Principia School
Principia School is an independent, co-educational K-12 day and boarding school in Saint Louis, Missouri, founded in 1898 on Christian Science principles, serving ~500+ students from infancy through grade 12 with experiential learning on a 360-acre campus.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1898
- HeadquartersSaint Louis, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Principia School does
Principia School is an independent, co-educational college-preparatory institution founded in 1898 by Mary Kimball Morgan and currently headquartered on a 360-acre campus in Town and Country, a suburb of Saint Louis, Missouri. The school serves approximately 500+ day students from infancy through grade 12 and offers boarding for grades 8-12, with 28% of students boarding and 17% drawn from 14 foreign countries. The educational platform is grounded in Christian Science principles and built around experiential, place-based, and project-based learning, including two IDEA/SMART Labs for K-12 STEM, the Principa Adventure outdoor program (rock climbing, backpacking, canoeing, orienteering), and Signature Programs such as Senior Projects, Outward Bound Character Trips, the Impact Challenge, and Entrepreneurship Quest. Advanced offerings include 26 AP/college-credit courses, an 8:1 student-teacher ratio, and a 96% college attendance rate; the school is accredited by ISACS and recognized as a US Department of Education Green Ribbon School.
The business model is tuition-driven with five revenue streams: day school tuition (infancy-grade 12), boarding fees (grades 8-12), the Principia Camps 360 summer program, the Acorn infant/toddler program with parenting seminars, and tuition assistance/scholarships (53% of students receive aid). Pricing is not publicly disclosed; only Acorn-level tiers are listed (e.g., $848/yr for Tuesday play-ins, $1,852/yr for play-in plus one Sprouts class, $2,610/yr for play-in plus two Sprouts classes, billed monthly). Go-to-market is a sales-led admissions motion with separate processes per division, on-campus and virtual visits, a Refer-a-Student program, and active social channels (Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn). The school is a single legal entity governed by a Board of Trustees with no parent company, subsidiaries, or outside equity; recent leadership changes include Terry Grigsby as Head of School (July 2025) and Barbara Blackwell as Chief Executive.
Principia School firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Principia School
- Legal name
- Principia School
- Website
- https://principiaschool.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1898
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Principia School is an independent, co-educational K-12 day and boarding school in Saint Louis, Missouri, founded in 1898 on Christian Science principles, serving ~500+ students from infancy through grade 12 with experiential learning on a 360-acre campus.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Principia School industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Independent K-12 Education
- NAICS
- Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Nonsectarian Independent Boarding Schools (EDAJABAB)
Keywords
Where Principia School is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Saint Louis
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Principia School business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Day School Tuition: Tuition for students from infancy through grade 12 attending as day students
- Boarding Program: Residential/boarding fees for students in grades 8-12 living on the 360-acre campus
- Summer Camps (Principia Camps 360): Camp-style summer program offering hands-on experiences for children of various ages on campus
- Acorn Infant/Toddler Program: Weekly parenting seminars and play-based programs for Christian Science families with children through age 3
- Tuition Assistance and Scholarships: 53% of Principia students receive financial aid, indicating significant tuition assistance programs
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Acorn Play-in Program |
| Subscription | Monthly | Acorn Play-in plus one Acorn Sprouts class |
| Subscription | Monthly | Acorn Play-in plus two Acorn Sprouts classes |
| Subscription | Monthly | Early Learning Center |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels10 records
Principia School product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Principia School is an independent, coeducational college-preparatory day and boarding school in St. Louis, Missouri, serving students from infancy through grade 12 (boarding for grades 8-12). The school delivers a whole-person education grounded in Christian Science principles, integrating rigorous academics with experiential learning, character development, spiritual growth, and outdoor education across a 360-acre campus.
Product overview
Principia School is an independent co-educational college-prep day and boarding school serving students from infancy through grade 12 (boarding for grades 8-12). The institution offers a unified educational program built on Christian Science principles, with distinct divisions: Early Childhood (Acorn, Early Learning Center, Preschool), Lower School (K-5), Middle School (6-8), Upper School (9-12), and Upper School Boarding. The portfolio includes signature programs (Senior Projects, Impact Challenge, Entrepreneurship), IDEA Labs for STEM, Principia Adventure outdoor education, Principia Camps 360 summer program, and educational travel experiences. The school emphasizes experiential, whole-person education integrating spiritual, intellectual, physical, social, and moral development.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Principia Camps 360: A camp-style summer program offering children hands-on experiences in a nurturing environment with activities including outdoor adventures, arts, crafts, science projects, swimming, sports, and outdoor challenges across the 360-acre campus.
