Join us for a Virtual Admissions Information Session

Wednesday, December 6

• PreK and Lower School (Grades K-5) at Noon - Register here
• Middle and Upper School (Grades 6-12) at 7 p.m. - Register here

A Message from the Admissions Office

The fall semester is off to a wonderful start here at Manlius Pebble Hill School. We’ve welcomed our new Head of School, Jim Foley, and have enjoyed many annual MPH traditions as a community - including the opening day handshake ceremony, Homecoming, and Grandparents Day, to name just a few. Our seniors have been working hard to submit their college applications, and the fall play, Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, begins this week. 

We are happy to share some of these highlights with you in our Discover MPH e-newsletter. As you know, we do things a little differently here at MPH!

• We support learning through integrated wellness - including nutritious lunches prepared by an in-house culinary team; daily Core Health courses and outdoor time; and an intentionally designed social-emotional learning curriculum that spans PreK through grade 12. 
• 40% of our students come from diverse backgrounds, and our international student population is growing. 

But don’t just take our word for it. We encourage you to visit MPH’s profile on Niche to read parent and student reviews, videos, and more. MPH is proud to be ranked as one of Niche’s “Best Schools” for 2024 as well as the #1 private high school in the Syracuse area. 

To help you in planning for the upcoming admissions season - please know that our updated 2024-2025 application will be available soon. We recommend that families plan to apply by April 1 for priority consideration for admissions and financial aid.

My colleagues and I can be reached at admissions@mphschool.org if you’d like to chat. We hope that you'll join us for one of our upcoming virtual information sessions (details above).

Lisa Raney

Director of Admissions

Reading Time!

Head of School Jim Foley reads Bear Says Thanks to PreK 3 + 4 students. Did you know: MPH is one of only two schools in Central New York where all K-5 students receive explicit systematic reading instruction that builds automaticity in word recognition and strengthens language comprehension. Learn more about the Science of Reading here.

Kindergarten Pitches In

"Kindergartners and a first grader who took it upon themselves to clean up all the trash on the upper field and on and around the tennis courts and playground. It started with two of them, then others wanted to help. I have never seen children get so excited over a piece of trash. You would have thought it was an Easter egg hunt. I guess the old saying is true, 'One person's trash is another person's treasure.'" - Alissa McCall, kindergarten teaching assistant

Buddying Up

Our Lower School curriculum incorporates music, art, dance, performing arts, SEL (Social Emotional Learning) class, Suzuki strings instruction, library time, daily Core Health, and recess. Being a PreK–12 community affords us precious opportunities for older students to take on leadership and mentorship responsibilities and to appreciate and (re)learn from younger students and for our younger students to gain the confidence and connection that come with getting to know older students. The Buddy Groups gatherings dedicate time specifically for these positive interactions.

Scientists in the Making

Middle Schoolers are developing a higher order of thinking, yet they still possess a youthful exuberance. Our program is designed to acknowledge and nurture both of these qualities. 

From Sue Foster, science department chair:



"Because the first time you make slides and view materials under three powers opens up an entirely new world, you ask to make slides of additional materials from the classroom, and then you do just that. The entire sixth grade is now a class of microbiologists leaving Robert Hooke feeling incredible pride." Adding, "They were just wild with excitement. They looked at all kinds of things from around the room. It was a ball."

Internships and Job Shadows

We’re built on relationships. Education is a process, not an outcome—and that process is rooted in relationships. We keep our classes small, we hire teachers who are experts in working with adolescents, and we make time every day to come together in small groups or as a community. Our academic program works because our students are fully engaged with our community, because they’re seen and known by their peers and their teachers.

MPH is piloting its internship program, partnering with businesses and organizations throughout the region, giving students the chance to gain substantive hands-on experience in a range of fields. Like MPH itself, we’re not bound by limitations—we’re driven to create opportunities. Senior Abe Salomon '24 met with former MPH parent Matthew Broderick from Ashley McGraw Architects to learn about architecture. Abe will be touring their office in a few weeks to talk to recent graduate students and learn about different careers.

Problem-Solving and Collaboration

From Nicole Rai, history teacher:

"This week, Grade 9 History students learned about different types of government systems. They then tested each of these systems in a fun task involving 'build the tallest, strongest, and most beautiful towers out of straws and tape.' The students were split into groups and received a government task card. Each group had specific criteria for building their tower. For example, the Monarchy group made the oldest group member the king. The king needed to make all the decisions and instruct other group members on how to construct the tower but could not touch the tower themselves. Each of the groups constructed their own unique towers taking a hands-on approach to our learning."

Time-Honored Tradition

Pictured below, the senior class enjoyed their first Senior Snack, a weekly gathering hosted by the Office of Philanthropy & Engagement in the Knox Farmhouse. Senior Snack provides the eldest learners the opportunity to connect with one another as well as the alumni office at MPH. They learn about upcoming alumni events, ways to get involved, and even get to plan their first alumni event following graduation.

From Bluegrass Fiddle to Bicycle Mechanics

Manlius Pebble Hill is proud to offer a wide variety of after school extracurricular activities to keep our students active and engaged during and after the school day ends.

Click on the image below to play video.

Inclusive Approach to Athletics and Fun Pep Rallies Contribute Positively to School Culture

One of the unique features of life at MPH is the inclusive approach to athletics, which means all students who want to play a sport can play a sport regardless of their background, how many travel teams they've been on, or whether they've even played the sport before. In speaking with students, they see this as a positive aspect of the school culture. Instead of breeding cold-blooded competition among peers, it encourages of a culture of inclusion, support, and community. To be clear, it doesn't mean the Trojans don't succeed; in fact, MPH is home to numerous league, sectional, and even state championship teams and individual performers. It just means everyone who wants to can benefit from the positive experience of participating in MPH athletics.

Read More Like This!

If you would like to see complete issues of Snapshot, our weekly e-newsletter to current MPH families — and the publication from which most of the stories above have been excerpted — view back issues here.