About Morristown Beard School
Morristown Beard School is a place where students are known, challenged, and encouraged to explore what’s possible. Here, curiosity is valued, ideas are meant to be explored, and students are given the freedom to take intellectual and creative risks.
From the classroom to the stage, the playing field, the studio, and beyond, MBS gives students the opportunity to discover what matters to them, develop their voice, and take ownership of their experience.
The School Community
Morristown Beard School is a coeducational independent day school serving approximately 600 students in grades 6–12. Our community draws students from more than 85 towns across nine counties in northern New Jersey, bringing together a wide range of perspectives and experiences.
With 150 students in the Middle School and 450 in the Upper School, MBS offers a close-knit environment where every student is known, supported, and inspired to grow.
A Place of Possibilities
At MBS, possibilities are not confined to a single path. A student athlete can discover a passion for theater, a performer can find a home in advanced science research, and a writer can thrive on the playing field. Students are encouraged to explore widely, take intellectual and creative risks, and discover what they’re capable of.
Ad Astra Per Aspera
Our School motto, Ad Astra Per Aspera, meaning “To the stars through adversity,” reflects the spirit of an MBS education. It speaks to a community that embraces challenge, values perseverance, and believes that meaningful growth comes through effort, resilience, and the determination to keep moving forward.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging
At MBS, learning is strengthened when students encounter perspectives different from their own. Our community encourages students to listen with curiosity, engage thoughtfully with complexity, and consider their role in a diverse and interconnected world.
Guided by curiosity and respect, faculty and students learn from one another in and beyond the classroom, building a community where differences are valued and meaningful dialogue strengthens understanding.
Accreditation
The School is accredited by New Jersey Association of Independent Schools and is approved by the New Jersey State Department of Education.
Our Mission
Within a culture of support and collaboration, Morristown Beard School students discover and develop their individual pathways to academic success and personal fulfillment while becoming enlightened, morally responsible citizens of the world.
Our Values
The bedrock of our curriculum is to provide rigorous academic preparation for college and beyond. Equally, we encourage all members of the MBS community to cultivate a life guided by moral principles. At MBS, we value the following.
Awareness of Diverse Perspectives
Awareness of Diverse Perspectives enhances all aspects of learning. The more students encounter, understand, and respect other points of view, the more deeply engaged they become, both academically and socially. Empathy is a powerful force in creating positive interactions.
Engagement
Engagement in all aspects of school life encourages risk-taking, creates a more fulfilling educational experience, and enhances personal growth.
Humor and Humility
Humor and Humility are central components of the resilience required to meet the inevitable challenges we encounter not only in school, but also in life. At MBS, we value the ability not to take ourselves too seriously, even when we are engaged in the most serious of endeavors.
Independence of Mind
Independence of Mind allows us to question trendy or conformist thinking, and helps us as individuals to examine critically our decisions and assumptions.
Personal Responsibility
Personal Responsibility is the foundation of character. It requires integrity, personal accountability, and the highest moral standards in all communication, decision-making, and actions.
Tenacity
Tenacity is essential in overcoming obstacles as it redefines failures as necessary steps of the learning process.
