As a church school, it inevitably challenges students to discover their own moral and spiritual values. We want our students to recognize that responsibility and leadership are a cast of mind, not a seat of power. At a time when fewer and fewer people are willing to stand up and assume responsibility for their own actions, Groton insists its students wrestle with the ambiguities of what is right and what is wrong and develop the powers of discernment and of critical thinking. The secure bounds of Groton's Circle encourage students to explore and act on their convictions, offering a cushion when they falter and limits to help them develop judgment. From these limits, students learn that service to others is not only acceptable but imperative.
Adolescents become educable within relationships, learning from teachers and each other.
They can act morally only in relationships, too. Yet character cannot exist in a vacuum. It requires and creates community, just as community creates and cultivates character. Extending and sustaining Groton' s high ideals in the 21st century is the purpose of The Campaign for Groton. The trustees, administration, and faculty have been engaged in a disciplined and deliberative planning process for four years.