Eight Schools Association

During the 1973–74 school year, the heads of Andover, Choate, Deerfield, Exeter, Hotchkiss, Lawrenceville, and St. Paul's agreed to meet on a yearly, albeit informal, basis.{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Taylor |date=2008-02-14 |title=History of the Association |url=https://phillipian.net/2008/02/14/history-of-the-association/ |access-date=2024-02-25 |website=The Phillipian}} After the first meeting, Northfield Mount Hermon was invited to join.The News (Choate), December 15, 2006 According to Choate's website, the purpose of the ESA was "to show a connection between these [member] schools in academic philosophy, admissions standards, and athletic pursuits."{{Cite web |date=2011-07-27 |title=Choate to Host Eight Schools Boys Basketball Holiday Tournament |url=http://www.choate.edu/news/detail.aspx?pageaction=ViewSinglePublic&LinkID=2512&ModuleID=23&NEWSPID=7 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727041938/http://www.choate.edu/news/detail.aspx?pageaction=ViewSinglePublic&LinkID=2512&ModuleID=23&NEWSPID=7 |archive-date=2011-07-27 |access-date=2024-02-25 |website=Choate Rosemary Hall}}

In 1996, the ESA agreed to add a second annual meeting to its calendar, with one meeting for the heads of school and the other for representatives of each school's boards of trustees.

The ESA will not expand unless the eight member schools unanimously agree, and no new members have been added since 1974.{{cite news |last=Pasiliao |first=Allyn |date=15 May 2009 |title=Shanahan Joins Trustees to Review Financial Woes at Eight Schools' Association Meeting in Exeter |url=http://thenews.choate.edu/archives/2009/05/15/News/Shanahan_Joins_Trustees_to.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160130134648/http://thenews.choate.edu/archives/2009/05/15/News/Shanahan_Joins_Trustees_to.php |archive-date=30 January 2016 |access-date=26 September 2012 |newspaper=The News |df=dmy-all}}

In April 2006, the ESA schools established a more formal administrative structure, appointing a president, vice president, and executive director.{{cite news |last=Kim |first=Josh |date=14 May 2010 |title=The Eight Schools Association: Who? What? When? Where? Why? |url=http://thenews.choate.edu/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=363:the-eight-schools-association-who-what-when-where-why&catid=14:features&Itemid=4 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120721045647/http://thenews.choate.edu/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=363:the-eight-schools-association-who-what-when-where-why&catid=14:features&Itemid=4 |archive-date=21 July 2012 |access-date=26 September 2012 |newspaper=The News}} These roles were staffed by administrators of the member schools (i.e., not full-time ESA employees), who would rotate every three years.Matt Miller, "Eight Schools Association," The Lawrence (Lawrenceville), January 19, 2007; Taylor Smith, "History of the Association," The Phillipian (Andover), February 15, 2008, p. A7 The ESA also adopted bylaws which state that the ESA's primary purpose is to "address critical educational issues in order to ensure the best educational experiences and outcomes for students, explore new research and trends in education, and develop collaborative programs."

The ESA heads have continued their annual meetings since formalizing the ESA. Topics discussed at ESA meetings include economic difficulties in the private school industry, ways to improve boarding school affordability, and the economic feasibility of need-blind admissions.Tim Ghosh and Charles Shoener, "Eight Schools Association Convenes At PA," The Phillipian (Andover), April 24, 2008, p. A1 Previous invitees and speakers at these meetings include Harvard Graduate School of Education professor James P. Honan, former Dartmouth College president James Wright, journalist Steven Brill, and education policy specialists.{{Cite web |title=Deerfield Hosts the ESA |url=http://deerfield.edu/2012/04/deerfield-hosts-the-esa/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120426235043/http://deerfield.edu/2012/04/deerfield-hosts-the-esa/ |archive-date=2012-04-26 |access-date=2024-02-25 |website=Deerfield Academy}}

