The Webb School

Founded in 1922, Webb is a relatively new presence among American boarding high schools. It is a vibrant community where students are active thinkers, brave problem-solvers, and continuously grow into leaders. The school's philosophy is to encourage students to think boldly, thoughtfully, and creatively, upholding core values of integrity, honesty, moral courage, and community.
The school is an hour's drive from downtown Los Angeles, and due to its proximity to the inland, the climate is relatively hot. The school offers many single and double rooms, each individually equipped with air conditioning and an in-room sink.
The school's outdoor swimming pool maintains a constant temperature year-round. Last year, the US National Water Polo Team even trained at Webb prior to competing in the Paris Olympics.
Webb's distinctive building is the Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology, the only middle school/high school in the world with its own paleontology museum. Within this 1000-square-meter collection, there are fossil excavations and collections made by teachers and students since 1930.
Throughout the school, students are at the center of Webb's academic program. They actively participate in designing their own education, integrating content, theory, and activities into their courses to create rich, multidisciplinary learning experiences.
Webb focuses on its students, consistently implementing a simple principle: learning by doing.
In addition to on-campus resources, Webb provides students with opportunities to learn alongside faculty from institutions such as Harvey Mudd College, Pomona College, the University of California, Riverside, and Western University of Health Sciences.
Moreover, Webb conducts field trips for every academic discipline. Throughout the year, Webb organizes 30 or more field trips.

The school publicly declared in chapel that Hong Kong is a country, and it is highly discriminatory towards Chinese students, disrespecting students' human rights. My friend was directly yelled at by a teacher to 'get out' for eating late in the cafeteria, and the teacher told students that they are inferior to teachers in this school. The surrounding environment is also very poor and rural, and the school cafeteria food is very bad, mostly synthetic meat. Teachers simply don't care about students; they probably inherited the founder's slave-owner ideology.

Webb School, located in Bell Buckle, Tennessee, was founded in 1870 as a co-educational, college-preparatory boarding school. Webb School enjoys a high reputation for providing students with an excellent education. Webb School has won 10 Rhodes Scholarships, and today, its graduates are leaders in business, education, and the arts. The school has strong academics, with students matriculating annually into institutions such as Princeton University, Yale University, the University of Chicago, and Columbia University. School advantages: 1. Webb School's campus spans a beautiful 150-acre farm in the Central Tennessee mountains, featuring a blend of traditional and modern academic buildings. 2. Comprehensive Outdoor Program: An academic curriculum that integrates classroom learning with the outdoors, including book discussions on camping and leadership. 3. Arts Program Facilities: Includes a choir room, a piano lab with 12 pianos, a string ensemble room, a recording studio, a drama class and rehearsal theater room, individual practice rooms, an art gallery, and a 4,000-square-foot room containing 2D and 3D art classrooms. 4. Webb School's faculty and staff are dedicated to their duties, with most holding advanced degrees. Teachers devote their expertise, talents, and all their energy to classroom education.

Data for The Webb School: student count 425, student-teacher ratio 1:8, international students 40%, boarding ratio 48%, teachers with advanced degrees 55%. The Webb School is a preparatory school specifically designed for upper-grade students to successfully matriculate into colleges and universities across the United States. The school boasts a renowned and unique resource: the Remond M. Alf Museum, North America's only qualified paleontology base affiliated with a high school. Students in grades 9 and 10 attend gender-segregated classes. All students must adhere to an honor code. The school maintains separate administration for boys and girls, providing them with their respective sports activities, counseling, and accommodation. School facilities include: a library, one large teaching building and four small teaching buildings, a state-of-the-art computer science building built in 1987, ESL classrooms, a computer room capable of accommodating 20 students, a newly opened student health center, a weight room, basketball/volleyball courts, a cardio fitness room, a softball field, a rugby field, a soccer field, a baseball field, practice fields, an indoor swimming pool, and a gymnasium with a heated swimming pool, among others. The school also offers university preparatory courses to help students quickly adapt to university coursework.

I have no regrets about my three high school years at Webb School. As an international student from Vietnam, I can somewhat understand the factors that parents and students are looking for, and I can assure you that Webb School is a truly worthy choice. Webb is located in Bell Buckle, Tennessee – a peaceful, quaint town. Personally, I am very satisfied with the calm atmosphere and the weather here. Students will have the opportunity to attend outdoor classes in the beautiful weather. At Webb, students are challenged with rigorous academic programs and are also encouraged to participate in class discussions and contributions as much as possible. Moreover, boarding students are provided with comprehensive life amenities such as a gym with high-end facilities, indoor recreational games, and more. What impressed me most was that each dormitory has a kitchen for students. With a high quality of life and a friendly environment, Webb is likely a suitable place for you.

