Curriculum

“Greatest respect is due students”

The Pingry motto and the founding directive that guides our student-centered pedagogy. Here, we nurture intellectual curiosity and critical thinking. We encourage constructive debate. We welcome diversity and foster collaboration. And we embolden students to be arbiters of necessary change and defenders of meaningful traditions.

In the Lower School, we plant the seeds of intellectual curiosity and critical thinking by encouraging cross-disciplinary work whenever possible. In the Middle School, we continue to foster a collaborative approach to teaching and learning, and guide students' journeys to thoughtful, independent analysis. And in the Upper School, we engage in a college preparatory curriculum that builds on their strengths and tests the areas that most challenge them, laying the groundwork for an imaginative and intellectually vibrant life that will sustain them in college and beyond.

And throughout a student’s stay at Pingry, academic exploration is always complemented by extracurricular diversions, whether sport, music, theatre, community and civic engagement, or any number of other pursuits that piques the curiosity.

Pingry is an education for the 21st century: an interactive, fun, and rewarding exploration of possibilities through a purposeful and principled life.

Teachers: Whether they are faculty of core subject areas or specialized faculty, like our math specialist, educational technology teachers, or literacy specialists, our teachers are the Pingry difference. We maintain low student/teacher ratios, provide faculty with the best resources and professional growth opportunities possible, and employ a dedicated Dean of Faculty for Teaching and Learning to ensure that faculty can become the teachers they dream of being.

Classrooms: Consistent, close student-teacher interactions yield results. Our students enjoy small class sizes (average class sizes by division are as follows: Upper School: 14, Middle School: 15, Lower School: 18) and learn in diverse “classrooms”, from the well-equipped traditional variety to six Harkness rooms, an outdoor classroom, and even the real world, via field trips.

Technology: Because technology is a critical component of not just today’s educational landscape, but our world at large, we are committed to preparing students for success through our 1-to-1 learning environment: students in Kindergarten through Grade 3 use school-provided iPads and those in grades 3, 4, and 5 use Chromebooks. Middle and Upper School students each have their own laptop computer. In addition to rich curricular offerings, the Upper School’s Student Tech Committee provides ample opportunity for more hands-on, real-world experience.

Libraries: Information resources are key to a well-rounded education. The Charles Bertram Newton Library plays a pivotal role in the intellectual life of Middle and Upper School students, while the Lower School Library is instrumental to younger students. Teachers and librarians work together to develop meaningful library research experiences for all students through classroom visits and research presentations.

College Counseling & Advising: 100% of Pingry graduates attend four-year colleges; our counselors guide them to find the right fit. We have five dedicated college counselors, each of whom is assigned to a family and available for unlimited individual meetings with students and parents. And our efforts bear fruit: between 2015 and 2018, our students matriculated to 114 different colleges across the nation and abroad.

Global Programming & Experiential Learning: To prepare Pingry students to be the global citizens and leaders of the 21st century, we offer educational opportunities beyond the campus walls. Trips to France, Spain, Costa Rica, and China are among those that our Director of Global Education has arranged for students.