Pre-Kindergarten $22,250; Kindergarten and Pre-First $32,100; Lower School $34,800; Middle School $36,850; Upper School $38,750; Upper School Five-day Boarding $52,250 (2023–2024)[1]
McDonogh School is a private, coeducational, PK-12, non-denominational school situated on an 800-acre campus in Owings Mills, Maryland. McDonogh enrolls 1,460 students, approximately 75 of whom participate in the Upper School's five-day boarding program.[2] The school employs approximately 190 full-time faculty members, more than 67% of whom hold advanced degrees and more than 50 of whom live on-campus.[2]
Founded in 1873, McDonogh has a long legacy of delivering educational excellence. It is regarded as one of the Baltimore region's most prestigious preparatory schools and has been called a "Power School" by Baltimore magazine.[3] The school's students frequently matriculate to Ivy League and other top-ranked colleges and universities.[4] McDonogh's athletic programs have also seen widespread success, particularly in lacrosse, soccer, wrestling, track, and football, where the school's teams have been nationally ranked in recent years.
The school was established outside of Baltimore, Maryland in 1873 and funded by the estate of John McDonogh (1779 - 1850), a former Baltimore resident and enslaver.[6][7] The McDonogh campus encompasses 800 acres of land and houses more than 15 educational buildings including a new home for the middle school, The Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Building.
McDonogh was established as a semi-military school for orphan boys who worked on the farm in exchange for their tuition, room, and board. Paying students arrived in 1922, and day students in 1927. The first African-American student was admitted in 1959, eight years after Brown v. Board of Education outlawed school segregation.[7] In 1971, the military traditions of the school were discontinued.[8] The school became coeducational in 1975. McDonogh School's annual tuition ranges from $23,550 for Pre-Kindergarten students up to $41,050 for students of the Upper School.[9] Financial aid continues to this day, with $7.1 million in need-based aid awarded in the 2023-2024 school year.[2]
David J. Farace, the present head of school, is the 13th person to hold this position. He assumed the role in 2018, succeeding Charles W. Britton.[10]
Academics
McDonogh's curriculum is centered around LifeReady, the school's distinctive academic framework that elevates programs with enhanced rigor and ignites creativity in its faculty, empowering students to excel and distinguish themselves as self-reliant, critical thinkers ready to make a meaningful impact in an ever-evolving world. LifeReady classrooms are vibrant spaces of inquiry, analysis, and understanding where students take an active role in their learning.[11]
The Upper School offers a college preparatory curriculum that includes English, world languages, social studies and history, mathematics, science and computer science, visual and performing arts, debate, wellness, and physical education courses. Honors or Advanced courses are available in all academic departments.[12] Upper School students must also complete a community service requirement. All students perform an academic project independently or in small groups during the final three weeks of their senior year.[13]
At every grade level, students grow from purposeful character education and are guided by the virtues on McDonogh’s Character Compass: honesty, kindness, respect, responsibility, and service.[14]
Academic and personal integrity is emphasized in the Middle and Upper School's Honor Code, which a student-run Honor Council enforces. The Honor Code reads:
I will not lie, cheat, or steal. I will respect the rights and well-being of myself and others.[13]
Roots Farm
Roots Farm started as a community garden in 2009 and is now a 10-acre vibrant outdoor classroom on the edge of McDonogh’s campus. With an ever-changing landscape, two barns, a greenhouse, 10 beehives, chickens and turkeys, and a culinary kitchen and outdoor brick oven, Roots is a teaching and learning space used by faculty in all disciplines.[15]
In keeping with the school's commitment to "do the greatest amount of good," the bulk of produce harvested by students and community volunteers is donated to the Maryland Food Bank’s Farm to Food Bank program. The produce is also served in the School’s dining halls, and a portion is sold to local restaurants with proceeds supporting our seed-to-table program. In 2023, the farm donated 6,685 pounds of produce to the Maryland Food Bank.[16]
Roots Farm also hosts Honey of a JamFest, an annual celebration held usually in late September. It includes a corn maze and farm games such as outdoor Connect 4.[17] In 2024, the event was postponed from late September to mid-October due to rain from Hurricane Helene.
Ben Queen (1992), screenwriter, television producer, wrote Disney/Pixar's Cars 2 and Cars 3
Pam Shriver (1979), former professional tennis player and current sports broadcaster
Frederic N. Smalkin (1964), Maryland's Chief Federal District Judge and brigadier general[24]
Giles Smith (2009), competitive swimmer, Pac 12 Scholar athlete of the year,[25] NCAA medley champion,[26] 2015 Pan American Games gold medalist in 100-meter fly with Pan American Games record time.[27]
