependability, initiative, and empathy.These leaders are responsible for the day-to-day

operations of the Jobs Program, as well as many other responsibilities.Daily, students learn

and appreciate the value of helping out a friend and giving back to the community.

In addition, every student has a job that is meaningful and contributes to the daily

maintenance and upkeep of the school. Punctuality, following through, self-reliance, com-

mon sense, and pride in a job well done are just some of the skills they learn.We’ve heard

from many of our alumni that entry-level management jobs are a breeze because of the

skills they learned in the Jobs Program.

residential life and advisingIn the dorms, we have a ratio that you won’t find at any other school—eight:one. It’s what

we call a “ratio for relationships”—a ratio that means that for every eight students in a

dorm, there is at least one resident faculty member living with them to support, guide,

and mentor them.

: means there is time for brownie nights and games as well as meaningful guid-

ance—like course selection, life advice, and the college process.All of our dorms are small

(the biggest one houses just students, the smallest houses four) and are designed to

create a close-knit, safe, nurturing, and fun environment.

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AT-A-GLANCESOME OF THE MANY CLUBS AVAILABLE ATHOLDERNESS SCHOOL:r VESTRYr OUTING CLUBr THE PICADOR (STUDENT NEWSPAPER)r DIAL (YEARBOOK)r MOSAIC (ONLINE AND PRINT LITERARYMAGAZINE)

r THE ALLIANCEr WRITING AND POETRY CLUBr MATH TEAMr GREEN SUPPORT CREWr MULTICULTURAL CLUBr INVESTMENT CLUBr COOKING CLUBr CURRENT EVENTS CLUBr FISHING CLUBr SLACKLINE CLUB

Family-style dinner is another way we build community. Several times a week stu-

dents and faculty eat together in the dining hall, checking in on the day’s events and get-

ting to know one another. It is our goal every year that by Thanksgiving, every student

will have had a meal and a conversation with everyone else in the school.

spiritual life and serviceHolderness was founded in as an Episcopal school, and it remains loyal to that her-

itage. At the same time,Holderness supports, encourages, and nurtures the varying degrees

and kinds of religious beliefs in its community. Students of all faiths are made to feel wel-

come in the Chapel of the Holy Cross.

Our spiritual sense of place extends beyond the Chapel of the Holy Cross. Once a

month—sometimes even in winter—we climb the hillside to ourOutdoor Chapel, a beau-

tiful ampitheater shaped out of granite,wood, and earth that overlooks the hills to the west

of campus.Additional services take place atTrinity Church, the simple th century wood

frame building that was the school’s original chapel and at Chocorua Island Chapel on

Squam Lake.

Our service programs are linked to both leadership and the human dimensions of

this spiritual experience.Throughout the school year, students look beyond the Holder-

ness campus and find other ways to give back.

sustainabilityOur Sustainability Mission Statement affirms that we “embrace environmental steward-

ship, responsibility and justice,” and this ideal is embodied in the curricula for our outdoor

science labs, forest phenology coursework, and human impact studies—to name a few.

We work toward sustainability in our business practices, too, striving to be good stewards

of the land and resources in our local ecosystem and economy.�

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ATHLETICS

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I COULD NOT IMAGINE HAVING A BETTER HIGHSCHOOL EXPERIENCE. FORME, HOLDERNESSWAS APLACE WHERE I COULD FIND A HEALTHY BALANCEOF ACADEMICS, ATHLETICS, AND COMMUNITY.

— JULIA FORD ’08

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FALL SPORTSr CROSS-COUNTRYr FIELD HOCKEYr FOOTBALLr MOUNTAIN BIKINGr ROCK CLIMBINGr SOCCER

WINTER SPORTSr ALPINE SKIINGr BASKETBALLr FREESKIINGr ICE HOCKEYr NORDIC SKIINGr SKI JUMPINGr SNOWBOARDING

SPRING SPORTSr BASEBALLr CYCLINGr GOLFr LACROSSEr OUTDOOR CLUBr ROCK CLIMBINGr SOFTBALLr TENNIS

AT-A-GLANCE

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ATHLETICS

at holderness we believe an opportunity to play is an

opportunity to learn. Our athletes are known for the frequency with which they qualify

for post-season competitions; however, it’s not their records that matter. It’s the lessons our

athletes learn through practice and competitions that matter—lessons in concentration,

self-discipline, cooperation, and responsibility.

Even if you’ve never played on a team before, you’ll wear aHolderness uniform and get

time in the game.There’s room for everyone on the school’s oo acres that include a turf

field, a fully-equipped athletic center, eight large playing fields, eight tennis courts, a covered

hockey rink—that converts to turf during the off-season—and ten kilometers of running

trails.And for students who are in love with the outdoors, there are world-class rock climb-

ing areas and miles of mountain biking and hiking trails just minutes from campus.

snow sportsHolderness School is unique among boarding schools in its ability to provide a competi-

tive college preparatory academic curriculum and a globally competitive snow sports pro-

gram. Since , Holderness School has produced Olympic athletes, sixWorld Cup

ChampionshipTeammembers, CollegiateAll-Americans, and NationalTeammem-

bers. Most recently, two of our Holderness alumnae competed in the Winter

Olympics in Sochi, Russia. Julia Ford ’ raced for the US Alpine Olympic Team, while

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Julia Marino ’ was the first freestyle skier to compete for Paraguay. In addition, big

mountain skier and two-timeWorld Champion Chris Davenport ’ was inducted into

the Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame in . In the snowboarding world, Converse

Fields ’ holds four national champion titles in slalom and giant slalom, while Karina

Bladon ’ took silver at the Canadian Nationals in .

