{{Short description|Private all-girls school in New York City}} {{About||the private school in Princeton|Chapin School (New Jersey)|the former school in Chicopee, Massachusetts|Chapin School (Chicopee, Massachusetts)}} {{Primary sources|date=March 2024}} {{Use mdy dates|date=November 2022}} {{Infobox school | name = Chapin School | image = Logo of the Chapin School.png | established = {{start date and age|1901|paren=yes}} | religious_affiliation = Nonsectarian | type = {{flatlist| * Private * day * college preparatory }} | gender = Girls | enrollment = 810<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.chapin.edu/admissions/tuitionfinancial-aid|title=Tuition at Chapin|website=www.chapin.edu}}</ref> | motto = {{langx|la|Fortiter et Recte}} | motto_translation = Bravely and Rightly | tuition = $68,250 (2025-26)<ref name="auto"/> | chair = LeeAnn Black | head_label = Head of School | head = Suzanne Fogarty<ref>[http://www.chapin.edu/faculty_staff/head_of_school.html "Head of School"]; {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080517104515/http://www.chapin.edu/faculty_staff/head_of_school.html |date=May 17, 2008 }}, undated, at chapin.edu. Retrieved May 19, 2009.</ref> | address = 100 East End Avenue | city = New York City | state = New York | country = United States | zipcode = 10028 | campus = Urban | faculty = | avg_class_size = | ratio = 6:1 | grades = K–12 | nickname = <!--athletic nickname-->Gators | colors = {{color box|Green}}{{color box|Gold}} Green and gold | athletic_conference = NYSAISAA | affiliations = New York Interschool | coordinates = {{Coord|40.773901|-73.945779|format=dms|type:edu_region:US-NY|display=inline,title}} | website = {{URL|www.chapin.edu}} }}
'''Chapin School''' is an all-girls independent day school in Manhattan's Upper East Side neighborhood in New York City.
== History == Maria Bowen Chapin opened "Miss Chapin's School for Girls and Kindergarten for Boys and Girls" in 1901. The school originally enrolled 78 students, who were taught by seven teachers.<ref>[http://www.chapin.edu/experience_chapin/history.html "School History & Timeline"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071023213302/http://chapin.edu/experience_chapin/history.html |date=October 23, 2007 }}, undated, at chapin.edu. Retrieved May 18, 2009.</ref> It developed from a small elementary school Chapin and Alice Wetmore founded in 1894 that was explicitly intended to prepare young girls for success at the Brearley School, which had been created 10 years earlier. Chapin ran the educational side of "Primary Classes for Girls" and Wetmore ran the business end. The two ended their partnership in 1901, and Miss Chapin's School was born.
Chapin's first high school diplomas were granted in 1908, and the last boys attended in 1917.
Chapin remained headmistress until 1932. At her request, the school was renamed the Chapin School after she died, in 1934.
Chapin is at 100 East End Avenue, at East 84th Street. Chapin's school was originally at 12 West 47th Street. In 1905 the school moved to East 58th Street. In 1910 it moved to East 57th Street. The school has been at its current location on the Upper East Side since 1928.<ref>[http://www.chapin.edu/experience_chapin/history.html "School History & Timeline"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071023213302/http://chapin.edu/experience_chapin/history.html |date=October 23, 2007 }}, undated, at chapin.edu. Retrieved March 5, 2011.</ref>
== Heads of School == *1901–1932: Maria Bowen Chapin *1932–1935: Mary Cecelia Fairfax<sup>§</sup> *1932–1959: Ethel Grey Stringfellow<sup>§</sup> *1959–1993: Mildred Jeanmaire Berendsen *1993–2003: Sandra Theunick *2003–2020: Patricia T. Hayot *2020–present: Suzanne Fogarty
:<sup>§</sup> joint headmistresses, 1932–1935
== Academics, activities, and athletics == Chapin's 802 students are split into three divisions: Lower School (kindergarten through grade 3), Middle School (grades 4 through 7), and Upper School (grades 8 through 12).
Around sixty students start in kindergarten, where they are divided into three classes. Each K class has two teachers, with regular use of teaching specialists (e.g., reading, Spanish, art, music, science, technology, gym, etc.)
There are about 265 students in the Upper School (8th through 12th grades), where they are taught by 53 faculty members. Traditionally, Chapin did not make an effort to replace students who left the school (generally for boarding and coed schools), leading to graduating classes of around 40. Currently, class sizes have changed, with most grades containing 65–70 students. A few students are added every year or two, often to compensate for students leaving, and 6–10 are added in 6th grade. A larger number of students are added in 9th grade, increasing the overall upper division class size.
