List of Schools
Welcome to Gay Parent Magazine's listing of infant classes, preschools, and private day and boarding schools. Select the state for the schools in your area.
BASIS INDEPENDENT FREMONT | TK–12
3300 Kearney Street, Fremont, California 94538 (TK–Grade 5)
39706 Mission Boulevard, Fremont, California 94539 (Grades 6–12)
(510) 573-3435 (TK–Grade 5)
(510) 738-6003 (Grades 6–12)
fremont.basisindependent.com
BASIS Independent Fremont is a TK–12 private school where students discover their passions as they learn at the highest international levels. The world-acclaimed BASIS Curriculum is a blend of the best practices found in top education systems around the world, led by passionate Subject Expert Teachers who bring classrooms to life and foster a love of learning in every student. The curriculum and teachers unite to empower students’ natural curiosity, ingenuity, and independence from their first day in TK and all the way through senior year.
Students participate in a well-rounded, advanced liberal arts program with STEM offerings that are designed to inspire mastery and excellence across a diverse course load, including Mandarin, engineering, performing arts, physics, economics, chemistry, humanities, and more. BASIS Independent Fremont fosters a joyful learning culture where hard work is celebrated and intellectual pursuits result in extraordinary outcomes.
BASIS INDEPENDENT SILICON VALLEY | TK–Grade 12
1500 Partridge Avenue, Sunnyvale, CA 94087 (TK–Grade 5)
1290 Parkmoor Ave San Jose, CA 95126 (Grades 6–12)
(408) 291-0907
siliconvalley.basisindependent.com
At BASIS Independent Silicon Valley, a TK - 12 private school, students perform at the top 1% of their U.S. peers in math, reading, and science. Students and Subject Expert Teachers engage in a spiraling, globally bench-marked curriculum designed to inspire mastery and excellence. Rooted in STEM and the liberal arts, our program calls for the mastery of diverse content across disciplines—from logic, economics, and concurrent sciences in middle school to college-level capstone courses and independent research in high school.
We believe in setting a higher standard and promoting self-reliance and accountability in an environment where learning is encouraged and celebrated. Our world-class educators are subject experts in their discipline who help students develop the knowledge, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills needed to enter and excel in the world’s top colleges and universities.
BENTLEY SCHOOL
Belong to a Community. Become Your Best Self. Bentley is a distinctive independent K-12 day school founded in 1920 with two beautiful campuses in Oakland (K-8) and Lafayette (9-12).
Exacting academics, caring teachers and peers, and an inclusive community prepare students for lives of purpose and success in and beyond college.
Learn more at www.bentleyschool.org
BRENTWOOD SCHOOL
East Campus (Grades 6-12)
100 South Barrington Pl., Los Angeles, CA 90049
310-476-4087
West Campus (Grades K-5)
12001 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90049
310-889-2812
Brentwood School is an independent K-12 coed day school with two campuses, located four blocks apart on Sunset Boulevard, in the Brentwood neighborhood of West Los Angeles.
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE:
Brentwood School inspires every student to:
Think critically and creatively.
Act ethically.
Shape a future with meaning.
CORE VALUES:
Trust • Respect • Responsibility • Honesty • Caring • Diversity • Community
DIVERSITY MISSION STATEMENT:
The Brentwood School community actively seeks diverse perspectives and embraces diversity, equity, and inclusion as essential. We create an environment that fosters openness and appreciation of multiple dimensions of culture and identity. We aim to engage mindfully in open and frequent dialogues to ensure that each member is valued, included, and respected. Diversity is in the fabric of who we are.
CAMPBELL HALL
4533 Laurel Canyon Blvd.
Studio City, CA 91604
www.campbellhall.org
Campbell Hall is a leading independent, Episcopal, K-12 all-gender day school located on a beautiful 15-acre campus. Our dedicated faculty are deeply committed to helping each student reach their full potential through individualized attention and research-driven best practices. We seek to build and support an open community that is dedicated to the principle of respect and that honors the diversity of the human experience.
Mission Statement
We are a community of inquiry committed to academic excellence and to the nurturing of decent, loving, and responsible human beings.
THE CENTER FOR EARLY EDUCATION
https://www.centerforearlyeducation.org
563 North Alfred Street
West Hollywood, CA 90048
323-651-0707
The Center for Early Education is an independent, coeducational day school in West Hollywood, California serving approximately 538 students in its Toddler through Sixth Grade programs.
The school was founded in 1939 by a group of parents who were inspired by the belief that children’s social and emotional development are as important as their academic growth. Today The Center is a nationally renowned, innovative Early Childhood and Elementary school that combines a nurturing, inclusive learning environment with an increasingly challenging academic program that addresses the developmental needs of each child.
Centrally located in the vibrant city of West Hollywood, the school’s urban campus houses state of the art facilities, including an Innovation Center, science labs, a 23,000 volume library, art studios, music rooms, gymnasiums, and developmentally appropriate ground level and rooftop playgrounds.
With its ongoing commitment to diversity, the school welcomes families from all over the city of Los Angeles who represent a wide range of diversity in all its forms; racial, ethnic, cultural, socio-economic, and family makeup, among others. These families are united by their belief in our core values of caring, responsibility, inclusion, and honesty.
Application information can be found on our website at www.CenterForEarlyEducation.org
CHILDREN’S DAY SCHOOL
333 Dolores St.
San Francisco, CA 94110
https://www.cds-sf.org/
COW HOLLOW SCHOOL
65 Funston Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94129
415-921-2328
www.cowhollowschool.org
Cow Hollow School, a beautiful little school nestled in the Presidio in San Francisco, offers parent participation, part-day, and summer programs for children ages 2-5.
Our approach to education comes directly from an absolute love of children and childhood. We believe that every child is capable and competent. We observe, document, and interpret children’s thinking and learning in order to understand, support, and extend the children’s meaning-making experiences.
As a school community, we value process, play, inquiry, stewardship for the earth, relationships, and creativity. Within the context of meaningful experiences and reciprocal relationships among participants, it is our goal to inspire dispositions for lifelong learning.
The following principles guide and define our approach to learning and teaching:
- Every child is capable and competent
- Children learn through play, investigation, inquiry, and exploration
- Children and adults learn and play in reciprocal relationships with peers, family members, and teachers
- Adults recognize the many ways in which children approach learning and relationships, express themselves, and represent what they are coming to know
- The process is valued, acknowledged, supported, nurtured, and studied
- Documentation of learning processes acts like memory, assessment, and advocacy
- The indoor and outdoor environments, and natural spaces, transform, inform, and provoke thinking and learning
- A school is a place grounded in the pursuit of social justice, social responsibility, human dignity, and respect for all.
