The Portsmouth Abbey education is grounded in the Western intellectual tradition, from ancient Greece and Rome and continuing into this century. This liberal arts curriculum is balanced by a focus on spirituality, athletics, arts and co-curriculars.
Mission
The aim of Portsmouth Abbey School is to help young men and women grow in knowledge and grace.
As a Benedictine boarding and day school committed to excellence, we embrace the Catholic faith while nurturing reverence for God and the human person, love of learning, and commitment to community life.
Chris Behnke '81, Chairman
As the chairman of the Portsmouth Abbey Board of Directors, I am delighted to report that the campus and community are vibrant and inspiring.
More than ever, the Abbey stands tall as a unique and greatly needed respite in a fast-paced world that is losing contact with the anchoring and guiding principles that provide our backbone of focus and purpose.
Our History
Originally called Portsmouth Priory, the School officially opened with 18 students in September of 1926.
We remain rooted in this great history while looking forward to the future.
Academics
Our wide range of academic offerings satisfies and nurtures the curiosity of every student.
They leave the Abbey prepared for the academic rigor of colleges and universities thanks to our small class sizes, passionate teachers, and engaging content.
Meet Our Faculty
In most disciplines you are able to ask really interesting and creative questions. What I love most about science is that there is an infrastructure in place that allows you to actually find out the answers to those questions via experiments. The scientific method is an extraordinarily powerful framework to understand our world and I love investigating it with my students.
Dr. Stephen Zins Head of the Science Department
Abbey Curriculum
In this ever-evolving world, we work to strike a balance between forward thinking innovation and stability rooted in tradition
We encourage our students to ask big questions: Who am I? What is my place in this world? Where am I going? How do I know? Our independent academic and co-curricular programming encourages students to develop reverence for God and the human person, respect for learning and order, and a sense of responsibility for the shared experience of community life, as we prepare our students to engage in successful college careers and in the world beyond formal education.
Enrichment
Our enrichment programs allow students to travel the world and apply lessons in the classroom to real life experiences.
Over the course of four years at Portsmouth Abbey, 70% of students experience life beyond Cory’s Lane by immersing themselves in another culture.
School Life
More than 350 students call our campus home and within it find a place to build friendships, create traditions, and grow within our inclusive community.
Once you become part of the Raven community, you will have a lifelong home.
Residential Life
Our House system lies at both the heart of our mission and the boarding school tradition.
Students live, study, and sleep in eight individual Houses alongside faculty Houseparents and their families.
Spiritual Life
At the core of our mission is the desire to grow in knowledge and grace.
The spiritual life of our School is rooted in the Benedictine ideal of a community life of work and prayer (“ora et labora”). Our spiritual life programs seek to provide spiritual growth centered in intellectual development.
Leadership & Community Service
We often say that the best leaders are ones without a title.
Our students naturally grow into strong leaders over time here at the Abbey, empowered by the characteristics true to our mission of reverence, respect, and responsibility.
Arts
Students have numerous opportunities to create and engage in higher thinking through visual art, drama, music, and more.
As part of our liberal arts curriculum, we have kept artistic endeavor alive and thriving at the Abbey.
Music
Our music program offers opportunities for one-on-one lessons with experienced teachers.
We also offer the opportunity to partake in one of our many ensembles of different musical styles.
Performing Arts
Working on either side of the curtain, students learn about the immediate but indelible nature of this most collaborative of the arts.
Performing in front of a large audience can have a profound impact on a student. It is an exhilarating experience that builds self-esteem and confidence, and helps students in future leadership, artistic, or public speaking situations
Mr. Jay Bragan Dom Ambrose Wolverton Chair in Performing Arts
Visual Arts
Our visual arts program is a catalyst for students to problem-solve and sharpen their understanding of other subjects.
With opportunities for painting, drawing, ceramics, art history, and photography, the possibilities are endless.
Athletics
Each student has an opportunity to compete in one or more of our 43 teams.
Our athletics programs offer lessons in sportsmanship, cooperation, resilience, sacrifice, and leadership.
Team Pages
The rewards of athletics participation are immediate and enduring.
Our diverse athletics offerings provide boys and girls equal opportunities in a variety of team and individual sports.
Schedules & Results
Alumni Athletes
At the Abbey, I learned what it truly meant to be a teammate. Squash is an individual, ladder sport but we always treated each other with respect and cheered each other on.
Claire Davidson ‘16#1 ranked squash player at Tufts University
