GA is a PreK-12, coed, nonsectarian day school in Fort Washington, PA
GA’s Family Centered Admission process ensures that prospective families and students are provided with the thoughtful information they need to best understand our program, philosophy, and community, while parent input, school information and admission assessments help us get to know each applicant. Our goal is to ensure that our students are in the best position possible to be both happy and successful at GA by learning as much as we can about them, and by offering them the opportunity to learn about GA!
We live in extraordinary times and the 2020-21 school year will be different! The complexities of the COVID-19 pandemic have caused us to reimagine our admission process to ensure the health and safety of our GA community and prospective families alike. We ask for your patience as we continue to finalize our plans for the fall and will provide further details in mid-August.
We look forward to getting to know you and your family this fall. Please contact the Office of Admission, Enrollment, and Financial Aid if you have any questions at admission@germantownacademy.org or 267-405-7070. We are always happy to help.
Welcome to Germantown Academy! Founded in 1759 as the Germantown Union School, GA was established as two schools to educate both the English speaking and German speaking populations in the neighborhood. Today we are located in Fort Washington and with 260 years of history, we are the oldest non-sectarian, continuously run, independent day school in America.
Our 126 acre campus affords us the resources necessary to help students become their best selves.
GA families come from more than 90 communities, some from as far as 50 miles away, and many within 10 miles. Student transportation is provided by local school districts that are within a 10 mile radius. Currently, busing is provided by 18 neighboring districts.
The Administration Building is home to the Head of School’s Office, the Admission Office, the Business Office, and our Confucius Classroom. It is an exact replica of the original school house which still stands in Germantown.
GA’s traditional Flag Raising Ceremony is a special time for the GA community as students, faculty and staff from all three divisions come together. The Connor Quad serves as our campus common space and each school year begins and ends in this space.
The Abramson Lower School is home to our PreK through 5th grade students and it includes Leas Hall and McLean Hall.
At Germantown Academy, we believe early childhood is the foundation for lifelong learning. Our PreK - 2nd grade students are immersed in hands-on, multi-sensory environments that emphasize play based learning. Developmentally appropriate practices build foundational skills across all subject areas and our forward thinking vision promotes 21st century competencies and innovation.
Our Upper Elementary students, 3rd through 5th graders, are poised to move beyond the basics and to embrace the super skills needed today: communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity.
Special Subject Areas are curricular offerings that provide a well-rounded learning experience as they help reveal the artist and the athlete as well as the academic in each child.
The Lower School Tinker Lab is a “cool space to make stuff.” Design Thinking is the creative five-step problem-solving process founded by David Kelly of the d.school: Institute of Design at Stanford. All GA students, PreK - grade 12, learn this process to tackle real world problems resulting in opportunities for collaboration, leadership, and critical thinking.
The A to Z Library and Learning Commons blends cozy learning ‘neighborhoods’ with 21st Century enhancements to serve as both the academic centerpiece of the Lower School, and as a community hub for visiting authors, parent talks, club meetings, and multi-cultural celebrations. The design stems from the collaborative efforts of our Lower School students!
The Nature Program at Germantown Academy helps the community to know and appreciate the environment, to understand why it should be protected, and to encourage teachers to explore the campus’ abundant natural resources with their students. The Nature Nook is a place to explore, create and play.
The Lavino pool houses our rich aquatics program.
Middle School at GA, in its purest form, is a series of moments that create opportunities for transformational experiences.
The Germantown Academy Middle School experience builds upon the solid educational foundation laid by the Lower School. It is an exciting, fun, and challenging three-year journey that prepares students for the rigorous and diverse experience of the Upper School.
We ask our students to observe and measure the natural world around them. Our experiential approach to Middle School Science leads to a deeper and more personal understanding of scientific principles.
Our Middle School Art program revolves around the broader picture of what happens during the act of creating.
Self expression and the confidence to express yourself are cornerstones of the Middle School program. The Honickman Auditorium provides students with the opportunity to participate in 2 extracurricular acting experiences each year. The HA also serves as meeting space for the Middle School to convene and celebrate community.
The Korman Family Pavilion serves as the main entrance for our Middle School and Upper School families. It is seen as a gathering space for all...even a pop up concert!
