The Grier School
Grier School For Girls is an all-girls boarding school founded in 1853 in Tyrone, Pennsylvania near Penn State University. Its school symbol is a green and white shield with a pine tree. The school is located in the heart of the Appalachian Mountains map and currently enrolls students in grades 7 to 12. Currently, the school enrolls 315 students from 30 states and 16 foreign countries. The annual tuition is $51,700 (current for the 2016-2017 school year). The school motto is Sana Mens In Corpore Sana, meaning "Sound Mind in a Sound Body." Grier offers a very competitive college preparatory academic program. Currently, 21 AP classes are offered in all of the core disciplines.
Grier students live in dormitories housed in the main complex of buildings as well as in dormitories that are called "Cottages." Two girls share one bedroom and a bathroom with the next two students down the hall. Each dorm is supervised by a pair of housemothers who are mature women who have raised families. The housemothers take care of all the girls in the dorm. The school kitchen staff provides food every day for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. School counselors help students to adjust well to life at school. The college counselor works with all students at all age levels as they prepare for college. There is a Health Center on campus, staffed by registered nurses. Grier School is also host to Grier Summer Camps during the summer months, which is a "sleep away" camp that also offers day camper programs. The summer camps attract students who enjoy horseback riding, dance, creative arts and theater. At Grier summer camps, ages 7 to 18 may attend.
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Sports
Students are required to participate in seasonal sports and a wide variety are offered each term. Grier has an equestrian team as well as volleyball, basketball, cross country, soccer, dance, fencing and tennis teams. The Grier School has an extremely reputable dance program, housed in a state-of-the-art Performing Arts Center. Recently, Grier's Pre-Professional Dancers performed at Steps on Broadway in New York City and the Koresh Showcase in Philadelphia. Non-varsity sports include alpine skiing, yoga, body sculpting, Pilates, archery, fencing, badminton and table tennis. Grier's Equestrian program is quite big with over 40 horses in expansive facilities including two indoor rings and two outdoor rings. Riding is offered at all levels of ability. Each student must participate in some sport at least one hour a day, four days a week.
International
Grier School hosts international students coming from more than 14 different countries each year. ESL support classes are offered during the school year. Prior to the start of school, many of the international students must participate in the eight-week Summer TOEFL/SAT Program as preparation for school.
Co-ed Activities
Grier girls and Kiski boys enjoy a dance together at the prom. On the weekends there are many activities offered, both on campus and off. Trips off campus include visits to New York City to see Broadway shows, visits to museums in Pittsburgh and DC, outing club activities, Community Service, horseback riding, skiing, shopping trips, bowling, trips to the movies, dinner outings, fly fishing, golfing and a range of many other activities.
Memberships
The Grier School is a member of the following organizations:
- The Association of Boarding Schools
- Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
- National Association of Independent Schools
- National Coalition of Girls' Schools
- Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools
- Pennsylvania Department of Education
- Secondary School Admission Test Board