News & Calendar

Holderness News

2021

  • July

    Penny For Your Thoughts

    Greg Kwasnik
    It’s probably safe to assume that when Karen Penny decided to pursue a career in healthcare, she never imagined a scenario in which she would have to send hundreds of vials of saliva through the mail, every single week.
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  • Holderness Names New Dean Of Students

    Greg Kwasnik
    Whether they’re learning how to live in a dorm, enduring discomfort on Out Back, or just watching their teachers go about their lives on campus, students at a boarding school learn countless important lessons outside the classroom.
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  • No snow? No problem! Air Bag lets Holderness Skiers Flip, Spin, and Grab All Summer Long!

    Greg Kwasnik
    It’s the height of summer in New Hampshire’s White Mountains, but our student-athletes are still skiing and snowboarding thanks to Holderness School’s innovative new air bag jump.
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  • June

    Fourth Quarter Honor Roll

    The Honor Roll recognizes and commends outstanding achievement and effort in the academic program. Holderness School recognizes that each student's growth and progress is complex. Quarterly comments written by faculty better reflect the unique path traveled by each student, and the Honor Roll and Effort Honor Roll are simplified but significant markers of the engagement of our students in the most recent marking interval.
    Read More

  • Announcing the Next Head of Holderness School

    Nell Reynolds
    It is with great joy on behalf of the Board of Trustees and the Search Task Force that we announce the appointment of John McVeigh as the 10th Holderness Head of School beginning July 1, 2022. After an incredibly rewarding and validating search that involved nearly 200 deeply talented and qualified candidates from across the country and around the world, we have the utmost confidence that we have found the individual that will best succeed Phil Peck.
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  • All-School Summer Read Announced

    After much consideration, we are pleased to announce the winners of this year's All-School Summer Reading Contest! Just like last summer, we have selected two books - so please feel free to read either, or both.
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  • Climate Action Group Creates Virtual Thrift Shop

    Thea Dodds
    Climate Action in the times of COVID was not easy, but group organizers Abigail Cole ‘21 and Gracie Roe ‘21 persevered along with their faculty advisor Dr. Mumford.  The group was forced to take their action online and had surprisingly good results.
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  • Kathy Liech ’18 & Ellie Batchelder ’18 Awarded Rev. B. W. “Pete” Woodward, Jr. Prize

    Phil Peck
    The Rev. B. W. “Pete” Woodward, Jr. Prize is given in recognition of a Holderness graduate in their junior year of college for academic performance, exceptional leadership and contributions made to their college community. 

    This year we have the honor of awarding this prize to two outstanding and deserving recipients.
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  • Burgie Howard ’82 Receives Distinguished Alumni Award

    Phil Peck
    The Distinguished Alumni Award honors an alum who has displayed outstanding leadership and/or service in their community or professional field.
     
    Burgie Howard ’82 referees youth lacrosse. It connects him to the game he so deeply loves. But there’s more to it. It’s an opportunity for him to give back, to serve that game. He jokes that he referees to right the wrongs of so many bad referees that came before him.
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  • May

    Jessica Lahey, Best-Selling Author of “The Gift of Failure,” to Speak at Holderness Symposium

    Greg Kwasnik
    In late May, after graduation and final exams, Holderness School faculty will meet for Holderness Symposium, a learning experience designed to foster important conversations around teaching and learning. This year, faculty will learn from Jessica Lahey, noted teacher and best-selling author of The Gift of Failure. 
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  • Congratulations to the Class of 2021!  

    Celebrating its 142nd Commencement, Holderness School hosted an unforgettable on-campus, in-person to honor the remarkable and resilient Class of 2021.  Due in large part to the hard work and foresight of the school’s COVID-19 response, graduates were able to receive their diplomas with handshakes and smiles, all while surrounded by family and united by the strong bonds of the Holderness School community.  
     