Although several ESA schools no longer publish their endowment figures, in 2016 the ESA contained seven of the ten wealthiest traditional college-preparatory boarding schools in the United States, as measured by total size of endowment.{{Cite web |last=Martin |first=Emmie |last2=Loudenback |first2=Tanza |date=2016-02-21 |title=The 20 richest boarding schools in America |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/richest-boarding-schools-in-america-2016-2 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230507074605/https://www.businessinsider.com/richest-boarding-schools-in-america-2016-2 |archive-date=2023-05-07 |access-date=2024-02-25 |website=Business Insider |language=en-US}} (In 2017, the endowments of Kamehameha Schools in Hawaii ($11.0 billion){{cite web |title=KS AR 2004-PDF prep 01.indd |url=http://www.ksbe.edu/allpdfs/annualreport04/6_strengthening_endowment.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090326063436/http://www.ksbe.edu/allpdfs/annualreport04/6_strengthening_endowment.pdf |archive-date=March 26, 2009 |access-date=August 27, 2012}} and the Milton Hershey School in Pennsylvania ($13.7 billion){{cite web |date=July 31, 2016 |title=IRS Form 990 Milton Hershey School and School Trust |url=http://990s.foundationcenter.org/990_pdf_archive/231/231353340/231353340_201607_990.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210414073841/http://990s.foundationcenter.org/990_pdf_archive/231/231353340/231353340_201607_990.pdf |archive-date=April 14, 2021 |access-date=July 18, 2020 |publisher=Foundation Center}} were each larger than that of all the ESA schools combined. However, those two schools focus on educating specific subsets of the American population: Native Hawaiians and low-income students.{{cite news |author=Jim Dooley |date=8 February 2008 |title=Kamehameha Schools settled lawsuit for $7M |url=http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2008/Feb/08/ln/hawaii802080371.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210305170155/http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2008/Feb/08/ln/hawaii802080371.html |archive-date=2021-03-05 |access-date=2010-03-10 |newspaper=The Honolulu Advertiser}}{{Cite web |title=Admissions Criteria {{!}} Admissions Information {{!}} MHS |url=https://www.mhskids.org/admissions/admissions-criteria/ |access-date=2024-02-28 |website=Milton Hershey School |language=en-US}} Reflecting their different financial models, they also charge much lower tuition than the ESA schools—in Milton Hershey's case, none.{{Cite web |title=Apply |url=https://www.ksbe.edu/apply/ |access-date=2024-02-28 |website=Kamehameha Schools |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Milton Hershey School Facts {{!}} About Us |url=https://www.mhskids.org/about/mhs-fast-facts/ |access-date=2024-02-28 |website=Milton Hershey School |language=en-US}})

Reflecting these financial resources, as of the 2023–24 school year, all eight ESA members commit to provide financial aid equivalent to the full demonstrated need of the U.S. citizen students that they admit.{{Cite web |title=Tuition and Financial Aid |url=https://www.andover.edu/admission/tuition-and-financial-aid/financial-aid-requirements |access-date=2024-02-26 |website=Phillips Academy |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Am I Eligible for Financial Aid? |url=https://www.exeter.edu/admissions-and-financial-aid/tuition-financial-aid/am-i-eligible-financial-aid |access-date=2024-02-26 |website=Phillips Exeter Academy |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Tuition and Financial Aid |url=https://www.choate.edu/admission/tuition-and-financial-aid |access-date=2024-02-26 |website=Choate Rosemary Hall |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Financial Aid |url=https://deerfield.edu/admission/financial-aid |access-date=2024-02-26 |website=Deerfield Academy}}{{Cite web |title=Financial Aid |url=https://www.hotchkiss.org/admission/financial-aid |access-date=2024-02-26 |website=Hotchkiss School |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Tuition and Affordability |url=https://www.lawrenceville.org/admission/tuition-affordability |access-date=2024-02-26 |website=Lawrenceville School |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Admission - Need-based Scholarships |url=https://www.nmhschool.org/admission/need-based-scholarships |access-date=2024-02-26 |website=Northfield Mount Hermon School |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Tuition & Financial Aid |url=https://www.sps.edu/admissions/financial-aid |access-date=2024-02-26 |website=St. Paul's School |language=en}}

Although the ESA schools are geographically dispersed, making it somewhat impractical to schedule consistent sports matchups, several ESA schools have sought to schedule each other in out-of-conference play. The ESA held wrestling and basketball tournaments in 2007 and 2009. In 2015–16, the six ESA members closest to Boston (that is, all except Hotchkiss and Lawrenceville) announced their intention to start a new athletic conference.{{Cite web |last=Brown |first=Jana |date=2016-04-21 |title=St. Paul's to Play Full ISL Schedule Next Year |url=http://www.sps.edu/page/news-story?pk=848785&fromId=259813 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200503152705/https://www.sps.edu/news-story?pk=848785&fromId=259813 |archive-date=2020-05-03 |access-date=2020-05-03 |website=St. Paul's School |language=en}} However, the schools did not register their conference with the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council,{{Cite web |title=NEPSAC Leagues & Conferences |url=https://nepsac.org/about/nepsac-leagues/ |access-date=2024-07-15 |website=New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (MA) |language=en-US}} and as of 2024, several of these schools remain affiliated with other conferences.{{Cite web |date=2024-02-13 |title=St. Paul's Athletics {{!}} St. Paul's School |url=https://www.sps.edu/athletics |access-date=2024-02-25 |website=www.sps.edu |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2023-09-08 |title=Football - Choate Rosemary Hall {{!}} Private Boarding & Day School |url=https://www.choate.edu/athletics/teams-programs/fall/football/~athletics-team-id/234 |access-date=2024-02-25 |website=www.choate.edu |language=en-US}}

