The Hanger Hall Story
In 1997, a group of middle and high school educators began meeting on a regular basis to develop what they would envision as the ideal learning situation for middle school girls. They worked on this project because they each believed that the middle school years are an absolutely crucial time in a young girl’s life. These years are a time when a girl develops and maintains her self-identity. These educators didn’t casually accept this premise. They had seen studies, read books and had classroom experiences that validated what they believed.
At the time, there were no all-girls schools in western North Carolina. As the father of two young girls, Howard Hanger decided to create such a school. This private middle school for girls would be non-sectarian, strongly academic, grounded in classics, highly experiential, and active in community service. The school would have an underlying purpose to “open the world to middle school girls so that they might discover their gifts and find their place in the world.”
Beginning with one 6th grade class, Hanger Hall opened its doors in the fall of 1999. In accordance with studies completed by American Association of University Women, Hanger Hall’s student to teacher ratio averages 1:14. These smaller classes help students to feel more connected to each other and to our faculty members. Hanger Hall truly nurtures both the minds and spirits of its students.