The School at Church Farm Experience the difference.
cfs
just what you might expect of a quality college preparatory school for boys. Plus a few things you might not.
P.1 cfs The educational experience here is first rate, with a challenging curriculum and engaging opportunities in and out of the classroom. Students learn from outstanding teachers who have a keen sense of what makes boys tick and how to motivate them. Our graduates succeed at excellent colleges, and go on from there to live lives of meaning and purpose. But in other ways, CFS is different. Our school fabric is woven tightly, and caring adults give boys extraordinary levels of attention and guidance. We celebrate diversity in ways that few schools can match, with students from so many backgrounds that the term “minority student� becomes meaningless. And forget what you may have thought about prep school being beyond the reach of many. At the heart of our mission is a commitment to make a Church Farm education affordable for anyone.
Located in Southeastern Pennsylania, CFS, The School at Church Farm is an independent boarding and day school where boys in grades 7 through 12 develop qualities of mind and character that prepare them for success in college and beyond.
At CFS, it’s not just about what you think. It’s about how you think.
“ The teachers are always there for you. They help you with whatever you need.” Alexander, grade 11
“ There’s a nice balance between structure and freedom at CFS. It’s an environment where students can make mistakes, but have to take responsibility for their actions. It’s given my son the space to grow up.” Rachel Lawton, CFS parent
In Church Farm’s close-knit environment, learning isn’t about filling your head with facts that you can repeat at test time (and forget shortly afterwards). It’s about engaging you in your education. In a class of 10 or 12, your teacher knows you, your ideas matter, and you’re expected to express them. You’ll learn to think critically and approach problems creatively. You’ll learn to consider all sides of an issue, draw your own conclusions, and communicate them, clearly and confidently.
A traditional curriculum, with an eye to the future CFS challenges students with a college preparatory curriculum that blends time honored approaches to education with new ways of learning aimed at preparing students for the world of tomorrow. We start with a firm foundation in the liberal arts and sciences, covering core college prep subjects of English, science, math, social studies and history, foreign language, and the visual and performing arts. As students move from grade to grade, they have increasing opportunity for electives, on such topics as website design, environmental studies, or “Strange Writing.” Many courses have Advanced Placement or honors options, and students can also take courses for credit at nearby colleges. In the information age of the 21st century, effective learning is connected learning. We were one of the first schools to give a laptop computer to each student — MacBooks are the laptop of choice — and learning can involve everything from Internet research on gene structure to touring an Egyptian tomb via a classroom SMART Board. Environmental responsibility is an institutional commitment at CFS — not just a class or activity. By 2011, nearly three-quarters of the School’s electrical needs will be provided by a five-acre solar array that will give a modern context to our “farming” heritage while reducing our carbon
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footprint. This and other environmental initiatives are integral to our entire curriculum.
Learning the way boys learn best Church Farm’s all-boys learning environment reduces self-consciousness, encourages intellectual risk-taking, and nudges students out of their comfort zone to reach new levels of accomplishment.
“ The process of learning matters greatly here. It’s about seeking. Inquiry always trumps simple answers. We value experimentation as much as proven results.” Rev. Edmund K. Sherrill, Headmaster
No one falls through the cracks at CFS. In fact, we’ve pretty much eliminated the cracks.
7:1
Student-teacher ratio
10
Average number of teachers, coaches, advisors, and counselors with specific responsibilities for each student
P.4 cfs For most students, living at CFS is their first time living away from home. That’s exciting, but sometimes it can seem a little daunting — for students and their parents. That’s why we surround each student at CFS with an incredibly strong network of support. CFS is small — only 200 students in grades 7 to 12 — so everybody knows everybody else. Classes are small as well, typically with no more than a dozen students. Each student has a team of adult professionals looking out for him, checking in with him, making sure he’s making progress and stepping in to help if he’s not. From homesickness to sore throats to that feeling of elation that comes with acing a math exam, our faculty and counselors are there to listen, console, congratulate, and help, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
CFS welcomes day students, who are as actively involved in school programs and activities as students who live on campus, and enjoy all the same amenities
“ You get to know your teachers not just on an academic level, but on a personal level as well.” Josh, grade 11
except for a bed. You can come early for breakfast, stay for dinner and evening study hall, and participate fully in all weekend events.
200
Total number of students in grades 7 to 12, or just over 30 per grade
“ We get together often and ask ourselves what we as educators can do for each student. The students really feel supported. They have a lot of adults they can go to.” Lisa Ochwat, Guidance Counselor
In Church Farm’s dorms or “cottages,” students learn the vitally important life skill of living with others. It’s where a random group of boys becomes a brotherhood.
