About

A teacher explain architecture  project to student
Upper School students talk to a teacher while walking across the quad.

Our Promise

Landon School challenges and inspires every boy it teaches to think deeply and broadly; to embody the timeless values of respect, perseverance, and honor; to seek balance and pursue excellence in all endeavors; to become the best version of himself.

Mark

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Kendall '24

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Susan

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As you consider Landon, you may ask of us: What is it that we believe about this institution and its mission?  

We believe in the vast human potential inherent in boys and their capacity to do and to be good. - Jim Neill, Head of school

70%

Of Faculty Hold Advanced Degrees

14

Average Class Size

75

Acre Campus

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The Facts

Landon is home to 700 students, 125 full-time faculty and staff, a 75-acre campus, and so much more. Statistics, though, are only one element that tells the story of who we are, what we do, and how we go about a boy-centered, well-balanced approach to help your son learn and grow.

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    Mission & Values

    Students laugh together at lunch

    Our Mission

    Landon School is committed to the ethical, intellectual, and personal development of boys.

    We challenge and inspire them to think deeply, individually, and broadly; to live with respect and honor; and to grow into healthy, well-rounded men of integrity and character who seek to make a positive difference in the world around them.

     

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    Leadership

    Landon’s Board of Trustees focuses on cultivating the long-term growth of the institution. Our Head of School conducts the day-to-day operations of the school. The Board of Trustees and Head work closely together to ensure Landon’s programs and practices serve our boys effectively and remain grounded in our mission.

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    Strategic Plan

    In the fall of 2016, Landon began its first comprehensive goal-setting exercise in a decade. The 2018 Strategic Plan was the result of this exercise, and it challenges us to grow as a school and live our mission to the fullest. It is focused on six key areas: academics, character, faculty, campus, resources, and community.

    We spent a year developing the six goals and associated action steps that make up the plan. The process included commentary from hundreds of community members and engagement by a 35-person committee whose voices represented a wide array of Landon constituencies and viewpoints. Our Board of Trustees approved the plan in 2017. 

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    Campus Master Plan

    In September 2023, we welcomed students, faculty, and staff back to a newly transformed campus. Our new and renovated buildings - the Boehly Upper School, the Banfield Academic Center, and the Freeman Family Lower School - are more than improved spaces; they are the setting for our ongoing commitment to the ethical, intellectual, and personal development of boys. Watch the video above to see how our students and faculty are embracing these new spaces.

    You are invited to support our Campus Master Plan through a gift to The Campaign for Landon. Every gift matters and has been the key to reaching our ambitious goals. Visit our campaign website to learn more about opportunities to give.

     

    the campaign for landon

     

    Brand new in Boehly

    The Boehly Upper School features bright, light-filled classrooms, state-of-the-art technology in The Brooke and Rosemary Seawell STEM Center and the Healy Foundation Innovation Lab, gathering spaces like the Forcione Sitting Steps, Rogers Terrace, and the Shue Family Commons, and office spaces for collaboration and one-on-one mentorship.

    Watch this video to get a glimpse of Boehly and hear from students and faculty about how the building's spaces are promoting learning, relationships, connection, and community.

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    Neighbors

    We value the relationships we have with the community around us. We invite our neighbors who are interested in Landon events and activities to join our neighbors email list.

    join our neighbors email list

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    Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

    Families enjoy Taste of Landon

    Our Values

    Respect is a core value of a Landon School education.

    Landon is committed to promoting supportive and welcoming traits like inclusivity and appreciating diversity and how it enriches the tapestry of the community.  We seek to develop in our students the skills, knowledge, and attitudes needed to value differences, encouraging both speaking and acting with integrity and compassion and developing an informed and respectful worldview.

    The Landon 2018 Strategic Plan identifies areas for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) work, including:

    • Imbue an authentic respect and appreciation for differences of all kinds through programming and practices that expand students' understanding of others and that lead to lifelong brotherly bonds.
    • Enrich the school population through broadened efforts to recruit and support students and faculty with diverse backgrounds.

    DEI Action Plan

    Building on the goals of the Landon 2018 Strategic Plan, the School announced a detailed DEI Action Plan in 2021.

    DEI Leadership

    A portrait of Ellice Hawkins

    Ellice Hawkins

    Director of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

    A portrait of Henry Martinez

    Henry Martinez

    Upper School and Middle School Assistant Dean of Students

    Upper School Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Coordinator

    A portrait of Dijon Anderson

    Dijon Anderson

    Middle School Pre-Algebra Teacher

    Lower and Middle School Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Coordinator

    A portrait of Stefany Morales

    Stefany Morales

    Administrative Assistant

    College Counseling & 3-12 Programmatic Administrators

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    Facilities Rental

    Landon facilities are available to rent. Please reach out to Jack Willson at jack_willson@landon.net to reserve athletic facilities, and Brenda Chambers at brenda_chambers@landon.net to reserve spaces in our academic buildings, performing arts center, and amphitheater. 

    Here is a look at some of Landon's facilities as part of our 75-acre campus.

