Two people are walking outdoors on a path, arm in arm, smiling. One is wearing a brown striped sweater and shorts, the other is in a blue striped sweater and jeans. Green trees are visible in the background.

A large house with white columns and a blue roof is surrounded by lush green trees and bushes, with a grassy lawn and a pond in the foreground on a sunny day.

Three young women pose closely together outdoors, smiling and hugging each other. They wear casual summer clothing, with greenery and blurred trees in the background.

Living our mission

Miss Porter’s School educates young women to become informed, bold, resourceful and ethical global citizens. We expect our graduates to shape a changing world.

At Porter’s, our mission powers everything we do. It drives us to challenge and support our students so that they build the knowledge, connections, and confidence they need  to thrive and live lives of purpose.

Here are some of the ways our mission shows up across campus.

AMPLIFYING EVERY VOICE DEEP, INTENTIONAL LEARNING FOSTERING A COMMUNITY OF TRUE BELONGING SEEING AND SUPPORTING EVERY STUDENT HONORING TRADITION WHILE SHAPING THE FUTURE

A student in a navy hoodie sits at a desk in a classroom, smiling and clapping, with a tablet in front of her. Other students in the background are also clapping and appear engaged.

Amplifying Every Voice

Each Porter’s student uses their voice to spark positive change—on campus and out in the world. Every member of our community is committed to lifting those voices and celebrating our students as they step into their power.

A group of students sits around a large U-shaped arrangement of tables in a bright classroom, engaged in discussion. Notebooks, papers, and water bottles are on the tables, and colorful sticky notes are on the walls.

Deep, Intentional Learning

Learning at Porter’s is hands-on, creative, curious and bold. Our students explore across disciplines, investigate global ideas, and engage with different viewpoints. They tackle real-world challenges and graduate prepared to lead rich and purposeful lives.

Two people dance on a grassy lawn while a third person sits on the grass and films them with a smartphone. Trees and houses are visible in the background.

Fostering a Community of True Belonging

Students come to Porter’s from across the country and around the world, each with diverse backgrounds, perspectives and lived experiences. We embrace that difference: celebrating what makes us unique while cultivating a welcoming community where everyone belongs.

A woman with long gray hair leans over and points at a laptop screen while a young woman with dark hair types, both focused on the computer, in a room with bookshelves in the background.

Seeing and Supporting Every Student

Porter’s students are more than ambitious learners—they’re whole people with distinct needs, goals and identities. We truly see and know each student here, offering holistic support and resources so they can use their voices, tap into their power and truly thrive.

A close-up of a hand with a ring on the middle finger, adorned with yellow ribbons tied around the fingers. The background is blurred grass and patterned clothing.

Honoring Tradition While Shaping the Future

Traditions, both old and new, are how we celebrate Porter’s long history and help students develop a sense of connection and belonging that spans generations. But we honor the past with a clear eye on the future, embracing constant growth and deliberate evolution.

Mission into Action

A large group of people poses and smiles in front of an old stone building with a bell tower, under a cloudy sky. There are palm trees nearby and grass in the foreground. — While immersed in global coursework and travel opportunities, you’ll learn about pressing issues impacting individuals, families and communities around the world.

A woman in a gray sweater pins a paper to a wall covered with documents in an office or classroom, focusing intently on her task. — When you take on leadership roles across campus, you’ll advocate not only for yourself and your ideas but also for those around you.

Two women work on pottery wheels in a sunlit studio. The woman in front, smiling at the camera, shapes clay with her hands, while the woman behind focuses on her pottery, wearing a mask and glasses. — During events like the annual Art Sale and Bowlathon fundraisers, you’ll have the chance to give back and raise money for local and global nonprofits.

A man standing outdoors on a walkway carries a large metal ladder over his shoulder. He wears a green cap, a light t-shirt, tan work pants, and boots. The background is filled with trees and greenery. — As a community, we implement eco-friendly practices and bring awareness to pressing environmental challenges. Together, we strive to leave our campus better—and more sustainable—than we found it.

PURPOSE MEETS IMPACT

Every member of our community has a story to tell about how Porter’s mission has shaped their life and the lives of others.

“Porter’s students and Ancients do actually shape a changing world, whatever that world may be to them. It could be in big or small ways, but it has an impact.”

“Porter’s shapes leaders for tomorrow and creates a place where girls thrive and find their voice and their agency. That’s powerful.”

