What do you want to know about life at Advent?

No. The School is not religiously affiliated and welcomes families from all backgrounds. At its founding in 1961, The Advent School was sponsored by the Church of the Advent, and this sponsorship continued through the mid-1990s.

Campus opens at 8:10 a.m., and classes begin at 8:30 a.m.

Dismissal Monday through Thursday begins at 3:10 p.m. for ECC, Kindergarten, and First Grade students.

Students in Second through Sixth Grade are dismissed beginning at 3:20 p.m.

On Fridays, dismissal begins at 12:30 p.m. for all grades.

The School is fortunate to partner with Boston Public Schools (BPS) on a bus that serves families from the North Zone (the North End, Charlestown, downtown, the South End, and Back Bay). Children in Kindergarten through Sixth Grade who live at least one-mile walking distance from Advent and who are aged five and older are eligible to ride the bus. Bus ridership is coordinated between Advent and BPS.

Families arrive at Advent by car, MBTA, walking, or bike/scooter. The closest T stops to Advent are the Charles/MGH stop on the Red Line, and the Arlington stop on the Green Line.

While each classroom schedule is unique, the day has a rhythm. Students arrive in their classrooms, put away their belongings, and answer a question or provocation posed by their teachers. Once all students arrive, classes gather for a morning meeting to review the schedule for the day and check in with each other.

Throughout the day, students take part in lessons at the Brimmer Street or West Cedar street buildings. Each grade has at least one recess - with some grades enjoying two recess periods per day - and a snack time in addition to their lunch period.

Students have seven classes - called Specials - over the week, including art, library, music, PE, science and engineering, Spanish, and Yoga & Mindfulness. The frequency of these classes varies by grade.

Students gather in their classrooms before dismissal to have a closing meeting to reflect and prepare for the coming day.

Yes, we offer lunch service Monday through Thursday in partnership with LunchBox Caterers.

Yes! Students in all grades take classes in Spanish as part of their regular curriculum.

No, Advent students do not wear uniforms.

Yes! Advent has a robust after-school Enrichment program. Visit the Enrichment page for more information.

Each classroom sends out a detailed email on a weekly basis, and maintains a classroom-specific Instagram account.

Kindergarten, First, and Second Grade students are gradually introduced to homework in developmentally appropriate ways.

We encourage families to read to ECC through First Grade students nightly.

Upper-grade students' homework assignments may include assigned reading, math practice, practice for music class, and Spanish homework.

Faculty combine their reflection on assessments, student engagement observations, and student work examinations in a comprehensive progress report emailed to families twice a year.

The report documents learning styles and provides an overview of major projects, learning objectives, and benchmarks for expected growth.

Email is the primary way Advent communicates with families.

The Administrative Coordinator is available via phone during school hours.

Advent sends an all-school newsletter each week called @Advent. @Advent is your go-to source for all Advent news!

Families can follow the School's social media accounts.

In line with the Reggio philosophy, the School believes that all parents/caregivers are critical to their child's learning. The Advent Piazza is the central space for adults to learn, champion the School, and build community. Piazza events are sometimes in-person and sometimes online. There are various volunteer opportunities for parents/caregivers throughout the year. Learn more about the Piazza here: The Advent Piazza

Yes, Advent accepts applications for all grade levels from pre-Kindergarten (ECC) through Sixth Grade. For more information, please visit the Admission page or email admission@adventschool.org.

Yes, the Design at Advent Design & Engineering Summer Program is open to all children ages 5 through 12. The design and engineering-based program runs for three two-week sessions beginning in June and ending in August. For more information, please visit the Community Enrichment Program page.

The Advent School is accredited by The Association of Independent Schools New England (AISNE). Advent is reaccredited every ten years, and our next accreditation visit is for the 2023-24 school year.

The Advent School enrolls families from more than 40 different neighborhoods and towns across the Greater Boston area.

Being an urban school located in the heart of Beacon Hill, Advent does not have parking for visitors. There are metered parking spots along Charles Street, and long-term parking is available at the Boston Common Garage. Advent is about a 12-minute walk from the Boston Common Garage.
Please obey all parking restrictions, including not parking in the emergency spots at the corner of Pinckney and Brimmer Streets or stopping in the crosswalk. The School is not responsible for towing or ticketing.