What is an Independent School?

We are the only independent school in northwest Pennsylvania. We formulate our own mission, create our own curriculum and choose our own teachers.  We are free to adopt programs that best promote the education of our students, and we choose our own assessment strategies.  

Independent schools offer many benefits.  We maintain high academic standards and small class sizes to facilitate individual attention.  We employ experienced teachers focused on providing a comprehensive, inclusive education.  In addition to receiving a unique education that will pay dividends for a lifetime, students at independent schools have a greater likelihood of completing a bachelor's or graduate degree.  A 2004 National Educational Longitudinal Study showed that 76.3 percent of NAIS students had completed a four-year degree or higher during the course of the 12-year study compared to 65.9 percent of Catholic school students and 38.1 percent of public school students. 

For additional information, please click on 'What are Independent Schools?'

For information concerning the Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools (PAIS) Commission for Accreditation that examines the school's compliance with evaluative standards, please click on PAIS Standards for Accreditation.