- Acorn Infant/Toddler Program
- Principia Adventure
- Signature Programs
Products and services
- Early Childhood Program
- Lower School (K-5)
- Middle School (6-8)
- Upper School (9-12)
- Upper School Boarding Program
- Principia Camps 360
- Acorn Infant/Toddler Program
- Educational Travel
Quantifiable outcome
- 96% college/university attendance rate
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Principia School
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Principia School technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Principia School partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, minor and core.
- PrintLab & AutodeskflagshipTwo tenth-grade CoLab teams from Principia School were named finalists in the international PrintLab & Autodesk Make:able Challenge, turning empathy-driven ideas into technology that serves humanity.
- HOKAminorJean-Luc Diard, co-founder of HOKA, visited Principia School to hear students' business ideas and offer feedback, giving practical entrepreneurial guidance and inspiring students to see their ideas as achievable.
- National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS)coreNAIS visited Principia's campus and featured the school as part of their innovation showcase, recognizing Principia as an inspiring independent school community.
- St. Louis Zoo / Missouri Department of ConservationcorePrincipia School partners with the St. Louis Zoo and Missouri Department of Conservation on the St. Louis Box Turtle Project, a study dedicated to conservation and health of the three-toed box turtle. Principia tracks movement of the native species using the School's 360-acre campus as a testing ground. This is the school's seventh year as a partner.
- The Simunye ProjectcorePartnership with The Simunye Project for service trips to South Africa where students help construct homes and engage in community service. Upper School students participate annually in service trips through this partnership.
- International Academy of Dispute Resolution (INADR)corePrincipia hosted the first Mediation Tournament for high schoolers in the nation in 2020 in partnership with INADR. The school continues to host annual high school mediation tournaments.
Scale indicators13 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Principia School competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- John Burroughs School: Independent coeducational K-12 day school in Ladue, Missouri, ranked alongside Principia for top college-prep outcomes in the St. Louis region. Closest direct competitor for academic-minded families.
- Mary Institute and St. Louis Country Day School (MICDS): Premier independent K-12 day school in Ladue, Missouri (adjacent St. Louis suburb). Direct competitor for College-prep families in the same metro and offers comparable experiential curriculum and outcomes-focused programming.
- North Shore Country Day School: Independent K-12 day school in Winnetka, Illinois with progressive, experiential philosophy. Comparable model to Principia in size, mission, and curricular approach.
- Chadwick School: Independent K-12 day school on a large campus in Palos Verdes Peninsula, California. Comparable model with experiential learning, 8:1-style ratios, and signature outdoor programs on a substantial campus.
Regional players
- Thomas Jefferson School: Small independent boarding and day school in St. Louis area focused on grades 7-12. Competes directly with Principia for boarding students in the St. Louis corridor.
- Whitfield School: Independent college-preparatory day school in suburban St. Louis (grades 6-12). Competes for academically focused suburban families in the same metro market.
- The Pembroke Hill School: Independent K-12 day school in Kansas City, Missouri. Comparable college-preparatory independent school model in the same state, competing for similar Midwest families.
Emerging players
- Deerfield Academy: Independent boarding school in Massachusetts with strong experiential and signature programs. Comparable boarding-college-prep model with international student population.
- Lake Forest Academy: Independent college-preparatory boarding and day school in Lake Forest, Illinois. Comparable boarding program with international student mix and signature experiential offerings.
Others
- National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS): Industry association that accredits and represents Principia and its peer institutions. Comparable indirectly as the trade body that has featured Principia and benchmarks independent schools nationally.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Principia School social profiles
Digital presencePrincipia School compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance5 records
Principia School financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Principia School leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
Principia School funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Principia School M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Principia School
What does Principia School do?
Principia School is an independent, coeducational college-preparatory day and boarding school in St. Louis, Missouri, serving students from infancy through grade 12 (boarding for grades 8-12). The school delivers a whole-person education grounded in Christian Science principles, integrating rigorous academics with experiential learning, character development, spiritual growth, and outdoor education across a 360-acre campus.
Is Principia School a public or private company?
Principia School is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Principia School founded?
Principia School was founded in 1898. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Principia School based?
Principia School is headquartered in Saint Louis, United States, in the North America region.
How does Principia School make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Day School Tuition is the primary driver. The others are boarding Program, summer Camps (Principia Camps 360), acorn Infant/Toddler Program and tuition Assistance and Scholarships.
Who are Principia School's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are John Burroughs School, Mary Institute and St. Louis Country Day School (MICDS), North Shore Country Day School and Chadwick School. Regional players are Thomas Jefferson School, Whitfield School and The Pembroke Hill School. Emerging players are Deerfield Academy and Lake Forest Academy. National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) is listed as an others.
Does Principia School have an API?
No public API is recorded for Principia School.
What industry is Principia School in?
Principia School's product category is Independent K-12 Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAJABAB, Nonsectarian Independent Boarding Schools. Its NAICS code is 6111.