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  • Holderness Celebrates Academic Achievement, Community Contribution

    Andrew Herring
    Holderness School’s community gathered on Livermore Common on Sunday, May 16 to celebrate Prize Day and honor the personal growth, community contribution, and intellectual grit shown by our students.
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  • Burgwell “Burgie” Howard ’82 – Our 142nd Commencement Speaker

    Greg Kwasnik
    Burgwell “Burgie” Howard ’82, Associate Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Student Engagement at Yale University and Holderness School trustee, will speak at the school’s 142nd Commencement on May 23, 2021.
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  • Graduating Artists Share Their Final Work

    Thea Dodds
    The arts are a critical pillar of any high school education and for some it becomes a guiding light, often to those who don’t even expect that themselves. Jobe Gemmell-Hughes ‘21, Abby Palmer ‘21, and Gracie Roe ‘21 all won scholastic awards this year for their art and placed in a juried show at the AVA Gallery. In their final weeks at Holderness, they are hanging a show in the Weld Dining Hall and we asked them to reflect on their time in the Holderness Art Department.
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  • Congratulations To Our Holderness School Leaders For 2021-2022

    Our community gathered on May 5 to name our new school leaders during our annual Leadership Chapel, a tradition that spans more than 70 years. It’s a unique process without speeches or campaigning, where students are assessed on the qualities of fairness, initiative, dependability, and empathy. Holderness defines leadership as each person’s journey to serve and empower others, and we see these leadership characteristics as vital in developing servant leaders.
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  • April

    Student Departure Information

    Tobi Pfenninger
    It’s hard to believe the school year is coming to an end! Before the students leave for a much-deserved summer vacation, they still have three weeks of classes to complete, three weekends of athletic competitions, the Spring Musical, and year-end assessments and activities. They also have many opportunities to spend time with their friends, to enjoy another brownie sundae at the Head's House, and to participate in Spring Fest on Saturday evening, May 15th. 
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  • Holderness Students Champion LGBTQ+ Youth on Day of Silence

    Thea Dodds
    The Aliance Club sponsored the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network's (GLSEN) Day of Silence this past Friday. This is a student-led national event where students and teachers take a vow of silence to highlight the silencing and erasure of LGBTQ+ people at schools. Members of the Holderness community filled hallways and paths dressed in red and silent.
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  • Student-Athletes Commit to Play at the Next Level

    Andrew Herring
    Nine Holderness School student-athletes committed to play competitive college athletics on Tuesday, April 20.  These students represent some of the top athletic talent in New Hampshire and New England and are testaments to Holderness School’s culture of academic and athletic excellence.
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  • Holderness Set to Begin Major Nordic, Turf Field Projects

    Greg Kwasnik
    Just as Holderness School nears completion on its new 35,000 square-foot math and science building this spring, the school is set to embark on a series of transformative upgrades to its Nordic trails and athletic fields.
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  • Spring Ahead With Saturday Programming

    Greg Kwasnik
    When the COVID-19 pandemic struck last spring, educators knew the following school year would pose unprecedented challenges for students and faculty. That concern prompted Holderness to forego regular Saturday morning classes - at least for the 2020-21 school year – in favor of programming that supported students’ social and emotional wellbeing.
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  • Holderness Skiers Compete in U.S. Alpine Championships in Colorado

    Greg Kwasnik
    Spring may have already sprung in the foothills of the White Mountains, but winter is still going strong for the Holderness School ski program with skiers competing in national championships and elite training camps across the country. 
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  • Holderness Students Ages 16+ Get COVID-19 Vaccine

    Greg Kwasnik
    The state of New Hampshire currently has one of the highest vaccination rates against COVID-19 in the country. This week, several dozen Holderness School students will be added to that total.
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  • Holderness Names New Dean of Students

    Greg Kwasnik
    After an extensive search, Holderness School is pleased to announce the hiring of Mb Duckett Ireland as the school’s new Dean of Students.
    Read More

  • Holderness Art Students Win Three of Six Categories in the 2021 AVA High School Juried Exhibit

    Thea Dodds
    Holderness School is excited to announce that its students have won three of six categories in the 2021 AVA High School Juried Exhibit, placing them among the avant-garde of New Hampshire high school artists.
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  • Holderness Names New “Head of Cool”

    When Head of School Phil Peck announced that he would retire in June 2022, Holderness School began a nationwide search to find his replacement. While that search is still ongoing, the board of trustees has announced that Mr. Peck will spend the first year of his retirement on campus in a newly-created advisory role: Head of Cool.
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  • March

