What Pembroke Hill School does

Pembroke Hill School is an independent, non-profit PS-12 college preparatory day school in Kansas City, Missouri, formed in 1984 through the merger of Pembroke-Country Day School (founded 1910) and Sunset Hill School (founded 1913). It operates across two adjacent campuses — Wornall (Early Childhood through Grade 5) and Ward Parkway (Grades 6-12) — serving approximately 1,200 students age 2 through grade 12, drawn from seven counties and 80 zip codes across Kansas and Missouri. The school's revenue model is tuition-driven with grade-banded pricing for the 2026-27 academic year ranging from $20,225 (Early Childhood half-day) to $33,015 (Upper School), inclusive of educational expenses, lunch, and supplies. Approximately 25-27% of students receive need-based financial aid averaging 50-60% of tuition, with $3M+ disbursed annually, supplemented by merit-based and named scholarships including the prestigious Malone Scholarship.

The institution's core educational offering is built around a Reggio Emilia-inspired Early Childhood program, a two-teacher classroom model through Lower School, and a rigorous college-preparatory Upper School curriculum with 22 sports teams and 33+ extracurricular clubs. Academic outcomes are a primary value proposition: 95% of graduates historically matriculate to their first or second choice college, ~90% take at least one AP course with 85% scoring 3+, and 13% of students earn National Merit honors — the highest percentage in the Kansas City metro. The technology stack is built on Veracross (admissions/SIS), Schoology (grades 5-12 LMS), Seesaw (early years engagement), SCOIR (college counseling), and a 1:1 device program (iPads K-5, Chromebooks 6-8, Windows Laptops 9-12), supported by dedicated makerspaces and a First Lego League / FTC robotics program.

Distribution and go-to-market are entirely direct-to-family via an in-house admissions office handling inquiry, application, testing/essays/interviews, shadow days, and open houses on both campuses, supported by an active social media presence and Alumni Connect platform. Supplementary revenue streams include Extended Day after-school care ($1,500-$5,575 annually), Summer at PHS programming, dining through a Flik Independent School Dining partnership, three-route shuttle transportation via Roundabout Transportation, and a philanthropic fundraising operation across the PHS Fund, Corporate Matching Gifts, Giving Societies, and an endowment targeted for growth under the 2023 'Imagine the Possibilities' Strategic Plan.

Name

Pembroke Hill School

Legal name

Pembroke Hill School

Website

https://pembrokehill.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Pembroke Hill School is an independent PS-12 college preparatory day school in Kansas City, Missouri, serving ~1,200 students across two campuses with a Reggio Emilia-inspired early childhood program and a rigorous college-prep curriculum producing 95% first/second-choice college placement.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private K-12 Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Elementary and Secondary Schools (61111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Nonsectarian Independent Day Schools (EDAJABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Special Needs-Inclusive Early Learning Academies (EDACADAI), Public Elementary Schools (EDAJAAAB), Charter Special Education & Inclusive Programs (EDAJACAF)

Keywords

• College preparatory education
• Independent K-12 school
• Private school education
• Early childhood education
• College counseling services