While the lower school program combines progressive and traditional characteristics, the upper school curriculum is considered to be a traditionally rigorous liberal arts program. There are multiple requirements, including at least one modern language and two years of Latin. The Latin requirement is fulfilled in the 7th and 8th grade, and not required for those joining the school past that. The languages offered in addition to Latin are Spanish, French, and Mandarin. While Chapin used to offer AP classes, they were phased out in recent years{{when|date=February 2021}}, and the school focuses on advanced courses of their own design. Electives are called FOCUS courses, and are offered to students starting in 10th grade.
Many students do independent studies or study abroad programs, particularly through Chapin's exchange programs with the St. Hilda's Anglican School for Girls (Perth, Australia) and the American Community Schools (Athens, Greece). Since 2011, Chapin has worked with the Kibera School for Girls in Nairobi, Kenya, developing curriculum ideas and visiting each other's campuses.<ref name="chapin">{{cite web|url=http://www.chapin.edu/cf_news/view.cfm?newsid=1463|website=chapin.edu|title=News Post|access-date=February 14, 2017}}</ref> Chapin is also a charter affiliate member of the Online School for Girls (OSG), in which students can take courses offered to more than 30 girls' schools across the country. New York Interschool courses are offered in advanced math, leadership, and ethics. Mentorship derives from multiple sources, including faculty advisors and peer leaders.<ref name="chapin2">{{cite web|url=http://www.chapin.edu/page.cfm?p=2674|website=chapin.edu|title=The Chapin School: Quick Facts|access-date=February 14, 2017}}</ref>
The student-to-teacher ratio is 6 to 1. Twenty-one percent of the students receive tuition assistance, amounting to over $5 million per year.<ref name="chapin3">{{cite web|url=http://www.chapin.edu/page.cfm?p=3135|website=chapin.edu|title=The Chapin School: Chapin Facts|access-date=February 14, 2017}}</ref>
There are 18 athletic teams at Chapin, including 15 varsity sports. Named the Gators, the teams compete in the New York Athletic Association for Independent Schools (NY AAIS), which is a league composed of the Brearley School, Chapin, Friends Seminary, Hewitt School, Marymount School, Nightingale Bamford School, Packer Collegiate Institute, Convent of the Sacred Heart, Saint Ann's School, Horace Mann School, Trinity School, Riverdale Country School, Staten Island Academy, and Spence School. Chapin varsity sports include badminton, basketball, cross country, fencing, field hockey, golf, gymnastics, indoor track, lacrosse, soccer, squash, swimming, tennis, track and volleyball.<ref name="chapin5">{{cite web|url=http://www.chapin.edu/page.cfm?p=3137|website=chapin.edu|title=The Chapin School: Athletics|access-date=February 14, 2017}}</ref>
== Traditions == thumb|The Chapin School|left
The school's motto is ''Fortiter et Recte'' (Bravely and Rightly).
The wheel on the school's seal was chosen by the school's founder because it is the symbol for Saint Catherine of Alexandria, the patron saint of philosophers, thinkers, and educated women. The students leave assembly in a wheel pattern.<ref name="chapin6">{{cite web|url=http://www.chapin.edu/page.cfm?p=2607|website=chapin.edu|title=The Chapin School: Mission & History|access-date=February 14, 2017}}{{Dead link|date=April 2026 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref>
Chapin has had a tradition of green/gold competitions since at least 1912. Throughout the year, but especially on the annual Field Day, these green and gold teams fiercely compete until a winner is announced at the end of each school year. Students join their team in 4th grade—when applicable, joining the team of their mother or grandmother—and remain on the same team throughout their time at Chapin.<ref name="chapin2" />
Commencement ceremonies have remained unchanged for a century. Students wear white dresses and stand together with no differentiation made. No academic awards are given, and there has never been a Chapin valedictorian.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Goldman |first=Victoria |title=The Manhattan family guide to private schools and selective public schools |publisher=SoHo |publication-date=2005 |pages=158}}</ref>
Chapin has long stood in athletic rivalry to the neighboring Brearley School, with which it shares some classes, after-school programs, homecoming, and a robotics team.<ref name="robotics">{{cite web|url=http://robotics.brearley.org|website=robotics.brearley.org|title=Double X Robotics – Home|access-date=February 14, 2017}}</ref>
== Facilities == All Chapin programs exist under one roof.
=== Annenberg Library === The building features the two-story Annenberg Library with over 45,000 volumes and rooms for multimedia and video editing.<ref name="chapin7">{{cite web|url=http://www.chapin.edu/page.cfm?p=2685|website=chapin.edu|title=The Chapin School: Library|access-date=February 14, 2017}}</ref><ref name="chapin8">{{cite web|url=http://www.chapin.edu/page.cfm?p=2669|website=chapin.edu|title=The Chapin School: Curriculum|access-date=February 14, 2017}}</ref> The library also contains a 3D printing and vinyl cutting room, three student study rooms, a student conference room, multiple lounge and table areas amongst the bookshelves, and a multi-media room. There is a separate lower-school library.
