Bullis School

Bullis School
Location
Potomac, Maryland
United States
Information
Type Private Preparatory School
Motto "Caring, Challenging, Community"
Established 1930 by Cmdr. William Bullis as a preparatory school for young men headed to the U.S. Naval Academy.
Headmaster Gerald L. Boarman, Ed.D.
Faculty 95
Enrollment 745 (grades 2-12): 47% girls, 53% boys
Average class size 15
Student to teacher ratio 7:1
Campus Suburban, 104 acres (.42 km²)
11 buildings
Color(s) Blue and gold
Athletics 14 interscholastic sports
63 interscholastic teams
Athletics conference Interstate Athletic Conference (boys)
Independent School League (girls)
Mascot Bulldog
Tuition

$31,580 (Grades 2-5) $33,680 (Grades 6-8)

$35,060 (Grades 9-12)
Website www.bullis.org

Bullis School is an independent, non-denominational, co-educational college preparatory day school for grades 2-12. The school enrolls 745 students and is located in Potomac, Maryland, a suburb of Washington, D.C.

History

Bullis was founded in 1930 by Commander William "Joey" F. Bullis as a preparatory school for the United States Naval Academy. The school moved in 1934 to Silver Spring, Maryland and began its four-year college preparatory program. In the 1960s, the school moved to its current location in Potomac, Maryland, and in 1981, became co-educational.

The school offers a 11-year college preparatory program for boys and girls in grades 2-12 with a faculty of 95 educators.[1] The school is governed by an independent Board of Trustees.[2]

Current profile

745 students: 47% girls, 53% boys; 29% minority students;[3] 3.5% international citizens.

Students are required to wear school uniforms. There is an honor code in place. The Head of School is Gerald L. Boarman, Ed.D.[4][5]

Campus

The 104-acre (420,000 m2) campus includes buildings for administration and staff and the Lower, Middle and Upper schools as well as:

Academics

The Lower School and the Middle School emphasize preparation in English, mathematics, science, history, art, music, classical and modern languages, and computer literacy.

The Upper School college preparatory curriculum includes traditional and innovative courses. Requirements include four years of English emphasizing writing and literary analysis; three years of math; three years of laboratory sciences (biology, chemistry, physics); and three years of social studies (one of which must be U.S. history). Students are required to complete at least two years of one language at the high school level and must study that language through a Level III course. Students may choose from art and technology courses.

Honors and Advanced Placement courses and tests are offered in 18 subject areas.[6] No student is allowed to take more than four Honors or Advanced Placement classes during any given trimester without approval from the academic dean.[7]

Bullis' Global Studies program organizes student trips for students to experience new countries through service, language study, or a specific area of academic exploration.[8]

Upper School students are required to participate in sports, publications and/or theater after school for two trimesters each year.[9]

Arts

All Lower and Middle School students take classes in art and music. Middle School students participate in the performing and production aspects of a yearly musical. A school-wide Festival of Light is performed in December.

Upper School students meet Bullis' fine arts requirement through studio work and history survey courses in art, music, dance and theater. Beginning and advanced courses in painting, drawing, sculpture, ceramics, mixed media, chorus, music theory, acting, stagecraft and set design are offered.

Athletics

Competitive sports are introduced in Middle School. Upper and Middle School students participate in more than 60 interscholastic teams in a variety of sports with other area independent schools.

Upper School students participate in the IAC and ISL leagues. Fall sports include football, cheerleading, boys and girls soccer, girls' tennis, field hockey and cross-country. Winter sports include boys and girls basketball, wrestling, ice hockey and swimming. Spring sports include softball, baseball, boys and girls' lacrosse, boys' tennis, golf, and track and field.

The school mascot is the bulldog, and the school colors are navy blue and gold.

Extracurricular programs

In addition to athletics and arts, students may participate in student government, the honor council, publications (yearbook, newspaper and literary magazine), diversity club, academic clubs and teams, community service programs, and other clubs and activities.

Summer programs

Bullis' summer programs are open to all children and include academic summer school as well as camp programs in sports, nature exploration, arts and crafts, and special events and field trips.[10]

Green energy

As a 3-12 school that uses renewable energy, Bullis ranks fourth in the US according to the EPA's Green Power Partnership.[11] The school is powered by wind through the purchase of wind credits and the production of solar energy from 540 photovoltaic solar panels installed in December 2009 on the roof of the school's Blair Center.[12]

Accreditation

Bullis is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools[13] and the Maryland Department of Education.[14] It is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools,[15] the Association of Independent Schools of Greater Washington,[16] the Association of Independent Maryland Schools,[17] the Secondary School Admission Test Board,[18] and The Black Student Fund.[19]

Notable alumni

References

  1. ↑ "Bullis School: About Bullis » Bullis At-A-Glance". Bullis.org. Retrieved 2012-03-16.
  2. ↑ "Bullis School: About Bullis » Board of Trustees". Bullis.org. Retrieved 2012-03-16.
  3. ↑
  4. ↑ "Potomac's Bullis School taps N. Carolina school chancellor as new head". Washingtonpost.com. 2010-01-28. Retrieved 2012-03-16.
  5. ↑ "Bullis School announces new leader". Gazette.net. 2010-02-17. Retrieved 2012-03-16.
  6. ↑ Bullis Viewbook
  7. ↑ Upper School Curriculum
  8. ↑ Bullis School: Global Studies and Service
  9. ↑ Bullis School: Student Body and Conduct
  10. ↑ Michael Birnbaum "Camps Strive for a Delicate Balance: Summer Programs Try to Attract Students in Tight Economic Times," Washington Post, Thursday, July 30, 2009
  11. ↑ [EPA http://www.epa.gov/greenpower/toplists/top20k-12schools.htm]
  12. ↑ [Gazette.net http://www.gazette.net/stories/11252009/bethnew191736_32540.shtml]
  13. ↑ "The Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools". Middlestates.org. Retrieved 2012-03-16.
  14. ↑ "Maryland State Department of Education Nonpublic Schools". Msde.state.md.us. Retrieved 2012-03-16.
  15. ↑ "Membership Directory". Nais.org. Retrieved 2012-03-16.
  16. ↑ "Access Denied | Independent Education". Aisgw.org. Retrieved 2012-03-16.
  17. ↑ "Association of Independent Maryland & DC Schools". Aimsmd.org. Retrieved 2012-03-16.
  18. ↑ "Finding a School". SSAT. Retrieved 2012-03-16.
  19. ↑ "Black Student Fund". Black Student Fund. Retrieved 2012-03-16.
  20. ↑ Phillips, John, Papa John - An Autobiography, Doubleday & Co. 1986. ISBN 978-0440167839

External links

Coordinates: 39°01′42″N 77°12′00″W / 39.02833°N 77.20000°W