CRESTVIEW PREPARATORY SCHOOL
140 Foothill Blvd
La Canada, CA 91011
818-952-0925
www.crestviewprep.org
We are a student-centered school with a focus on preserving childhood throughout the elementary educational experience. We offer both nurture and structure and allow students to feel confident and secure to learn both by solving problems and by actively doing. While teaching methodologies change, and new tools are introduced each year, our approach to educating the whole child with appropriate multi-disciplined strategies remains constant.
This year, we will continue to bridge the learning inside the classroom to our learning spaces around the campus. Our edible garden is one example of science integration into the curriculum. We also expanded our Library/ThinkLab, by installing a green screen for video production and editing and the addition of a 3D printer. e selected this model as it allows younger students to design and build with materials such as Play-Doh, wood, and bamboo, as well as traditional filaments.
For more information and to visit our campus, please go to www.crestviewprep.org and schedule a tour!
THE CROWDEN SCHOOL
www.crowden.org/the-crowden-school
The Crowden School is unlike any other school in the country, a 3rd–8th-grade day school with chamber music at its heart. Since 1983, our ensemble-based curriculum has instilled in our students the creative, collaborative, and critical-thinking skills to succeed in life. The study of music alongside a challenging academic curriculum offers our students a unique educational experience with transformative results. In our small classes, you will find students who are actively engaged with learning, whether they are making music or discussing books, solving equations, or playing soccer. The cooperative and emphatic communication skills our students learn while playing music together, and the fun they have in doing it, carries over to all aspects of their lives. Crowden School students are lively, curious, and confident learners. Our alumni are well-rounded leaders, ready to meet the artistic and intellectual challenges of the high school years and beyond—whether they go on to careers in microbiology or music.
For children who love music, Crowden offers a supportive home and community for engaged learning and growth. At The Crowden School, the music changes everything.
de Toledo High School│ 9-12
22622 Vanown St.
West Hills, CA 91367
www.dTHS.org
The mission of de Toledo High School is to raise up a new generation of Jewish leaders for whom Jewish values and tradition shape and guide their vision, and for whom knowledge creates possibilities for moral action, good character, and shalom.
Along with rigorous academics, de Toledo High School cultivates the whole student, building self-confidence, encouraging self-expression, and preparing students for a life shaped by Jewish values and democratic ideals. As a Jewish community school, de Toledo is committed to pluralism and guided by the recognition that each person is of infinite value – a reflection of the Divine.
For more information and to visit our campus, please visit www.dTHS.org/connectwithus.
ECOLE BILINGUE DE BERKELEY
1009 Heinz Avenue
Berkeley, CA 94710
510-549-3867
Ecole Bilingue de Berkeley, founded in 1977, is a preschool to 8th grade French-American school.
As a recognized leader in international bilingual education, EB integrates the rigor and excellence of a French curriculum into a dynamic, whole-child education, imbuing students with tenacity, cross-cultural fluency, a deep intellectual capacity, and vast stores of kindness.
EB’s students receive a wide range of services that enrich their educational experience. We strongly believe that in order to grow into thriving adolescents and adults, children need character education, environmental education, and a supportive atmosphere that nurtures creativity and exploration.
We offer a full range of support to children and families: extended daycare and after-school enrichment classes, counseling, individual support in French, a learning specialist, and a bilingual library that all families can access.
At the Middle School level, we have recently created our International track! Students can now start in Middle School (grade 6) with no prior experience with French Language and have the opportunity to join our community then.
Accreditations: WASC/CAIS, NAIS Member, French Ministry of Education and Mission Laïque Française.
Visit www.eb.org for more info or contact our Director of Admissions and Enrollment Management, Manon Johnson at mjohnson@eb.org
GERMAN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF SILICON VALLEY
650 254 0748
www.gissv.org
admissions@gissv.org
Mountain View Campus
Preschool-Grade 12
310 Easy Street
San Francisco Campus
Preschool-Grade 9
117 Diamond St. (Castro)
The German International School of Silicon Valley (GISSV) is an independent dual language immersion school focused on nurturing students using a stimulating project-based learning system that fosters critical, independent, and imaginative thinking.
We feature a strong science program and are a recognized MINT (the German equivalent to STEM) school. Our Teachers are at the heart of the GISSV experience. We pride ourselves on our caring, highly qualified, experienced, and international faculty, most of whom have gone through Germany’s rigorous teacher training and hold an advanced German degree (Master's equivalent).
Our unique homeroom teacher system allows students to stay with the same teacher for several years, forging a strong bond, and for students joining us with little or no knowledge of either German or English, we offer individualized language learning support.
GISSV is accredited by WASC (Western Association of Schools and Colleges) and is recognized as the only official German School Abroad (DAS) in California. This enables our students to graduate with dual diplomas, the California High School Diploma, and the German International Abitur offering worldwide opportunities.
Schedule a tour with our Admissions Director and discover more about GISSV.
THE HARKER SCHOOL
500 Saratoga Ave.
San Jose, CA 95129
408-249-2510
communications@harker.org
www.harker.org
An inspiring and supportive community: The Harker School
The Harker School, established in 1893, is a kindergarten-grade 12 private school in Silicon Valley that has earned international recognition for its top academics, quality teachers, and student achievements. Educating more than 2,000 students, Harker is the largest independent school of its kind in California with each division on its own San Jose campus.
Harker blends strong college-prep academics with rich and extensive offerings in STEM, business, athletics, and the arts. Harker evaluates the course placement that will best challenge and inspire each student to academic excellence, ensuring a motivating and exciting learning environment. Outstanding faculty, many with advanced degrees, and small class sizes are paramount at Harker. Our comprehensive, innovative curriculum features outstanding teaching techniques, diverse educational experiences, and broad rich, extracurricular activities.
Kindness, respect, honesty, integrity, and personal accountability have been in the school’s DNA since its founding. Community service, character development curriculum, and our honor code all encourage, develop and reinforce these important qualities.
Harker is an inspiring, supportive and lively community where parents, faculty, staff, students, and alumni form a close-knit community through events, traditions, and our common mission. Our students leave Harker uncommonly prepared for college and ready to make a difference in the world. For more information visit www.harker.org.