    Holderness Students Accepted to Nearly 150 Colleges and Universities

    Greg Kwasnik
    Applying to college has always required students to face the unknown – and that was before the COVID-19 pandemic changed everything. For this year’s crop of Holderness seniors, applying to college has been an unprecedented exercise in adapting to a changed world. From virtual college tours to Zoom interviews with admission officers, today’s seniors had to overcome many challenges to find the right college fit. With college decisions now arriving in student mailboxes (and inboxes), we wanted to talk with Holderness School’s Interim Director of College Counseling Erika Blauth about the many challenges - and opportunities - that our college-bound seniors faced over the last year.
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  • Report of Appreciation 2020

    The Holderness experience simply wouldn’t be possible without the support we receive from our generous donors. Our annual Report of Appreciation is just one way we thank all the alums, parents, and friends who have given to Holderness School over the preceding fiscal year. From inspiring stories about scholarship recipients to profiles of major Holderness donors, this year’s Report of Appreciation is packed with important information about the fiscal health and growth of Holderness School.
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  • Third Quarter Honor Roll

    The Honor Roll recognizes and commends outstanding achievement and effort in the academic program. Holderness School recognizes that each student's growth and progress is complex. Quarterly comments written by faculty better reflect the unique path traveled by each student, and the Honor Roll and Effort Honor Roll are simplified but significant markers of the engagement of our students in the most recent marking interval.
    Read More

  • Standing with the Asian, Asian American, and Pacific Islander Community

    Phil Peck
    It is with profound sorrow that I write this message.  The recent shooting in Atlanta and the sharp rise in violence against Asian Americans is heart-wrenching, unacceptable, and inconsistent with the values of this nation and of Holderness School. We condemn these senseless acts of violence and racism, and we stand in solidarity with the victims of these crimes, the Asian American community, and our Asian, Asian American, and Pacific Islander (AAPI) students, colleagues, alumni, and community members.
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  • Head of School Search Process Update

    Nell Reynolds & Bob Hall
    Dear Holderness Community,

    It has been two months since Phil Peck announced that he will retire in June 2022. The outpouring of support for Phil has been so gratifying to observe, and we are happy to report that he is thriving during this transition. We are equally excited to share that the search for the next Holderness Head of School is progressing quite well. In our recent NEASC (New England Association of Schools & Colleges) accreditation, Holderness was praised for remaining “true to itself” through dedicated leadership, a commitment to mission, and a foundation of unwavering values. Combined with its reputation for academic strength, excellent outdoor and athletic programming, and an incredibly loyal community of alumni, families, students, employees, and friends, this sense of self that Holderness has is attracting a strong and diverse group of potential candidates expressing interest in the position. It is clear that what we all know, understand, and love about the unique nature of Holderness and its community is being recognized far and wide.
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  • New Whitewater Kayaking Team Starting Spring '21

    Greg Kwasnik
    This spring, students can swap their skis for a paddle and personal flotation device, because the school is launching a new whitewater kayaking team. 
    Read More

  • February

    Celebrating Black History: February is Just a Start

    Greg Kwasnik
    February is Black History Month, and students in Holderness School’s new Culture and Justice Club have used that time to spark the community’s awareness and appreciation of Black history, excellence, and culture.
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  • Holderness Wins AP Computer Science Award

    Greg Kwasnik
    Holderness School has earned the College Board’s AP Computer Science Female Diversity Award for expanding access to AP Computer Science A - one of only 232 schools in the country to receive such an award.
    Read More

  • Student Magazine Wins National Award

    Greg Kwasnik
    Despite a number of editorial challenges imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Holderness School’s literary and visual arts magazine, Mosaic, recently took home a top award from the 2020 Scholastic Yearbook and Magazine Awards.
    Read More

  • The Intersection of Lunar New Year and Black History Month

    Marilee Lin
    Happy Lunar New Year!

