Frequently Asked Questions

At Bolles, student potential is nourished by a superior curriculum and the most extensive program offerings in Northeast Florida for grades PreK to 12. Students here have access to extraordinary opportunities in a vibrant, global community of contributors who celebrate all beliefs and cultures.

Bolles students are academically motivated with an interest in being involved in school related activities such as sports, the arts, clubs and/or student government.

Of Bolles’ 159 full-time faculty, 85 hold master’s degrees, and 9 hold doctoral degrees.

In lower school, the maximum class size is 20-21 students. English classes are limited to 17 students in the middle school and 15 students in the upper school. Classes in other disciplines are limited to 20 students.

81% qualified for some form of merit-based award.

Bolles offers 21 Advanced Placement courses, although the exact number various by year based on student interest and enrollment.

Over the past three years, 86% of students tested scored 3 or above on exams taken from 2014-16. Average score on AP exams taken is 3.84.

For a variety of reasons, the starting and ending times of the school day vary from campus to campus.

Lower School Ponte Vedra Beach Campus Hours
PK: 8 a.m. – 12 p.m.
KG: 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Grades 1 and 2: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Grades 3, 4 and 5: 8 a.m. – 3:15 p.m.

Lower School Whitehurst Campus Hours
PK: 7:50 a.m. – 12 p.m.
KG: 7:50 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Grades 1, 2 and 3: 7:50 a.m. – 2:45 p.m.
Grades 4 and 5: 7:50 a.m. – 2:55 p.m.

Middle School Bartram Campus Hours
7:30-8 a.m. - Students may arrive and go to the dining hall or the library where there is supervision. Breakfast is served in the dining hall each morning and may be purchased by students through their “My School Bucks” account.

8:00-8:30 a.m. - Zero Hour: Students are encouraged to go see their teachers during this time for help.

8:30 a.m. - 1^st period begins on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays

9 a.m. - 1^st period begins on Wednesdays (late start morning/no Zero Hour)

Upper School San Jose Campus Hours
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday
8-8:30 a.m - Zero Hour:
8:30 a.m.-3:10 p.m. - Classes

Wednesday
8:45-9:15 a.m. - Zero Hour
9:15 a.m.-3:10 p.m. - Classes

Extended Day is available at both of our lower school campuses. Morning Extended Day begins at 7:15 a.m. and students may stay in afternoon Extended Day as late as 5:30 p.m. Students may come to Extended Day on an everyday basis or as a “drop in”, as needed.

An After School Program is offered to our Middle School Students on the Bartram Campus until 5:30 p.m. Students will be able to go see teachers if they are available until 3:45 p.m., work on their homework, eat a snack, etc.

The opportunity to play after-school sports begins in middle school. In lower school, after-school athletic classes are offered just for fun through the Advantage Program.

Middle school students may begin participating in after-school sports in the 6^th grade. However, football is not offered to the middle school students until they begin 7^th grade.

Bolles does not offer any merit based scholarships. All financial aid awards are need-based awards.

Bus transportation is available to many areas of Jacksonville. Additionally there are free shuttle buses that run Bolles middle and upper school students between the San Jose and Bartram Campus at key times of the day.

Absolutely! We welcome and encourage Bolles parents and even grandparents to volunteer at Bolles. We have an active and vibrant Parent Association that orchestrates multiple special events during the school year that add to the richness of the Bolles experience. Volunteering is also a great way to make new friends and quickly become part of the Bolles community.

Lower and middle school students wear uniforms which are available through Land’s End. Upper school students follow a dress code.

Children may bring lunch to school or may purchase a school lunch. Healthy and delicious offerings are available for purchase every day in the school cafeteria and parents set up a lunch account for their child which operates by a declining balance based on the student’s purchases. Food service at Bolles is provided by FLIK.

Yes.  Bolles offers students the opportunity to study in a post-graduate year.  Students take a full academic load and participate in activities along with the senior class, including support from the college counseling office. Students may be day or boarding and will receive a certificate of participation at the end of the school year.

We welcome applications to Bolles! In lower school, the main entry points at both campuses are PK, KG and Grade 5 at the Whitehurst Campus because at each of those grade levels we add a full new class every year. Openings at other lower school grade levels are due to attrition and therefore we are not able to predict the exact number available. However, we have many new students enter Bolles each year at many different grade levels and if you are interested in Bolles for your child, we encourage you to apply.

In Middle School, the main entry points are 6^th and 7^th grades. There are a limited number of spaces available at 8^th grade each year.

In Upper School, the main entry point is at 9^th grade. There are a limited number of spaces available at the other Upper School grades each year.

Yes, even after the first round of admission decisions are completed, we continue to accept applications for any available openings that may occur as we move into the spring and summer. Once the first round of "fixed date" admission notifications take place, we move into rolling admission for all grade levels. At that point, in lower school, we only test on a space-available basis, but encourage families to complete applications with all the required documents so that should a sudden opening become available, their child’s file is complete and testing can be scheduled as soon as possible.

Contrary to popular myth, Bolles does not carry the current year’s wait lists over to the next year and does not accept early applications. The admission process starts fresh every September for the next school year.

No, required admission materials do not need to be submitted at the same time. However, we ask that you please pay attention to the due dates of individual items and the date by which a student’s file needs to be complete. In order for lower school students to take part in their admission visit/testing, their application needs to be complete with all the required items. In all grade levels, files need to be complete in order to be considered by the admission committee.

In the middle and upper schools, files need to be complete in order to be considered by the admission committee.

The Bolles lower school experience is equally wonderful at both of our lower school campuses. We encourage families to apply to whichever campus is most convenient for them. Often, families choose the lower school campus that is closest to where they live, but occasionally proximity to work is the main consideration. Although the application requires that you choose a campus of preference, if it truly does not make a difference, you may indicate a first and second choice of campuses to the lower school admission director through an email or phone call. The admission process at both lower school campuses is the same.

• January 10, 2018 – Lower school applications due
• January 31, 2018 – Middle, upper, and boarding applications due
• March 15, 2018 – First round decision letters sent