HILLBROOK SCHOOL
300 Marchmont Drive
Los Gatos, CA 95032
(408) 356-6116
admission@hillbrook.org
www.hillbrook.org
Be Kind, Be Curious, Take Risks, Be Your Best: these are the Core Values of Hillbrook, an independent JK-8 school in the hills of Los Gatos, California where students can play, dream, and explore. At Hillbrook, children find a close, welcoming community of friends, parents, and educators, a place where every child is known, loved, and encouraged to be exactly who they are. In addition to strong academic programs in math, science, the arts, history, languages, and more, Hillbrook students are invited to explore their passions and curiosities and reach beyond themselves to make a difference. At The Scott Center for Social Entrepreneurship, students are encouraged to transform their ideas into impact, explore their passions and curiosities, and see themselves as part of the world. As a school, we move into the future with intention—diversity, equity, and inclusion are woven into our academic curriculum, preparing students to see the world as it is, imagine what it might be, and develop the knowledge, skills, and confidence to build a better future.
In the Fall of 2023, we will be opening the doors to our Upper School—now accepting applications for 9th grade!
To learn more and apply, please visit www.hillbrook.org.
LYCÉE FRANÇAIS DE SAN FRANCISCO
LFSF, the Lycée Français de San Francisco, is the largest school in Northern California to offer an accredited bilingual education program, with an international section starting in Elementary school, allowing students to graduate with a double diploma: the French Baccalaureate and the American High School Diploma.
From Preschool (2 years old) to High School, LFSF students grow up cultivating curiosity and critical thinking, tolerance and respect for others. The multilingual, multicultural, open and inclusive education they receive at LFSF is an excellent preparation for any university they choose to continue on, whether in North America, in Europe or anywhere in the world.
The LFSF community is made of many ethnicities, ancestries, colors, religions, gender identities, family structures, disabilities, sexual orientations, socioeconomic backgrounds, learning differences, and perspectives. We therefore commit to actively seeking and welcoming diversity in all forms, to building a community of care and solidarity standing against racism and hate, and to cultivating a culture of belonging to continue making our school competitive, vibrant and inclusive.
PARK CENTURY SCHOOL
For 54 years, has empowered bright children with learning differences to reach their academic and personal potential. Currently admitting students grades 1-8, Park Century serves students diagnosed with language-based learning differences such as dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, and ADHD.
At Park Century, students flourish within an individualized, evidence-based curriculum and supportive environment. With an average class size of 10-12 students, Park Century School allows students to receive targeted intervention from highly-trained faculty. Speech-language pathologists and occupational therapists are included in the educational team if needed. Supplementing our academic program, we offer extra-curricular activities like student council, affinity groups, after-school athletics for grades 4-8, and after-school enrichment classes. Our community values Social Emotional Learning by infusing character education into students’ learning-teaching students how to manage stress, set and achieve goals, maintain positive relationships, and grow into caring, equity-minded, and engaged citizens. In collaboration with their families, our school inspires students to develop into resilient self-advocates, building a foundation for lifelong achievement.
For more information or to schedule a tour, please contact the Director of Admission, Cindy Goodman, at cgoodman@parkcenturyschool.org or visit www.parkcenturyschool.org.
PARK DAY SCHOOL
Oakland, CA
510-653-0317
parkdayschool.org
Park Day School is a progressive K-8 co-ed school located in Oakland, California. Park Day provides a strong academic foundation where students learn by doing and are encouraged to follow their own curiosity.
With a focus on developing intrinsic motivation, Park Day’s robust interdisciplinary academic program includes an emphasis on social justice and social-emotional learning. Classes are designed to prepare students to be informed, courageous, and compassionate people who shape a more equitable and sustainable world, while nurturing a love of learning that propels them their entire lives.
Take a virtual tour of campus or sign up to visit Park Day School in person at parkdayschool.org.
PROSPECT SIERRA SCHOOL
Elementary School
2060 Tapscott Avenue
El Cerrito, CA 94530
Middle School
960 Avis Drive
El Cerrito, CA 94530
Grades: TK – 8th
prospectsierra.org
Prospect Sierra is a TK-8 independent school enrolling 470 students on two spacious campuses in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Prospect Sierra students are passionate about learning. Our exceptional teachers inspire students to seek deep, meaningful understanding; to develop strong academic skills; and to become creative and independent thinkers. Prospect Sierra cultivates compassion, fairness, respect, and individuality within a community that celebrates diversity, authenticity, and service.
• Located on two 3-acre campuses in El Cerrito hills
• 470 students
• Families from 15 Bay Area cities
• Student teacher ratio 9:1
• Students of color: 56%
• $2.5M invested in Flexible Tuition
• Flexible tuition students: 33%
• School begins at 8:30 a.m. for TK-4, 8:15 a.m. for 5-8
• Transportation available
• Extended programs available
For more information, please email us at admissions@prospectsierra.org.
PS1 PLURALISTIC SCHOOL
1225 Broadway
Santa Monica, CA 90404
310-394-1313
www.psone.org
PS1 Pluralistic School is an independent elementary school for Kindergarten through 6th-grade in the heart of Santa Monica. This is a place where we recognize and value the unique qualities contributed by every individual student and every adult at our school. Everyone contributes.
Pluralism is both our goal and our method. Our name, PS1 Pluralistic School, echoes the United States’ motto, E pluribus unum: Out of many, one. The words convey the complex, ongoing, optimistic work of creating and sustaining a truly democratic society.
That’s the founding and enduring purpose of PS1—and what makes us unique. We believe that empathetic, innovative, collaborative thinkers can and must build a better world for all. And the best time to cultivate this vital mindset is in children’s earliest years.
THE SAKLAN SCHOOL
1678 School Street
Moraga, CA 94556
www.saklan.org
The Saklan School inspires and challenges students to think creatively, act compassionately and live courageously. By integrating experiential learning with academic rigor, Saklan creates an engaging learning environment for Pre-K through 8th grade students. Strong connections with teachers ignite students' passion for learning and develop critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills.
SACRAMENTO COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL
2636 Latham Drive
Sacramento, CA
916-481-8811
www.discover.saccds.org
Sacramento Country Day is an independent, coeducational school providing a dynamic, holistic, and academically challenging environment for students in Pre-Kindergarten through 12th Grade. As an educational leaders throughout Sacramento, we inspire intellectual discovery and challenge students to pursue academic and personal excellence as they develop and embrace their passion for learning.
Country Day is also one of Sacramento’s most diverse schools, with roughly 40% of our students identifying as students of color. We celebrate our differences — race, culture, religion, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, and points of view — and we recognize and value diversity as our great strength and of importance to us all.
While our students have the highest SAT scores in the region and 100% of our graduates gain acceptance to the nation’s top colleges and universities, a Country Day education encourages students to go beyond traditional learning. We empower students to explore, improvise and take risks while learning to think critically, live creatively, and act compassionately, in and out of the classroom.
