History
Whitfield School was founded in 1952 by John Barnes and Allen Cole. In the 1980s Whitfield blossomed: by the end of the decade, the school had grown to serve more than 200 students, completed several major facilities updates, and become a nationally-recognized leader in the progressive education movement.
In 2003, the school completed its first major capital campaign, raising $16 million to support Whitfield’s facilities, operations, and endowment. In 2009, the acquisition of a 1.5-acre property adjacent to the school, the Head’s Residence, marked the first physical addition to the campus since the 1960s. In 2018 the school completed its most recent campaign, raising over $10 million in support of faculty & staff salaries and benefits, financial aid, and debt retirement.
Today, Whitfield delivers a robust liberal-arts curriculum embedded in a foundational character education program. In a small school community built on kindness and trust, Whitfield inspires a diverse student body to live lives of curiosity, integrity, and purpose. The school endeavors to empower young people to be thoughtful, principled citizens of the world.