The Roberts Family Library is an ever-busy learning space for our Middle and Upper School students.
Built during the 2010-11 school year, GA’s Alter Middle School and McNeil Upper School complex was the first building in Whitemarsh Township to achieve LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification, earning GA a “Gold Rating.” Atop this facility is our Green Roof and Apiary which are part of our Nature Program which allows students to learn from our abundant natural resources.
The Beard Center for Innovation is comprised of our Maker Space and Innovation Lab. In this space, students learn to problem solve, collaborate, brainstorm, and implement plans to ensure that what they are learning has relevance in their real world.
The I-Lab in action.
Harkness Tables are more than just round tables in the Upper School. They provide a forum for learning and debate. The socratic Method, learning by debate and inquiry, is a philosophy that GA embraces. Individuals graduate from GA knowing that they have their own voice and are obligated to use it.
Germantown Academy’s Science Department features an engaging curriculum that exposes students to fundamental scientific principles as well as problem-solving techniques both in the classroom and experientially in our modern lab facilities, GA’s Preserve, and other outdoor areas on our 126 acre campus.
Our Upper School curriculum consists of a wide array of challenging liberal arts classes that engage students while also affording them opportunities to pursue their strengths and interests intensively.
Established in 2007, the GA House System offers students with strong connections, excellent leadership opportunities, mentoring and collaboration, and fun and friendly activities and competition. The House System allows faculty advisors to focus on their House, ensuring that all students members receive appropriate amounts of attention and guidance.
GA’s Upper School Performing Arts provide a vibrant experience that fosters self-expression, aesthetic depth, and artistic distinction in a collaborative environment.
The Visual Arts program provides a well-rounded and versatile approach to the study and application of art, including the development of student voices and personal aesthetics. Experimentation, innovation, collaboration, and social responsibility are themes within the curriculum and students are encouraged to solve old problems in new ways, to think progressively, and to make progress with great confidence in their ideas, their voices, and their original thoughts.
The Arts Center is home to the Upper School Belfry Club, the oldest high school drama performing group in the country!
The Wissahickon Creek flows through our campus and we use this outdoor space for curricular and extra-curricular learning opportunities.
The Class of 1888 Bridge serves as the connection between our indoor and outdoor learning spaces.
The Preserve is six acres of unbridled nature. It includes an Observation Dock and Pond and several outdoor classroom learning spaces.
Class of 1990 Observation Dock allows our students to observe, enjoy, and study while overlooking our pond.
The Sisters Woods include Jordan Field, Oberkircher Field, and our cross country course within the surrounding woods.
The Tennis Courts, built to USTA standards, support both our Physical Education and Athletic programs as well as our Summer Programs.
Carey Stadium is a multi-sport facility with an artificial turf field, track, snack bar and restrooms. It is our home field for many teams including football, boys and girls soccer, boys lacrosse, and boys and girls track and field.
Check out the finals for GA's Upper School Honors Engineering Mousetrap Competition!
Fifth graders learned all about machine learning from Upper School Computer Science Department Chair Jason Oswald earlier in the school year.
William Bellamy '10 sang "For Forever" from "Dear Evan Hanson" during Belfry Club's 125th anniversary on November 9, 2019. The award-winning Belfry Club is the oldest continuously operated high-school drama club in the country.
Throwback to Will & Jaryn's Big Adventures! During the 2011-12 school year, Will Black '12 and Jaryn Garner '12 took some time to check out every inch of GA's 126-acre campus along with members of the Office of Institutional Advancement. Enjoy Chapter 4!
Priya Padhye ’19 delivers her speech in French during the 2018 GA Modern Language Induction Ceremony.
Germantown Academy welcomes students of all backgrounds. If you would like either translation or interpretation services during the admission process, please CLICK HERE to send an email request to the Admission Office. Thank you!
Germantown Academy Non-Discrimination Policy
Germantown Academy is committed to a policy of non-discrimination in all aspects of our community’s actions and relationships on any basis including but not limited to race, religion, ancestry, color, age, gender, sexual orientation, familial status, disability, veteran status or national origin. As required by Title IX, GA does not discriminate in the consideration of applications for admission on the basis of sex.