SAN DIEGO FRENCH AMERICAN SCHOOL
Founded more than 30 years ago, the San Diego French American School welcomes more than 370 students from age 2 to Grade 8. Our international environment is represented by over 40 nationalities and more than 25 languages spoken at home. Accredited by the French Ministry of Education, CAIS, and WASC, SDFAS offers an exceptional French-English bilingual education that fosters confident, responsible, and engaged global citizens. At SDFAS, students become curious, open-minded learners through different pedagogical and cultural perspectives. They learn to understand and embrace the world from different angles. Differentiated teaching in the classroom and special attention to socio-emotional learning are key components of the school's educational philosophy.
SAN FRANCISCO SCHOOLHOUSE
301 14th Avenue
San Francisco CA 94118
415-221-3435
info@sfschoolhouse.org
www.sfschoolhouse.org
SHU REN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
2125 Jefferson Avenue
Berkeley, CA 94703
510-841-8899
www.shurenschool.org
Celebrating 10 years of empowering students to become lifelong learners and internationally minded, critical thinkers.
Through a vibrant inquiry-based, Mandarin immersion program, students at Shu Ren International School develop a genuine love of learning. Our teachers cultivate a nurturing classroom environment that is focused on developing the whole child. Everyday our students enjoy exciting hands-on projects that build confidence in their capabilities, ignites their passions, and connects their learning to the real world.
Parents of our students witness their children develop both Mandarin and English language proficiency while immersed in a highly engaging, inquiry driven curriculum. They see their children actively seek knowledge as they equip themselves with the abilities needed to become caring, responsible, and contributing global citizens.
Shu Ren International School is proud to be one of only four schools in the United States to offer the unique combination of Mandarin Immersion and the world-renowned International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum. Come see for yourself how Shu Ren is preparing children with the heart and mind to thrive in an evolving global society.
ST. PAUL’S EPISCOPAL SCHOOL
116 Montecito Ave.
Oakland, CA 94610
www.spes.org
St. Paul’s is an independent K-8 day school located steps from Lake Merritt. We welcome families from all backgrounds and faiths.
St. Paul’s is a leader in providing students with the skills they need to thrive – an excellent academic foundation, facility in confronting complex problems, and an appreciation of difference. Our approach is based on three principles:
- Supporting students as fearless learners is the best path to academic rigor. We cultivate the social-emotional growth of our students so they can approach challenges with confidence and courage.
- Community Engaged Learning is essential. Students learn the history of this region and partner with local organizations to serve our community.
- Diversity, equity, and inclusion are the bedrock of what we do. As part of a diverse community of teachers and families, students learn about their own identity and how they can be leaders in the fight for equity and inclusion.
For more information, email (admissions@spes.org) or call us (510-285-9617)!
Stratford School - When Students are Inspired by a Robust Curriculum…The Extraordinary Happens!
STRATFORD SCHOOL
Campuses Located Throughout Northern and Southern California
Find out more @ www.stratfordschools.com
Stratford School provides an unparalleled education where children are inspired to be creative problem-solvers, imaginative innovators, and insightful, confident leaders. These 21st-century qualities provide children with the knowledge, confidence, and ingenuity to help them excel in future careers. Stratford’s accelerated curriculum from Preschool through 8th Grade emphasizes STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics) while incorporating music, physical education, foreign language, and social skills development.
By combining a safe and nurturing learning environment, Stratford teachers ensure a stimulating and well-rounded program while cultivating a child’s natural joy in learning. All students are encouraged to participate actively in leadership, community service, and extracurricular activities. Stratford’s goal is to prepare and mentor students for admission to competitive high schools and colleges.
Personalized tours can be scheduled by appointment and students are welcomed to enroll throughout the school year, as long as there is space available in the desired program and the child is grade-level ready. Find out more at www.stratfordschools.com and discover a school where the extraordinary happens.
SYNERGY SCHOOL
1387 Valencia Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
www.synergyschool.org
Synergy School is a progressive, independent TK-8 school located in San Francisco’s Mission District. For nearly 50 years, our mission has been to nurture the intellectual, creative, and emotional potential of every child in a community dedicated to diversity, inclusion, and social justice.
From the beginning, we have had a deep commitment to recognize and honor differences within our community and the world at large. We encourage our students to develop their voices and to have the agency to affect change, advocate and act as allies against racism, sexism, classism, homophobia, transphobia, and intolerance.
We work toward these goals by creating a safe space in our school, presenting multiple points of view in our teaching and curriculum, as well as building a community that reflects the ethnic and socio-economic diversity of San Francisco.
We affirm the necessity of engaging in ongoing work to create and sustain a socially just, equitable environment that actively works against all forms of bias and racism.
We invite you to learn more about us and our approach to education and to sign up for a tour, visit synergyschool.org.
TOWN SCHOOL FOR BOYS
2750 Jackson St.
San Francisco, CA 94115
(415) 921-3747
www.townschool.com
K - 8th grade
Town School for Boys is a K-8 all boys' independent day school located in San Francisco, CA. Student enrollment is approximately 400 and our student : teacher ratio is 11 : 1. Our fundamental goal is for each boy to be engaged in an environment that weaves together collaboration, critical thinking, integrity, empathy, and creativity. These broad skills, as well as a firm grounding in core academic competencies, offer boys an excellent preparation for their further education. We promote social and emotional learning as a foundation of academic excellence and self-discovery. We prepare students to meet challenges in the world by helping them develop an appreciation for a variety of perspectives from the local to the global. We celebrate diversity by fostering a community of learners built on mutual respect. Learning experiences are inclusive, relevant, flexible, innovative, and adapted to reflect the needs of all kinds of learners. In our joyful, active, and collaborative school, boys flourish.
To find out more, visit our website at www.townschool.com.
VALLEY BETH SHALOM ECC AND DAY SCHOOL
15739 Ventura Boulevard, Encino, CA 91436
Early Childhood Center - (818) 788-0567 | vbs.org/ecc
Elementary School - (818) 788-2199 | vbsds.org
The schools of Valley Beth Shalom offer quality, inclusive Jewish educational programs for children ranging from birth to Grade 6 in the San Fernando Valley.
Valley Beth Shalom’s Infant and Toddler Center welcomes new parents and their children under 2 years old, and The Valley Beth Shalom Early Childhood Center welcomes children from 2 through 5 years old. Through Jewish tradition, wisdom, and values, and with respect and enthusiasm, we nurture and guide each child as an individual. We foster self-esteem, confidence, and independence while encouraging inquiry, collaboration, and creativity and cultivating a love for learning. We partner with families to provide a safe and supportive community. This is all to create a more just, enlightened, and peaceful world.