“ It helped me enormously to know I always had someone to talk to. This place became a whole new family.”
7 to 12 Typical class size
Kyle DeRiemer, 2005 graduate and Faculty Member
One of the first things you notice about CFS is the diversity of our students. Our boys look different from each other, sound different. They speak different languages, trace their roots to 27 different countries, have different skin color. There is no such thing as a minority group at CFS. Diversity isn’t something we do. It’s who we are. And where some teach “tolerance” of diversity, we think that falls way short. We embrace it and celebrate it. It broadens our learning. It enriches our lives. Our goal at CFS is to immerse boys in an environment that has a lot in common with the world they’ll inherit in a few years, and then prepare them to thrive in it. That means opening up to ideas, trying new things, falling occasionally, but getting up and trying again, and learning from the experience. It means understanding how what you do affects others and being accountable for your actions. It means learning everything from study skills and time management to how to do laundry or set your alarm clock.
“ We are small, but so global.” Paula Brown, Librarian
“ There’s an easy social life here. Everyone’s all-accepting. We embrace all the different cultures.” Sebastian, grade 11
Learn for the real world. In a place that looks like the real world.
“ The diversity we have here is invaluable. We have what other schools are trying to accomplish.” Chuck Watterson, Assistant Director of Students
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Learning that matters One part of a CFS education is about Shakespeare and AP Chemistry and linear equations and the origins of Western Civilization. But another part can’t be described in a course syllabus. Church Farm boys gain independence and self-confidence. They become responsible members of a community. They learn to respect difference. They develop a stronger sense of who they are and where they’re headed.
All schools have their athletes, artists, writers, volunteers, and class leaders. But at how many schools can one student be all those things?
P.8 cfs “ The diversity we have here is invaluable. We have what other schools are trying to accomplish.” Chuck Watterson, Assistant Director of Students
“ There’s a nice balance between structure and freedom at CFS. It’s an environment where students can make mistakes, but have to take responsibility for their actions. It’s given my son the space to grow up.” Rachel Lawton, mother of Kody, 12th grade
Take 200 students,
surround them with opportunities, encourage them to take advantage
of those opportunities, and what happens? The soccer goalie plays trumpet in the jazz band and is editor of the yearbook. The class president wrestles, leads campus tours, and just put on a show of his own art. The aspiring journalist builds walls with Habitat for Humanity, takes up fencing because it looks like fun, and writes about both for several school publications. Everyone plays sports. Everyone does art. We offer 10 sports teams, more than 25 clubs and organizations focused on everything from math and astronomy to drama and jazz, an award-winning choir, events with international themes, an outdoor-recreation program, and weekend activities that range from paintball in the Poconos to 76ers games in Philadelphia. In our renowned community service program, students learn the value of giving back. They donated more than 3,000 hours of their time to community organizations in the past year. Build on a skill you’ve been developing for years, or try something completely new. Explore the possibilities life holds for you. Tap your full potential. And uncover talents and interests you may not have known you had.
A CFS education prepares you extremely well for the next step in your life. And for the next step after that.
One goal of a CFS education is to prepare you for college and that’s where 97 percent of our students go after they graduate (find a list of where graduates go to college on our website: www.gocfs.net). The combination of a challenging education and strong college guidance services will help you flourish at a school that’s a good match for your talents and interests. Part of college success is about what happens in the classroom, and another part is what happens outside it. By offering a rigorous academic experience within a supportive residential community, CFS prepares you for both. But CFS isn’t just about college success — it’s also about preparing you to make your way in the world. A Church Farm education has a foundation in values that grow from our roots in the Episcopal tradition. We embrace discussions of spirituality, morality and ethics, and ask students to think about what’s right and what’s good. We surround them with opportunities to practice responsible, engaged citizenship. CFS is where boys take important steps toward becoming men of character and men of promise.
“ CFS sets high expectations and has high academic standards. The teachers are there for students 24/7, and they help any way they can. They’ve helped my boys get through to their future.” Veronica Hennessey, CFS parent
“ I had moments with teachers I couldn’t imagine I’d ever have anywhere else. I’m able to look at subjects and get a much deeper understanding, and that’s given me a leg up in college. CFS opened me up, helped me be my own person. The school offers so much opportunity, so many possibilities.” CFS graduate Abe Crook is a sophomore at Drexel University majoring in materials science and engineering
“ CFS has given my boys opportunities they otherwise wouldn’t have had— opportunities academically and with all their activities. They’re more responsible, more self-confident, more outgoing. The school takes boys from all kinds of backgrounds and has them live together and learn together. I think they have that down pretty well.” Art Pereira, CFS parent
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“ Part of the school’s curriculum is to get students out of the classroom to give back to the community, and, in the process, some students have found peace and even a bit of themselves.” Seth Doane, reporting on CFS’s community service program on the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric
Myth: Quality college-prep schools aren’t for everyone. Fact: CFS is within financial reach of any qualified student.
