Summary: The aim of the academic program at Pomfret School is to teach students to use their minds well and to develop in them a spirit of optimism, resilience, and empathy. At Pomfret, learning is not just the retention of facts, information, and foundational tenets of a given subject area, but it is the act of students solving problems and persistently asking questions of the world around them. Learning, which is designed and led by Pomfret’s dedicated, experienced, and innovative teachers, is the result of thinking and grappling with content, which is what our curricular program reflects.
John Dewey, American educator and philosopher, wrote in the early twentieth century that students “can only think when confronted with a problem.” Pomfret students have a myriad of opportunities to delve into problems that do not have simple right / wrong answers but instead require deep, skillful thinking and application of knowledge.
Department Director Tanya Nongera-Nickerson
Student/Teacher Ratio:
6:1
Average Class Size: 10
Summer Programs: Not Offered
Full Time Teachers: 57
Number of AP Courses Offered: 0
Teachers Holding Advanced Degrees: 85.0%
Number of IB Courses Offered: 0
Learning Support
English
- Classics
- Creative Writing
- Honors
- Literature
- Playwriting
- Poetry
- Composition
- American Literature
History
- Asian History
- European History
- Honors
- United States History
- World History
- African History
- Art History
Foreign Languages
Religion / Philosophy
- Religious Studies
- Social Justice
- Theology
- World Religions
Humanities / Social Sciences
Sciences
- Anatomy
- Astronomy
- Astrophysics
- Biology
- Biotechnology
- Botany
- Chemistry
- Earth Science
- Ecology
- Electronics
- Environmental Science
- Health
- Marine Biology
- Meteorology
- Microbiology
- Physical Science
- Physics
- Engineering
- Forensics
- Robotics
- Psychology
Math
- Algebra
- Calculus
- Functions
- Geometry
- Honors Math
- Statistics
- Trigonometry
- Pre-Calculus
Computer Studies
- Computer Programming
- Web Design
- Robotics
- Video Game Design
Music
- Band
- Choral Music
- Individual Instructions
- Music Theory
- Orchestra
- Recording
- Voice
- A Cappella
Performing / Visual Arts
- Acting
- Animation
- Art History
- Ceramics
- Choreography
- Dance
- Design
- Drama
- Drawing
- Film and Video
- Graphic Design
- Painting
- Photography
- Pottery
- Screenwriting
- Sculpture
- Studio Art
- Theater Arts
- 3-D Art
- Modern Dance
Special Programs
- Study Abroad
- Community Service
- Personal Finance
- Independent Study
- Leadership
- Robotics
- Student Council
- Maker Space
Dorm Life
Number of Dorms: 12
Average Students Per Dorm: 12
Number of Girls Dorms: 4
Number of Boys Dorms: 8
Dorm Amenities
- Laundry Facilities
- Lounge
- Wireless Internet
Other Dorm Amenities
Student Life
The student life experience at Pomfret is designed to complement the academic journey by offering enriching programs with an emphasis on building character, developing cultural competency, making good decisions, and cultivating socio-emotional fluency. With opportunities for clubs, social activities, co-curricular programs, and health and wellness programs, students build a personal portfolio centered on responsibility and wellbeing at Pomfret and develop skills that will equip them for college and life.
The Olmsted Student Union (OSU), which was renovated in 2021, is the hub of activity on the Pomfret School campus. The OSU houses The Tuck Shop, which is a student and faculty cafe offering a variety of food, beverages, and snacks in a relaxed atmosphere, the school store, and student activities office.
On weekends, there are a variety of options for the students on campus including dances, trivia events, dodgeball tournaments, and traditions such as our AirBands competition, Halloween Parade, and Form Olympics. In addition to on-campus events, Pomfret provides opportunities for students to get off campus. Trips to Boston, NYC, and Providence are provided throughout the year, as well as mall trips, movie trips, dining at local restaurants, and shuttles to local shopping areas.
Facilities
- Baseball Field
- Basketball Court
- Fitness Center
- Football Field
- Indoor Basketball Court
- Squash Court
- Soccer Field
- Tennis Courts
- Hockey Rink
- Dance Studio
- Weight Room
- Athletic Fields
- Turf Fields
- Cross Country Trails
- Rowing Facility
- Ice Rink
- Lacrosse Field
Other Facilities
Clubs & Organizations
- Amnesty International
- Asian Club
- Astronomy Club
- Chess Club
- Community Service
- Debate Club
- Diversity Club
- Dorm Proctors
- Drama Club
- Environmental Club
- Gardening Club
- International Club
- Investment Club
- Jewish Student Organization
- Literary Magazine
- Math Club
- Newspaper
- Peer Tutoring
- Photography Club
- Sexualities Club
- Student Activities
- Student Government
- Student Publications
- Student Radio Station
- Theater Club
- Weightlifting Club
- Yearbook
- Yoga Club
- Young Democrats
- Young Republicans
- Radio Station
- GSA
- Outdoor Activities
Summary: Since the founding of the School, both athletics and arts have played a key role in each student’s Pomfret experience.
Many life lessons are taught through the athletic program. Character building, fair play, and appreciation for being a part of a team are goals that we expect every student to experience. The Pomfret athletic program helps students develop self-esteem, promotes their health and wellness, and allows students to develop meaningful relationships through team experiences.
