All-Girl Boarding School in New Jersey, USA

Purnell School, New Jersey:
The Purnell School is a private, all-girls boarding high school in Pottersville, Somerset County NJ, an hour west of New York City and two hours north of Philadelphia. Because some girls need to discover success in a different way than those provided by traditional, competitive and large high schools, we offer a girl a chance to discover what she does best and to become the best she can at it. At Purnell, every girl "sits in the front row." Teachers practice what works best for girls and teach their classes in interesting, interactive ways.

- Purnell accepts girls who will be more successful in a smaller setting where their talents and personalities are celebrated and they are not lost in the crowd.

- A Purnell girl may have a strong interest in the arts, or may want to get off the bench and onto the playing fields. Whatever her background, a girl's talents are recognized and nurtured here.

- It is also a school for girls who are discovering their potential. A Purnell girl is someone who cares about her future and wants to make the most of her high school years. Sometimes a Purnell girl may have felt misunderstood or unnoticed in a former setting. Virtually all Purnell girls go to college and our program prepares them for that next step.

- We accept mostly 9th and 10th grade girls, but we also consider juniors and if the match is absolutely right, we may take an occasional senior. International students are encouraged to apply.

- Girls at Purnell benefit from a one-on-one advising program, small classes and close relationships with both teachers and their peers. Our program works for all kinds of girls who want to learn in a small environment.

- Girls learn differently than boys do and that is a researched fact of education. Girls enjoy solving problems collaboratively, they work analytically by discussing ideas rather than just listening, they enjoy narrative descriptions for abstract concepts.

- Girls want to feel connected to something in order to be able to commit themselves to a project. Girls respond to successes by developing self-confidence. At Purnell, all these concepts are found in the classroom set up for the way a girl thinks and learns.

- We believe that a boarding environment best suits the mission of transforming a girl's life. Let's face it, raising healthy, confident girls is a fulltime, round the clock job. We believe that the messages that destroy a girl's confidence are so pervasive and powerful that they compete too vigorously with a traditional day school schedule.

- We have important work to do; we turn girls into life long learners, self confident, productive women who live with practical and ethical values. To accomplish that goal, it takes a boarding environment.

Purnell School's mission is to educate young women in grades nine through twelve whose potential has not previously been realized and to prepare them for college.

Students learn to be ethical, independent, self-confident young women with a greater appreciation of the world around them. They understand how to be successful in a creative, supportive, and reflective environment that encompasses not only their lives in the classroom, but also their pride as participants in a vibrant residential community.

Dedicated faculty act as mentors who understand how all types of minds learn. They teach and model the School's three founding guidelines:

- Consideration of Others
- Truthfulness in All Relations
- Use of Common Sense

Dorm Living at Purnell is a vital extension of the school's mission to create a family atmosphere which supports and nurtures each girl's growth and individuality.

There is as much meaningful learning that occurs in the dorms as anywhere else on campus. Dormitory life, as are all other aspects of life at Purnell, is based on the school's guidelines of common sense, truthful relationships, and consideration of others. All dormitory rules are derived from those three simple guidelines.

In the dorms, a foundation of trust and responsibility is built, and the values of mutual honesty and respect for individual differences and privacy are promoted.

Time management and organizational skills are reinforced through required study hours for ninth and tenth graders and mandatory bedtimes for ninth through eleventh graders, with greater self-determination made by seniors.

Quality All-girls Boarding High School Program:
- High School Program for girls in Grades 9-12
- Academic subjects include English, History, Math & Science
- Enrichment Self-Discovery Program
- Studio and Performing Arts Program
- Athletics Program

At Purnell, our Learning Center approach differentiates us from other schools. Our mission at the LEC is to discover the different learning style of each student and to demystify the learning process for her so that her full potential can be reached. Our Center combines innovative programs and state of the art resources to promote an optimal learning experience for each student.

Using Dr. Mel Levine's All Kinds of Minds® program, the LEC is committed to discovering all students' strengths and styles of learning. We then use this information to address challenges students may be experiencing and help them to develop a higher cognitive thinking process. Concurrently, the LEC is dedicated to enriching the curriculum for those students who are working above and beyond their class.

As a vibrant residential community, Purnell maintains a commitment to creating a wide variety of opportunities for student learning and fun beyond the classroom. The School offers a full range of competitive and non-competitive athletics, a wide variety of clubs and activities and a diverse offering of residential life activities in the dorms and on weekends.

We understand that students are as likely to discover a driving interest or passion outside the classroom as in it and tailor our program to meet the interests of our students. A host of traditions and celebrations also make the Purnell experience memorable.

Project Exploration is a hands-on, project-oriented mini-term between winter and spring trimesters. For two and a half weeks, 5 to 10 hours a day, students expand their global awareness through intensive travel abroad trips designed around interdisciplinary themes focusing on community service, in-depth cultural and language studies, and environmental science and sustainable living.

If they choose to remain on campus, students explore a particular topic or creative art form in depth. The program concludes with a Project Exploration Showcase, where students display their work and give presentations to the rest of the school and outside community.