Buxton School (2026 Profile) - Williamstown, MA

5.00 (1 review)

Tel: (413) 458-3919

291 South Street
Williamstown, MA 01267

www.buxtonschool.org

REQUEST INFO

SAVE SCHOOL

Buxton School Photo #1 - At Buxton, we provide the time, experience, and environment that inspire young people to learn more and go deeper. Our students are doers, both in school and in life. Education at Buxton is not passive; it is a stimulating and constant process of questioning, discovering, synthesizing and sharing.

Buxton School Photo #2 - We believe that art plays a central role in every healthy community, and that everyone`s life is improved by exploring their creative potential. Together, sometimes as artists and sometimes alongside artists, we share art`s power to inspire and the belief that art is for everyone.

Buxton School Photo #3 - There are many different levels of sports activity at Buxton: organized team sports, such as soccer and basketball; intramural sports like Frisbee and softball; and recreational activities such as mountain biking, snowboarding, and skiing. And then, of course, there are always pick-up games of four square, basketball, and soccer.

Buxton School Photo #4 - Each spring, Buxton`s entire faculty and student body travel to a different location to study the real-world issues facing society. We do that knowing that Buxton students and alumni will do more than their part to lead their communities to solutions, as they always have.

Buxton School Photo #5 - Buxton School is located on 150 acres of lush country landscape. Williamstown is a beautiful, safe New England town rich with culture and with the attractions and resources of a big city.

Buxton School Photo #6 - Sustainability on campus has been an important element of the biology curriculum for the past several years. Each year, the garden expands in area and more vegetables and varieties are planted. In the fall, the garden supplies the kitchen with some home-grown ingredients, and the bounty is presented in a harvest dinner for the school community.

Buxton School Photo #7 - The student-and-faculty-run work program is at the center of the Buxton work experience. Twice a week, the school forms into crews that take on a variety of valuable tasks to maintain the school. Buxton students take pride in the fact that they care for the school themselves. Fundamental to a Buxton education is the belief that you learn by doing.

Buxton is an intentionally small, coeducational, boarding and day school, situated on a historic family estate in Williamstown, Massachusetts, amid the beauty of the Berkshire Mountains.

Founded over 80 years ago as a progressive school, we believe a student`s whole experience here is part of their education and what goes on outside the classroom is just as important as what goes on inside.

Quick Facts (2026)

Grades: 9-12, PG
Enrollment: 50 students
Yearly Tuition (Boarding Students): $71,500
Yearly Tuition (Day Students): $33,000
Average class size: 7 students
Application Deadline: Feb. 1 / rolling
Source: Verified school update

School Overview

| 2025 School Data

Buxton School

Boarding School Avg.

School Focus

College Preparatory

Grades Offered

9-12, PG

9-12

School Type

Co-ed

ADD/ADHD Support

Yes

Religious Affiliation

Non-denominational

Year Founded

1928

1909

Campus Size

114 acres

125 acres

School Calendar

View School Calendar

School Motto

Not provided

Student Body

Enrollment

50 students

300 students

% Students of Color

35%

25%

% International Students

14%

20%

% Students Boarding

90%

70%

Offers Post-Grad Year

Yes

Academic Profile

Saturday Classes

Classroom Dress Code

Casual

Average Class Size

7 students

* National Avg. »18

Student-Teacher Ratio

3:1

7:1

ESL Courses Offered

Yes

% Faculty with Advanced Degree

60%

70%

Summer Program Offered

Yes

Summer Program Details

View Summer Program Details

Tuition & Financial Aid

Endowment Size

$3 million

$25 million

Yearly Tuition
(Boarding Students)

$71,500

$59,900

Yearly Tuition
(Day Students)

$33,000

$33,500

Tuition international students

$65,000

$53,975

% Students on Financial Aid

35%

40%

Avg. Financial Aid Grant

$29,000

$25,000

Admissions

Application Deadline

Feb. 1 / rolling

Jan. 15

Director of Admissions

Tim Custer

Application URL

Online Application

Sports

# Interscholastic Sports Offered

Sports

Alpine SkiingBasketball

DanceSoccer

Track and FieldUltimate Frisbee

Colors

Not provided

Extracurriculars

Total Extracurricular Organizations

Extracurriculars

Club or Organization:

Jewish Student UnionPoC Union

Radio

Arts and Music Programs:

Ceramics ClubChamber

ChorusCreative Writing

PhotographyStudio Arts

The Jazz BandTheater

Video Production

Recreational Athletic Programs:

SkiingSnowboarding

School Notes

Buxton is an intentionally small, coeducational, boarding and day school, situated on a historic family estate in Williamstown, Massachusetts, amid the beauty of the Berkshire mountains. Founded over 90 years ago as a progressive school, we believe a student`s whole experience here is part of their education and what goes on outside the classroom is just as important as what goes on inside.
Students are nurtured and challenged intellectually, artistically, emotionally and morally. We accomplish this through rigorous academics, a varied and active arts program, a caring faculty and a community of people who all work to create a growth-promoting, meaningful experience for students.
At Buxton we not only believe in community, we live it, day in and day out. Family-style meals, wake-up or bed-check, Friday night recreation, raking leaves together, or going to the local coffeehouse to chat help us create a compelling community of learners, workers, thinkers and artists. Buxton thrives on a fusion of races, religions, socio-economic backgrounds, personalities and talents. Our intimate, diverse culture helps students form meaningful relationships with people from a variety of backgrounds. The differences we bring to Buxton serve to enrich all that we experience at school and in the larger world. Our outstanding college admission record is not an end in itself but rather a natural outcome of the demanding academics and varied life we live at Buxton.
Sample of notable school alumni/alumnae:
- Peter Shumlin - Governor of Vermont
- Christian Parenti - Journalist and writer
- Philip Rickey - Sculptor
- Justin Theroux - Actor
- Frank Wood - Actor
- Marco Williams - Documentary Film Maker

Source: Verified school update

REQUEST FREE INFORMATION

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does Buxton School cost?

Buxton School's tuition is approximately $71,500 for boarding students and $33,000 for day students.

Who are famous alumni from Buxton School?

Buxton School famous alumni include: Peter Shumlin, Christian Parenti, Philip Rickey, Justin Theroux, Frank Wood and Marco Williams.

What sports does Buxton School offer?

Buxton School offers 6 interscholastic sports: Alpine Skiing, Basketball, Dance, Soccer, Track and Field and Ultimate Frisbee.

Does Buxton School offer a summer program?

Yes, Buxton School offers a summer program. Visit their summer school page for more information.

When is the application deadline for Buxton School?

The application deadline for Buxton School is Feb. 1 / rolling (applications are due on Feb. 1 but additional applications are reviewed year-round as space permits ).

Alumni Reviews Review School

Review

Description

Buxton School Alumni #1
Class of 2016
5.0011/19/2017
Wesleyan University

The most defining aspect of Buxton, in my eyes, was work program. Work program was a time twice a week when students perform the basic maintenance work of the school: cleaning, gardening, raking, chopping the. . .

Recent Articles

June 08, 2026

What Happens During School Breaks for Boarding Students Who Stay on Campus

Learn what happens during school breaks for boarding students who remain on campus, including housing, meals, activities, supervision, and support services.

June 08, 2026

A Day in the Life of a Dorm Parent: Inside Residential Faculty Life

A day in the life of a dorm parent: how residential faculty support, mentor, supervise, and guide students while building community and shaping the boarding school experience.