The Webb School has given me the opportunity to grow not only as a student but also as a person. As a small community, every individual at The Webb School is like a family member, which truly reflects Webb's 'family characteristic.' Experiencing my senior year at Webb in 2020-2021, when COVID was at its peak and most schools transitioned to online learning, was an unforgettable experience. The Webb School was one of the few schools that remained in-person thanks to excellent cooperation among teachers, students, and parents. Webb also maintained daily preventative measures to keep the community healthy. From weekend grocery trips, home-cooked meals, New Year's Eve fireworks to being a member of a sports team, none of this could have happened without a wonderful boarding community and understanding faculty.

My son, Đình Khiêm (Kevin), specialized in Physics from grade 6 at Trần Đại Nghĩa High School for the Gifted, and subsequently at Lê Hồng Phong High School for the Gifted in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. When I decided to send him to study abroad in the US, what was my primary concern? Obviously, first and foremost, it had to be an an educational environment with a strong track record of developing both academic achievements and life skills, while also ensuring high safety. Đình Khiêm immediately excelled in his forte during the first semester of grade 11 at Webb. More surprisingly, Đình Khiêm also had time to learn and proficiently play piano, guitar, and tennis at Webb. This was impossible in Vietnam, as most of Khiêm's time was dedicated solely to preparing for competitive team selection exams. Hearing my son play the piano, even if only via video call, seeing photos of him competing in tennis tournaments at Webb, and pictures of him doing gym to build a robust physique... my joy was boundless! I vividly recall Khiêm's immense happiness dining at many teachers' homes during holidays; I could never forget the image of American host families warmly welcoming Khiêm whenever the school closed for holidays. Without a doubt, for Khiêm and for me, Webb is not just a school – it is a grand home that has nurtured his passion for science and cultivated the courage for Khiêm to enter the Computer Science major at university today.

1. The school has extensive experience in managing boarding students and international students. All operations are meticulously organized and managed by dedicated teachers and international students.
2. The school will arrange American local students and international students in the same dormitory to foster a better language and communication environment.
3. There are numerous boarding activities. Every evening, there will be a 10-minute dormitory meeting. On weekends, there are many rich activities such as boating, watching movies, watching soccer, having dinner, shopping at Wal-Mart, etc., which students can voluntarily sign up for. Additionally, there are other mandatory activities such as participating in competitions, camping, etc.
4. The teacher-to-student ratio is high. For example, in 8th grade, there are 14 students residing in a two-story building, with two students per room. Four teachers rotate shifts, with one teacher assigned to each floor.
5. Class sizes are small, and teachers have strict requirements. Teachers are present in the classroom every day from 3:05 PM to 4:00 PM to provide timely assistance to students who need clarification. Extra points are also awarded to encourage active participation and communication.
6. Parents and students can log into the APP to inquire about timetables, homework, scores, tardiness, absences, etc. Did they get an A or B in each subject? Where were points deducted? They can clearly understand the situation of each test or homework assignment. Students can identify their academic weaknesses and focus on improving those subjects.
7. Most homework assignments are submitted via a dedicated website, such as for mathematics, while some others can be submitted via email or handed in directly.

The Webb School in Tennessee is less than half an hour's drive from Nashville, and the road to the school passes through many different farms. Stepping in from the gate, one gets the feeling that this is a school with a rich history. The school's admissions office is relatively small, and everyone inside is very enthusiastic. Because we arrived 10 minutes early, the teachers in charge of the interviews chatted with us about the school and what children like. Afterwards, I listened to a presentation by students held in the school's chapel; three 12th-grade students spoke about their feelings when participating in activities (learning piano, electronic music, outdoor activities). These were very simple but heartfelt words.
The campus of Webb School is not large, but the distance between buildings is quite spread out. Students and teachers at the school are very enthusiastic, expressing their love for the school and their students from the bottom of their hearts. Perhaps Tennessee carries the warmth of the American South.
The student dorm rooms are relatively spacious. My son likes the warmth at Webb; he said that the closeness between people here is the greatest among all the schools he has visited.

