Chapin School was founded in Princeton in 1931 by Frances Jordan Chapin. The school acquired its first permanent location in April 1951. In 1958, the school moved to its current site, having purchased the Edgar S. Smith estate, which included the pre-American Revolutionary War Henry D. Phillips House. The first decade of the "new" Chapin, incorporated in April 1951, saw a growing student body, administrative stability and the acquisition of a permanent site for the school. Following Mrs. Chapin's death, classes were held for three years in a rented house at 11 Mercer Street. In 1954, the school moved to "Snowden," which it leased from Bernard Kilgore, publisher of The Wall Street Journal and The Princeton Packet. In 1958, Chapin moved to its present location in northern Lawrence Township, having purchased the five-acre Edgar S. Smith estate, the centerpiece of which was the pre-Revolutionary War Henry D. Phillips House. As the school "grew up," curriculum and institutional procedures matured. In 1991 Chapin received accreditation from the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, and in 2002, the school achieved dual accreditation from Middle States and the New Jersey Association of Independent Schools. In 2012 Chapin was re-accredited for ten years by both accrediting agencies.
Chapin At-A-Glance
Location: 4101 Princeton Pike Princeton, New Jersey Grades: Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 8 Maximum Class Size: Pre-K: 7:1 student to teacher ratio Kindergarten: 14 students per class Grades 1-4: 16 students per class Grades 5-8: 17 students per class Smaller groups for language arts and math instruction Faculty: 37 full-time teachers 5 part-time teachers Average years of teaching experience = 10 years 60% of faculty hold advanced degrees Secondary School Placement: In the past five years, Chapin students have been chosen to attend the following secondary schools, including: The Lawrenceville School Deerfield Academy Philips Exeter Academy Peddie School Hun School of Princeton Pennington School Princeton Day School George School Princeton High School Campus: In 2015, Chapin School completed renovating the Lower and Upper School buildings as well as construction of a new Upper School wing. The learning facilities include: Athletics:Cross-country Soccer Basketball Lacrosse Chapin has a "no cut" participation policy, which affords all interested students the opportunity to be a member of either the junior varsity or varsity team. Many students compete and participate in various outside activities such as gymnastics, dance, music lessons and club teams while playing on a Chapin team. Accreditation and Memberships: Middle States Association of Colleges and School New Jersey Association of Independent Schools. National Association of Independent Schools '''
Facilities
Over 50 classrooms
2 technology centers
1 design lab
3 science labs
1 music lab
2 Libraries/Media Centers with 12000 books and online resources
Auditorium
Full size gymnasium
3 athletic fields
1 business office with conference room
1 dining pavilion
Recent history
Chapin School launched its most ambitious capital campaign in history in 2012. This consisted of a number of Lower School and Upper School renovations and new facilities including classrooms, science labs, library/media centers and the commons area. By 2015, the capital campaign topped $8 million. Chapin School built a new pre-school and kindergarten building, the Margaret Wilby Primary Building, replacing the old Pre-K building during the 2006-2007 school year.
Notable alumni
Bebe Neuwirth Star of Cheers and television, movies and Broadway.
