Mission, History & Leadership

Our Mission

The Newman School provides a supportive environment where students from diverse backgrounds engage in a vibrant program inspiring them to achieve their potential in academics, arts, and athletics, nurturing personal growth beyond the classroom to our shared humanity in the global community.

Students are able to achieve their potential when pursuing their studies in an environment of:

Head of School, Michael J. Schafer

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Our Leadership

The Newman School celebrates over 75 years, in the heart of the Back Bay of Boston, as a welcoming, vibrant learning community.
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From grades 7-12, Newman's middle and high school years International Baccalaureate curriculum (IB) is the point of entry for curious, independent, outward-looking students.

Newman School has gracefully transitioned leadership this school year with the retirement of Headmaster J. Harry Lynch, who provided exceptional leadership for 35 years, to Michael Schafer, a proven leader in independent schools in greater Boston and New England independent schools.

Mike is energized by Newman and his return to Boston, where he worked for fifteen years in school leadership roles at Belmont Hill School and Middlesex School. He excelled for fifteen years as Head of School at Kimball Union, strengthening curriculum, the student experience and increasing the school’s admissions and the endowment tenfold. “Boston has always been my home. For me, the draw to Newman is natural - a forward looking civic and global-minded school serving a wide range of learners that is open and accessible, innovative and broad thinking. Newman's motto is ‘Heart Speaks to Heart. This says it all. Newman is known for its deep relationships, committed faculty, and partnerships with education organizations across the city and the world. Newman provides students with a co-curricular program of deep inquiry, knowledge, skills and reflection to engage and contribute beyond the classroom.”

Newman’s commitment to growth and development for all is evidenced by being fully open for “heart speaks to heart” learning. Over 90% of our faculty and students are engaged in the learning process live and in person, every day. We have partnered with the YMCA of Boston and Parks and Recreation among others to provide community service and sports and clubs. Come see what else is new at Newman!

Mike
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History of Newman School

The Newman School was founded in 1945 by the late Dr. J. Harry Lynch and a group of colleagues, all alumni of Boston College. Naming their school after the greatly admired John Henry Cardinal Newman, the founders started out by educating young men returning from military service at the end of World War II, and gradually expanded to serve young men and women in their high school years.

In 1948, Newman accepted its first international student, a young man from Korea who was homeless. Sponsored by a group of Boston College alumni who were friends of Newman’s founders, Thomas Song became Newman’s first international student.

Newman’s commitment to international education began in these early years of the school’s existence, and led to the development of the English as a Second Language program.

Today these commitments are carried forward through the school’s participation in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program, which provides intellectual challenge and a dynamic learning environment for students of broadly diverse backgrounds.

Since 1985 under the leadership of J. Harry Lynch Jr., the school developed its curriculum in the liberal arts tradition embraced by John Henry Newman, using the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program as the foundation for learning. A vibrant program of sports (eleven teams) and activities rounds out the experience of the students.

The school continues to attract students from all over the world as well as students from the neighborhoods of Boston and surrounding cities and towns.