The Buckley School NYC: A Legacy of Honor, Truth, and Whole-Boy Excellence

Honor. Truth. And boys becoming their best selves — every single day on East 73rd.

Step onto East 73rd Street on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, and you’ll find more than just an elegant school building. You’ll discover a tradition, a philosophy, and a community that’s been quietly shaping New York City’s young gentlemen since 1913. Welcome to The Buckley School — where honor meets heart, and every boy becomes more than just a student.

What’s Buckley All About?

Founded over a century ago, The Buckley School is a K–9 all-boys private day school rooted in the motto “Honor et Veritas” — Honor and Truth. But this isn’t just about blazers and Latin mottos. At Buckley, the goal is to nurture the “whole boy,” meaning a well-rounded human being who’s intellectually curious, physically active, artistically expressive, and ethically grounded.

From Kindergarten to 9th grade, every Buckley boy is expected to:

• Master the fundamentals in academics
• Engage in arts and athletics
• Speak confidently in public
• Learn leadership with integrity
• Discover joy in learning

That’s not just idealism — it’s the school’s DNA.

Academics with Backbone (and Heart)

Buckley’s curriculum is rigorous but not rigid. Core subjects — math, science, English, and history — are bolstered by coding, engineering, poetry, and Latin. Yes, Latin. Because Buckley believes classical skills and modern innovation can, and should, coexist.

Signature Program: Public Speaking

Few schools take public speaking as seriously — and joyfully — as Buckley. It starts in the earliest grades with simple poetry recitals and builds to the Upper School’s high-stakes Woodruff Public Speaking Contest and Gates Bowl for Debate. Boys don’t just learn to speak; they learn to lead.

Tech-Savvy from the Start

Buckley boys start learning coding fundamentals early. By the upper grades, they’re programming microcontrollers, creating 3D prints, and learning how to be ethical digital citizens. Chromebooks become trusty companions by Class III, and tech integration is the norm.

Values and Leadership

Character education isn’t just an assembly topic. At Buckley, it’s a class. Taught by none other than Head of School Gregory J. O’Melia himself, these sessions explore respect, accountability, and kindness. Think of it as EQ meets Ivy League prep.

The Campus: Classic Charm, Modern Edge

Buckley’s campus spans three key buildings, all modernized and thoughtfully designed:

• The Walsh Building (main academic hub)
• The Arts & Sciences Building (opened 2015, includes labs, studios, and a rooftop terrace)
• The Hubball Building (Beginners’ classrooms + four gyms!)

Want a bonus? There’s even a Learning Garden on a fourth-floor balcony. Science classes meet fresh air? Yes, please.

Every Boy Does Everything (And That’s the Point)

At Buckley, you don’t opt into the arts — you live them.

• Visual Arts: Paint, sculpt, draw. Then display your work in the schoolwide art show.
• Crafts: Every 9th grader carves a personal wooden plaque — a rite of passage mounted in the school halls forever.
• Music: All boys join the Glee Club. More ambitious singers can audition for the Varsity Singers or Veritones.
• Theater: Annual plays and operettas put every boy on stage — or behind the spotlight as a tech wizard.

It’s creativity with purpose and structure.

Mandatory Sports? Yes — and Proudly So

At Buckley, every boy is an athlete. With mandatory participation in sports every season from Class I onward, boys explore football, basketball, wrestling, lacrosse, baseball, track, and more.

Why mandatory? Because sports here aren’t just for the varsity stars — they’re for building grit, camaraderie, and confidence. Whether you’re running cross-country in Van Cortlandt Park or wrestling in the Hubball gym, you’re building life skills one game at a time.

A Tight-Knit Community — with Room to Grow

Parents rave about Buckley’s warm, inclusive, and deeply supportive community. With a student-teacher ratio of 5:1, boys are known and seen — by teachers who “get” them. Advisors in the Upper School ensure personalized mentorship in the years when it matters most.

Still, no school is without challenges. Some alumni reflect on social tensions or cliques in the middle school years. Buckley seems aware, and its advisory and leadership programs aim to prevent these issues from recurring.

Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging: A Work in Progress

Buckley is actively working to foster a more diverse and inclusive environment. With a student body drawn from across NYC, the school’s Administrative Diversity Council seeks to cultivate mutual respect. However, the details on current DEIB programming remain limited, and families considering Buckley may want to ask directly about initiatives underway.

Tuition, Admissions & Financial Aid

• Tuition (2025–2026): $64,000
• Financial Aid: Need-based and need-blind for admissions. Aid covers not just tuition but supplies, uniforms, and after-school costs.

The admissions process is thoughtful, personal, and focused on understanding each applicant — not just their résumé.

Where Do Buckley Boys Go Next?

While Buckley ends at Grade 9, it’s a powerful springboard. Graduates matriculate to top boarding and day schools throughout the Northeast and beyond. The school’s reputation as a launchpad for academic, social, and leadership excellence is well-established.

