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Purnell School
USINFO | 2013-08-08 14:33
As of the 2009-10 school year, the school had an enrollment of 94 students and 18.1 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 5.2:1.[1]
In December 1963 that a not-for-profit corporation, Purnell, was established by: Lytt Gould, President, Sis Gould, Secretary, Hap Johnson, Treasurer, and Ethel Stringfellow as the corporation's original Vice President. Carroll's contacts within the Bernardsville community led to the purchase of the 83-acre (340,000 m2) Bassett Farm in Pottersville.
After renovations, primarily by the Gould family, the Founders and their friends, began recruiting the first students to Purnell. The new Headmaster hired eight teachers.
In September 1965, Headmaster Lytt Gould and Associate Head Sis Gould greeted the first entering class of 18 student and Purnell celebrated its first graduation in June 1968.
Today Purnell has over 1,200 alumnae.
Graduation requirements include 4 years of English, 3 years of math, science and history, 2 years of foreign language, and classes in performing and studio arts.
In addition to traditional classes, students also participate in the Affinities Program, as an additional class and a set of seminars designed to help students find and use their strengths.
Each February, traditional classes are suspended and the school has Project Exploration, a mini-term during which students choose one class to focus on for the entire three-week period. Recent Project Exploration courses have included trips to France, Mexico, Costa Rica, the school’s musical production, Culinary Arts, Mass Media, Equine Studies, Animals and Society, Maritime Studies, Interior Design, and many more.
