Maret School

Maret School was founded by Marthe Maret in 1911 as a French primary school. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, three French sisters, Mlles Marthe, Louise, and Jeanne Maret, left their home in Geneva, Switzerland to teach. Louise taught in Russia, Jeanne in the Philippines, and Marthe, who became blind at age 18, in Washington, D.C. By 1911, Louise and Jeanne had joined Marthe in the nation's capital. That year, Maret French School was founded, later to be named Maret School. In 1923, the Maret sisters moved the School to 2118 Kalorama Road with an enrollment of 185.

By 1950, a new principal was on board, Margaret Williams, who would lead Maret School for the next 18 years.

A burgeoning enrollment led to growing pains at 2118 Kalorama Road, and Mrs. Williams and the Board of Trustees secured a larger parcel and historic property known as “Woodley”. On September 17, 1952, Maret conducted its first day of classes in Woodley at 3000 Cathedral Avenue. A French Baccalaureate option was incorporated into the curriculum, and in 1953, boys were admitted to the Upper School, making Maret a truly coeducational school. By 1966, enrollment had reached 375 students.

The mid 1970s marked the beginning of what many would call “the Sturtevant years,” referencing the tenure of Peter A. Sturtevant, Sr., who took the helm as headmaster in 1974, and who would lead the School for the next two decades. Under his leadership, a new level of intellectual creativity was woven into the fabric of Maret. He instituted cross-curriculum teaching well before the pedagogy had received wide recognition. He advanced the notion that high achievement and risk-taking were symbiotic, a belief that is now not only a tradition, but integral to Maret’s mission and philosophy. The innovative six-week Subtropical Ecology program in Sanibel, Florida, a more than 20-year tradition, was started during Peter Sturevant's tenure. Intensive Study Week was also introduced in those years – when students and faculty embark on a week of special activities outside of regular classes. To accommodate an ever-growing enrollment, reaching 508 students by 1989, the Woodley campus was further enhanced with additional facilities for athletics, arts, and academics. With a newly constructed gymnasium, Maret’s athletics program was strengthened and enlarged, and along with it, Maret’s reputation as a competing force among league schools.

In 1994, Mr. Sturtevant passed the baton to his successor, Head of School Marjo Talbott. Over its sixty years on Cathedral Avenue, Maret had developed a profoundly vast and complex tradition. It would now be Ms. Talbott's task to cultivate that legacy while preparing the School for the new millennium. Under her leadership, an overarching Master Facilities Plan was developed, which included two phases and a $20 million budget, and which was completed in 2005. She oversaw the creation and implementation of two 10-year strategic plans and has spearheaded the campaign to grow Maret's endowment.

More than 41% of the student body identifies as students of color. Parents are native to more than 35 different countries. Nearly 24% of students receive financial aid.