Why wasn't my short review published? I think the school is great. Its TripleA activities (Art, Academics, Athletics) emphasize art, academics, and sports. Sports have made significant progress in the last two years, which I believe will help the school's college admissions and ranking. I'm a parent of an incoming 11th-grade student. Feel free to contact me if you have questions.

Transferred to Webb. The academic atmosphere is quite good, and the environment is quiet, suitable for focused study. My child also developed a fondness for sports at school. Overall, I'm quite satisfied!

The child thinks it's pretty good. As for those who think it's not good, they should look for reasons more in their own children.

Next year's 12th-grade senior. Freshmen can add WeChat to ask questions: Fengzhehan0430
Agents, please do not disturb.

I am a parent of a 9th-grade freshman. I feel pretty good about it. Feel free to ask any questions.

### Overall Situation:
- AP courses are available for Mathematics and Natural Sciences, but not for Liberal Arts courses.
- Unlike most American high schools, Webb combines English and History into one Humanities department. Many courses within the Humanities department are also interdisciplinary, for example, courses like "Literature and Psychology" are not purely about English or Psychology, but involve a comprehensive study of English and Social Sciences. The range of choices is extremely broad, allowing students to have a broader perspective and thinking, which is also a significant challenge for Chinese students.
- Math courses before Pre-Calculus consist of two years of integrated math, combining algebra and geometry content. This poses a significant challenge for students with weaker math foundations.

### Academic Strengths/Features:
- Advanced Study Program: Designed for 11th and 12th-grade students, covering a very wide range of fields, with very in-depth content.
- Archeology and Archeological Activities: There are specialized courses in Paleontology and Museum Studies. During summer breaks, teachers also take students on archeological activities, for example, a teacher once took students to Utah to discover dinosaur fossils.

### Shangxue Mingde Student Feedback:
- Liberal arts are more prominent; students can learn a great deal and gain a lot. However, precisely because liberal arts are a strong suit, it is comparatively harder to achieve high scores, and there is a higher demand for writing skills.

Students at Webb School, TN come from 15 countries and 14 states. The curriculum incorporates global thought education, expanding horizons through mutual communication, fostering a unique and diverse community. Academically, the school offers a rigorous college preparatory curriculum. Each student has their own advisor, and students can consult with their advisors for additional study and improvement daily from 3:05 PM to 3:50 PM. The school's unique McDonnell-Follon Scholars Program also provides students with an opportunity to conduct in-depth research in their academic fields. Students meet with their advisors once or twice a week to discuss and create study curricula and exchange new ideas.

Every June and July, the school offers a rich variety of summer courses, featuring outdoor activities such as trail running, rock climbing, camping, kayaking, etc. The purpose is to increase students' intrinsic motivation psychologically and physically, challenge their character, and help them further develop their skills. The school provides complete social distancing equipment and safety measures, allowing students to exercise in a safe and enjoyable environment. The school has many clubs. If students want to establish their own club, they only need to find a teacher for support and then recruit other students to join.

Webb School, located in Bell Buckle, Tennessee, was founded in 1870 as a co-educational college-preparatory boarding school. Webb School enjoys a high reputation for providing students with an excellent education. Webb School has received 10 Rhodes Scholarships, and today, its graduates are leaders in the fields of business, education, and art.

School Advantages:

1. Webb School's campus spans a beautiful 150-acre farm in the central mountains of Tennessee, integrating a variety of traditional and modern teaching buildings.

2. Comprehensive Outdoor Program: Combining classroom learning with the outdoors, this is an academic program that includes book discussions on camping and leadership. The program also utilizes experiences gained from outdoor activities and "Outerlimits" activities such as camping, kayaking, backpacking, rock climbing, and various other activities, teaching the skills required to participate in and travel to wilderness expeditions.

3. Art Program Facilities: Including a choir room, a piano lab with 12 pianos, a string ensemble room, a recording studio, a drama classroom and rehearsal theater, individual practice rooms, an art gallery, and a 4000-square-foot room containing two-dimensional and three-dimensional art classrooms.

4. Strong Academics: Each year, students are admitted to prestigious universities such as Princeton University, Yale University, the University of Chicago, Columbia University, and others.

5. Webb School's faculty and staff are dedicated to their duties, with most holding advanced degrees. Teachers devote their expertise, talents, and all their energy to classroom education.