Headquarters

HQ city

Kansas City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition: Annual tuition charged by division for 2026-27 school year: Early Childhood (until 1 p.m.) $20,225; Early Childhood (until 3:10 p.m.) $23,345; Kindergarten $24,760; Lower School (Grades 1-5) $26,580; Middle School (Grades 6-8) $31,225; Upper School (Grades 9-12) $33,015. Tuition includes all educational expenses, lunch and supplies. Enrollment contract with non-refundable deposit.
2. Extended Day Program Fees: Fee-based after-school care for early years through grade 8: Early Years/Preschool/PreK tiers ($1,865 for 4 p.m., $3,715 for 5 p.m., $5,575 for 6 p.m. pickup); Grades 6-8 at $1,500 for 6 p.m. pickup. Five-day, four-day, three-day, two-day options available. Drop-in care billed separately.
3. Enrollment Fees and Dues: Non-refundable enrollment deposit plus annual dues/books/Extended Day fees; payment plans include Plan A (70%/30% split), Plan B (100% upfront), and Plan C (12-month ACH payment plan, May–April, $150 annual fee). Past-due charges 10% per annum; $30 NSF fee.
4. Philanthropy and Endowment Giving: Charitable giving including the PHS Fund (annual fund), endowment, Corporate Matching Gifts, Giving Societies, and Ways to Give; strategic plan Goal 3 targets substantial endowment and PHS Fund growth. School participates in E-Verify employer practices.
5. Application Fees and Financial Aid Application Fees: Clarity financial aid application fee of $60 per submission; need-based aid averages 50-60% of tuition with $3M+ awarded annually.
6. Merit-Based and Named Scholarships: Need- and merit-based scholarships funded in part by outside foundations: R.B. White Scholarships ($3,500-$5,000), Head of School Scholarships ($2,000-$3,000), Sosland Scholarships (~50% of tuition), Malone Scholarships (30-100% of tuition funded by Malone Family Foundation), and the Durwood Scholarship.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Pembroke Hill School is an independent, non-profit, coeducational college preparatory day school delivering PS-12 education on two Kansas City campuses (Ward Parkway for Grades 6-12 and Wornall for Early Childhood through Grade 5). The school offers a Reggio Emilia-inspired early childhood program, a 1:1 device curriculum, multi-division makerspaces, robotics programs, 22 interscholastic sports, 33+ extracurricular clubs, and dedicated college counseling resulting in 95% first/second-choice college placement. Tuition is grade-banded and inclusive of educational expenses, lunch, and supplies; supplemental fee-based services include Extended Day care, summer programs, and partner-delivered transportation and dining.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Early Childhood Program Reggio Emilia-inspired Early Childhood education for ages 2 through Kindergarten on the Wornall Campus, with a 1:8 student-faculty ratio, two-teacher classroom model, project-based learning, and intentional environment design. Includes tuition-covered lunch and supplies.
• Lower School Program (Grades 1-5) Elementary education for Grades 1-5 on the Wornall Campus with a 1:11 student-faculty ratio, two-teacher model, iLab makerspace, Seesaw engagement portfolio, Mindful Schools SEL curriculum, and Common Sense Media K-6 digital literacy curriculum. Tuition ($26,580 for 2026-27) includes lunch, supplies, and all educational expenses.
• Middle School Program (Grades 6-8) Grades 6-8 program on the Ward Parkway Campus with 1:16 student-faculty ratio, dedicated Middle School makerspace, interscholastic athletics, Science Olympiad (nationals 11 of last 14 years), Schoology learning management, and Chromebook 1:1 program. Tuition ($31,225 for 2026-27) includes all educational expenses, lunch, and supplies.
• Upper School Program (Grades 9-12) Grades 9-12 college-preparatory program on the Ward Parkway Campus with 1:16 student-faculty ratio, 90% of graduates taking at least one AP course, 22 interscholastic sports teams, 33+ clubs, January Interim service/learning trips, dedicated SCOIR-powered college counseling, and 95% first/second-choice college placement. Tuition ($33,015 for 2026-27) includes all educational expenses, lunch, and supplies.
• Extended Day Program Fee-based after-school care from Early Childhood through Grade 8, with multiple pickup time options (4 p.m., 5 p.m., and 6 p.m.) and flexible multi-day schedules. Includes enrichment classes and care on non-school days, billed annually by tier.
• Summer at PHS Programs Direct school-run summer enrichment programming offered on the Pembroke Hill campuses, including sports, arts, academic, and themed camps available to PHS families and the broader KC community.

Quantifiable outcome

• 107 Class of 2024 graduates matriculated to 79 colleges/universities in 31 states + DC + 3 foreign countries
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers23 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration16 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

28 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship / core, core and minor.

