| 1896 | School founded by educator Laura Jacobi as The Jacobi School in a brownstone at 158-160 West 80th Street. Started as a "brother and sister" school, it gradually evolved into a girl’s school. |
| 1916 | Mary Edwards Calhoun appointed Headmistress. |
| 1918 | Jacobi/Calhoun school song written by Edith Mendel Stern '18. |
| 1923 | School moves to 309 West 92nd Street
Ella Cannon Levis named Co-Headmistress
Parent-Teacher Association formed. |
| 1924 | School name changed to The Calhoun School in honor of Mary Edwards Calhoun, Headmistress until 1942. |
| 1939 | Calhoun incorporated as non-profit institution; Board of Trustees formed. |
| 1942 | Ella Cannon Levis appointed Headmistress. |
| 1946 | Elizabeth Parmelee and Beatrice Cosmey appointed Co-Headmistresses. |
| 1958 | Calhoun reopens coeducational Lower School. Discontinued in 1937, the opening of the Lower School (under direction of Wilhelmina Kraber) marked the first time in 21 years that Calhoun once again offered classes form pre-K through 12th grade. Lower School located in two townhouses at 431 and 433 West End Avenue. (Middle and Upper School remain all-girls.) |
| 1963 | First Spring Fair (now Carnival) is sponsored by the Parents Association. |
| 1969 | Philip E. McCurdy appointed Head of School. |
| 1971 | The Middle and Upper Schools become co-educational. |
| 1973 | Dr. Eugene D. Ruth appointed Head of School. Groundbreaking for new school building on 81st St. site. |
| 1975 | New building at West 81st Street and West End Avenue opens in the spring of 1975. Calhoun now has classes for pre-school through Upper School under one roof.
The last all-girl class graduates from Calhoun. |
| 1980 | Dr. Neen Hunt appointed Head of School. |
| 1984 | Calhoun becomes one of the first NYC schools to require Community Service for graduation. |
| 1986 | Calhoun’s Elementary Division is one of 269 elementary schools nationwide (and one of the only NYC schools) to be designated an "Exemplary Elementary School" by the U.S. Department of Education.
Edward E. Ford Foundation Grant awards the school a Minority Scholarship Fund, in recognition of Calhoun’s aggressive program to promote diversity among its student body.
1988/89 Center of Excellence Award from the National Council of Teachers in English is given to Calhoun’s Middle School for its innovative 5th/6th grade interdisciplinary curriculum in language arts and social studies. |
| 1989 | Opening of the Robert L. Beir Lower School building on West 74th Street for pre-school through first grade meets expanding enrollment needs. |
| 1990 | Edward E. Ford Foundation Grant is awarded the school for its Professional Development Program for faculty. |
| 1990/91 | Tandy Technology Scholars Award recognizes Calhoun’s Upper School teacher John Roeder as one of the top 100 science teachers in the country. John is also a finalist for the New York State Presidential Award for Excellence in Teaching. |
| 1991 | Dedication of the new Neen Hunt Library at the 81st Street building
The Cum Laude Society, an international honor society, grants Calhoun a charter to become a member of this prestigious organization. At the time of Calhoun’s induction, the society had conferred the honor on fewer than a dozen other independent schools in New York City and only 324 schools nationwide. Calhoun’s election was unanimous, based on a study of its academic program, faculty strength and stability, profile of Upper School students, test information (SATs, AP examinations) and selectivity of the school’s college placement. |
| 1993 | Mariana S. Leighton appointed Head of School. |
| 1994 | DeWitt-Wallace Readers Digest Fund Grant—Calhoun is one of the first NYC independent schools to be awarded a grant as part of this fund’s Independent School Opportunity Program. |
| 1995 | Calhoun’s Forensics Team wins six team sweepstakes awards in the New York Catholic Forensics League. (see Forensics awards for complete list.)
Tandy Technology Scholar Award recognizes Calhoun’s Upper School teacher Tom Trocco as one of the top 100 science teachers in the country. |
| 1996 | Award is given to Calhoun for its pioneering web site. |
| 1996/97 | Calhoun celebrates Centennial. |
| 1998 | Steven J. Nelson appointed Head of School. |
| 1999 | Calhoun announces major building campaign to expand 81st St. site. |
| 2001 | Calhoun purchases adjacent ("Jagger") townhouse, 304 W. 81st St., for use as administration building. |
| 2001 | Groundbreaking for Phase I of 81st Street Expansion, June 15. |
| 2001/02 | Lower and Elementary Divisions merge under one director and one name, The Lower School. [3's through 1st grade continues in 74th St. building, 2nd through fourth in 81st St. building.] |
| 2002 | Phase I of Growing Up With Calhoun building campaign completed in January, adding expanded teaching space to the 81st Street site. |
| 2003 | Phase II of the building campaign commences in June, just after graduation. Construction begins to add four new floors, which will house a full-size gymnasium and athletic center, performing arts center, science labs, art studios, and eco-friendly Green Roof Learning Center. |
| 2003 | E.E. Ford Foundation awards $50,000 matching grant towards creation of Calhoun's Green Roof Learning Center. |
| 2004 | In September 2004, Phase II is completed: four new floors at 81st Street open in time for the school year. The Performing Arts Center is dedicated with a Gala Benefit and Festival of Arts in October 2004. |
| May 2005 | Calhoun’s Green Roof Learning Center opens with ribbon-cutting ceremony. It is the first Green Roof in New York City that offers an eco-friendly space for educational programming. |
| Sept. 2007 | Townhouse renovated; all administrative offices move in as of September. |
| Sept. 2007 | Calhoun and FXFowle Architects receive the 2007 DesignShare Merit Award for the design of the four-story expansion at 81st Street. Calling it a "courageous design," jurors made special mention of the green roof |
| Sept. 2008 | Neen Hunt Library at 81st Street renovated and expanded. |
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