The Gunnery

 

The Gunnery, Mr. Gunn’s School, was established in 1850 by Frederick W. Gunn based on the belief that strength of character was the goal of education.  That belief still guides us today as a coeducational, independent day and boarding, college preparatory school for 300 students in grades nine through twelve. The 220-acre campus borders the village green of Washington, Connecticut, U.S., a small, beautiful, and historic town in the Litchfield Hills.

The Gunnery mission statement rests on the four cornerstones of character: scholarship, integrity, respect and responsibility. Character is forged in a cohesive, diverse community informed by a challenging college preparatory curriculum, a broad range of athletic, artistic and social activities and a faculty of scholars and committed educators dedicated to the intellectual and ethical development of every student. A Gunnery graduate is a broadly educated, socially responsible citizen with tested beliefs, strength of character and the courage to act on convictions.

The Gunnery offers small classes, a comprehensive curriculum, a close community, and a range of artistic and athletic offerings in an extraordinary setting, where students are encouraged to prepare for the future by learning in the words of the school motto “Vir bonus semper discipulus est – A good man (person) is always a student.The Gunnery is able to offer many things only possible in a small school: the chance to know and be known by every fellow student; the individualized care for students only possible when every faculty member knows every student by name; multiple early opportunities for leadership and discovery.  Our smaller size allows for more individualization and personalization in all areas, academics, arts, athletics, and student/campus life.

We value the individual and support every student in their development.  Your teachers and fellow students will applaud your accomplishments and help you discover your talents and passions. If you enjoy being known well by your friends and your teachers, if you enjoy developing friendships with peers from around the country and the world, and if you enjoy learning, playing, and creating in an environment in which it is safe to try, fail, and try again, then you’ll love our school.

Accessibility is a function of the size of the school, we have a 12:1 student-faculty ratio, but, more importantly, it is a function of the culture of the school, which we trace back to Frederick Gunn. It is what we live by here as educators at The Gunnery.  As members of a boarding school community, Gunnery faculty members are actively involved in all aspects of campus life, as teachers, coaches, dorm parents, mentors and extra-curricular advisors. What this means for students is important – the faculty is accessible, we take learning seriously and support your exploration of many paths. It takes a community of individuals dedicated to becoming their best selves to chart the way.

We believe that the best metric of a school’s success is the people it attracts and the opportunities it affords them.  Will you have the chance to put learning into action in “live” situations and receive the meaningful feedback, from people you trust, needed to grow in knowledge, insight, and wisdom.  The Gunnery is unique in its ability to offer just that.  Students joining us for the first time from different schools benefit from a meticulous placement process for courses in areas like mathematics, science and world languages where grade level and achievement rarely walk in lock step. In grade-based courses such as history and English we offer both honors and standard level courses.  The Gunnery is a school that is proudly small in scale but large in offerings, and you’ll find that we offer the same range of Advanced Placement courses found at much larger schools in a setting where the individual attention you’ll receive in those classes is much greater.

We believe that the best metric of a school’s success is the people it attracts and the opportunities it affords them. Will you have the chance to put learning into action in “live” situations and receive the meaningful feedback, from people you trust, needed to grow in knowledge, insight, and wisdom. The Gunnery is unique in its ability to offer just that. Students joining us for the first time from different schools benefit from a meticulous placement process for courses in areas like mathematics, science and world languages where grade level and achievement rarely walk in lock step. In grade-based courses such as history and English we offer both honors and standard level courses. The Gunnery is a school that is proudly small in scale but large in offerings, and you’ll find that we offer the same range of Advanced Placement courses found at much larger schools in a setting where the individual attention you’ll receive in those classes is much greater.

The Gunnery Performing and Visual Arts Departments allow you to realize and/or perfect your talents and skills. Utilizing multiple, newly renovated facilities and under the tutelage of a broadly schooled faculty, you can increase your portfolios through practice, exhibitions and performances. Students can participate in visual arts courses including drawing, sculpting, painting, graphic design, and art history. The same diverse range of courses is offered in the performing arts department from acting to technical theater to vocal and instrumental practice. Upon graduation, students are prepared with a wide array of skills and a deeper understanding of their artistic disciplines. Some of our alumni have gone on to pursue their dreams at such institutions as The Juilliard School and Rhode Island School of Design.

Life within The Gunnery community provides many opportunities for students beyond the classroom in a series of activities and clubs that span a full range of co-curricular interests. Some of these are:

• Mathletes
• WGUN Radio Club
• One World
• Community Council
• International Club
• Green Club
• Dance Club
• Student Activities
• Gay-Straight Alliance
• Gunn Society
• Tri-M
• Red and Gray Tour Guides
• French Honor Society
• Spanish Honor Society
• Cum Laude Society

The Gunnery is Home of the “Highlanders”.  The Gunnery’s sports program cultivates competition and cooperation in the context of organized athletics. This is a tradition that stretches back, unbroken, to Mr. Gunn’s era. A staunch advocate of physical fitness, he created the school’s first athletic teams. Currently, 36 Gunnery teams compete in 15 sports including:

Fall Sports	Winter Sports	Spring Sports
Crew – Boys/Girls	Basketball – Boys/Girls	Baseball – Boys
Cross Country – Boys/Girls	Ice Hockey – Boys/Girls	Crew – Boys/Girls
Field Hockey – Girls	Skiing – Boys/Girls	Golf – Boys/Girls
Football – Boys	Wrestling – Boys	Lacrosse – Boys/Girls
Soccer – Boys/Girls		Softball – Girls
		Tennis – Boys/Girls

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