Miss Hall’s has provided, since our founding in 1898, an exceptional academic education and the opportunity to develop values core to the human experience: authenticity, respect, honor, and growth. Our students have, since the beginning, become bold and creative contributors to the common good.

These values were embodied in our founder, Mira Hinsdale Hall, a young Latin teacher in Central Massachusetts. Twenty years before the 19th Amendment granted her the right to vote, Mira Hall envisioned something radical: a world in which girls received the high-quality education they deserved.

So, in 1898, she did something bold: she founded a school. As one might expect, it wasn’t easy — according to her niece, Miss Hall “began her venture with little capital beyond her youth, her determination to have the best school she could build, and the strong idealism which directed her.” But, her intelligence, strength of will, and good humor won out: the School grew strong.

Miss Hall’s convictions were tested early on, when the School burned to the ground on a cold February morning in 1923 — a contemporary news article stated “there was nothing left but chimneys and bathtubs.” It would have been easy to walk away, but Miss Hall doubled down and invested her life’s savings into rebuilding. Classes continued off campus, and the “new” school opened the following year.

One other tenet of Miss Hall’s has defined us over the 125 years of our history: a commitment to learning from those who are different from us. A 1932 article in The Berkshire Eagle newspaper celebrated this unusual aspect of Miss Hall’s School: “[Miss Hall] felt that a school which chose its pupils from… different parts of the nation and world would give them a broader concept of life. And she has not deviated from the path which she laid out in 1898. That her idea was a right one is attested to by the fact that today her pupils come from all over the world.” They still do.

Today, Miss Hall’s School still embraces Mira Hall’s vision and empowers girls to use their voices, be their authentic selves, and become bold, creative contributors to the common good.

• 190 students; 70% boarding, 30% day

• 35% of our student body is international, coming from 24 countries; domestic students come from 13 states

• All of our students continue on to institutions of higher learning. From the Class of 2024, 16% of graduates were accepted Early Decision and 82% were accepted Early Action.

• We are accredited by the NEASC

Miss Hall’s School inspires and encourages each girl to pursue the highest standards of learning and character; to contribute boldly and creatively to the common good; and to seek a purposeful life based on honor, respect, growth, and personal authenticity.

HONOR: The concept of personal honor is an enduring and immutable standard by which we tell others how we want to be measured. Once

developed, personal honor is the benchmark by which to judge all our actions.

RESPECT: Respect for others begins with respect for self. Respect for others extends beyond tolerance to include active concern for and service to others.

GROWTH: We value challenge in a nurturing environment. We also value curiosity, clear thinking, and academic accomplishment. We encourage the development of resilience, determination, and self-confidence for a lifetime of learning in a world of constant change.

AUTHENTICITY: At MHS we are committed to helping each girl to develop, test, comprehend, and act from her own spirit, core values, abilities, expertise, and judgment.

Guided by the mission and values of Miss Hall’s School, our graduates demonstrate the following core competencies:

VISION is the willingness to dream, imagine possibilities, conceive bold and ambitious goals, and set a course to achieve them. Graduates with vision nurture curiosity, innovate, recognize opportunities, and act as allies for others.

VOICE is the power to articulate ideas with authenticity and confidence. Graduates with voice speak with integrity, communicate effectively, confidently advocate and negotiate, and demonstrate and command respect.

INTERPERSONAL EFFICACY is the intersection of empathy, self-awareness, and cultural competency. Graduates with interpersonal efficacy navigate diverse contexts with ease while maintaining consistency of character and building strong relationships and networks.

GUMPTION is the strength of mind and character to seek out challenges and grow from failure. Graduates with gumption take calculated risks to create change, practice self-reflection, persevere through adversity, and distinguish the pursuit of one’s best self from the pressure for perfection.

The principles that guide our program development are outlined in our Strategic Design. It prioritizes students at all times, alongside a desire to regularly reimagine curriculum in light of student need, student interest, and world events. There are four areas of focus:

• Innovative programs that emphasize a transformative academic experience for all students and holistic student wellness, enabling students to thrive as learners, community members, and leaders

• A diverse, equitable, and inclusive community that affirms diversity, equity, and inclusion as essential to the development of our graduates and fosters an environment where all students feel valued, joyful and connected, thereby strengthening the “magic of Miss Hall’s”

• Commitment to engagement, service, and leadership graduating students who will be empowered global citizens and courageous participants in a multicultural society, advocating for issues that matter to them and create change for the common good.

• A culture of adaptability, collaboration, and excellence that encourages purposeful collaboration and professional growth within a flexible and thriving organization

• Julia Heaton P’24, P’27, Head of School: jheaton@misshalls.org

• Nyika (Nikki) Buccello, Dean of Student Life: nbuccello@misshalls.org

• Merritt Colaizzi P’28, Director of Advancement: mcolaizzi@misshalls.org

• Aaron Gordon P’26, Chief Financial & Operating Officer: agordon@misshalls.org

• David Hopkins P’24, P’27, Director of Admissions & Enrollment Management: dhopkins@misshalls.org

• Paula Lima Jones, Dean of Equity & Inclusion: plimajones@misshalls.org

• Kristen Milano, Dean of Wellness: kmilano@misshalls.org

• Meghan Smith, Dean of Teaching & Learning: meghan.smith@misshalls.org

Miss Hall’s is governed by a thirty-member Board of Trustees who ensure the long-term sustainability of the School. This group of alumnae, parents, and friends meets four times each year.

Nancy Gustafson Ault ’73, President, Damariscotta, Maine
Laura H. Harris ’74, Vice President, Vero Beach, Florida
Suzanne Wilson ’64, Vice President, Big Timber, Montana
Katie Grace Deane ’05, Clerk, Medford, Massachusetts
Mary Kay Kosnik P’15, Treasurer, Darien, Connecticut
Caroline Amory ’76, Sarasota, Florida
Mariel Beasley ’02, Durham, North Carolina
Lee Carbonelli ’95, Bradenton, Florida
Anne Peterson Conolly ’70, South Burlington, Vermont
Susan Danish, New York, New York
Elizabeth Welch Gustafson ’88, Basking Ridge, New Jersey
Rebecca Hajjar ’89, Brookline, Massachusetts
Susan Foster Hamill ’69, Richmond, Virginia
Camille Jackson ’90, Durham, North Carolina
Susan P. O’Day ’77, Boston, Massachusetts
Nancy Brewster Paternotte ’65, Baltimore, Maryland
Steven Shindler P’15, Darien, Connecticut
Sinclair “Cinnie” Siragusa, Jupiter, Florida
Jennifer Perkins Speers ’71, Salt Lake City, Utah
Sarah Richardson Straley ’71, Tampa, Florida
Amy Church Wood ’89, Westlake Village, California
Elizabeth Zeigler, Cranford, New Jersey
Yiyan Zhou ’91, Brookline, Massachusetts

Lee Auchincloss Link ’61, New York, New York
Jacqueline B. Mars ’57, McLean, Virginia
Bonnie Campbell Perkins ’57, Denver, Colorado
Patricia Manley Smith ’55, Cooperstown, New York
Susan P. O’Day ’77, Boston, Massachusetts
Stacey Sotirhos ’89, New York, New York
Theresa S. Thompson ’64, Lewisburg, West Virginia
Robin Brown Woods ’58, Darien, Connecticut