Chatham Hall
Chatham Hall is a grades 9-12 girls' boarding school in Chatham, Virginia, United States. Founded in 1894 as Chatham Episcopal Institute, Chatham Hall’s mission is to equip curious thinkers to lead lives of impact. Fees for full boarding in 2022/3 (excluding extras such as riding lessons) were $58,500.[1]
Chatham Hall | |
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Type | Private, Boarding |
Motto | Esto Perpetua |
Religious affiliation(s) | Episcopal |
Established | 1894 |
Head of School | Rachel Connell |
Faculty | 30 academic 72% with advanced degrees |
Enrollment | 150 |
Average class size | 8 students |
Student to teacher ratio | 5:1 |
Campus | 365 acres (1.48 km2) |
Color(s) | Purple & Gold |
Athletics | 11 Interscholastic Sports |
Mascot | Turtle |
Website | www.chathamhall.org |
Chatham Hall is accredited by the Virginia Association of Independent Schools, a member of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), and in compliance with the NACAC's Principle of Good Practice.
Academics
Chatham Hall’s average class size is eight with a 5:1 student:teacher ratio.[2] Curricular highlights include advanced courses, global programs, student-led workshops, January Term, robotics, and global entrepreneurism.
Campus Life
93% of Chatham Hall students live on campus.[3] Boarding students live on-campus for five or seven days a week. There are a small number of day students as well. All students participate in myriad programming each day.
In the afternoons, students participate in a variety of activities, including a competitive athletics program in the Blue Ridge Conference, Interscholastic Equestrian Association (IEA) team and campus riding program, performing arts, and more. Sports currently offered include basketball, cross country, diving, field hockey, lacrosse, golf, riding, soccer, swimming, tennis, and volleyball.
Chatham Hall is well-known for its riding program and facilities, including the Mars Riding Arena and Hunter Trial Field. The campus is home to 35 horses, two additional teaching arenas, and trails throughout the rolling hills.
Chatham Hall is an independent Episcopal school which gathers as a community for chapel services three times a week. In practice, our principles are expressed through the four pillars of Episcopal identity outlined by the National Association of Episcopal Schools (NAES): school worship is creative and inclusive; community life is enriched by reflection and prayer; religious formation and study is meaningful, academically substantive, and age-appropriate; social justice is integrated throughout the life of the school.
Chatham Hall engages in traditions dating back more than a hundred years, including a beloved Honor Code, Purple & Golden Rule, Picnic Honoring the New Girls, Senior Chapel Talks, Decoration Weekend, 100 Days Until Graduation, Lantern Ceremony, and many more.[4]
Health & Wellness
The Living Well at Chatham Hall initiative was designed to align with the school’s belief and commitment that health, wellness, and balance should be at the center of all they do. This mindset allows the community to infuse its nine dimensions of wellness into campus life to develop exciting opportunities in curricula and academic programs, initiatives for afternoon activities, priority points for advisory chats and themes for our grade-level programs. Their nine dimensions of wellness are emotional, environmental, financial, inclusive, intellectual, occupational, physical, social, and spiritual.
Campus
The Chatham Hall campus is 365 acres in Chatham, Virginia, United States located at 800 Chatham Hall Circle. Notable buildings include Pruden Hall, Dabney Hall, Curtis' Garden, Mars Riding Arena, and St. Mary’s Chapel. Many faculty members live on campus or locally in the Town of Chatham.
Notable Alumnae
- Georgia O'Keeffe (1905) – Artist
- Claudia Emerson (1975) – Pulitzer Prize Winning Poet
- Ann Taylor (1954) – NPR Broadcaster
- Margaret Sullavan (1927) – Film Star and Oscar Nominee
- Maggie Taylor (1979) – Artist
Miscellaneous
The film Crazy People (1990) was filmed at Chatham Hall, starring Dudley Moore and Daryl Hannah.
Chatham Hall was briefly mentioned in the novel Betrayed.
References
- https://bbk12e1-cdn.myschoolcdn.com/ftpimages/760/misc/misc_206528.123dx
- "Fast Facts | The Top Girls' Education in the Southeast". www.chathamhall.org. Retrieved 2021-12-09.
- "Fast Facts | The Top Girls' Education in the Southeast". www.chathamhall.org. Retrieved 2021-12-09.
- "Traditions | The Top Girls' Education in the Southeast". www.chathamhall.org. Retrieved 2021-12-09.