Overview

Welcome to Montgomery Bell Academy! We are the only all boys school in Middle Tennessee, founded in 1867, and proud of our roots and foundations dating back to the 1780's. MBA's long history is intricately woven into a vision and mission of developing “Gentlemen, Scholars, Athletes,”— a mission that strikes the proper balance of tradition and modernity. We relish the spirit of boys and work hard to ensure that a boy’s effort and excellence and character define him – not his last name, zip code, or previous school. 

MBA's main campus is on Harding Road, where one will see beautiful buildings and green spaces in the center of Nashville. We are also fortunate to have 10 acres of playing fields in the Sylvan Park area, located approximately two miles from our main campus, as well as 200 acres of pristine mountaintop property that includes an observatory, a pavilion, cabins, playing fields, a lake, hiking trails, and high and low ropes courses. Our mountaintop retreat at Long Mountain is approximately a 90-minute drive from our main campus. All parts of campus have recently been constructed or renovated. 

We focus on an education that offers our students: 

• Intellectual rigor and strong friendships that build confidence and competence.
• A classical education that imbues skills and foundations and affords students the openness to explore ideas in their education and throughout their lives.
• An expectation that our boys are committed to hard work and meeting challenges.
• The ability to strive for balance and excellence in all that they do.
• The fostering of meaningful interior lives that nurture their emotional as well as intellectual intelligence
• The development of a spirit of great aspirations in and out of the classroom and throughout their lives through exposure to inspiring speakers, strong role models, and advisory and big brother programs.
• A faculty and staff who know and are passionate about their subject and who can convey that information with care and appreciation.

We are committed to building boys into great young men and citizens who will make a difference in their communities. We hope they leave our school with confidence and competence, as well as the vision and empathy to be kind, humble, and thoughtful people. We are also grateful for the impact and influence they have in their communities. We are proud of the lifelong association and camaraderie that our boys develop. At MBA every boy and family is valued. The "gentleman" ideal of our mission ensures that we are an inclusive community, cognizant that race, ethnic heritage, religion, and  socioeconomic background are all blended into a community that cares for one another. Please visit our campus and explore this website to learn more about the people and programs that form this extraordinary community.

With warm regards,

Bradford Gioia, Headmaster