Thayer Academy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Thayer Academy |
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| Address | |
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745 Washington Street
, 02184
United States
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| Coordinates | 42°12′30″N 71°0′20″W / 42.20833°N 71.00556°W |
| Information | |
| Type | Private |
| Established | 1877 |
| Founder | Sylvanus Thayer |
| Director | Highley Thompson (US) Galen Hamann (MS) |
| Head of school | Chris Fortunato |
| Grades | 5–12 |
| Gender | Co-educational |
| Number of students | 700 |
| Student to teacher ratio | 6.5:1 |
| Campus type | Suburban |
| Color(s) | Black & orange |
| Athletics conference | Independent School League |
| Team name | Tigers |
| Accreditation | NEASC |
| Endowment | 43 million |
Thayer Academy (often called TA) is a special kind of school. It's a private, co-educational (meaning both boys and girls attend), and college-prep school. This means it helps students get ready for college. You can find it in Braintree, Massachusetts, in the United States.
The idea for Thayer Academy started in 1871. It was thanks to a gift from General Sylvanus Thayer. He was a very important person, known as the "father" of the United States Military Academy at West Point. He also started the Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth College. Thayer Academy officially opened its doors in 1877.
Today, Thayer Academy has about 470 students in the Upper School (grades 9–12). It also has about 220 students in the Middle School (grades 5–8). The school's campus is about 34 acres big and is in the middle of Braintree. It has eight buildings and 54 classrooms. Most students come from areas near Boston, like MetroWest and the South Shore.
Contents
The History of Thayer Academy
General Thayer was born in Braintree, Massachusetts. He was a top student, graduating first from both Dartmouth College and the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. He believed strongly in hard work and education. When he was just 17, he taught in local schools to pay for his own college education.
General Thayer was the leader of the Military Academy at West Point from 1817 to 1833. In his will in 1871, he made sure that Thayer Academy would be created. On September 12, 1877, the school welcomed its first 30 students. They studied in what is now called the Main Building. Another building, Glover, opened later in 1894.
The junior school, called Thayerlands, started in 1924. It quickly grew to include many grades, even kindergarten. Over time, the younger grades were removed. By 1969, Thayerlands became the Thayer Academy Middle School. Thayer has always been a school for both boys and girls since it first opened.
Thayer Academy Athletics
Thayer Academy has many sports teams. They play in the Independent School League (ISL). The ISL is the oldest sports group for independent schools in the United States. This means Thayer's teams compete against other strong schools in the area.
Tuition Information
For the 2023-2024 school year, the cost to attend Thayer Academy is $56,780 for the middle school. For the upper school, the tuition is $59,390.
Famous People Who Attended Thayer Academy
Many talented people have attended Thayer Academy. Here are a few:
- Tony Amonte '89: A professional hockey player who played in the NHL and the Olympics. He is in the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame.
- John Cheever: A famous author who won a Pulitzer Prize for his writing.
- Charlie Coyle: A current professional hockey player for the Boston Bruins.
- William D. Delahunt '59: He served as a U.S. Representative for Massachusetts.
- Corey Griffin: A kind person who helped start the Ice Bucket Challenge. This challenge raised a lot of money for ALS research.
- Kelly Amonte Hiller '92: She is a successful college lacrosse coach at Northwestern University.
- Mike Mottau '96: A hockey player who won the Hobey Baker Award, a top award for college hockey.
- Brooks Orpik '98: A hockey player who played for the Washington Capitals.
- Jeremy Roenick '88: Another professional hockey player who played in the NHL and the Olympics. He is also in the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame.
- Dave Silk '76: A former professional ice hockey player.
- General Gordon R. Sullivan '55: A high-ranking general in the United States Army.
- Ryan Whitney '01: A hockey player who played for the Anaheim Ducks.
- Mary Parker Follett: She graduated in 1885 and is known as the "Mother of Modern Management" for her ideas on how to lead and organize.
- Frederick C. Murphy '36: He received the Medal of Honor for his bravery during World War II.
- Adam Gaudette '15: A Hobey Baker Award winner and current professional hockey player.
- David Hemery: A former track and field athlete and Olympian.
- Suzanne Ciani: An American musician, sound designer, and composer.
- Dick Mills: A former Major League Baseball pitcher for the Boston Red Sox.
Notable Teachers at Thayer Academy
- Robert Vonnoh: A famous American Impressionist painter who taught at the school.
