Grier School (also known as The Grier School for Girls) is an independent

all-girls Single-sex education, also known as single-gender education and gender-isolated education, is the practice of conducting education with male and female students attending separate classes, perhaps in separate buildings or schools. The practice of ...

college-preparatory A college-preparatory school (usually shortened to preparatory school or prep school) is a type of secondary school. The term refers to state school, public, Independent school, private independent or parochial school, parochial schools primaril ...

boarding school in

Tyrone, Pennsylvania Tyrone is a borough in Blair County, Pennsylvania, northeast of Altoona, on the Little Juniata River. Tyrone was of considerable commercial importance in the twentieth century. It was an outlet for the Clearfield coal fields and was noted for m ...

in the United States. The school is located near the

Pennsylvania State University The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State or PSU) is a Public university, public Commonwealth System of Higher Education, state-related Land-grant university, land-grant research university with campuses and facilities throughout Pennsylvan ...

, in the heart of the

Appalachian Mountains The Appalachian Mountains, often called the Appalachians, (french: Appalaches), are a system of mountains in eastern to northeastern North America. The Appalachians first formed roughly 480 million years ago during the Ordovician Period. They ...

and currently enrolls 296 students in grades 7 to 12.

Admissions

Grier School hosts international students from more than 30 different countries each year. Grier offers ESL support classes during the school year. Before starting school, many international students must participate in the eight-week Summer TOEFL/SAT Program as preparation for school.

Curriculum

Grier offers 21 AP classes in core disciplines.

Extracurricular activities

Athletics

Grier requires students to participate in seasonal sports and offers a wide variety each term. Grier has an equestrian team as well as

volleyball Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules. It has been a part of the official program of the Summ ...

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...

, cross country, soccer, dance,

fencing Fencing is a group of three related combat sports. The three disciplines in modern fencing are the foil, the épée, and the sabre (also ''saber''); winning points are made through the weapon's contact with an opponent. A fourth discipline, s ...

and

tennis Tennis is a racket sport that is played either individually against a single opponent ( singles) or between two teams of two players each ( doubles). Each player uses a tennis racket that is strung with cord to strike a hollow rubber ball ...

teams. Grier has a dance program housed in a Performing Arts Center. Grier's Pre-Professional Dancers performed at Steps on Broadway in New York City and the Koresh Showcase in Philadelphia. Non-varsity sports include

alpine skiing Alpine skiing, or downhill skiing, is the pastime of sliding down snow-covered slopes on skis with fixed-heel bindings, unlike other types of skiing ( cross-country, Telemark, or ski jumping), which use skis with free-heel bindings. Whether for ...

yoga Yoga (; sa, योग, lit=yoke' or 'union ) is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines which originated in ancient India and aim to control (yoke) and still the mind, recognizing a detached witness-consciou ...

, body sculpting,

Pilates Pilates (; ) is a type of mind-body exercise developed in the early 20th century by German physical trainer Joseph Pilates, after whom it was named. Pilates called his method "Contrology". It is practiced worldwide, especially in countries suc ...

, archery, fencing,

badminton Badminton is a racquet sport played using racquets to hit a shuttlecock across a net. Although it may be played with larger teams, the most common forms of the game are "singles" (with one player per side) and "doubles" (with two players pe ...

, and

table tennis Table tennis, also known as ping-pong and whiff-whaff, is a sport in which two or four players hit a lightweight ball, also known as the ping-pong ball, back and forth across a table using small solid rackets. It takes place on a hard table div ...

. Grier's equestrian program hosts over 40 horses in facilities that include two indoor rings and two outdoor rings. Grier offers riding lessons at all levels of ability. Each student must participate in some sport at least one hour a day, four days a week.

Activities

Grier girls and Kiski boys enjoy a dance together at an annual prom. On the weekends, there are many activities offered, both on campus and off. Trips off-campus include visits to New York City to see Broadway shows, visits to museums in

Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...

and Washington, D.C., outing club activities, community service, horseback riding, skiing, shopping trips, bowling, trips to the movies, dinner outings, fly fishing, golfing and other activities.

Campus

Grier students live in dormitories housed in the main complex of buildings and in dormitories called "Cottages." Two girls share one bedroom and a bathroom with the two students down the hall. A pair of housemothers supervise each dorm, taking care of the girls in the dorm. Grier kitchen staff provide breakfast, lunch, and dinner each day. School and college counselors help students adjust to life at school and prepare for college. There is a Health Center on campus, staffed by registered nurses. Grier School also hosts summer camps during the summer months, a "sleep away" camp that also offers day camper programs. The summer camps attract students who enjoy horseback riding, dance, creative arts, and theater. At Grier summer camps, ages 7 to 18 may attend.

Notable alumnae

Camila Sodi Camila Ía González Sodi (; born 14 May 1986) is a Mexican singer, actress and model. She is the niece of the singer and actress Thalía and a member of the Sodi family. Family life Camila Ía González Sodi was born in Mexico City, Mexico ...

Sources

{{DEFAULTSORT:Grier School Girls' schools in Pennsylvania Educational institutions established in 1853 High schools in Central Pennsylvania Private middle schools in Pennsylvania Private high schools in Pennsylvania Schools in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania 1853 establishments in Pennsylvania