A Short History of the School

For most students and families, the “history” of the school lies in the years representing their own tenure—up to 15 years for some—but The Miami Valley School has its own rich history that includes several generations of learning that go beyond current families.

After opening as the Marti School in 1956 and operating for several years at a site on Munger Road, that school closed and reopened as The Miami Valley School at the Denise Drive site in 1964. The Marti School had offered classes for grades 1-12, but the new school opened with only K-8 and a commitment to gradually expand to high school years.  By 1974, the upper school program had been fully restored, and MVS graduated its first class.

The Campus

The original building was what has become the core facility of the upper school, with a gym (used for morning announcements, plays, and basketball) that became a student commons and lunch room. That space was rededicated to first headmaster Walter Truslow in 2004, and is now known as the Truslow Commons. Physical growth that ensued included the lower school building (with several additions), additional classroom space in the upper school, two gymnasiums, visual and performing arts space, and middle school classrooms and commons.

Leadership

Peter Benedict is the fifth headmaster the school has had, assuming his leadership position in 2006. Truslow became the first head of MVS, serving from 1964 to 1972, followed by Robert Fatherley (1972-78), Duncan Alling (1978-86), and Tom Brereton (1986-2006).

The Present

From its earliest days as The Miami Valley School—and even before, in the Marti School legacy—the school has emphasized experiential learning and academic excellence. These remain the hallmarks of the program today, and while they may be expressed in more contemporary ways than in the founding years, the values themselves have not changed, and would be recognizable to even the first students and their families.