History

Grace Church School today is an independent coeducational day school of over 740 students drawn from a wide variety of ethnic, economic and religious backgrounds. The school began in 1894 as New York City’s first choir boarding school with an enrollment of 16 boys. In the 1930s, the school opened its doors to neighborhood boys who were not choristers. And in 1947, Grace became co-educational, enrolling boys and girls representing various religious faiths, becoming a member of the Guild of Independent Schools of New York City. Since 1972, Grace has been governed by an independent Board of Trustees and has been a fully accredited member of the New York State Association of Independent Schools and the National Association of Independent Schools. The school began to expand its facilities in the 1970s to accommodate a growing student body, an expansion that has continued into the 21st century. In 2006, the school officially separated from Grace Church and purchased the buildings that it occupies at 86 Fourth Avenue. In September 2012, Grace's High School Division opened its doors at 46 Cooper Square to the inaugural ninth grade class, graduating the first class of seniors in May 2016.