Bement School

Deerfield

Massachusetts

United States

Overview

Bement is a co-ed, non-profit school, grades K-9, of 225 students with a carefully selected boarding population of 45 (grades 3-9) nestled in the heart of one of New England’s most renowned historic villages. Bement seeks to attract a diverse student body, paying close attention to the intellectual, artistic, athletic, and personal strengths of candidates. We seek students who will contribute to our learning community not only through academic curiosity and work ethic, but also through generosity of spirit, kindness, and compassion. In keeping with the mission of the School, the Admission Office at Bement is committed to working closely with each individual applicant and family to determine whether or not the student will be well-served by our program. Founded in 1925 by Mrs. Grace Bement, our approach to teaching and learning is designed to meet and challenge the students we serve. Bement's warm and caring community places equal emphasis on each student's academic, artistic, and athletic development. The academic curriculum is rigorous and designed to support students. Small classes and individual attention are hallmarks of a Bement education. Our celebrated fine arts department encourages creative expression through the study of music, art, and drama, while the school's varied athletic program reflects our dedication to the health and well-being of every child. A three-week mini-term gives the entire school community an opportunity to study in-depth a common theme. Topics have included health and wellness, Dominican Republic, food, diversity, the environment, medieval times, space, and the ocean. All students engage in a varied community service program. Our outdoor education center, Pine Hill, provides opportunity to develope a sense of place to foster appreciation for the natural world and build self-identity through intentional social emotional learning. We are known as a school with a strong sense of family and community where who you are as a person matters greatly. Bement is a community dedicated to the culture of kindness. Each day, in everything we do, we are committed to the school’s four core values: Compassion, Integrity, Resilience, and Respect. Recent graduates of Bement have matriculated at top secondary schools such as Deerfield, NMH, Williston, Andover, Exeter, Milton, Suffield, Choate, Hotchkiss, Taft, Berkshire, Loomis Chaffee, Emma Willard, Lawrenceville, Peddie, Westminster, Mercersburg, Miss Porter's, and Blair and any more.

Academics

Summary: Co-ed Bement in historic Deerfield is recognized worldwide for the quality of care our students receive in a warm, nurturing, multi-national community. Our rich, secondary school preparatory curriculum motivates and challenges students with thematically coordinated courses, a celebrated fine arts program, and diverse athletic offerings. The student/teacher ratio is 6:1 and class size averages 12 students. A three-week mini-term gives the entire school community an opportunity to study in-depth a common theme. Topics have included Dominican Republic, food, diversity, the environment, medieval times, space, and the ocean. All students engage in a varied community service program. Recent graduates of our boarding program have matriculated at following secondary schools: Deerfield, Phillips Exeter, Phillips Andover, St. Paul's, Choate Rosemary Hall, Milton, NMH, St. George's, Taft, Hotchkiss, Emma Willard, Williston, Loomis Chaffee, Blair, Holderness, Suffield, Mercersburg, and Pomfret.

Department Director

Student/Teacher Ratio: 6:1

Average Class Size: 12

Summer Programs: Offered

Full Time Teachers: 40

Number of AP Courses Offered: 0

Teachers Holding Advanced Degrees: 34.0%

Number of IB Courses Offered: 0.0

English

Creative Writing
Literature
Poetry
American Literature

History

United States History
World History

Foreign Languages

Chinese-Mandarin
French
Latin
Spanish

Sciences

Biology
Chemistry
Earth Science
Geology
Health
Physical Science
Physics
Forensics
Life Science

Math

Algebra
Geometry
Pre-Calculus
Pre-Algebra

Music

Band
Choral Music
Music History
Orchestra

Performing / Visual Arts

Art History
Ceramics
Dance
Design
Drama
Drawing
Painting
Printmaking
Public Speaking
Studio Art
3-D Art
Jazz Band
Orchestra

Special Programs

Community Service
Leadership
Outdoor Education
Physical Education
Student Council

Campus Life

Dorm Life

Number of Dorms: 3

Average Students Per Dorm: 10

Number of Girls Dorms: 2

Number of Boys Dorms: 1

Dorm Amenities

Laundry Facilities
Lounge
Wireless Internet
Full Kitchen
Refrigerator

Other Dorm Amenities

Student Life

Our weekdays in the dorm are busy and full. Each day begins with the entire boarding community gathering for breakfast in the dining hall. Then, it’s off to a full day of classes, followed by sports practices or games. After an hour of downtime in the dorm, it’s time for dinner and study hall. Evenings in the dorm are a time to call, email, or Zoom home, make a snack, get homework help from a dorm parent, and prepare for the next day. On weekends, we take full advantage of all that our beautiful campus, the Pioneer Valley, and New England have to offer. Weekends are full of a variety of activities. Some of these are trips to other places, like visits to local fairs and festivals, malls, movie theaters, and museums like Mass MoCA and the Norman Rockwell Museum. We also enjoy excursions to local hotspots like Northampton and Shelburne Falls, and special, longer trips to Boston and New York City. Other activities are closer to home, like swimming at our head of school’s house, competitive rounds of bingo in our dining hall, bike rides on Old Main Street, hikes up the nearby Pocumtuck Ridge, sports games, and craft workshops on campus. Each weekend, we strive to strike a balance between time to relax and study, time spent in small, dorm-based groups, and time as a full boarding community.

