About

Marshall School is a private independent college preparatory school in Duluth, Minnesota, educating students in kindergarten through 12th grade. In addition to serving learners from throughout the region, we offer a complete international boarding program for students from around the world. 

Students in our Hilltopper community learn and grow through three grade-level divisions:

Forest School - Elementary grades K-4 for ages 5-9
Middle School - Middle and junior high grades 5-8 for ages 10-13
Upper School - High school grades 9-12 for ages 14-18

Marshall is accredited by the Independent School Association of the Central States (ISACS), with memberships in the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), the Minnesota Association of Independent Schools (MAIS), the National Association of College Admission Counseling (NACAC), the Association of College Counselors in Independent Schools (AACIS), and the Global Online Academy. Marshall is also part of the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) for athletics, and is renowned for our college preparatory and Forest School programs.

Marshall School is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization overseen and governed by a Board of Trustees.

At the heart of Marshall School’s educational philosophy is the understanding that a student’s journey through our school is the starting place for a lifelong ripple effect. Here, learners are encouraged and supported while being taught the tools to discover their own unique path.

Students develop strong academic habits, learn to trust their intellectual curiosity, and explore what it means to become a global citizen. Our faculty seek to educate the whole individual, so that each student who walks through our halls will be able to contribute their own distinctive positive impact in the world. 

Marshall School sits atop a beautiful 40+ acre campus on the hill overlooking Duluth, the landmark Lift Bridge, and the ports of Lake Superior. Thus, we are the Hilltoppers, a name referring to the people who are part of our community, near and far: our students, alumni, families, sports teams, faculty, staff, and administration.

In 2022, faculty, staff, administrators, and trustees of Marshall School developed and launched a new mission statement to better define the aims of the educational institution. The new anthem, “Inspiring lifelong learners to embrace challenge and create positive change,” became the compass for orientating the identity and goals of the school.

Utilizing the new mission statement, combined with Marshall’s core values and commitment to community and diversity, the entire team then set to work developing a strategic plan to lead the school into the future with sustainability, vision, and purpose. We are pleased to present the result of many months of self-reflection, discovery, brainstorming, and intentionality—a compilation of the steps required to become the Hilltopper community that we envision ourselves to be, to strive for, and to become. 

Download the 2024 Strategic Plan