Cardigan Mountain School
Overview

Located 30 minutes from Dartmouth College in Canaan, New Hampshire, Cardigan Mountain School is an all-boys junior (Grades 6-9) boarding school with an enrollment of 220 students typically coming from 20-25 states and 12-15 foreign countries. In addition, we offer a co-ed summer program for boys and girls ages 8-15. Through a traditional, pre-college preparatory academic program that is both challenging and supportive, along with extensive co-curricular offerings in the arts and athletics, we prepare middle school boys for success in secondary school and beyond. Our PEAKS (Personalized Education for the Acquisition of Knowledge and Skills) Department helps each boy come to understand his own unique learning style and develop his organizational, time management and study skills. For our non-native English-speaking students we offer ESL instruction from intermediate through advanced levels. The School's core values of compassion, integrity, respect, and courage are at the center of our residential community and fully integrated into the day-to-day life of students and faculty alike, and leadership and global awareness are also key focal points of our overall program. During the spring trimester of Grade 8, the students begin our comprehensive secondary school placement process which continues until final decisions are received in early March of the following year, with many of our graduates matriculating at some of the most selective schools in the United States, including Phillips Academy - Andover, Choate Rosemary Hall, Deerfield, Phillips Exeter, Groton, Hotchkiss, Lawrenceville, Loomis-Chaffee, Middlesex, Milton, St. Paul’s, and Taft.

Academics
Summary: Cardigan’s curriculum is designed to both support and challenge each student as the School prepares him for the demanding academic programs characteristic of the independent schools most graduates attend. In all disciplines, special emphasis is placed upon mastery of fundamental skills, content, and the executive functioning skills needed to become academically self-sufficient.
Department Director Jamie Welsh
Student/Teacher Ratio: 4:1
Average Class Size: 12
Summer Programs: Offered
Full Time Teachers: 64
Number of AP Courses Offered: 0
Teachers Holding Advanced Degrees: 45%
Number of IB Courses Offered: 0
Learning Support
- Evening Study Assistance
- Learning Center
- Learning Differences Support
- Peer Tutoring
- Study Skills Assistance
- Subject Tutoring
- Technology Center
- ADD/ADHD Support
English
- Creative Writing
- Literature
- Composition
- American Literature
History
- Classical History
- United States History
- World History
Foreign Languages
Sciences
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Earth Science
- Environmental Science
- Physical Science
Math
Computer Studies
- Computer Science
Music
- Band
- Choral Music
- Individual Instructions
- Music Appreciation
- Music History
- Music Theory
- Orchestra
- Recording
- Voice
- A Cappella
Performing / Visual Arts
Special Programs
- Community Service
- Leadership
- Outdoor Education
- Entrepreneurship
- Sailing
- Robotics
- Public Speaking
- Student Council
- Digital Design
- Maker Space
Distinctive or New Programs
- P
Campus Life
Dorm Life
Number of Dorms: 16
Average Students Per Dorm: 12
Number of Girls Dorms: 0
Number of Boys Dorms: 16
Dorm Amenities
- Lounge
- Wireless Internet
- Refrigerator
Other Dorm Amenities
Student Life
At Cardigan, our daily routine is designed to help boys stay focused on pursuits that contribute to their development. It’s a demanding schedule, and it not only aids boys in their growth, it gives them the kind of time-management skills and study habits that many college students would envy.
Facilities
- Baseball Field
- Basketball Court
- Fitness Center
- Football Field
- Indoor Basketball Court
- Indoor Climbing Wall
- Technology Center
- Soccer Field
- Tennis Courts
- Hockey Rink
- Weight Room
- Athletic Fields
- Waterfront
- Cross Country Trails
- Disc Golf
- Lacrosse Field
Other Facilities
Clubs & Organizations
- Chess Club
- Community Service
- Computer Club
- Dorm Proctors
- Drama Club
- Environmental Club
- International Club
- Investment Club
- Math Club
- Model UN
- National Honor Society
- Newspaper
- Outing Club
- Peer Tutoring
- Photography Club
- Sailing Club
- Student Activities
- Student Government
- Theater Club
- Weightlifting Club
- Woodworking Club
- Yearbook
- Robotics
- Ultimate Frisbee
- Outdoor Activities
Arts & Athletics
Summary: The mission of Cardigan’s athletic program is to support the School’s mission in educating boys in mind, body, and spirit by promoting healthy living and an active lifestyle. Cardigan Athletics emphasizes respect, responsibility, and dedication. For all spectators, officials, coaches, and athletes, the Cardigan Mountain School Athletic Department is committed to maintaining a positive environment for teaching, training, and competition. Cardigan Mountain also hosts a variety of art programs; from drawing and painting to woodworking to music to drama, Cardigan encourages boys to exercise their creativity, and allow their imaginations to flourish. All of the arts are a kind of philosophy, in that they express truths about what it means to be human, and the Arts Department is dedicated to helping students learn to explore and appreciate those truths.
Arts Department Director: Nina Silitch
Athletics Department Director: Ryan Frost
Arts
Interscholastic Sports
- Alpine Skiing
- Alpine Ski Racing
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Cross Country Running
- Football
- Freestyle Skiing
- Ice Hockey
- Lacrosse
- Mountain Biking
- Nordic Skiing
- Nordic Ski Racing
- Outdoor Education
- Rock Climbing
- Sailing
- Snowboarding
- Soccer
- Tennis
- Wrestling
Recreational Sports
- Alpine Skiing
- Canoeing
- Freestyle Skiing
- Golf
- Ice Hockey
- Kayaking
- Mountain Biking
- Nordic Skiing
- Outdoor Education
- Rock Climbing
- Sailing
- Snowboarding
- Tennis
- Ultimate Frisbee
- Fitness
- Outdoor Activities
- Disc Golf
Graduates
Summary: Cardigan offers guidance and support for ninth-grade students and their parents throughout the secondary school application and placement process, and hosts several secondary school admissions fairs on the Cardigan campus each fall.
College attended in the past 5 years by our graduates:
Notable Alumni
F. Lee Bailey
Class of 1947
Acclaimed Defense Attorney
Rob Morrow
Class of 1977
Actor
Ben Lovejoy
Class of 1999
NHL Player
Taylor Chace
Class of 2002
Two-Time Olympic Sled Hockey Gold Medalist
Vital Information
Student Body Type: All Boys
Total Boarding: 210
Total Day: 20
Total Enrollment: 230
Boys: 230
Girls: 0
Boarding Grades Offered: 6-9
Day Grades Offered: 6-9
School Type: Middle, High School
Dress Code: Other
Applications Accepted: SAO, Gateway to Prep
Application Deadline: Rolling
Tuition & Financial Aid
7-Day Boarding: $67,700
5-Day Boarding: N/A
Day Tuition Fee: $39,300
Need-Based Aid: Offered
Payment Plans: Offered
Students Receiving Aid: 30%
Average Awarded: $36,630
School Finances
Merit Scholarships: Not Offered
Students Receiving Merit Scholarships: %
Average Merit Scholarship: $
Current Endowment Amount: $35,000,000
Contact
Director of Admissions: Chip Audett
Admissions Phone: 603-523-3548
Fax: 603-523-3565
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.cardigan.org
Nearby Schools
- Kimball Union Academy - 14mi / 23 km
- Holderness School - 19mi / 31 km
- New Hampton School - 20mi / 32 km
- St. Paul’s School - 41mi / 65 km
- Wolfeboro Camp School (The Summer Boarding School) - 44mi / 71 km
- St. Johnsbury Academy - 51mi / 82 km







