The Benjamin School was founded in 1960 under the name North Palm Beach Private School by married couple Marshall and Nancy Benjamin.[5]
It was located in a three-car garage.[6] At that time, the year-round population of Palm Beach was expanding and the Benjamins received donations from wealthy families who would have sent their children to boarding school.[7] In 1974, seventh and eighth grades were added with the intention of growing through high school. The first high school class graduated in 1979.[8]
In 2005, scenes for an episode of My Super Sweet 16 featuring a Benjamin student were filmed outside of the school.[9]
The school built a digital television production studio in 2011 to go along with the addition of broadcast journalism and TV and film production classes.[10] In 2014, The Benjamin School began a modernization campaign that raised around $40 million to pay for the Benjamin Hall performing arts center, the aquatics center, the field house, the varsity house, and the Maglio Family STEM Center.[11][12][13]
A January 2017 tornado in Florida severely damaged the school's football stadium. Repairs were not complete until close to a year later.[14]
In January 2018, the school switched from unarmed to armed security guards. Many nearby schools did the same due to the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting the prior month.[15]
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the school received a $3.1 million loan from the federal government through the Paycheck Protection Program, which was instituted to assist struggling small businesses.[16] Largely due to that pandemic, the school reported that applications more than doubled from 2017 to 2022 and total enrollment went from 1,051 to 1,284.[17]
Benjamin students can choose from a wide range of courses, including 23 AP and 16 honors courses.[22] High school graduation requirements include 4 credits of English, 4 credits of mathematics, 3.5 credits of science, 3 credits of social studies, 1 credit of fine arts, and 0.5 credits of computer science. All students must complete a two-week internship during their junior or senior year.
The world languages curriculum starts in pre-kindergarten with weekly Chinese, French, and Spanish lessons. In first grade, students choose a language to focus on through fifth grade. Middle and upper school students may either continue with the same language or select a new one. Three consecutive years of study in the same language are required for high school graduation.
Niche named Benjamin the third best private high school in Palm Beach County for 2022.[23] Seniors have historically achieved 100% college acceptance.[22]
Students can participate in choir, band, drama club, or dance team. The dance team "The Dazzlers" perform at every school football game as well as other events on campus. The arts department puts on many performances throughout the year.
The Benjamin Buccaneers compete in the FHSAA, Class 4A – Region R4. For football, they are a part of the independent Southeastern Football Conference with other Florida private high schools.[24]
The student newspaper is The Pharcyde. In 2012, it was named the Most Outstanding Private/Parochial School Newspaper in America by the American Scholastic Press Association.[25]