Valley Beth Shalom Harold M. Schulweis Day School, a K-6 elementary school, offers a superior education and enriching foundation for life’s journey. Students reach their learning potential guided by talented teachers through individual learning approaches and small group instruction. Students thrive in an environment that focuses on academic excellence, strong Jewish values, a dynamic community, and personal growth.
VALLEY MONTESSORI SCHOOL
1273 N Livermore Ave.
Livermore, CA 94551
925-455-8021
www.vmschool.org
Valley Montessori School is the largest, not-for-profit, and only triple accredited school in California. Established in 1976, it is a nationally recognized, model Montessori school for children 18 months through 8th grade.
Accreditations include: the American Montessori Society, the California Association of Independent Schools, and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. VMS is a certified California Green Business making it one of two schools in the tri-valley with this distinguished honor.
The six-acre hilltop campus boasts an Edible Schoolyard, complete with a vegetable garden, sustainable chicken coop, and fruit orchard providing endless practical life opportunities, plus snacks for the classrooms. Montessori education and experiences open the world to children developing engaged, responsible, respectful, and empowered citizens with an appreciation that learning is for life!
WESTSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL
WNS, a preschool – an 8th-grade private independent school located in Los Angeles, embraces a positive, child-centered approach to education that strives to fully develop the potential of each student intellectually, socially, emotionally, and physically. Our high academic and ethical standards encourage students to take responsibility for their learning and their behavior. Propelled by curiosity, WNS students are learners, doers, and makers. We provide students with a platform to become entrepreneurs by nurturing their intrinsic ability to innovate. Our program is designed to engage students in a project-based, active-learning curriculum that challenges all students to grow. We provide an environment steeped in a growth mindset where each child is able to experience success, embrace mistakes as a part of the journey, be confident in taking intellectual risks, and where individuals feel valued in their differences and value the differences in others.
We strive to be a community of lifelong learners, where academic excellence, creativity, sense of humor, independence, self-discipline, and high moral standards are valued.
For more information about WNS, please visit wns-la.org or contact by phone: at 310-574-8650 or Email: admissions@wns-la.org.
WINSTON PREPARATORY SCHOOL
Winston Preparatory School is a network of campuses offering students with learning differences a highly individualized, holistic, and responsive education. Our unique model serves students through grade 12, along with a multifaceted gap year program for students who are not yet ready for college or the workplace. At Winston Prep, faculty carry out ongoing, in-depth assessments to cultivate a deep understanding of students, helping them to advance at a meaningful pace and giving them the tools to continue independently learning and growing.
All of our campuses provide intense skill remediation while fostering independence, resilience, responsibility, and self-awareness. They include two sites in New York City and one each in New Jersey, Connecticut, on Long Island, and our newest campus in the San Francisco Bay Area. Last year, we also launched Winston Online Learning, an innovative, individualized program that allows students to participate from anywhere in the country. To learn more about Winston Prep, visit www.winstonprep.edu.
WOODLAND SCHOOL
Educating preschool through eighth-grade students, Woodland is a small school with a big heart. Families choose Woodland because they feel connected to our core values of curiosity, resilience, integrity, equity, respect, and stewardship, which are reflected in our curriculum, classrooms, and our grounded and inclusive community. Woodland is a school for the whole family as children grow and develop throughout their earliest educational experiences. While our preschool students explore their natural curiosity in a hands-on early childhood environment, our kindergarten through fourth-grade students develops a love for learning through small class sizes and nurturing teachers. During middle school, our fifth through eighth-grade students are supported through their adolescent years as they learn critical tools of self-advocacy, responsibility, and strength of voice.
Each day, Woodland strives to live its mission of developing collaborative, creative, and confident learners with the strength of voice to follow their hearts and make a difference. Located just west of Stanford University, Woodland students are kind to one another, are curious learners, are inclusive in the classroom and on the playground, lead daily assembly, and create and complete stewardship projects. Our students make Woodland a comfortable place for all children. Go Wildcats!
BIXBY SCHOOL
4760 Table Mesa Drive
Boulder, CO 80305
303-494-7508
www.bixbyschool.org
Bixby School was founded in 1970. Our school is organized around the belief that children are unique individuals, each with their own abilities, interests, and needs. Our school design provides students with opportunities for healthy risk-taking and responsibility for choices, feeds children’s natural curiosity and intrinsic joy of learning, and cultivates critical thinking skills and mastery of concepts. Our shared core values are respect, responsibility, and empathy.
• Preschool-5th Grade
• 3-acre campus
• Student:Faculty ratio 7:1
• Average class size of 7-10
• Extended Day Available: 7:45 am - 5:45 pm daily
• Hot lunch prepared daily (included)
• Indoor pool, weekly swim lessons
• Progressive Education, Hands-On, Experiential Learning
• 1st-5th Grade Follow Middle School Schedule - Our Teachers are masters of their subject and passionate about what they teach.
• Tuition Assistance available for Kindergarten-5th Grade
BOULDER COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL
4820 Nautilus Court North
Boulder, Colorado 80301
303.527.4931
www.bouldercountryday.org
Boulder Country Day School, where academic distinction meets education with character. BCD is a top-rated, accredited private school in Boulder, Colorado where every child has the opportunity to discover their own unique excellence. Distinguished by small class sizes, outstanding faculty, engaging academics, and a focus on community, our preschool, elementary and IB middle school teachers strive to create a well-rounded educational environment that balances traditional subjects with the arts, world languages, athletics, and project-based learning.
Schedule a tour or attend an Open House at https://www.bouldercountryday.org/admission/tours-and-open-houses.
School Contact - Susan Boyle, Director of Admission and Marketing, info@bouldercountryday.org or (303) 516-4148.
Dawson School
10455 Dawson Dr.
Lafayette, CO 80026
303-665-6679
www.dawsonschool.org
Dawson School is the Boulder County region’s leading independent, college-preparatory school for students in grades K-12. Dawson offers challenging academics, robust arts and athletics programs, and renowned outdoor and experiential education. Emphasizing respect, compassion, courage, and integrity, Dawson prioritizes the social-emotional well-being of our community. Dawson graduates are young men and women who achieve their individual potential, savor life, and meet the challenges of the world.
