The Governor’s Academy, the oldest boarding school in New England, draws bright, bold students in grades nine through twelve from all over the world into an open and optimistic learning community. Located north of Boston, Govs offers a full range of visual and performing arts, more than fifty athletic teams, and dozens of service, cultural, and recreational activities. Whether boarding or day, students are surrounded by dedicated faculty and staff on a beautiful, 456-acre campus. Govs students strive for excellence, discover new passions, and go further than they ever thought possible.
Unique Characteristics
Govs’ place-based academic program is enhanced by its proximity to one of the most pristine ecosystems in the world, the Great Salt Marsh.
Experiential learning is about learning by doing, and the Alfond Coastal Research Center allows students in every grade to immerse themselves in nature with real-world data and projects. Designed in partnership with scientists from the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, the Alfond Coastal Research Center includes an aquatic laboratory fed by water drawn from the river, a workshop, classrooms, and accommodations for a scientist-in residence.
The 6,800-square foot, state-of the- art facility capitalizes on our unique location and deepens our commitment to experiential learning. The Alfond Coastal Research Center provides a home for the Bass Institute and deepens Governor’s focus on experiential and place-based learning, specifically in the marsh ecosystem. At Govs, we believe that students learn best when they conduct meaningful research and thereby understand how the principles of scientific inquiry can help solve real-world problems.
Govs students continued what has become an annual tradition in 2025, winning an impressive number of awards in the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards competition. Student artists won 47 total awards–11 Gold Keys, 13 Silver Keys, and 23 Honorable Mentions. Student writers won 11 total awards– one gold key, three silver keys, and six honorable mentions. The competition is the nation’s longest-running, most prestigious recognition program for creative teens. In the afternoon, students participate in a wide array of afternoon programs– from interscholastic sports teams to robotics, theater, community service, yearbook, and more.