The snow sports program draws its strength from its coaching staff, many of whom

have competed or coached at the national level. In addition,Holderness School is situated

in an ideal location for winter sports. Nordic skiers train on our campus trails that have

been the site of many national competitions, and a short drive from campus, skiers and

snowboarders train and compete in the ussa,usasa, and fis circuits on the slopes of Loon

Mountain and Cannon Mountain. Cannon Mountain is home to Mittersill, a designated

training site for the US SkiTeam, one of just four ussa training sites in the United States.

Lastly, freeskiers have access to Freestyle America, the longest continuously operating

freestyle camp in America.

But what makes this program truly unique is what happens off the trails. Our snow

sports athletes continue to carry full course loads during the winter and stay on track for

graduation—even when competing at the national level.Those same faculty members who

take the time to get to know students and their learning styles on campus are there to sup-

port athletes as they travel for competitions.With their help, students learn not just how

to compete at a high level; they also learn time management skills, discipline, balance, and

independence.There’s a reasonwhywe’re known as the best preparatory school snow sports

program in the nation—we produce winners both on and off the slopes year after year.�

APPLICATION CHECKLISTr DECIDE HOW YOU WANT TO APPLY: THROUGH HOLDERNESS SCHOOL’S ONLINE APPLICATION(WWW.HOLDERNESS.ORG/APPLY) OR THROUGH THE COMMON APPLICATION (WWW.SSAT.ORG).

r COMPLETE THE ONLINE APPLICATION OF YOUR CHOICE AND THE PERSONAL FORM.r ASK YOUR PARENT(S) TO COMPLETE A PARENT STATEMENT.r REQUEST ENGLISH, MATH, AND EXTRA-CURRICULAR RECOMMENDATIONS FROM TEACHERS, COACHES,AND OTHERS WHO KNOW YOU WELL.

r ASK YOUR SCHOOL TO SEND HOLDERNESS A COPY OF YOUR MOST RECENT TRANSCRIPT.r PAY THE APPLICATION FEE OF $50 ($100 FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS).r COMPLETE TESTING. APPLICANTS IN NINTH OR TENTH GRADE MUST TAKE THE SSAT (OR WISC-IV).ELEVENTH, TWELFTH, AND POST-GRADUATE APPLICANTS HAVE THE OPTION OF TAKING THE PSAT,SAT, OR ACT. ADDITIONALLY, THE TOEFL IS REQUIRED FOR ALL NON-NATIVE ENGLISH SPEAKERS.

r COMPLETE A CAMPUS TOUR AND INTERVIEW.

GET TO KNOW US BETTERr CALL OR EMAIL THE ADMISSION OFFICE TO SCHEDULE A CAMPUS TOUR AND INTERVIEW:ADMISSION@HOLDERNESS.ORG OR (603)536-1747.

r COME TO AN OPEN HOUSE OR MEET AN ADMISSION REPRESENTATIVE AT AN EDUCATION FAIR. TOVIEW OUR EVENT AND TRAVEL SCHEDULE GO TO WWW.HOLDERNESS.ORG/ADMISSION-SCHEDULE

r IF YOU CAN’T MAKE IT TO CAMPUS FOR ANY REASON, WE ARE HAPPY TO ARRANGE A SKYPEINTERVIEW OR ANOTHER EQUIVALENT.

ADMISSION

The Holderness admission team is looking forward to working

with you as you begin the application process.We keep it simple

and have provided a check list for you to help guide you along

the way. If you have any questions, please feel free to give us a call

and speak with an admission representative.

As a next step, we invite you to visit our campus.There is no

better way to get to knowHolderness than bymeeting the people

and seeing the place for yourself. Give us a call to schedule your

visit today! �

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AT HOLDERNESS THE ADVENTURES ARE NUMEROUS,AND WITH EACH NEW CHALLENGE, THERE ARE MANYPEOPLE—FRIENDS, CLASSMATES, TEACHERS, COACHES,DORM PARENTS—WHOWILL BE BY YOUR SIDE TOGUIDEYOU, AND CELEBRATE YOUR SUCCESSES.

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CONCLUSION

AtHolderness, you don’t have to compromise.You don’t have to

commit to just one definition of yourself. You can explore. You

can continue to develop.We look forward to seeing you soon!�

holderness schoolChapel Lane

Post Office Box Plymouth, NH -

.. § admission@holderness.orgwww.holderness.org