Relationships are key to learning and growing. Because of our close-knit, all-girls environment, Ellis girls develop uniquely strong bonds across campus.
The Ellis School is Pittsburgh’s leading age 3 to grade 12 private school dedicated to the education of girls. Ellis educates girls and young women to become bold, authentic, and intellectually vibrant changemakers.
We embolden girls to be intellectually vibrant and ambitious. In the company of other genuinely curious, diverse students, and guided by gifted and committed teachers, girls thrive in our forward-thinking, progressive academic environment.
Changemakers
We empower girls to be courageous changemakers. Ellis girls are comfortable tussling with complex problems and are eager to solve them. They develop into brave, bold young women who are ready to use their powerful minds and voices to change the world.
Secure & Confident
We develop young women who are secure in themselves. Ellis girls grow remarkable confidence and a strong voice—they hold fast to what they believe, know their own strengths, and speak up for themselves and others.
Positive Community Members
We believe learning is enhanced by the remarkable diversity of our school community. At Ellis, every girl is invited to bring all aspects of her identity into our shared space. Ellis students are caring and empathetic individuals who make deep, authentic connections with others.
She’ll have academic space to discover who she is as a person. She’ll learn to express ideas convincingly (and maybe even challenge the status quo) in person and in writing.
Ellis is about the journey of learning, not worrying about report cards and grades. Performance isn't graded until fifth grade so that girls keep taking risks.
Ellis’ demanding writing program is central to every student finding her voice. Instead of focusing on grammar and mechanics, Ellis concentrates on organizing thoughts into coherent and persuasive arguments. Our high school papers incorporate college-level thinking.
Our grads leave their mark at Yale, Penn State, Mt. Holyoke, Purdue, and other top colleges. But who they become next is more notable: epidemiologists, book editors, engineers, county supervisors, corporate attorneys, artists, and more.
She'll begin finding her voice by working in teams and introducing herself to the whole school. At the end of her time in the Lower School, she will be on the path to discovering the girl she is meant to be.
Ellis starts middle school early— in fifth grade—so girls can hit the ground running in the traditional middle school years. Students develop organizational skills—time management, goal setting, note-taking, prioritization, and more—that prepare them for success.
Integrated Studies builds with a new focus each year (self, community, outside world, capstone) and culminates in a “passion project” that combines all her interests. Seniors create their own projects outside the school—settling refugees through nonprofits, painting educational murals in hospitals, and more.