Montclair Kimberley Academy

History

Montclair Academy was founded in 1887 by a group of local citizens, as a college preparatory school for boys with an enrollment of 32 boys. In 1891, the school expanded to include a boarding facility and was renamed the Montclair Military Academy, though the name reverted to Montclair Academy after the end of the First World War. By 1925 the enrollment was close to 300 boys. The school was owned and run at that time by Dr. Walter Head.

Kimberley Academy was founded in 1906 as Miss Waring's School and Studio. The enrollment in the first year was 46 students, with 10 teachers led by Mary Kimberley Waring. In 1909, Mary Jordan joined Waring as co-principal, and the school was renamed The Kimberley School. The two women ran the school for profit for more than 30 years, until it incorporated as a nonprofit institution in 1941.

Brookside School was founded in 1925 by a group of local parents, as a progressive, coeducational primary school. Enrollment that first year was 30 students, with six teachers.

During the 1930s, all three schools suffered declines in enrollment, but the schools expanded again in the post-World War II era. In 1950, a group of trustees of Montclair Academy purchased the Brookside School in order to create a co-ed feeder for the academy. The Kimberley School also purchased and renovated the old Montclair Athletic Club. In 1963 Montclair Academy purchased land for a new campus, which today houses the MKA Upper School (grades 9-12), while the old Montclair Athletic Club houses the MKA Middle School (grades 4-8).

In 1968, Montclair Academy and The Kimberley School began to merge, offering cross-registration for classes and shared social events. In 1974, the two schools were combined as Montclair Kimberley Academy.

Principals

John MacVicar, first principal of Montclair Academy (1887-?)

Mary Kimberley Waring, first principal of Kimberley School (then Miss Waring's School and Studio) (1906-1941)

Mary Jordan, co-principal of Kimberley School (1909-1941)

Walter Head, owner and headmaster of Montclair Academy (1920s)

Richard Ward Day, first principal of MKA (1968-1979)

Frances R. O'Connor (1979-1991)

Peter R. Greer (1992-2005), headmaster.

Thomas W. Nammack (2005- )

Curriculum

MKA offers a college prep curriculum featuring Signature Programs in Ethics, Writing, and the MKA Core – works of western and non-western literary, artistic, musical, historical or mathematical significance. Each graduating senior is required to complete May Term. Choices for May Term include internships and travel opportunities in Europe and Asia. French and Spanish are offered from Pre-K onwards; Latin and Chinese in 6th grade. The school has advanced technology, science labs supporting research-based learning, four gymnasiums, a swimming pool, auditoriums, a black box theatre, and the Upper School both a $3 million arts wing and a multimillion-dollar academic and technology wing. There is an interscholastic athletic program, and fields competitive teams in over 25 sports that have won over 100 championships in the past 10 years. Students have access to fine and performing arts opportunities ranging from a tri-campus Strings Program, to mounting a full Shakespeare production in 7th grade, to making movies in the Upper School. Numerous community service opportunities exist at each campus, as well as extensive extracurricular offerings. 100% of students go on to college, with an 87% acceptance rate to one of their first three colleges of choice.

The school is a member of the New Jersey Association of Independent Schools.

Campus

MKA has three academic campuses: Brookside (the primary school), the middle school, and the upper school.

Middle School campus

The Middle School houses students in grades 4–8. The building was formerly the Kimberley School, prior to the MA–TKS merger in 1974. Educational facilities include a gymnasium, auditorium, and library. Outdoor facilities include a tennis court, playground, and turf field, which houses the Upper School baseball and softball teams, and the Middle School baseball, softball, soccer, and football teams.

Upper School campus

The Upper School, formerly Montclair Academy, houses students in grades 9–12. Educational facilities include:

The Johnson Family Academic Center - A library and educational hub, opened in January 2016. It consists of 3 collaborative study rooms, a quiet study, a technology center, an idea lab classroom, and general seating. The center earned a LEED Silver Certification in 2017. A green roof on top of the Johnson Family Academic Center has a garden, composter, weather station, and learning space for students.

Peter R. Greer Arts Center - A 15,000-square-foot (1,400 m2) arts wing. It houses the Weiss auditorium, art and photography studios, and an orchestral band room.

Deetjen Theatre - A blackbox theatre that hosts the school's fall and spring plays.

Fairleigh S. Dickinson Gymnasium - The Upper School's main gymnasium. Opened in 1968, it consists of a basketball court, weight room, trainer’s room, and a pool.

Inquiry and Innovation Center - A 27,000-square-foot (2,500 m2) STEM facility completed in 2025. The center contains seven science laboratories, nine math, computer science, and health classrooms, and access to a green roof. The building also houses facilities for robotics, engineering, and research.

Awards and recognition

For 2013–15, MKA was recognized as an Apple Distinguished School for its use of technology in education.

In 2009, Montclair Kimberley Academy was voted Best NJ Private School by parents in Bloomberg Businessweek.

In 2010, the school was designated a Johns Hopkins School of Excellence.