    Facilities

    Armstrong Field

    Armstrong Field 

    Bordley Stadium

    Turf field, track, and stadium

    A photograph of a terrace with lawn chairs

    Rogers Terrace

    The facade of the Boehly Upper School

    Upper School

    The facade of the Banfield Academic Center

    Middle School

    Lower School

    Lower School

    Mondzac Performing Arts Center

    Performing Arts Center

    Coates Auditorium

    Auditorium

    Pielage Amphiteater

    Amphitheater

    Jacoby Tennis Courts

    Jacoby Tennis Courts

    Riddleberger Gym

    Riddleberger Gym

    Perkins Gym

    Perkins Gym

    Goddard Field

    Goddard Field

    Farmhouse

    Farmhouse

    Landon Bear

    Go Bears!

    Lead in Drinking Water Notice

    The State of Maryland mandates that all public, charter, and nonpublic schools must test their water outlets, including fountains and sinks, every three years for lead contamination. In compliance with this requirement, we conducted water testing across our campus on June 26, 2024, and discovered that some outlets in the Athletic Center, Dixon Pool area, and science classrooms in the Boehly Upper School exceeded the current state threshold of 5 parts per billion (ppb) for lead. Please note that the previous threshold was 20 ppb. This letter provides details of our action steps and explains the risks of lead exposure. If you have any questions or need further information, please contact our Director of Facilities, Mike Sopher, at michael_sopher@landon.net.  

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    History

    Landon School boys from the 1950's
    • 1934 — Landon School moves to the Walsh McLean estate (Whitehall) at the corner of Bradley Blvd. and Wilson Lane in Bethesda, Maryland. 
    • 1936 — Landon School purchases the Andrews estate at 6101 Wilson Lane, where the school stands today. Classes for Grades 3–6 remain in Whitehall until 1940. 
    • 1939 — Landon wins its first IAC championship, this time for baseball. In the years that follow, Landon wins an IAC title every year except three. 
    • 1940 — Following the completion of the new Perkins Gymnasium, the Lower School building is constructed. 
    • 1943 — Albert Rogers is wartime acting headmaster. Landon conducts three graduations the next year (February, June, and August) for students heading off to war. 
    • 1948 — Gladys Georgia becomes Landon’s first full-time art teacher, expanding the school’s arts offerings from music and theater to the studio arts. 
    • 1954 — The public is invited to tour the newly acquired Perkins Memorial Azalea Garden, and the annual Azalea Garden Festival, a scholarship fundraiser, is born. 
    • 1961 — The Lower School building is dedicated to longtime Lower School Head Clyde T. Wilson. 
    • 1963 — Landon Upper School students propose and adopt an Honor Code defining their own conduct. 
    • 1968 — Landon School fields its first lacrosse team with Coach Sullivan. Participants are in Grades 5 and 6. 
    • 1970 — Founder and Headmaster Paul L. Banfield retires, and Hugh C. Riddleberger is named Landon School’s second headmaster. 
    • 1971 — With only 15 boys in the dorm, the Boarding Department closes at the end of the school year. 
    • 1981 — Hugh C. Riddleberger retires; Malcolm Coates is named Landon School’s third headmaster. 
    • 1988 — Landon wins its first IAC Founder’s Cup. 
    • 1989 — The Mondzac Performing Arts Center opens with an auditorium (named for Malcolm Coates), music classrooms, rehearsal space, and a dining room. 
    • 1990 — Malcolm Coates retires; Damon F. Bradley is named Landon’s fourth headmaster. 
    • 2000 — Landon opens a new Middle School for Grades 6–8, which includes a library, science laboratories, and art studios. 
    • 2002 — The school adds a Civility Code to the core principles that govern our behavior as members of a community dedicated to the inclusion of all. 
    • 2004 — Damon F. Bradley retires; David M. Armstrong is named the school’s fifth headmaster. Landon celebrates its 75th graduating class. 
    • 2008 — Landon adopts a Code of Character, which raises civility to the level of honor; the Joshua M. Freeman ’83 Center for Athletic Achievement opens, providing a new fitness center and wrestling facility. 
    • 2013 — Landon celebrates its 60th Azalea Garden Festival.
    • 2014 — Landon celebrates its 85th anniversary. The Landon United capital campaign comes to a close having raised more than $51 million for the school, the most successful fundraising initiative in Landon history. 
    • 2015 — Headmaster David M. Armstrong steps down to lead the International Boys’ School Coalition (IBSC); Jim Neill becomes Landon’s sixth Head of School. 
    • 2022 — Landon begins construction on its Campus Master Plan, including a new Upper School and academic quad.
    • 2023 — Boehly Upper School and a fully-renovated Banfield Academic Center open to students and faculty.

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    News & Calendar

    Varsity soccer players huddle up during a game

    From an 85-yard kick-off return to beat St Albans and a big Water Polo win over Georgetown Prep, to a promising young Cross Country team, a growing Volleyball program, and an IAC Soccer tournament championship, the fall 2024 sports season was packed with exciting highlights. Here’s the season wrap-up:  

    Students take on the role of budding entrepreneurs for a Shark Tank project 

    Inspired by the popular TV show, budding entrepreneurs in Grade 5 pitch their business ideas to their classmates. Find out how this engaging project prepares the boys to study the impact of economics on history.

    Model UN students attend the Washington International Relations Conference

    Upper School Model UN members use their history knowledge and skills to tackle global issues at an international relations conference. Find out why students feel so well-prepared, confident, and ready to engage with peers from around the world.

    2023 Landon Magazine

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