“We want you as a woman to be bold, to use your voice, to find your confidence, and lead with integrity.”

“Traveling with Porter’s gave me the courage to see myself as a global citizen, not just a student.” 

“The mission shows up in small ways every day — like the confidence to ask harder questions in math, or to share a poem in English.” 

“Traveling with Porter’s gave me the courage to see myself as a global citizen, not just a student.” 

“The mission shows up in small ways every day — like the confidence to ask harder questions in math, or to share a poem in English.” 

“Traveling with Porter’s gave me the courage to see myself as a global citizen, not just a student.” 

Our Vision

In keeping with our founder’s vision, Miss Porter’s School joins tradition with innovation to provide an exemplary education to young women. Generation after generation, our leadership is defined by our ability to articulate how young women think, how young women learn, and why gender matters.

Within our legacy lies our future.

ANCIENTS IN ACTION

Porter’s becomes part of you; just ask our graduates. They carry our mission into every chapter of their lives, living lives of purpose and leading the way in classrooms, boardrooms, labs, and beyond.

Learn more about our Ancients of Impact →

A woman with medium-length brown hair smiles at the camera while standing outdoors. She wears a black quilted leather jacket and a black top. Sunlight illuminates her face, and trees are visible in the blurry background.

Sydni ’18 is working to shape a better world. Porter’s first Rhodes Scholar, she founded and directed The Amendment Project to engage youth in lobbying for reparative justice.

A smiling woman with short blonde hair wears a cream dress with large buttons, a purple cardigan, a chunky gold necklace, and gold earrings. She is seated in front of a light-colored, patterned background.

A former trustee and current Alumnae Board member, Milbry ’63 built an impactful career as a political aide, award-winning TV news producer, and member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

A woman with long dark hair and light eyes smiles softly while leaning on her hand by a window, wearing a white lace jacket. The city skyline is visible in the blurred background.

Maddie ’16, now an Emmy-winning animator, grew her passion for creative storytelling at Porter’s, where she learned about video production and filmmaking. She also founded the MPS Film Club.

A woman with shoulder-length curly hair, wearing glasses and a green patterned high-neck top, smiles outdoors with a blurred, sunny background of greenery.

Glenda ’71 is a distinguished physician, author and speaker. She was the first Black student to attend Porter’s, and served on the Board of Trustees from 1993-1999.

A woman with wavy light brown hair smiles and holds a white mug that says VOTE.ORG in red and blue letters. She wears a black shirt with a red heart and gold jewelry, sitting against a white wall.

A voting rights advocate and former member of Porter’s Alumnae Board, Andrea ’99 is CEO of Vote.org, the country’s largest nonpartisan digital voter engagement organization.

Our Community Call to Action

We are the living legacy of Sarah Porter. At a time when women were undervalued, she created an intentional community for young women to gain greater agency in their lives. While her vision was radically brave in nature, it was not accessible to all women.

Like our founder, we are both bold in our desire for change and limited by the scope of our experience. To expand Sarah Porter’s vision to be more fully inclusive and equitable, we must:

Commit to the work of building a school community rooted in the inherent worth and dignity of each individual, with courage and integrity.
Grapple with the responsibility of enacting change, both within and beyond our time in Farmington.
Hold ourselves accountable for our own limitations, while forging a foundation for future leaders to fix the mistakes we leave behind.

In doing so, we contribute to a more just chapter in our institution’s legacy.

Learn more about the people and work that shape the Porter’s community.

Three women pose and smile outdoors. Two wear white dresses, and one in the middle wears a purple dress with short sleeves. Other people in white outfits are visible in the background on a grassy area.

Leadership

Meet the team that champions our mission, guides our community, and prepares our students to learn, grow, and thrive in a changing world.

Five young women sit and kneel on the floor in a bright room, working together on large sheets of paper, writing or drawing. There is a blue couch and a floral chair in the background.

Equity & Inclusion

Explore how we foster a community rooted in true belonging—one where every member is seen, heard, and valued.

Rows of solar panels installed on the sloped roofs of buildings under a clear blue sky, with trees visible in the background.

Sustainability

Learn about the institutional and student-driven efforts that are advancing our environmental stewardship and creating a more sustainable future for our community.

PORTER’S IS WHERE GIRLS LEARN TO THINK DEEPLY, SPEAK BOLDLY, AND LEAD WITH PURPOSE.

Apply now →