The Bolles School was established on the banks of the St. Johns River in Jacksonville, Florida in 1933. The tradition of excellence has carried on through the years and today, our academic program is the cornerstone of the Bolles experience. It is based upon the idea that the best education isn't one where a student has to work hard, but rather, where a student wants to excel through personal motivation. At every level, from pre-kindergarten through Upper School, we focus on giving students the opportunity to expand their minds in a stimulating, yet structured, environment. From the beginning, we challenge our students to reach for new heights, take pride in their achievements and celebrate their successes.

In Upper School, opportunities abound for students to explore new interests and build on what they've already learned. While our main focus is still on the essentials of a superior education-English, Math, Science, History, the Arts and Humanities-we also offer a wide range of electives that allow students to explore new areas of interest and expand their educational experiences as far and wide as they can reach. At this level, the average classroom size is just 12 students, and often as low as eight students depending on the subject, so teachers are able to give every student the personal attention they need to learn at their own pace.

University placement counselors, teachers and advisors work together to support students as they decide what best meets their personal goals. We continually apply benchmarks from among the country's top schools in order to bring the best education possible to Bolles. As a result, our students are not only accepted into the best universities in the country, they are often pursued by them.

When assessing our athletic program, it would be easy to think of Bolles as the school that star athletes choose to attend. In reality, Bolles is the school where star athletes are made. Both boys' and girls' programs are nationally recognized for overall excellence each year by the Floyd E. Lay All-Sports Awards. In Lower School, physical education is built into the curriculum, where students can develop their coordination and athletic skills in a non-competitive environment and begin to learn the value of teamwork and sportsmanship. Middle School students have the opportunity to begin competing and can even team with Upper School players. While not mandatory, Middle and Upper School students are encouraged to get involved in sports, regardless of their athletic skill level. In fact, 93% of these students are involved in some kind of athletic program.

Students at every level have the chance to develop and show their talents through the fine and performing arts programs. Through our music, drama and art classes, students can learn to play musical instruments, to sing or to develop their artistic abilities. The campus life at Bolles is unique. Defined by a diverse cross-section of students from as many as 25 countries, we literally bring the world to our campuses.

Our Middle School and Upper School Student Housing offers boarding students a safe and comfortable place to call home. Teachers and students alike work to help our boarding students settle in to their new environment. And each boarding student is provided with a host family to provide him or her with a familial connection and parental guidance. Also, our Mentoring Program allows Upper School resident students to mentor new Bolles boarding students, leading to a strong bond that is equally rewarding for both student and mentor.

Intrinsic to the Bolles experience are our Honor Code and Values Statement - the guiding principles and core values upon which the School was built. Together, these two statements express our tradition of honesty, integrity, honor and compassion, which is inherent in every aspect of a Bolles education. Each student who attends Bolles will be immeasurably enriched by an abundance of personal and academic experiences. This is what the Bolles journey is all about, and it's available to everyone. In fact, rather than offer scholarships, our financial aid program is based strictly on financial need. All a Bolles student has to be is someone who loves to learn, and is willing to work hard to achieve their goals. More information and an application may be found online by visiting www.bolles.org. Or, just give us a call at 904-256-5030. We'll be happy to answer questions, and arrange a tour of any of our four campuses at your convenience.