Gilman School

Founded in 1897 as this nation's first country day school. Today Gilman is a diverse community of more than 1,000 boys in grades kindergarten through 12 who come from all backgrounds and segments of the Greater Baltimore area. Gilman remains committed to the ideals Mrs. Carey instilled more than a century ago, and continues to help boys develop in mind, body, and spirit while preparing them for college and a life of honor, leadership, character, and service.

For more than a century our mission has remained exceedingly focused: to unlock the greatness within each boy by educating the entire boy—mind, body, and spirit. To accomplish that goal, we provide space and opportunity for crucial learning and self-expression to take place.

Our rich and comprehensive program, our immeasurably talented and interesting faculty and students, and our belief in the character traits embodied by the Gilman Five—Honor, Integrity, Respect, Humility, and Excellence—combine to form the foundation of an educational environment dedicated to helping boys grow into men of character.

Being Gilman means boys are trusted and treated as an inherently honorable persons by those around them. In all they do, students learn to display strong character, behave as gentlemen, make solid decisions, and lead others—on the playground, in class, during athletics, at home, in the community. They learn the value of public service and to always contribute to society. They learn how to win with grace and lose with honor. They learn how to resolve conflict. They learn how to be a friend. They learn how to "Be Gilman," wherever they are, whatever they are doing. They learn to live the life of a good man.

Gilman School is a diverse community dedicated to educating boys in mind, body, and spirit through particular emphasis upon academic excellence, athletic participation and aesthetic appreciation. Gilman seeks to produce men of character and integrity who have the skills and ability to make a positive contribution to the communities in which they live and work.

Gilman boys learn that even the smallest things can make a big difference in our environment. Not too many years ago, we at Gilman threw almost everything out. Now we recycle paper, cardboard, cans, bottles, batteries and even food waste. Our recycling and composting programs are just small steps in our effort to nurture a sustainable generation, students who care as deeply about the environment as they do about character and leadership. Every division, every department, and every student does their part, every day, to make Gilman green.

A primary educational goal is for boys to understand "how they fit" in our increasingly global society. Learning to interact with people from backgrounds different from their own helps them reach this understanding. Gilman's robust diversity gives boys the empathetic skills they need to become responsible global citizens. Gilman has a history of being a community school, and character and the desire to lead develop best through action. Boys develop empathy, understanding, and compassion for others through daily interactions as well as volunteering and service to the community.

Learning at Gilman is an adventure that celebrates boys. Gilman's dynamic curriculum encourages each boy at each stage of his educational, emotional, and social development to discover his own innate talents and interests. Nothing a boy does here is considered extracurricular: lessons learned in the chemistry lab or English classroom are as vital as lessons learned on the playing field, in the art studio, or at a soup kitchen.

We teach boys to be creative, independent thinkers. They become strong readers, effective writers, and capable mathematicians. We teach them that they must work hard, but that learning can be fun. Gilman's distinctive teaching and learning experience tailors to boys. We know boys; how they learn, how they socialize, how they grow.