Facilities

Baseball Field
Basketball Court
Soccer Field
Athletic Fields
Cross Country Trails
Lacrosse Field

Other Facilities

We use Deerfield Academy's athletic facilities which include indoor basketball courts, swimming and diving pools, indoor field house, squash courts and more.

Clubs & Organizations

Arts & Athletics

Summary: Students in all grades will participate in daily fine arts and athletics. Athletic team participation begins in grade 5.

Arts Department Director: Casey Ahern

Athletics Department Director: Alex Bartlett

Arts

Art History
Ceramics
Dance
Design
Drama
Drawing
Painting
Printmaking
Public Speaking
Studio Art
3-D Art
Jazz Band
Orchestra

Interscholastic Sports

Alpine Ski Racing
Basketball
Cross Country Running
Field Hockey
Golf
Ice Hockey
Lacrosse
Soccer
Squash
Swimming
Tennis
Track and Field
Ultimate Frisbee

Recreational Sports

Alpine Skiing
Dance
Mountain Biking
Nordic Skiing
Snowboarding
Tennis
Yoga

Graduates

Summary: Our Director of Secondary School Placement works with our 9th graders and their families in group and individual consultations to guide them through each step of the school selection and application process. We greet 30 to 40 secondary school admission representatives on campus who come to meet with our 9th grade students and hold information sessions.

College attended in the past 5 years by our graduates:

Middlesex: 1

Northfield Mount Hermon School: 28

Suffield Academy: 11

Deerfield Academy: 23

Amherst College: 2

Bates College: 2

Boston University: 11

Brown University: 3

Carnegie Mellon University: 4

Colby College: 6

Connecticut College: 14

Cornell University: 9

Dartmouth Collge: 3

Georgetown University: 2

Hamilton College: 4

Hobart and William Smith Colleges: 13

Johns Hopkins University: 2

Kenyon College: 4

Middlebury College: 5

New York University: 17

Northeastern University: 12

Oberlin College: 3

Skidmore College: 6

The George Washington University: 8

Trinity College: 19

Tufts University: 7

Union College: 13

University of Vermont: 7

University of Pennsylvania: 5

Vassar College: 3

Wesleyan University: 4

Williams College: 3

Yale University: 4

Quotes From Alumni

“There are a million instances that I noticed how being a Bement student helped me become comfortable. I just wanted to send this e-mail to you to say thank you.”

-, Class of 2010,

“"What do you see as the most valuable aspect of Bement?" This is so hard to answer. It's like being asked what you favorite single thing is about your best friend.”

-, Class of 2011,

“"What do you see as the most valuable aspect of Bement?" This is so hard to answer. It's like being asked what you favorite single thing is about your best friend.”

-Ryan, Class of 2011,

“There are a million instances that I noticed how being a Bement student helped me become comfortable. I just wanted to send this e-mail to you to say thank you.”

-Grace, Class of 2010,

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Vital Information

Student Body Type: Coed

Total Boarding: 49

Total Day: 177

Total Enrollment: 226

Boys: 107

Girls: 119

Boarding Grades Offered: 3-9

Day Grades Offered: K-9

School Type: Elementary, Middle, High School

Dress Code: Casual

Applications Accepted: SAO, Gateway to Prep

Application Deadline: February 1st

Tuition & Financial Aid

7-Day Boarding: $81,855

5-Day Boarding: N/A

Day Tuition Fee: $32,930

Need-Based Aid: Offered

Payment Plans: Offered

Students Receiving Aid: 36.0%

Average Awarded: $14,450

School Finances

Merit Scholarships: Not Offered

Students Receiving Merit Scholarships: %

Average Merit Scholarship: $

Current Endowment Amount: $12,000,000

Contact

94 Old Main Street PO Box 8

Deerfield, Massachusetts United States

413 774 4209

Director of Admissions: Kimberly Loughlin

Admissions Phone: 413 774 4209

Fax: 413 774 7863

Email: kloughlin@bement.org

Website: www.bement.org