Why an All-Boys' School
For over a century, Salisbury has intentionally nurtured the intellectual, physical, social, and emotional development of young men—preparing them to lead with confidence and purpose.
It’s backed by research and proven by experience: boys learn differently, and Salisbury is designed for the way they learn best.
At Salisbury, we understand that boys learn and grow in distinct ways. It’s well known that boys and girls develop at different rates, and that boys’ strengths often emerge through active, experiential learning. Salisbury’s curriculum and classroom approach are intentionally designed with boys in mind—lessons are dynamic, hands-on, and collaborative, tapping into how boys best engage with ideas and each other. In our all-boys, all-boarding environment, teachers don’t just instruct—they mentor, coach, and guide. Because our faculty live and work alongside students, sharing meals, time on the athletic fields, and moments in the dorms, they form deep, meaningful relationships that extend far beyond the classroom. This close-knit community helps each boy discover his potential, build confidence, and thrive both academically and personally.
A Global Leader in Boys’ Learning
Salisbury was one of eighteen schools globally selected to participate in a groundbreaking study on boys’ learning, published as The Primacy of Relationship in Teaching Boys (Reichert & Hawley, 2010). This research provided a breakthrough understanding of how boys engage with learning, and the subsequent 15 years of studies in the field have built almost exclusively on its findings. At Salisbury, this insight has informed our intentional approach to teaching, mentoring, and nurturing young men.
"The learning relationship is best understood as an example of a working alliance, in which teachers serve as agents of change and students as those seeking to grow, with mastery of the subject or skills the objective of both. A distinct set of responsibilities falls to each role in the alliance. While students absorb themselves in efforts to assimilate new information, skills, and perspectives while confronting their limitations, teachers — the guiding professionals — must serve as relationship managers."Dr. Michael Reichert (2016)
Boys thrive when taught by educators who have a deep understanding of their subject.
Dr. Michael C. Reichert, an applied psychologist, and founding director of the Center for the Study of Boys’ and Girls’ Lives at the University of Pennsylvania, has conducted extensive research on the type of relational teaching common at Salisbury. He has found that boys respond best to teachers who demonstrate a mastery of their subject, set high standards for themselves and their students, and share common interests with the boys they teach.
Research supports what Salisbury has long understood about how boys learn best. As Michael Gurian and Kathy Stevens explain in Educational Leadership, “girls have, in general, stronger neural connectors in their temporal lobes,” leading to stronger verbal and listening skills, while “boys have more cortical areas dedicated to spatial-mechanical functioning,” making them more inclined to learn through movement and hands-on activity. At Salisbury, this understanding shapes everything we do—from our active classrooms to our athletic fields—creating an environment where boys can channel their energy, curiosity, and creativity into meaningful growth and achievement.
In the end, what sets Salisbury apart is not only our understanding of how boys learn—but our unwavering belief in who they can become. Every aspect of life on the Hilltop is designed to bring out the best in each student: challenging him to think critically, act honorably, and grow with purpose. In an environment built for boys—and guided by dedicated mentors who know and care for them deeply—Salisbury students discover their strengths, build lifelong confidence, and emerge ready to lead with character in college and beyond. Salisbury isn’t just a school for boys; it’s a place where boys become their best selves.