=== Classrooms and gyms === As of 2025, Chapin featured 56 classrooms, eight science laboratories, four art studios including a photography darkroom and a ceramics studio, two music studios, a black box theater, a dance studio, two computer laboratories, four gymnasiums and a greenhouse.
=== Additional facilities === In 2008, construction at Chapin provided new facilities for art, language, science and the greenhouse via expansion of the fifth and sixth floors and addition of the seventh and eighth floors.<ref name="advancedglazings">{{cite web|url=http://blog.advancedglazings.com/2011/02/23/chapin/|website=blog.advancedglazings.com|title=Urban School Harnesses Daylight, Architectural Firm Is Born | Solera Light Reading|access-date=February 14, 2017|date=February 23, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161028232706/https://blog.advancedglazings.com/2011/02/23/chapin/|archive-date=October 28, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>
A further round of construction began in May 2015.<ref name="ourtownny">{{cite web|url=http://www.ourtownny.com/local-news/20150120/chapin-expansion-plan-nixed-by-cb8|website=ourtownny.com|title=Chapin Expansion Plan Nixed by CB8|access-date=February 14, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160914153053/http://www.ourtownny.com/local-news/20150120/chapin-expansion-plan-nixed-by-cb8|archive-date=September 14, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Hayot |first=Patricia |date=22 April 2015 |title=letter_to_neighbors_4.22.15_.pdf |url=https://www.chapin.edu/uploaded/Building_Planning/letter_to_neighbors_4.22.15_.pdf |access-date=16 April 2026 |website=chapin.edu}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Hayot |first=Patricia T. |date=13 March 2015 |title=letter_to_neighbors_3.13.15.pdf |url=https://www.chapin.edu/uploaded/Building_Planning/letter_to_neighbors_3.13.15.pdf |access-date=16 April 2026 |website=chapin.edu}}</ref> The new Lower Level Dining Room, a dining space for classes K–5 and multipurpose room, was completed in 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.chapin.edu/page.cfm?p=2612|title=The Chapin School: Timeline|website=chapin.edu|access-date=2017-09-26}}</ref> With the project completed, Chapin now has eleven stories and a top-floor regulation-size gymnasium to complement its four previous gyms, a rooftop turf practice field and fitness center, expanded performing arts facilities, much larger dining facilities, and additional classrooms to provide more flexibility and experiential learning.<ref name="chapin9">{{cite web|url=http://www.chapin.edu/page.cfm?p=3463|website=chapin.edu|title=The Chapin School: Street Images|access-date=February 14, 2017}}</ref><ref name="chapin3" /><ref name="chapin10">{{cite web|url=http://www.chapin.edu/page.cfm?p=3461|website=chapin.edu|title=The Chapin School: Building Project|access-date=February 14, 2017}}</ref> Chapin's construction project drew opposition from neighbors, who have objected to its scale, its length, and the noise level, among other issues.<ref name="DNAinfo">{{cite web|url=https://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20170815/yorkville/chapin-school-expansion-causes-water-line-break-rats-locals-say?+Roosevelt+Island|title=Chapin School Construction Causes Water Shutoff on Upper East Side Block|website=DNAInfo|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170926100716/https://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20170815/yorkville/chapin-school-expansion-causes-water-line-break-rats-locals-say?+Roosevelt+Island|archive-date=September 26, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>
== College placement and rankings == Chapin is typically ranked among the top private schools in the United States.<ref name="thebestschools">{{cite web|url=https://www.thebestschools.org/blog/2013/04/30/50-private-day-schools-united-states/|website=thebestschools.org|title=The 50 Best Private Day Schools in the United States | The Best Schools|access-date=February 14, 2017}}{{Dead link|date=April 2026 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref><ref name="successfulstudent">{{cite web|url=https://successfulstudent.org/26-best-private-schools-2014/|website=successfulstudent.org|title=26 Best Private Schools 2014 – Successful Student|access-date=February 14, 2017|date=September 22, 2014}}</ref>
== Notable alumnae == {{Main list|List of Chapin School people }}
== References == {{reflist|2}} *Noerdlinger, Charlotte Johnson. ''And Cheer for the Green and Gold: An Anecdotal History of the Chapin School''. New York: The Chapin School, 2000.
== External links == * [https://www.chapin.edu/ The Chapin School official website]
{{Upper East Side|state=collapsed}} {{Education in Manhattan}} {{New York Interschool}} {{Girls' schools in New York City}} {{Portal bar |New York City|Schools}}{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chapin School, The}} Category:Delano & Aldrich buildings Category:Girls' schools in New York City Category:Private elementary schools in Manhattan Category:Private high schools in Manhattan Category:Private middle schools in Manhattan Category:Upper East Side Category:Educational institutions established in 1901 Category:1901 establishments in New York City