19.8% — Average percentage of students receiving financial aid at schools that are members of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) 93% — Percentage of students receiving financial aid at CFS
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“ We’re so diverse culturally and socioeconomically. These boys will live in a global world. At CFS, we’re a microcosm of that world. That’s why I teach here.” Christine Hutchinson, English teacher
“ We liked the small class sizes, the intimate nature of the campus, the diversity of students. The value for the money is extraordinary. The teachers have a passion for their subjects. The students gain the skills to succeed.” Wendy Attipoe, CFS parent
Nearly a century ago, Church Farm’s founder, Rev. Charles Wesley Shreiner, envisioned a school that offered quality education to “boys of ability and promise, who otherwise might have no opportunity to gain such an education.” That founding vision continues to guide us today, embedded in the school’s mission. CFS is uncommonly affordable. Our students come from families across the socioeconomic spectrum. Our cost is well below both regional and national independent-school averages. 93 percent of CFS students receive financial aid, and the average aid award covers 70 percent of costs. How are we able to offer a CFS education so affordably? Because of the generosity of those who believe in our mission, and because of an endowment (per student) that’s one of the top ten in the country. Why do we do it? Because access to quality education shouldn’t be limited by one’s financial situation, and because of a conviction that it’s the right thing to do.
at a glance
Students An extraordinarily diverse student body of approximately 200 students from many different racial and ethnic backgrounds and from across the socioeconomic spectrum. CFS students trace their origins back to 27 different countries. Faculty 51 dedicated faculty members who understand boys, want to work with boys, and know how to help boys thrive during a time of life marked by intense growth and change. Curriculum Challenging college-preparatory curriculum with a foundation in the liberal arts. Subject areas include English language and literature, mathematics, history and social studies, science, foreign language, and visual and performing arts, with many AP and honors options. The curriculum is technologically enriched — each student receives his own MacBook laptop computer. Class Size The average CFS class has between 7 and 12 students. The student-teacher ratio is 7:1.
Athletics Competition in 10 sports: baseball, basketball, cross country, fencing, golf, soccer, tennis, track & field, indoor track, and wrestling. CFS competes in the PIAA, and has a sports philosophy that stresses competitive success, participation by all, and good sportsmanship. Residential Life About 90% of students live on campus in one of 10 white stucco dorms or “cottages.” Adult faculty members live with students in each cottage, serving as advisors, counselors, mentors, and role models. Tuition and Financial Aid Tuition and fees are well below national and regional averages. Fully 93% of students receive financial aid (the national average is less than 20%), and the average aid package covers 70% of costs. Find up-to-date information on school costs on our website: www.gocfs.net. After CFS Personalized college counseling services help each student identify and gain acceptance to colleges that are a good match for his strengths and goals. 97% of students go directly to college after graduating from CFS. How to Apply Church Farm has a rolling admissions policy with no set application deadline. Guidelines for applying are available on our website: www.gocfs.net. To Learn More Office of Admissions CFS, The School at Church Farm 1001 East Lincoln Highway Exton, Pennsylvania 19341 610-363-5347 admissions@gocfs.net
For More Information About CFS, The School at Church Farm Visit our website: www.gocfs.net CFS, The School at Church Farm, is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. The school is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools, the National Association of Episcopal Schools, the Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools, and the College Board. CFS adheres to a policy of admitting students of any race, religion, or national or ethnic origin.
kelshwilson.com
Campus Safe, secure, 150-acre campus in the rolling hills of Chester County about 30 miles west of Philadelphia and just two hours from New York and Washington, D.C. Everyone knows everyone else in our close-knit learning community.
Community Service Active, engaged citizenship is a priority at CFS. All students are involved in community service, devoting some 3,000 volunteer hours each year to an array of worthwhile causes.
Kelsh Wilson Design
Mission CFS, The School at Church Farm is an independent boarding and day school for boys in grades 7 through 12. Our mission is to provide a rigorous, well-rounded, college-preparatory education in a caring, Christian environment to help prepare our students for productive and fulfilling lives. We seek young men of ability and promise for whom the CFS educational experience represents an extraordinary opportunity.