- Student: Faculty ratio 7:1
- Average class size of 15
- 100% graduation rate
- 7 bus routes daily; multiple, convenient stops
- 48 sports teams; post-season play typical
- 20 arts program options
- Over $6M college scholarships yearly
- Study abroad options
- 107-acre campus
- Integrated technology; K-12 coding
- 10 hours of specials weekly in Lower School
- Hot lunch prepared daily, included
- Leadership, public speaking, character education
- Two full gyms; playing fields; tennis courts
- Challenge course; two learning gardens; orchard
- Involved parent community
THE DAWSON DIFFERENCE: For over 50 years, Dawson has been meeting each student where they are, and developing them into the world’s leaders, thinkers, and creators. Students experience relevant, real-world learning, discover passions, and cultivate the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in college and beyond -- all in a supportive environment that recognizes them as individuals. Please visit our community of students, faculty, staff, and families who value, and share a commitment to, leading-edge education.
WINSTON PREPARATORY SCHOOL
Winston Preparatory School is a network of campuses offering students with learning differences a highly individualized, holistic, and responsive education. Our unique model serves students through grade 12, along with a multifaceted gap year program for students who are not yet ready for college or the workplace. At Winston Prep, faculty carry out ongoing, in-depth assessments to cultivate a deep understanding of students, helping them to advance at a meaningful pace and giving them the tools to continue independently learning and growing.
All of our campuses provide intense skill remediation while fostering independence, resilience, responsibility, and self-awareness. They include two sites in New York City and one each in New Jersey, Connecticut, on Long Island, and our newest campus in the San Francisco Bay Area. Last year, we also launched Winston Online Learning, an innovative, individualized program that allows students to participate from anywhere in the country. To learn more about Winston Prep, visit www.winstonprep.edu.
BAKER DEMONSTRATION SCHOOL
201 Sheridan Rd., Wilmette, IL 60091
847-425-5800
www.bakerdemschool.org
Preschool – 8th grade
AN EDUCATION THAT PUTS CHILDREN IN THE DRIVER’S SEAT. Our child-centered approach to learning ensures that each child, from preschool to middle school, is uniquely valued, supported and nurtured throughout their educational journey — creating expressive, compassionate students that are eager to help shape the world. Located on the border of Evanston and Wilmette, Baker Demonstration School is nationally recognized for excellence in progressive education.
Learn more about Baker and arrange an admissions chat by visiting www.bakerdemschool.org.
BENNETT DAY SCHOOL
955 W. Grand Ave
Chicago, IL 60642
312-236-6388
www.bennettday.org
Bennett Day School is an independent, PK-12 school in Chicago that is committed to advancing creativity, innovation, and the development of lifelong learners and leaders. At Bennett, students learn by doing through dynamic project-based learning (PBL) experiences. Our mission is to provide a collaborative culture that nurtures our innate sense of inquiry and curiosity.
Our teachers don’t see students as empty vessels waiting to be filled with information, but rather thinkers, doers, and inventors who are co-collaborators in the learning process. Bennett Day School’s emergent and responsive curriculum empowers students to be curious, think critically, and take ownership of their education. Small class sizes ensure every child’s voice is heard and valued.
NOW ENROLLING! Register for an Open House or schedule an admissions chat: https://bennettday.org/visitus/
ROGERS PARK MONTESSORI SCHOOL
1800 W. Balmoral Ave
Chicago, IL. 60640
rpms.org
Rogers Park Montessori School (RPMS) is a not for profit (501)c3, non-sectarian, educational organization located in the Andersonville neighborhood on the north side of Chicago, Illinois. It is a co-educational day school that enrolls children from ages 2 to 14. We are a community of families and educators guided by the philosophy of Maria Montessori.
We believe all children carry within themselves the adults they will become, and we envision a world where a child’s education allows that adult to emerge and grow. Using the Montessori philosophy of education, our school community inspires each child to reach their highest potential, as an individual and a learner, and to become a vital member of the global community.
We are guided by the progression of peace: within self, relationships, school, community, and ultimately, peace throughout the greater world.
Visit us at rpms.org to learn more and set up a tour!
SCATTERGOOD FRIENDS SCHOOL
1951 Delta Avenue
West Branch Iowa 52358
scattergood.org | (319) 519-1860
Scattergood Friends School is a brave space, an all-gender, inclusive, small school with small classes. Scattergood is a place where you can be who you are.
Located just 15 minutes from bustling Iowa City and three hours from Chicago on a 126-acre organic farm, Scattergood is an independent boarding and day school for grades 6-12 founded in 1890 (boarding for grades 9-12 only). Committed to environmental education and stewardship, students take college-preparatory courses with experiential, hands-on learning, and more individualized, self-reflective assessment, utilizing the school’s farm, pond, and restored prairie as outdoor classrooms. All students must be accepted to a four-year college to graduate.
Scattergood students come from all over the United States and around the globe. Staff and students work together to care for our home, from gathering produce to preparing our meals to keeping campus grounds pristine. Instilled with the Quaker values of simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equality, and stewardship- and the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion- Scattergood students are set to grow not just academically, but to thrive personally, with many adventures along their dynamic journey.
To learn more about this safe, inclusive, affordable, and open-minded day and boarding school, contact admissions@scattergood.org.
THE BARNESVILLE SCHOOL OF ARTS & SCIENCES
https://www.barnesvilleschool.org
Come experience our mission of JOY. SUPPORT. EXCELLENCE. Wide-open fields in Montgomery County's Agricultural Reserve are the ideal setting for imagination, exploration, growth, and achievement. With an emphasis on JOY! The Barnesville School of Arts & Sciences offers families an innovative preschool through an eighth-grade academic program, where students are engaged in a rich curriculum that balances arts, sciences, technology, and outdoor education. Skilled teachers engage each child in an academically challenging environment that promotes imagination, exploration, growth, and achievement. https://www.barnesvilleschool.org
BARRIE SCHOOL
13500 Layhill Road
Silver Spring, MD 20906
John Wilson
Director of Admission
admission@barrie.org
301-576-2800
www.barrie.org
Barrie School is a progressive independent school, serving students from 6 weeks to Grade 12, that inspires excellence, intrinsic motivation, and responsibility through innovation in learning. Our intentional educational throughline—from Montessori (6 weeks to Grade 6) to Project-Based Learning (Grade 6 to Grade 12)—cultivates learning that lasts, offering challenging educational experiences that unlock intrinsic motivation and innovation in both students and faculty.
Our community fosters a deep sense of belonging and empowers and honors student voice and responsibility, coming together in our truly diverse student body of engaged citizens confident to be themselves, bringing diverse and inclusive worldviews. Located in Silver Spring, Maryland, Barrie School provides an extraordinary learning environment integrating local, national, and global educational opportunities. Our 45-acre campus is home to the world-renowned Barrie Institute for Advanced Montessori Studies— one of the largest school-based teacher training programs in the country— and Barrie Camp, a Washington, D.C. area tradition since the 1950s.
