Type Independent Head of school Tom Wilschutz Enrollment 235 total Phone +1 215-862-5261 | Established 1925 Grades 7 - 12 Campus Rural Founded 1925 | |
Similar George School, New Hope‑Sol High Sch, The Pennington School, Villa Joseph Marie Hig, Buckingh Friends School Profiles | ||
A view of solebury school from above
Solebury School is a co-educational private boarding and day school located on a 90-acre (36 ha) campus in Solebury Township, Pennsylvania (near New Hope, Pennsylvania). Solebury School’s academic program features a college-preparatory curriculum, with courses and electives in various subject, with a focus on interdisciplinary and experiential education models.
Contents
- A view of solebury school from above
- A guided tour of solebury school
- History
- Sexual abuse
- Academics and Activities
- Campus and Student Body
- Tuition
- Student Leadership
- Notable faculty
- Notable alumni
- References
A guided tour of solebury school
History
Solebury School was conceived by Laurie Erskine, Julian Lathrop, Robert Shaw and Arthur Washburn in the early 1920s. It opened in September 1925 in a rented quarters with four boys and four teachers. A year later, the founders purchased Michener Farm, which remains the institution's site today. In 1949 the school merged with another local school, the Holmquist School for Girls, which had a similar educational philosophy and often shared events and productions. It became one of the first coeducational independent schools in the country.
Solebury is often described as a socially progressive or liberal institution. In the 1980s, local activist and noted anarchist Abbie Hoffman would give speeches to the student body. The school is vocally supportive of its LGBTQ students; it produced an entry for the It Gets Better Project in 2011 and has an active campus club which pertains to gender and sexuality. By participating annually in a local AIDS funraiser walk, Solebury School has raised thousands of dollars in fundraisers to benefit AIDS patients. Currently, students are required to complete between five and ten hours of community service each academic year.
Sexual abuse
After several alumni came forth with claims that they had been sexual abused as students at Solebury, the school issued a letter of acknowledgement and apology publicly online and to alumni by mail in 2014. In a second letter to alumni and parents, the school revealed one of its founders had a sexual relationship with a student. A Philly.com article detailed the school's view on the process:
"I know we unleashed a process when we sent that letter," [headmaster] Wilschutz said in an interview. But he said the school's goal was to help victims while living up to its values, including transparency. "When we were given this information, we took action," he said. "We believed the allegations. And we believe, as great a school as Solebury is, we have to live up to our past."
On January 26th, 2017, Bucks county published the results of a 2015 Grand Jury investigation detailing testimony considered credible by the District Attorney from six former students alleging sexual abuse at Solebury School from the 1950s through 2005, identifying nine living adults formerly connected with the school who could be prosecuted. The report was critical of the Solebury School's campus culture as facilitating the abuse.
Prior to this, the only public sexual abuse scandal at Solebury was an affair between a music teacher and an underage student, which occurred in the mid-1990s and was settled in a civil suit in 1998.
Academics and Activities
Solebury's curriculum consists of required curriculum courses, Advanced Placement courses, Honors courses, and electives. A Learning Skills Program assists approximately 30 students who have learning differences in the basic language areas. For international students, English as a Second Language (ESL) programs are offered during the full year. ESL classes are small and concentrate on communication skills.
Solebury students are required to participate in a sport or activity every trimester. Fall sports include boys and girls varsity soccer, cross country, and field hockey. Winter sports include boys and girls varsity and junior varsity basketball, and varsity wrestling. Spring sports include varsity baseball, softball, ultimate frisbee, track and field, lacrosse, tennis, and golf.
Campus and Student Body
A majority of Solebury’s approximately 235 students come from Pennsylvania and New Jersey; past students have come from at least 7 states and 8 foreign countries. Of the graduates in the past three years, 98% have gone to four-year colleges; the remaining 2% attend community colleges, pursue a post-graduate year of high school, or do not attend college subsequently following graduation.
Tuition
For the 2015-2016 school year, Solebury School tuition costs $53,950 for high school boarding students and $37,700 for high school day students, and $29,900 for Middle School students in grades 7 and 8. Approximately 30% of students receive some financial aid.
Student Leadership
Students may lead any campus clubs. They may also be elected by the faculty to serve on various groups: