Academic Experience

Built for How Boys Learn Best

Blue Ridge School’s curriculum, faculty, programs—even our all-boys, all-boarding environment—are designed for how boys learn best. To begin with, our curriculum leverages the project-based and relational learning models that are most effective with boys. Project-based learning goes beyond a lecture to include critical thinking, creativity, and hands-on work around the concept, immersing boys in the subject matter. Relational learning builds on the fact that boys learn best from people they connect with and feel are invested in them.

Our faculty members are trained experts in these models and are available to the boys 24/7 to ensure their success. Our programs are designed to emphasize the relational and project-based aspects of boy-centered learning. And our all-boys, all-boarding environment fosters the personal and collaborative interactions that make these models work. All of this is intertwined in a holistic approach that cannot be duplicated elsewhere. We are all-in on boy-centered learning, extending it into every aspect of our rigorous college preparatory curriculum.

Our Boy-Focused Curriculum Deepens Learning

At Blue Ridge School, classes aren’t structured in a traditional way. We don’t just teach a concept then move on to the next thing. We pose challenging questions that make boys think from different perspectives. Then we ask them to create a “product” from the content—a video, performance, podcast, or piece of art—that really stimulates their creative and communications skills. By the time they share their work, they have fully researched and absorbed the content, making it stick.

Our Faculty Bonds With Boys

Boys learn best from people they connect with. At Blue Ridge School, most faculty members live on campus and are available to the boys 24/7. They lead co-curricular activities, schedule group outings, and invite the boys into their homes. These connections are vital to our curriculum, forming the bonds and sharing the passions that make learning more interesting and successful.

Our Core Values Build Men of Character

From taking part in community service initiatives to adhering to Blue Ridge School’s Code of Conduct, we incorporate character education into our programs, reinforcing the values and behaviors that turn boys into men of character.