Pomfret provides the opportunity to compete on varsity and sub-varsity teams against the best competition in New England. Our 47 athletic teams compete in 17 unique sports. Our varsity squads routinely compete against the best in New England, and we offer great sub-varsity options for developing talent. Whether you play for the love of the game or are bound for college glory, we have a team for you. Our experienced coaches are faculty members who promote sportsmanship, fair play, and team work in every practice and game. They are passionate coaches who value the experience of being on a team as much as the competition. They foster leadership and teach accountability in every activity.
All of us are innately artistic. And it is that inner creativity that connects us to our most human selves. At Pomfret, all freshmen take an exciting, fast-paced course that integrates multiple programs in the arts, including theater, music, dance, ceramics, digital media, photography, and painting and drawing. Armed with this experience in self expression and reflection, Arts Immersion will make you a more creative problem solver as you begin to appreciate the practice and process of making art.
Arts Department Director: Lindsay Lehmann
Athletics Department Director: Marcela Gaitán
Notable Achievements: NEPSAC Small School Boys Hockey Champions '17 Class B NEPSAC Girls Basketball Champions '18 Class B NEPSAC Girls Ice Soccer Finalist '17
Arts
- Acting
- Animation
- Art History
- Ceramics
- Choreography
- Dance
- Design
- Drama
- Drawing
- Film and Video
- Graphic Design
- Painting
- Photography
- Pottery
- Screenwriting
- Sculpture
- Studio Art
- Theater Arts
- 3-D Art
- Modern Dance
Interscholastic Sports
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Crew
- Cross Country Running
- Field Hockey
- Football
- Golf
- Ice Hockey
- Lacrosse
- Soccer
- Squash
- Swimming
- Track and Field
- Ultimate Frisbee
- Volleyball
- Wrestling
Recreational Sports
- Dance
- Outdoor Education
- Squash
- Tennis
- Weight Lifting
- Fitness
Summary: College counseling at Pomfret is a highly individualized process with the goal of producing the best possible match between each uniquely talented student and the college or university which best fits that student. Like much of everyday life on campus, the creation of that ideal match is a very personal, labor intensive, learning experience. Each student works closely with their college counselor to explore the many talents and interests they’ve developed, to set goals based on those experiences, and to research and find the colleges that will help them achieve those goals.
Personal attention is the hallmark of the college search process at Pomfret. Three experienced college counselors, aided by the academic registrar and testing coordinator, serve a typical class of approximately one hundred students. While each counselor has multiple opportunities to get to know students in the classroom, on the playing fields, etc., guiding them through their college search is their primary responsibility. By visiting college campuses, attending regional and national conferences, and hosting college fairs and individual college representatives at our school, Pomfret’s college counselors constantly update and expand their knowledge about programs available at colleges.
College Information
Percentage of graduates who attend college: 100.0%
Middle Percentile of SAT Scores |
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College attended in the past 5 years by our graduates:
US Army: 1
Colgate University: 1
Cornell University: 1
Dartmouth College: 1
Clark University: 1
Colby College: 1
Brandeis University: 1
Brown University: 1
Boston University: 1
Bowdoin College: 1
Amherst College: 1
Bates College: 1
Berklee College of Music: 1
University of New England: 2
American University of Paris: 1
Johnson & Wales University: 2
Plymouth State University: 2
Thomas College: 2
Colby-Sawyer College: 2
University of Rhode Island: 3
Champlain College: 2
Central Maine Community College: 5
St. Joseph's College: 3
University of Maine: 13
US Marine Corps: 2
Dickinson College: 1
Drexel University: 1
Embry Riddle Aeronautical University: 1
Emerson College: 1
Hamilton College: 1
Harvard University: 1
Yale University: 1
Middlebury College: 1
Ithaca College: 1
Stanford University: 1
Purdue University: 1
New York University: 1
Northeastern University: 1
Ohio State University: 1
Penn State University: 1
Michigan State University: 2
Miami University (Ohio): 4
Notable Alumni
Dr. James Rothman
Class of 1967
Sterling Professor of Cell Biology at Yale University
Director and founder of the Yale Nanobiology Institute
Nobel Prize winner for key molecular machinery discoveries
Felice Mueller
Class of 2008
Won a gold medal in the coxless four at the 2013 World Rowing Championships
Finished fourth at the 2016 Olympic games in Rio de Janeiro
Took bronze in the 2019 World Rowing Cup in Bulgaria
Malik Ducard
Class of 1991
Chief content officer of Pinterest
Spent more than 10 years in leadership roles at YouTube
Author of "Henry's Big Win," winner of the Jessie Redmon Fauset Award for best children's book
Chelsea Cutler
Class of 2015
Singer, songwriter, and producer
Sold-out nationwide tour for 2020 album “How to Be Human”
Over two billion cumulative streams
Thomas Garrison
Class of 1996
National Geographic Explorer
Maya archeologist
Known for work using LiDAR technology
Sarah Vaillancourt
Class of 2004
Two-time Olympic gold medalist in ice hockey and a member of the Canadian national team and the Montreal Stars
Named Ivy League and Eastern College Athletic Conference hockey player of the year while playing at Harvard
Led Harvard in scoring and was rank
Alex Gibney
Class of 1971
President of Jigsaw Productions
Documentary filmmaker and producer
Zenab Keita
Class of 2010
Played basketball for four years at Yale University, earned an M.A. in management at Wake Forest University, and worked for the Miami Dolphins. She is now the manager of partnerships at The Athletic, a subscription-based sports website. She was recently r
Matt Scanlon
Class of 2007
Co-founder and chief executive officer of Naadam Cashmere
Merit Scholarships: Offered
Students Receiving Merit Scholarships: 4.0%
Average Merit Scholarship: 5,500
Current Endowment Amount: $72,000,000