What Parents Are Saying: Praise, Perspective & Real Talk from the Buckley Community

If you want to understand the soul of a school, talk to the families who live it every day. And when it comes to The Buckley School, parents are not just satisfied — they’re often fiercely loyal, even nostalgic. Their voices reveal the school’s most cherished strengths and offer thoughtful reflections on areas for growth. Here’s a closer look at what they’re saying.

“It’s a school that truly knows boys.”

One of the most common refrains among Buckley parents is that the school simply gets boys. From Kindergarten through Grade 9, Buckley’s all-boys format isn’t just a tradition — it’s a strategy. Parents describe teachers who understand how boys think, what motivates them, and how to guide them through both academic rigor and emotional development.

“Buckley meets boys where they are — and then lifts them. They don’t expect perfection; they expect growth.”

Parents often highlight how faculty members build trust with students, creating an environment where boys feel safe enough to take risks, make mistakes, and bounce back stronger. This relationship-based approach is frequently credited with turning even hesitant learners into confident, articulate, and curious young men.

“The teachers are truly exceptional.”

Teachers at Buckley earn high marks not just for their academic expertise but for their personal investment in each student. Whether it’s a science teacher coaching a wrestling team or a homeroom advisor checking in about a rough day, parents say Buckley’s staff go above and beyond.

“My son’s teachers didn’t just teach — they mentored. They understood him deeply and challenged him in the right ways.”

With a student-teacher ratio of 5:1, families see this personalized attention as more than a statistic — it’s a daily reality. Many parents describe relationships with faculty that continue long after graduation.

“The values are lived, not laminated.”

Honor, truth, kindness, discipline — these aren’t just words etched into the crest. Buckley parents say these values are actively practiced through leadership classes, advisory programs, and everyday moments in classrooms and hallways.

“It wasn’t just about academics. My son learned how to lead with integrity, how to treat others with respect, how to stand up for what’s right.”

They speak highly of the Values & Leadership curriculum — taught by the Head of School himself — which gives boys tools to think critically about morality, relationships, and responsibility.

“The academics are rigorous, but thoughtfully so.”

Make no mistake: Buckley is academically demanding. But parents emphasize that the curriculum is designed with intention — not pressure for pressure’s sake.

“It’s challenging, but in a good way. The workload was manageable because the teaching was engaging and the expectations were clear.”

Others appreciate that Buckley doesn’t rush kids through topics or overload them with busywork. The focus is on deep mastery of foundational skills, combined with advanced opportunities in math, science, language, and public speaking.

“He did everything — and loved it.”

Buckley’s “every boy does everything” philosophy means students don’t specialize too early. Parents often rave about how their sons tried new things, from stage performances and woodworking to wrestling and debate — even if they’d never dreamed of doing them before.

“My son was the shyest kid in Kindergarten. By eighth grade, he was on stage in front of hundreds of people and loving it.”

Some families even credit this balanced exposure with helping their sons discover passions they would never have otherwise pursued.

“The parent community is a huge part of the experience.”

Buckley isn’t just a school — it’s a village. Parents consistently mention how welcoming and inclusive the community is, regardless of background or newcomer status.

“We made lifelong friends here — not just our son, but us too.”

Whether volunteering for events, supporting classroom activities, or just chatting at pick-up, parents say the sense of camaraderie is strong. And for those applying from outside the Upper East Side, it’s reassuring to know the school draws families from all five boroughs, suburbs, and even overseas.

“But it’s not perfect — here’s what we’d like to see improved…”

A few reviews express concerns about social dynamics, particularly in the middle school years. Some alumni and parents recall cliques or passive-aggressive behavior that went unaddressed.

“The academics were incredible, but the middle school years were socially tough. We wish more had been done to manage group behavior.”

Others comment on the hefty workload, particularly in combination with mandatory athletics and extracurriculars.

“Sometimes it felt like too much. The balance between challenge and well-being is something to keep an eye on.”

And while Buckley is known for its character development, some parents hope to see even greater emphasis on diversity and inclusion — not just demographically, but in curriculum and perspective.

In Summary: Why Parents Stay — and Recommend

Despite the occasional critique, the overarching theme is clear: Buckley is a school that leaves a deep and lasting mark on both students and families. Parents overwhelmingly praise the academic rigor, the intentional character building, the transformative public speaking program, and the rare balance of tradition with warmth.

“When my son graduated, he walked out of Buckley as a scholar, an athlete, a performer, and — most importantly — a kind and thoughtful young man.”

Final Grade: A True NYC Classic

The Buckley School isn’t trying to be trendy — and that’s exactly the point. With its 100+ year history, deep traditions, and commitment to educating the “whole boy,” Buckley offers a grounded, comprehensive, and deeply human approach to education.

For families seeking rigor and character development, academics and artistry, sports and public speaking — all in one supportive community — Buckley might just be the right fit.