FRIENDS MEETING SCHOOL
The Friends School of Frederick County
3232 Green Valley Rd.
Ijamsville, MD 21754
www.friendsmeetingschool.org
Authenticity is at the core of Friends Meeting School’s academic experience—we lift up what’s real. In true Quaker fashion, our community’s energy is warm, welcoming and sensitive to impacts on others and the world around us. FMS students engage in healthy risk taking and work through constructive discomfort. We know that when you’re “seen” you feel the support necessary to turn these moments into impactful learning. Along the way, our students develop into curious and engaged scholars aware of their place in the world and poised to make a difference as they prepare for college and beyond.
The only Quaker school in Frederick County, Friends Meeting School’s values offer students a solid foundation for growth in Mind, Body, and Spirit. All grades, K-12, get hands-on exposure to the world around them – they learn to garden, perform and create amidst rigorous academic courses. The high school has a 100% acceptance rate to top-choice colleges: every single graduate of their program has had their pick of universities!
McDONOGH SCHOOL
Owings Mills, Maryland
https://www.mcdonogh.org
McDonogh is a welcoming community dedicated to providing a learning environment based on mutual respect, understanding, and kindness. It is a place where joy is ever-present and opportunities abound for deep thinking, innovating, collaborating, and discovering passions. Under the guidance of talented and caring teachers, students in prekindergarten through twelfth grade are empowered to be self-reliant, critical thinkers who can form, test, and revise their ideas—for themselves, and in the service of others.
In addition to state-of-the-art academic, art, and athletic facilities, McDonogh’s 800-acre campus provides countless opportunities for exploration. Learning also takes place at Roots, the school’s 10-acre farm, where students care for chickens, tend crops, and harvest produce for the dining hall and local food pantries.
With a fleet of 27 buses that make stops in Baltimore City and surrounding counties, McDonogh is right around the corner! Upper School students also have the option of participating in our five-day boarding program that allows them to live on campus during the school week and become further immersed in campus life.
THE NORA SCHOOL
955 Sligo Ave.
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Marcia Miller
Director of Admissions
Marcia@nora-school.org
301-495-6672
http://www.nora-school.org
Think differently. At The Nora School, these are words we take to heart. This intentionally small, inclusive, and personal college preparatory high school works to bring out the best in bright students with ADHD, executive function issues, or anxiety – and for those simply wanting something more individualized. Students turn to us because they’ve become frustrated in large, impersonal institutions, while others seek a richer, more engaging education without the emphasis on standardized testing. In our discussion-based classrooms, we inspire a critical world view, and students find their voice in an intellectually rigorous, accepting, nurturing environment. With a thought-provoking curriculum, inclusive sports and arts programs, Intersession, mindfulness and more, The Nora School helps students find their unique paths and prepare for college, work, and life. Building deep connections between the faculty and students, we encourage responsibility and build confidence and excitement about learning.
We’ve expanded, offering more curriculum choices and openings for more students! Discover the essence of our school. Call us to find out more, or RSVP for an Open House. Come see how our students thrive. Celebrating the same mission for over 50 years. Think Differently.
NORWOOD SCHOOL
Located in Bethesda, MD, Norwood School develops students in grades PK-8 into confident lifelong learners who have the academic, character, and leadership skills to succeed in high school and beyond. Recognizing that children are multi-faceted, Norwood provides many opportunities for safe risk-taking, exploration, discovery, and growth in a nurturing, supportive, and inclusive school community.
APPLEWILD SCHOOL
120 Prospect Street
Fitchburg, MA 01420
27 Jackson Road, Devens, MA 01434
978-342-6053
www.applewild.org
Founded in 1957, Applewild School is an independent day and boarding school with campuses in Fitchburg (18 months-Grade 9) and Devens, Massachusetts (Preschool-Grade 3). Applewild believes in its students and in their future. In our community, students are known, cherished, and challenged. We adopt teaching and learning strategies that will equip our students to enter a world that is rapidly changing. Applewild School prepares students to be problem-solvers, discerners, leaders, and changemakers in our global society. Metacognition and project based learning is at the heart of our interdisciplinary and engaging academics, as is our commitment to student agency and choice. A robust clubs, fine & performing arts, and athletics (including recreational ski/snowboard, and alpine ski racing) program is also an integral part of an Applewild education. Learning support is available, as well as our more comprehensive Foundations program for students with language-based learning differences. We have a personalized secondary school placement program and 90% of our students get into their first or second choice school.
BARD COLLEGE AT SIMON'S ROCK
84 Alford Road
Great Barrington, MA 01230
413-644-4400
simons-rock.edu
Age doesn't define intellect. At Bard College at Simon’s Rock, young scholars take on meaningful, serious academic challenges. With world-expanding opportunities both on and off-campus, students engage in critical reading, writing, and discussion-based classes. Laboratory and studio experiences provide hands-on opportunities to apply new knowledge and skills. The Princeton Review rates our academics higher than Harvard and Princeton, and 78% of our students go on to graduate study.
We believe that the rich multiplicity of identities and backgrounds in our community makes us stronger and enhances our experiences in and out of the classroom. Simon’s Rock is ranked 4 out of 5 stars on the Campus Pride Index, the premier LGBTQ national benchmarking tool for colleges.
Bard College at Simon's Rock is the country's only residential college of the liberal arts and sciences specifically designed to provide highly motivated students with the opportunity to begin college after the 10th or 11th grade. At Simon's Rock, students choose to transfer after two years with an A.A. degree that is highly respected by some of the most prestigious colleges and universities or stay for four years to complete a B.A. in a remarkably individualized program.
CAMBRIDGE FRIENDS SCHOOL
5 Cadbury Rd
Cambridge, MA 02140
(617) 354-388
https://cambridgefriendsschool.org/
Cambridge Friends School is a co-ed elementary and middle school (pre-K - grade 8) established in 1961 under the care of Friends Meeting at Cambridge, Religious Society of Friends (Quakers).
It is the mission of Cambridge Friends School to provide an outstanding education. Guided by Quaker principles, we engage students in meaningful academic learning within a caring community strongly committed to social justice. We expect all students to develop their intellectual, physical, creative, and spiritual potential and, through the example of their lives, to challenge oppression and to contribute to justice and understanding in the world.
As part of Cambridge Friends School's commitment to social justice, we are engaged in building an antiracist, antihomophobic community, and we actively seek students and staff from a diverse range of family structures and racial, cultural, socioeconomic, and religious backgrounds. Our community tries to go beyond mere tolerance to more deeply address issues of bias and privilege.
