This prestigious, all-boys Memphis private school plans to add another grade level in 2024
Historically, the student body at Memphis University School has been comprised of seventh-12th graders.
Now, the private, all-boys school founded in 1893 is poised to bring sixth-graders into the fold.
In the 2024-25 academic year, MUS is expected to welcome its introductory sixth-grade class to accommodate students leaving K-5 schools and provide an earlier enrollment opportunity. The decision came after a years-long process overseen by the MUS board of trustees and a sixth-grade task force.
“By adding a sixth grade, not only do we have the opportunity to welcome top students who might not have come our way otherwise, but families can gain an earlier entry point to acclimate to the tools to be successful at MUS,” said Anne McWaters, MUS’ director of curriculum and strategic initiatives, in an email.
The first class is expected to have around 24 students, and the goal is to eventually reach the school's average grade size of around 105 students. Sixth-grade tuition is expected to be the same as it is for other grades, which, according to MUS’ website, will be $24,500 in 2024-25. The school does offer financial aid to families, and its headmaster, Pete Sanders, maintained that “cost should never be a barrier to the MUS experience.”
That experience is one MUS leaders believe will be beneficial for incoming sixth graders. The new class will join its lower school, which is comprised of the seventh and eighth grades, and focused on executive functioning skills, like organization, planning, studying, and leadership. The sixth-grade curriculum will include math, English and writing, reading, science, social studies, physical education, study hall and skills, and arts and technology; and the new students will have the chance to lead their own clubs, extracurriculars, and special events.
The addition of MUS’ sixth-grade class, however, does raise a question.
Memphis-based Presbyterian Day School, another private, all-boys institution, has often been seen as a feeder school for MUS. It teaches 2-year-olds through sixth graders, and its website states that “most PDS graduates matriculate at Memphis University School.”
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But with MUS planning to start with sixth grade and not seventh grade going forward, is there concern that it will pull from PDS’ class going into sixth grade?
MUS leaders don’t think so.
McKee Humphreys, associate headmaster and interim principal of the lower school, explained that MUS has welcomed students from over 25 schools in its current academic year, and it expects that number to grow. The goal of the expansion isn’t to draw students away from PDS ― it’s to welcome students graduating from the region’s many K-5 schools.
“We have been in communication with PDS, who remains an incredible partner with a proud history of connection,” Humphreys said. “Our intent is not to draw away from the PDS path but rather to complement it.”
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Memphis University School to add 6th grade class in 2024