After formalizing the ESA, the schools identified several possible ideas for future cooperation, such as "a debate invitational, a joint literary publication, athletic play days, [] a musical group jamboree," and "collaborating on critical issues like pandemic preparedness."{{cite web |title=Association of Eight Peer Schools » OWHL Staff Communication Blog |url=http://www.noblenet.org/owhl/blog/?p=4#documentContent |work=noblenet.org |access-date=2010-09-24 |archive-date=2011-07-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717140607/http://www.noblenet.org/owhl/blog/?p=4#documentContent |url-status=dead }}

In the years immediately following the establishment of the ESA, the group conducted several joint projects:

• Faculty conferences. The schools have occasionally scheduled faculty conferences, such as the 2007 arts conference,Edward Shanahan, "Message from the Headmaster," Choate Rosemary Hall Bulletin, Spring 2008, p. 9 the 2010 science conference, the 2010 language/cultural conference,{{cite news |last=Gremillion |first=Diane |date=29 April 2011 |title=Annual ESA Meeting Held at Choate |url=http://thenews.choate.edu/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=898:annual-esa-meeting-held-at-choate&catid=19:news&Itemid=43 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121214155300/http://thenews.choate.edu/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=898:annual-esa-meeting-held-at-choate&catid=19:news&Itemid=43 |archive-date=14 December 2012 |access-date=26 September 2012 |newspaper=The News}} and the 2012 and 2013 education technology conferences."Announcement of TL 2013," The Andover Gazette, Feb. 15, 2013, p. 10; tli2012.wordpress.com/attendee-list
• Student publications. In August 2007, Deerfield published 8 × 8: Writings from the Eight School Association,{{Cite book |title=8 × 8: Writings from the Eight School Association |publisher=Tiger Press |year=2007 |isbn=9780975575864 |location=Northhampton, MA}}Margarita Curtis, "8 × 8: An Eight-School Collaboration," 8 × 8: Writings from the Eight School Association {{sic}} (Deerfield, Mass.: Deerfield Academy Press, 2007), p. 7 a collection of student writing curated by teachers and student editors at the ESA schools.Vivian Brodie, "The Lit and Eight Schools Association Write to Unite," The News (Choate), February 23, 2007 In the preface, Deerfield's head wrote that she hoped future editions of the collection would "fost[er] intellectual relationships among its members." In 2019, Andover's student newspaper attempted to survey the student bodies of all eight ESA schools, but for various reasons, four of the eight schools did not participate.{{Cite web |last= |date=2019-01-25 |title=The State of the Eight Schools Association |url=https://phillipian.net/2019/01/25/state-eight-schools-association/ |access-date=2024-02-25 |website=The Phillipian}}
• Arts festivals. ESA schools have also hosted a jazz festival (April 2008)Choate Rosemary Hall Bulletin, Fall 2007, p. 3 and drama festivals (April 2010).
• Student competitions. As of 2010, ESA administrators were planning a "green campus" competition to encourage students to participate in environmental initiatives.Andrew Rindlaub, "Andover Green Initiatives Continue: PA Works with Eight Schools Association to Raise Student Participation," The Phillipian (Andover), March 4, 2010

• Ten Schools Admissions Organization

{{Reflist|30em}}

• [http://www.choate.edu/ Choate Rosemary Hall]
• [http://www.deerfield.edu/ Deerfield Academy]
• [http://www.hotchkiss.org/ The Hotchkiss School]
• [http://www.lawrenceville.org/ The Lawrenceville School]
• [http://www.nmhschool.org/ Northfield Mount Hermon School]
• [http://www.andover.edu/ Phillips Academy]
• [http://www.exeter.edu/ Phillips Exeter Academy]
• [http://www.sps.edu/ St. Paul's School]

{{Eight Schools Association}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Eight Schools Association}}

Category:Educational institutions established in 1973

Category:Preparatory schools in the United States

Category:Youth organizations based in Connecticut

Category:Youth organizations based in Massachusetts

Category:Youth organizations based in New Hampshire

Category:Youth organizations based in New Jersey

Category:High school sports conferences and leagues in the United States