Round Square

The Round Square Conference of Schools is a worldwide association of schools whose students share a commitment, beyond academic excellence, to personal development and responsibility through service, challenge, adventure and international understanding.

The title "Round Square" is derived from a seventeenth century building at Gordonstoun School in Scotland. The Round Square philosophy originated with Dr. Kurt Hahn, who believed that schools should have a greater purpose - beyond preparing students for college and university. At Gordonstoun, Hahn strived to educate young people for life in the fullest sense.

Similar to Outward Bound (another Hahnian organization), Round Square schools share an educational philosophy that supports the growth of the "whole person". This philosophy is based upon the Round Square "IDEALS" (an acronym that represents the six pillars around which Round Square schools function): Internationalism, Democracy, Environment, Adventure, Leadership, and Service. The common goal is to develop every student into a whole person through, academic, physical, cultural and spiritual experiences.

There are more than 50 Round Square schools located around the globe in Africa, Australasia, Continental Europe, India, the Middle East, North America, South America, and the United Kingdom.

Students at any of these schools may go on exchange for a semester to any of the other schools, and thus both schools benefit from the experience of direct interaction with people from another part of the world.

Round Square International Service Projects embody all six pillars through community service projects, such as raising a new building. Over a school break, students from different Round Square schools will converge on a single location, which is often one of the less privileged schools, where they will work together on a project.