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Commonwealth is a co-ed independent day school welcoming curious, highly motivated students in grades 9–12. Our close-knit community thrives on making meaningful intellectual and personal connections, while tapping into the opportunities surrounding our home in Boston’s Back Bay.
Meet Faculty and Students
I've never seen a school like it before, from the building to the close-knit community. I look forward to going to school everyday, as I never know what will happen next.
Hanna '25
It is humbling and exhilarating to come to work every day to a place where people are working for a common goal with such a mix of competence and humanity.
César Pérez, History and Languages Teacher
I was first interested in Commonwealth by the small class sizes and the very rigorous environment. Visiting and having a virtual class was what drew me in. I'm very happy about making the choice to come here. The classes are intriguing, to say the least. There is difficulty but nothing I can’t handle. And the opportunities, such as Project Week, are unique, and they allow us to develop our own interests.
Aritra ’25
Really exciting classrooms are where the student is part of the circuit and the electricity is jumping between them and the sources and the teacher. At the beginning of the Enlightenment unit, instead of saying, 'This is what the Enlightenment is.' We say, 'Here's Newton's laws of natural philosophy. Here's a poem about sinful bees. Here’s a little Montesquieu with a little Benjamin Franklin and a little Smith.' And then we try to figure out what they have in common.
Melissa Glenn Haber ’87, History Teacher
I was kind of shocked at how everyone talks with each other at Commonwealth. In my old school, people just stuck with their own friend groups. I thought it would be like that here—but it turned out to be exactly the opposite. I didn't expect to be able to communicate with seniors and juniors and sophomores at all. I feel really good in small communities. You feel seen.
Chloe ’27
I get a real burst of energy when I’m able to help students navigate the complexities of the research process. I feel so lucky to have such an incredible patron base of high-level readers and thinkers in our students.
Jake MacDonnell, Librarian and Registrar
You know, I was hearing about all these other schools, and they definitely had a lot to offer, but Commonwealth spoke more to me because I know they take academics seriously here, but they also care about you as a person and finding yourself.
Sumaya ’26
By the Numbers
157
students in grades 9–12
62%
self-identified students of color
$1.5 million
financial aid granted for 2023–2024
86%
teachers holding advanced degree
5:1
student-to-faculty ratio
2
all-school getaways each year
1450
average SAT composite score (Class of 2025)
Happening Now
Bridget ’27 has big sister vibes, so you might be surprised to learn that she’s actually a younger sibling. In fact, her older brother introduced her to Commonwealth. But she’s forging her own path, surrounded by friends who keep her in stitches at school, on the volleyball court, and on the soccer field. Keep reading to get to know this sophomore from Southborough, from her weekly indulgence from Blank Street Coffee to the band that makes her homework more bearable.
"This school has a long, long tradition of creative writing...of taking writing seriously," says Aaron Kerner, Commonwealth English teacher, introducing the 2025 Creative Writing Assembly. By sharing these works with an audience of their good-willed peers, his Creative Writing Workshop students could experience their writing—and themselves—"as strangers, in a sense. That’s as important as putting words on the page, because stepping away from yourself allows you to see your own mind as the rest of the world might."
Want to make a Commonwealth crowd go “WOO!”? Remind them that “April is Poetry Month!” Every year, throughout that cruellest month, students, teachers, and staff alike regale our community at morning recess with their favorite poems. Of course, they must start by saying “April is Poetry Month!” And we must respond with a “woo!” Whether a crisp haiku or melodious mouthful, silly or serious, well-known or brand new, each poem is a welcome interlude amongst our usual announcements and reminders. Enjoy a sampling of the pieces shared this year here.
Commonwealth students have a reputation for asking thoughtful, probing questions, whether in class or in the hallway with friends in between periods. On April 3, 2025, Commonwealth’s first Earth Day Assembly afforded students the opportunity to discuss some of the most complex and nuanced questions they will tackle in their lifetimes: Who or what is responsible for climate change? What can be done about it? What can I do about it?