A letter from our head of school, Adam K. Man P'15

There’s truly nowhere like Forman: a transformative, empowering, and diverse community where a deeper understanding of yourself is the key to unlocking your future. Our founding Head of School, John Forman, and his wife, Julie Ripley, opened Forman in 1930. They had a radical vision from the start: to create a haven for bright students who were not meeting their full potential.

Not much was known about learning differences at the time, so the Formans enlisted their era’s most innovative thinkers to consult on a groundbreaking curriculum: Dr. Samuel Orton, for pioneering a multisensory approach for teaching students with dyslexia, and Dr. Albert Einstein. The Forman family’s original aims still guide us: helping students with ADHD, dyslexia, and other learning differences excel in all development areas.

At Forman, we aim to ignite the curiosity of learning in each student, help them improve in areas of weakness, and shine in areas of strength and interest. Every student is known well, and the connection between students and faculty feels like family. Teenagers have the freedom to dream big—and the resources to do it. Our ever-changing program embraces the latest learning science, ensuring that our college preparatory school genuinely brings out the best—academically, socially, and emotionally—in each student, each day. 

As a parent of a child who struggled with dyslexia (now a Forman graduate), I know how important it is to find the right school. As an educator, I couldn’t be more proud of my time leading Forman, a place where teachers go the extra mile to nourish every student’s potential, and where learning is a lifelong journey. I hope you’ll join us on it.