In 2003, Montclair Kimberley Academy was recognized as a National School of Character by the Character Education Partnership, one of ten schools selected nationwide.

Montclair Kimberley Academy was recognized by the US Department of Education as a Blue Ribbon School for 1999–2000, and the Upper School was also recognized as a Blue Ribbon School for 1994–1996.

Arts

Montclair Kimberley Academy has an extensive program for both performing and visual arts. The Fine and Performing Arts department is run by Nicole Hoppe. The school puts on four productions each academic year, including one large-scale musical. On average, up to a quarter of the student body participates in the musical in some capacity. The school additionally puts on an arts showcase in September, and one to two plays each year, in the fall and in the spring. Every other year in the spring, the play is replaced by a film made by students with the help of a professional film crew.

The department oversees the production of an arts newsletter, The Informer, published several times each semester. The Informer covers topics from current productions, to artist spotlights, and artistic opportunities and events in the community.

Each year, students are recognized for their work on stage and in the fine arts. Montclair Kimberley Academy students are frequent recipients of Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. In 2016, two students have won Rising Star Awards from the Paper Mill Playhouse.

Athletics

The Montclair Kimberley Academy Cougars compete in the Super Essex Conference, which is comprised of public and private high schools in Essex County and operates under the supervision of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA). Prior to the NJSIAA's 2010 realignment, the school had previously participated in the Colonial Hills Conference which included public and private high schools covering Essex County, Morris County and Somerset County in west Central Jersey. With 335 students in grades 10-12, the school was classified by the NJSIAA for the 2019–20 school year as Non-Public B for most athletic competition purposes, which included schools with an enrollment of 37 to 366 students in that grade range (equivalent to Group I for public schools). The school was classified by the NJSIAA as Non-Public Group B (equivalent to Group I/II for public schools) for football for 2024–2026, which included schools with 140 to 686 students.

MKA's longtime rival is Newark Academy, including a notable soccer rivalry. There is also a rivalry with Montclair High School, Montclair's public high school. Some of the school's more successful athletic teams include girls' tennis, boys' tennis, boys' soccer, softball, ice hockey, golf, varsity and junior varsity baseball, boys' lacrosse, girls' volleyball, field hockey and boys cross country.

The girls fencing team was the overall state champion in 1980-1983 and 1985-1990. The program's 10 state titles and nine individual titles are both ranked second in the state.

The ice hockey team won the Gordon Cup in 1982, won the Handchen Cup in 1992, won the McInnis Cup in 2011, 2012, 2014 and 2015, and the Kelly Cup in 2023.

The boys tennis team was Non-Public B/C state champion in 1983 (defeating Mater Dei High School in the final match of the tournament), 1984 (vs. Gloucester Catholic High School), 1989 (vs. Moorestown Friends School) and 1990 (vs. Morrestown Friends). The 1984 team won the parochial state championship against Christian Brothers Academy and went on to win the overall state championship, defeating runner-up Princeton High School 4-1. The boys tennis team was the 2009 Prep B state co-champion. The team also made it to the finals of the 2007 North Non-Public B state championship where they lost to Newark Academy 3–2. The 2008 team would repeat their 2007 success by making it back to the finals of the North Non-Public B state championship in which they lost 3–2. The 2008 team also won the Colonial Hills Conference and Essex County Championships. The county tournament win was the first in the school's history.

Notable alumni

Virginia Hamilton Adair (1913–2004, class of 1929), poet and educator

Kerry Bishé (born 1984), actress (her father taught at MKA)

Spruille Braden (1894–1978, class of 1910), U.S. Ambassador to Colombia (1939–42), Cuba (1942–45), Argentina (1945)

Jessica Bruder, journalist who writes about subcultures and teaches narrative writing at Columbia Journalism School

Robert L. Clifford (1924–2014, class of 1942), New Jersey Supreme Court justice

Bob Cottingham (born 1966, class of 1984), Olympic fencer who competed in the sabre events at the 1988 and 1992 Summer Olympics.

Jim Courter (born 1941), represented New Jersey in the United States House of Representatives from 1979 to 1991.

Fairleigh Dickinson Jr. (1919–1996, class of 1937), President of Becton, Dickinson & Co.

Lewis Williams Douglas (1894–1974, class of 1912), U.S. Ambassador to Great Britain (1947–50).

Wayne Dumont (1914–1992), politician who served in the New Jersey Senate from 1951 to 1990 (with a two-year gap).

Hal Ebersole (1899–1984), American football guard who played one season for the Cleveland Indians of the National Football League.

Theodore Miller Edison (1898–1992), only child of his inventor father who graduated from college; went on to become an inventor with over 80 patents.

Notable faculty

Richard W. Day (1916–1978), principal of Montclair Academy who was the 10th principal of Phillips Exeter Academy.

Thomas Fleming (1951–2017), winner of the New York City, Tokyo, Cleveland International, and Los Angeles marathons.

Alumni Association Awards

Every year, the Alumni Association awards a notable MA, TKS or MKA alum the Distinguished Alumni Award.