• Veracrossflagship / coreTechnology or IntegrationVeracross powers Pembroke Hill's admissions portal, inquiry form, and student information system. All applications, account logins, enrollment, and parent access flow through the Veracross Portal.
• Flik Independent School DiningcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFlik provides food service for both Wornall and Ward Parkway campuses. Operates the myschooldining.com/pembroke online menu portal. Two executive chefs and an on-site Pembroke Hill director of dining services oversee the program.
• Roundabout TransportationcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocally owned Kansas City transportation partner that operates three PHS shuttle bus routes (West, South, North). Provides 15-seat passenger vans with seat belts, school branding, and booster seats. Families sign semester-long contracts.
• Clarity (Financial Aid Application)coreTechnology or IntegrationClarity Application is the third-party vendor Pembroke Hill uses to determine family financial need. The Clarity platform processes applications with a $60 submission fee and integrates with the school's aid awards (typically 55-60% of tuition).
• Global Online Academy (GOA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliated with Global Online Academy, a consortium of independent schools that shares online courses and curriculum resources.
• Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS)coreOthersAccrediting body for Pembroke Hill School. Also a member of NAIS, NACAC, ACCIS, The College Board, Global Online Academy, INDEX, and Challenge Success.
• Challenge SuccessminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliated with Challenge Success, a research and practice-based organization helping schools promote student wellbeing and engagement.
• INDEXminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliated with INDEX, an independent school consortium supporting collaboration across member institutions.
• SeesawcoreTechnology or IntegrationStudent engagement app used as a student portfolio and assessment tool in early childhood and lower school. Simulates a social network where students, faculty, and family members can interact and view work.
• SchoologycoreTechnology or IntegrationLearning management system used by students in grades 5-12 to access homework assignments, class schedules, directories and other information.
• SCOIRcoreTechnology or IntegrationCollege counseling platform used to schedule virtual or in-person college representative visits at Pembroke Hill; referenced in College Counseling page.
• ApplitrackcoreTechnology or IntegrationOnline application platform used by Pembroke Hill to post open positions and accept employment applications (applitrack.com/pembroke). E-Verify participant.
• FinalsitecoreTechnology or IntegrationPowers the Pembroke Hill website (pembrokehill.org) and content management; 'Powered by Finalsite' attribution. Targets independent school market.
• AlumniFire (Alumni Connect)coreTechnology or IntegrationPowers the Alumni Connect platform (pembrokehillconnect.alumnifire.com) used for alumni networking, events, and engagement.
• Habitat for Humanity (New Orleans)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity service partner; students have built homes for Habitat for Humanity in New Orleans during January Interim and on local builds.
• Harvesters - The Community Food NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual food drive partner; school collected 1,084 pounds of food for Harvesters in 2023-24, providing over 1,000 meals to children in need; middle school Community Club volunteers there yearly.
• Hand in Hand Ministries (Building for Change, Belize)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJanuary Interim service trip partner; students constructed a house in Belize through the Building for Change program.
• Sanctuary of Hope (Vietnam)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJanuary Interim service trip partner; students built and installed bio-sand water filtration projects in Vietnam.
• Children's Mercy HospitalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity service partner supported through PHS holiday drive; middle school Community Club partner.
• KC Pet ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity service partner supported through PHS holiday drive; student volunteers at KC Pet Project.
• Toys for TotsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity service partner supported through PHS holiday drive.
• Ronald McDonald HouseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAll-school fundraiser partner; recent Ronald McDonald House fundraisers at Pembroke Hill.
• Make-A-WishminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAll-school fundraiser partner; recent Make-A-Wish fundraisers at Pembroke Hill.
• Giving the BasicsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDonation partner; 6,535 hygiene and dignity items collected for Giving the Basics in 2023-24.
• Hope House (Domestic Violence Shelter)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpring service partner; students gather supplies and write notes to residents of Hope House shelter.
• National Association of College Admissions Counseling (NACAC)coreOthersMember organization; Pembroke Hill is a member of NACAC, NAIS, ACCIS, The College Board, and Global Online Academy.
• ACCIS (Association of College Counselors in Independent Schools)coreOthersPembroke Hill's Director of College Counseling David Burke has served as Board Chair for ACCIS. School is a member of ACCIS.
• The College BoardcoreOthersMember of The College Board, providing access to SAT, AP, and college planning resources; Pembroke Hill students take the SAT and ACT exams.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Woodward Academy: Independent PS-12 college preparatory school in College Park, GA - one of the largest in the US with ~2,700 students. Comparable tuition, college placement, and athletics programs. David Burke worked in Woodward Academy's admissions/counseling pipeline, and the school competes for similar college-aspirational family demographics at scale.
• The Lovett School: Independent PS-12 college preparatory school in Atlanta, GA, with comparable tuition, mission-driven ethos, and college placement track record. PHS Director of College Counseling David Burke previously served at The Lovett School, and the schools share comparable institutional scale (~1,100-1,300 students), alumni networks, and athletic/arts offerings.
• Country Day School: Independent PS-12 college preparatory school in Kansas City area, sharing heritage lineage with Pembroke Hill (Pembroke-Country Day School was one of PHS's predecessor institutions founded 1910). Comparable tuition, curriculum philosophy, and KC metro family market; competes for the same college-prep demographic across PS-12.
• The Barstow School: Independent, non-sectarian PS-12 college preparatory school on a single 50-acre campus in Kansas City, MO, serving ~720 students. Direct competitor to Pembroke Hill in the KC metro, drawing from a similar geographic footprint and competing for the same pool of college-aspirational families. PHS Admissions Director Laura Linn previously served as Director of Admissions and Financial Aid at Barstow.
• Rockhurst High School: Jesuit college preparatory school for boys in grades 9-12 in Kansas City, MO, with similar tuition tier and college-prep mission. Overlaps Pembroke Hill on college placement outcomes, athletic competition (MSHSAA), and KC-area Catholic/non-Catholic family market. Competes for the same college-aspirational male student demographic in the upper school grades.
• Sunset Hill School: Independent girls' school in Kansas City, PS-12, sharing heritage with Pembroke Hill (Sunset Hill was PHS's all-girls predecessor founded in 1913). Competes in the KC independent school market with a comparable tuition model and college-prep focus, though single-gender.

Others

• Ward Melville High School: Address-share coincidence only; not a relevant peer for an independent K-12 prep school.
• The Pembroke School (or other Pembroke-named legacy schools): Not directly comparable; listed here only for legacy/brand context given the predecessor Pembroke-Country Day lineage. Not an active competitor.

Regional players

• John Burroughs School: Independent PS-12 college preparatory school in Ladue/St. Louis, MO, with similar tuition, mission, and college placement track record. Comparable in scale (~600 students) and athletic/academic profile, but serves the St. Louis market rather than directly competing with Pembroke Hill in KC.
• Saint Louis University High School: Jesuit college preparatory school for boys in St. Louis, MO, with similar curriculum rigor, college placement outcomes, and athletic legacy (extensive MSHSAA-equivalent championships). Comparable to PHS in scale and mission but operates in the St. Louis market rather than KC metro.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights8 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/PemHillSchool
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCSwEVvCpRSGJj0ROHNEgmOA
• Facebookfacebook.com/PembrokeHillSchool
• Instagraminstagram.com/pembrokehill

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles21 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Pembroke Hill School