New Hampshire Schools

New Hampshire School and Education Information and Resources

New Hampshire is known as having an excellent education system. Choosing a school system or private school that meets your child's individual needs can be a daunting task. The New Hampshire Department of Education web site is a great stepping off point in school selection. They have a helpful guide on how to select a school and they have profiles available of all of the school districts in the state.

On the Prudential Dinsmore Associates site you will find school district information links under the individual town highlight pages or at the bottom of this page. Each individual town page has links to parochial schools in that town. Parochial high schools are listed below.

The New Hampshire Department of Education site also has guidance on their site for home schooling alternatives. In general, school districts are supported by local property taxes. There is also a reapportionment under a statewide property tax formula, which provides state mandated funding for poorer school districts. Many of the school districts in southern New Hampshire have seen tremendous growth in recent years. Bedford, Exeter, Kingston and Windham have just built  new high schools in their communities.

Public kindergarten is available in some communities. The state has mandated that all school districts offer public kindergarten. Those communities that do not have public kindergartens normally have excellent private alternatives. Windham currently has kindergarten classrooms under construction.

2011 New Hampshire SAT Scores from the Department of Education

The College Board announced SAT® scores for the class of 2011. New Hampshire continues to have a high participation rate; 77% of New Hampshire’s high school seniors took the SAT. New Hampshire’s class of 2011 posted one-year increases on all three sections of the SAT while recording longer-term gains compared to 2007 in both critical reading and mathematics. As in past years, New Hampshire students who completed a core curriculum and/or pursued more advanced course work tended to achieve greater success on the SAT. 

NH also continues to perform above the national average. The mean scores were higher in critical reading, mathematics, and writing than the nation’s schools. The score for critical reading was 523 compared to the national score of 497. The mathematics score was 525 and the national score was 514. In writing the score was 511 with the national score being 489. This data is based on the performance of NH students from all schools -- public, private, and parochial. The reports released today are based on the cohort of students who graduated high school in 2011 and participated in the SAT Program at anytime during their high school careers.

NEW HAMPSHIRE SCHOOL AND EDUCATION RESOURCES

The New Hampshire Department of Education

School Digger has an easy to use format for comparing Schools and School Districts

SchoolDigger.com New Hampshire

OTHER NEW HAMPSHIRE SCHOOL INFORMATION SOURCES

New Hampshire High School Comaprisons | HighSchools.com

New Hampshire Elementary School Comparisons | ElementarySchools.org

NEW HAMPSHIRE STEM PROGRAM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math)

 

Public School District Information Links:

 
SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE CHARTER SCHOOLS
 
 
NEW HAMPSHIRE SCHOOL PROGRAMS

Saint Paul's School: Advances Studies Program

The state of New Hampshire is fortunate in having an exceptional junior year, summer program, offered to gifted high school students, at Saint Paul's School. This wonderful learning environment is a great place for students to explore and develop their individual learning goals. It is a great preparation for what lies ahead in college. Having had personal experience with the program, we would encourage anyone with a bright and motivated high school student to search out more information about this program.

Advanced Studies Program at St. Paul's School

Private Education Alternatives

Phillips Exeter Academy, Exeter New Hampshire

Southern New Hampshire is centrally located to take advantage of some of the most prestigious and innovative private and parochial schools in the nation. For parents who can afford it, a private school education can offer their children a foundation of strong learning skills that will equip them to succeed for the rest of their lives

On the New Hampshire Department of Education web site there is an excellent section on selecting a school for you child. For private and alternative schools they suggest you ask the following questions:

  • Is there an application process?
  • What is the application deadline?
  • Is anything else required in the application (test scores, interview, recommendations, application fees, etc.)?
  • Are test scores required for admission?
  • What are the ranges of scores for admitted students?
  • Do admissions requirements include a portfolio, an audition or statement of interest?
  • Are there any other admissions requirements?
  • Are admissions requirements published in languages other than English?
  • What is the tuition?
  • Is there a payment plan?
  • Is there a sliding scale for tuition, based on parish, church affiliation, or family income?
  • What are the other fees and expenses (room and board, uniforms, books, transportation, lab and computer fees, activity fees)?
  • What scholarships and loans are available?
  • Are students or their parents required to be of a particular faith?
  • Does the school have a policy on student participation in religious instruction and worship?
  • Does the school close for religious and federal holidays?
  • Does the school have the same schedule as the local public school?

Derryfield School, Manchester, New Hampshire

Derryfield is an excellent private education alternative for residents in southern New Hampshire. This co-educational day school is within easy reach of most all the cities and towns in the area. The Derryfield web site explains that, "For more than 40 years, Derryfield has provided an environment where students learn and grow to be their best selves. How do we do it? It starts with academic programs for grades 6-12 that engage, challenge, and support students; small classes where nobody falls through the cracks; and teachers who do more than teach - they inspire. But Derryfield is more than classroom learning. Arts, athletics, and leadership opportunities are not add-ons here, but important ways for students to try something new in a totally safe environment; demonstrate talent and realize their potential; and to be a part of something greater than themselves. At Derryfield, it's OK to be who you are. In fact, it's expected. That's because Derryfield is a community where the adults really care about kids, where every student wants to be here, and where all of us know that being the best means looking for it in others." Derryfield has a large group of students attending from Bedford, Windham, Manchester and other southern New Hampshire towns. There is bus service available.

The Derryfield School

Hampstead Academy, Hampstead NH

Hampstead Academy is a private school located in Hampstead New Hampshire.  From their website, "Hampstead Academy is a private, independent school located in southern New Hampshire. The school provides excellence in education and promotes the establishment of sound character in a secure environment where learning is valued and life is revered. At Hampstead Academy, students not only learn basic skills, they explore ideas and develop higher level thinking skills that produce positive results. Established in 1978, Hampstead Academy is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges and approved by the New Hampshire Department of Education. The school, located at 320 East Road, Hampstead, NH, services students in Preschool through Grade 8." "Educating the Whole Child," this school had been a popular choice with southern NH parents preparing their children for private, parochrial and public secondary schools.  

Hampstead Academy

Brook School, North Andover, Massachusetts
Brooks School - A college preparatory boarding and day school for grades 9-12
Phillips Andover Academy, Andover, Massachusetts
Phillips Academy Andover - an independent boarding high school
Phillips Exeter Academy, Exeter, New Hampshire
Phillips Exeter Academy | Home
St Paul's School, Concord, New Hampshire
St. Paul's School
Austin Prep, North Reading, Massachusetts
Austin Preparatory School

Parochial High Schools:

Central Catholic High School, Lawrence, Massachusetts
Central Catholic High School
Trinity High School, Manchester, New Hampshire
Trinity High School > Home
Bishop Guertin High School, Nashua, New Hampshire
Bishop Guertin High School

Private Elementary Schools:

Hampstead Academy, Hampstead, New Hampshire
Hampstead Academy
Pike School, Andover, Massachusetts
The Pike School: Home

Parochial Elementary Schools:

Saint Joseph's Elementary, Salem, New Hampshire
Saint Joseph's Catholic School
Presentation of Mary Academy, Hudson, New Hampshire
Presentation of Mary Academy Web Site
Saint Patrick's School, Pelham, New Hampshire
St Patrick's School