    Best wishes to all of our students who celebrate this most important of Asian holidays. May this Year of the Ox 🐂 be filled with happiness, good health, and prosperity.
    Read More

  • A Day of Giving Record -- 1600+ Donors

    Phil Peck
    I am in awe of the outpouring of support during yesterday’s Day of Giving. More than 1600 donors – a record – contributed over $640,000 to support the Holderness Experience.  Talk about making an immediate impact! This, our 7th Annual Day of Giving, was our most successful yet because of you!
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  • Day of Giving is Feb. 16, 2021

    Every February, we dedicate one entire day to raising money for the Holderness Fund. Day of Giving is essential to ensuring the transformational Holderness Experience for current students.  Gifts on Day of Giving are immediately put to use to cover student scholarships, teacher salaries, special programs, and numerous essentials.
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  • January

    Four Holderness Students Win Scholastic Arts Awards

    Thea Dodds
    Holderness art students got a boost of recognition from the Scholastic Art Awards of New Hampshire. Dianne Fu ‘23, Cece Robinson ‘24, Logan Severance ‘24, and Jobe Gemmell-Hughes ‘21 all received Honorable Mentions. Logan Severance ‘24 also received a Silvery Key for her work “Recreation of Museum Artwork.”
    Read More

  • The People's Choice: Abby Vieira '20

    Greg Kwasnik
    Nearly a year after becoming the first athlete to compete for Trinidad and Tobago in the Winter Youth Olympic Games in Lausanne, Switzerland, Abby Vieira ’20, has been named Junior Sportswoman of the Year and People’s Choice Award winner by the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee.
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  • More than hope. It is time for truth and justice

    Jini Sparkman
    So often on the day designated to honor the life and legacy of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., we focus on our needs--the things that make us feel good. We look to his speeches for hope, to be inspired, to seek out motivational quotations for social media. But this use of Dr. King’s legacy and words to comfort and inspire is, in my personal opinion, a bastardization of his legacy--of the very real complex person he was and the radical vision he had for us. A vision of justice and accountability that could only result in radical change. Dr. King was a radical for racial justice, economic justice, democratic socialism, and demilitarization. I would even purport that, as a white person, my white community has shifted the legacy of a hero of civil and human rights to serve our purpose rather than the purpose of justice. And it was ultimately liberty and justice that was the goal of the work of Dr. King.
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  • Art in the Era of COVID-19

    Thea Dodds
    COVID-19 has provided many challenges for all of us in more ways than we can count.  One opportunity we've seen in this challenge is that it demands us all to be more creative and one place that was most apparent this fall was in the Holderness Art Department.
    Read More

  • An Academic Schedule Built For Winter

    Greg Kwasnik
    With world-class ski resorts just a short drive away, plus 20 kilometers of Nordic ski trails and an outdoor ice rink on campus, Holderness School seems like it was built for winter. The same can be said of the school’s new winter schedule, which was redesigned to help students thrive amid the challenges of cold weather, short days, and ongoing COVID-19 restrictions.
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  • Head of School Phil Peck Announces June 2022 Retirement

    Dear Holderness Community,

    It is with profound gratitude that I share I will be retiring in June 2022.  As Board Chair Nell Reynolds, the board, and I have discussed, the timing feels perfect for Holderness and for Robin and me. I am incredibly fortunate to be able to retire at this time, but I am also thankful to have another 18 months to serve Holderness.
    Read More

  • 2nd QUARTER HONOR ROLL

    The Honor Roll recognizes and commends outstanding achievement and effort in the academic program. Holderness School recognizes that each student's growth and progress is complex. Quarterly comments written by faculty better reflect the unique path traveled by each student, and the Honor Roll and Effort Honor Roll are simplified but significant markers of the engagement of our students in the most recent marking interval.

    Download the Honor Roll & Excellent Effort Honor Roll
    Read More
Head's Photo of the Day
Head of School, Phil Peck, has been documenting the daily life of Holderness School one photo at a time since 2001, highlighting teaching moments, inspirational chapels, Head’s Day shenanigans, service projects, and more.
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    Holderness School
    33 Chapel Lane, Holderness, NH 03245

    MAIL P.O. Box 1879 Plymouth, NH 03264-1879
    PHONE (603) 536-1257
    EMAIL info@holderness.org