Moravian Academy

Moravian Academy is a preschool through 12th-grade independent, co-educational, college preparatory school in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania. Moravian Academy is the ninth oldest independent school in the United States.^[1]

Moravian Academy
Location
Merle-Smith Campus: 4313 Green Pond Road, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18020 Downtown Campus: 7 E. Market Street, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18018 Swain Campus: 1100 S 24th St, Allentown, Pennsylvania 18103 Bethlehem and Allentown, Pennsylvania , Pennsylvania United States
Information
Type	Independent, Coeducational, and College Preparatory School
Motto	More to Explore
Established	1742; 283 years ago (1742) 1971
Founder	Benigna Zinzendorf
Campus Director	Merle-Smith Campus - Rachel Wright Downtown Campus - Abby Mahone Swain Campus - Megan Franzyshen
Head of school	Adrianne Finley Odell
Faculty	173 (on an FTE basis)
Grades	Preschool – 12
Enrollment	910 (2022–23)
Student to teacher ratio	6:1
Campus	Suburb Urban
Colors	Red and Gold
Athletics conference	Colonial League
Mascot	Lion
Website	www.moravianacademy.org

The Devey Building on the Downtown Campus

A portrait of Countess Benigna Zinzendorf

The school has 861 students and 200 employees from across the region located on two campuses in Bethlehem and one in Allentown.

History

Moravian Academy was founded in 1742. The school's highlights include:

18th century

• 1742: Countess Benigna Von Zinzendorf opens Moravian Seminary for Girls.^[2]

20th century

• 1971: Moravian Preparatory School and Moravian Seminary for Girls merged to create Moravian Academy. Each spring, this merger is celebrated during the school Birthday Love Feast.^[3]
• June 10, 1972: First joint graduation ceremony with thirty nine graduating students.
• 1987: The first issue of the Moravian Academy Journal was published.^[4]
• 1991: Moravian Academy publishes “Mind, Body, and Spirit: Moravian Academy 1742-1992.” ^[5]
• 1992: 250th Anniversary Celebration of the forming of Moravian Academy.

The History of the Swain School

• 1929: D.Esther Swain opens the Swain School. The opening of the school is celebrated annually on Founder's Day. Dogwood trees are planted in honor of D.Esther Swain.^[6]
• 1990: The Swain School celebrates 60 years

21st century

• 2020: Moravian Academy and the Swain School Merge to form a three campus school, Moravian Academy. Each campus is named: Merle-Smith Campus, Downtown Campus, and Swain Campus.^[7]
• 2022: Moravian Academy installs the first women head of school, Adrianne Finley Odell.^[8]

Schools

Beginning School

The Beginning School includes preschool and kindergarten classes on the Downtown and Swain Campuses.

Lower School

The Lower School serves students in first through fifth grades on the Downtown and Swain Campuses.

Upper School

The Upper School serves ninth through 12th grade students on the Merle-Smith Campus.

Administration

Henrietta Benigna Justina von Zinzendorf, founded the school in 1742. Since then, the heads of the school have been:

• Reverend Edwin Sawyer, president (1971-1973)
• David J Devey, head master (1973-1988)
• Peter Sipple, head master (1988-1998)^[9]
• Barnaby Roberts, head master (1998-2007)^[10]
• George King, head master (2007-2016)
• Jeffrey M. Zemsky, head of school (2016-2022)^[11]
• Adrianne Finley Odell, head of school (2022–present)

Notable alumni

• Catherine Drinker Bowen, biographer
• Sally Kohn, liberal political commentator
• Santo Loquasto, actor and Tony Award winner
• Gilmer McCormick, actress