our school

History

In 1961, as Boston dealt with interracial relations in the face of conflicting pressures, a group of concerned members of the Church of the Advent felt a critical need for a school to serve families of all races and economic backgrounds. The church offered space in its parish house to begin such a school, and under the leadership of founder Dr. Mona Hull, the vision for The Advent School came alive.

Enrollment grew to seventy by 1964, and by 1969 the trustees had raised funds to purchase two brick-and-brownstone houses on Brimmer Street, a quiet, tree-lined street across from the church. The buildings were remodeled, creating an almost completely self-contained school—with classrooms, a library, science and music rooms, office space—all while retaining many of the fine features of the old homes.

A playground behind the School was outfitted with a set of climbing ropes, a sport court, and space for running games, while physical education classes were held either on the fields of the Boston Common or indoors in a spacious room in the church’s parish house.

The School flourished in its new facilities and remained committed to the goal of its founders by seeking to enroll students from diverse racial, religious, and economic backgrounds from around the city. Children came from Beacon Hill, Charlestown, Dorchester, Roxbury, Jamaica Plain, the South End as well as many other neighborhoods.

In 1965 the Reverend Robert C. Day succeeded Dr. Hall as Headmaster and presided over the School’s growth and development until his retirement in 1995. A high point in his tenure occurred in the 1991-92 academic year when the School was honored by the United States Department of Education as a Blue Ribbon School for Excellence in Education.

Nancy Harris Frohlich was appointed Head of School in July 1995. In her 14-year tenure, Ms. Harris Frohlich has overseen significant renovations to the building, enabling the consolidation of all classrooms to a single location at 15-17 Brimmer. She developed and documented the sequential curriculum in every subject area, founded the Early Childhood Center in 2004, and initiated ADVENTures in the City and LearningBOSTON, Advent’s after-school and summer programs.