CHARLES RIVER SCHOOL
6 Old Meadow Rd
Dover, MA 02030
www.charlesriverschool.org
Charles River School students use intellect, experience, and optimism to see what’s possible. Through observing, hypothesizing, investigating, and revising they solve problems and ask new questions. Our students learn to use both inquiry and creativity to build practical skills, discover new interests and take responsibility for themselves, their communities, and the future.
At CRS, progressive education is the tradition. Our students explore different angles and think through disciplines by way of real-world themes and hands-on projects. This has a profound effect on what they learn since they understand the “why.” We seamlessly connect knowledge, wonder, and outcomes to drive high engagement every day and eager anticipation for what’s to come.
Charles River School is a PreKindergarten through Grade 8 independent school that honors the pursuit of academic excellence and the joy of childhood. We nurture each child by igniting curiosity, encouraging creativity, and cultivating intellectual engagement. Our graduates know themselves, understand others, and shape the future of our diverse world with confidence and compassion. Visit www.charlesriverschool.org to learn more.
DEDHAM COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL
www.DedhamCountryDay.org
781-329-0850
At DCD, we believe that balance matters—in learning and life. We combine academic challenge with support; pedagogical tradition with innovation. Strong scholastics blended with outstanding arts and athletics create a program that is balanced and whole. Here, a premium is placed on both academic and emotional intelligence. Children learn who they are as diverse individuals and how to be part of something bigger. Acceptance is a given, and children find encouragement in every connection they make. It’s a community that nurtures, nudges, and gives. That’s how we grow “whole” children— and, ultimately, adults who will thrive with the intellectual and emotional capacity to contribute to their world and enjoy meaningful lives. From Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 8, DCD students tackle hands-on projects, collaborate, take risks, solve problems—and, most of all, enjoy and engage deeply in their experience.
Explore DCD through our virtual, student-led tours, or connect personally to schedule an on-campus tour with our admissions staff by emailing admissions@dcds.net. An up-to-date schedule of admissions events will be available on our website in September.
WALDORF SCHOOL OF LEXINGTON
Preschool to Grade 8
739 Massachusetts Ave.
Lexington, MA 02420
781-863-1062
https://thewaldorfschool.org
For families who want a balanced approach to educating their child in mind, body, and spirit, the Waldorf School of Lexington (WSL) provides a challenging, arts-integrated curriculum in a healthy, joyful, and media-free environment.
One of over 1,200 Waldorf schools worldwide, WSL was founded in 1971 and serves 180 students from preschool through grade 8 in the Greater Boston area. Our program features highly trained, experienced faculty and an academic curriculum that is carefully mapped to children’s cognitive, emotional, and physical developmental stages.
Preschool and kindergarten include creative free play and a media-free school experience, with ample time in nature. From first grade on, students begin an arts-integrated academic curriculum, including two world languages, instrumental music, and performing arts. Athletics and movement are an important part of every student’s day. Elementary and middle school students have two recess periods daily, and spend plenty of time outdoors, exploring the natural world in nearby conservation land. Students also participate in WSL’s gardening program, farm and field trips, and seasonal festivals.
WSL is a school where each child is seen, known, and loved. And that can change the world. Visit thewaldorfschool.org for more information and to schedule a tour.
THE ELISABETH MORROW SCHOOL
A leader in education from early childhood through eighth grade, The Elisabeth Morrow School personalizes learning for each child, cultivating their unique spark and innate creativity. Through an engaging project-based and inquiry-driven curriculum, students connect learning across subjects.
More than choosing a school, our families have chosen to join a community where the values they teach their children at home are reinforced at school and where we focus on developing the whole child socially, emotionally, and cognitively. Through social-emotional learning and modeling the 4 C’s — Courtesy, Consideration, Cooperation, and Compassion — we strive to develop character in children and foster a community where everyone feels welcomed and appreciated.
Contact us to find out how — through initiatives in science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics (STEAM), like our design studios and NuVuX partnership — The Elisabeth Morrow School prepares children to lead the way with innovative thinking in a rapidly changing world.
452 Lydecker Street, Englewood, N.J. 07631
201-568-5566 ext. 7212 | www.elisabethmorrow.org
Far Brook School
52 Great Hills Road
Short Hills, NJ 07078
973-379-3442
www.farbrook.org
Emi Ithen Director of Enrollment Management
admissions@farbrook.org
Discover an inspired education at Far Brook School, an independent, coeducational day school for 220 students from Nursery through Eighth Grade in Short Hills, NJ. Our progressive approach builds a strong educational foundation, integrating liberal arts and sciences with the skills and habits of mind needed for success in high school and life. Classrooms are open to the outdoors, encouraging exploration with nature and our Schoolyard Wetlands Habitat. Each Far Brook student is honored as an important part of our inclusive and diverse community and develops self-assurance, intrinsic motivation, a sense of social justice, and leadership skills. Far Brook graduates attend local independent and public high schools as well as prestigious boarding schools around the country. It is our desire to touch the lives of children so that they may live life wisely and with great joy. Visit our beautiful 9-acre campus and discover if Far Brook is a good fit for your child. www.farbrook.org.
Montclair Cooperative School
65 Chestnut Street Montclair, NJ 07044
973-783-4955
www.montclaircoop.org
Philip Ferrara, Director of Enrollment Management
philipf@montclaircoop.org
From Early Ages through 8th Grade, the Co-op keeps children at the center of school life and engages parents in their children’s education. At the heart of our progressive approach is the belief that children thrive in an environment that honors individuality and community, self and others. The unique value of our school lies in the partnership between students, families, and teachers, contributing to the life of the school in ways that benefit all who enter.
Visit Montclair Cooperative School:
Start the conversation by visiting our website, and joining us for a virtual information session, or an in-person open house. We look forward to telling you more about our diverse, inclusive community of families and our engaging, progressive academic programs.
WINSTON PREPARATORY SCHOOL
Winston Preparatory School is a network of campuses offering students with learning differences a highly individualized, holistic, and responsive education. Our unique model serves students through grade 12, along with a multifaceted gap year program for students who are not yet ready for college or the workplace. At Winston Prep, faculty carry out ongoing, in-depth assessments to cultivate a deep understanding of students, helping them to advance at a meaningful pace and giving them the tools to continue independently learning and growing.
All of our campuses provide intense skill remediation while fostering independence, resilience, responsibility, and self-awareness. They include two sites in New York City and one each in New Jersey, Connecticut, on Long Island, and our newest campus in the San Francisco Bay Area. Last year, we also launched Winston Online Learning, an innovative, individualized program that allows students to participate from anywhere in the country. To learn more about Winston Prep, visit www.winstonprep.edu.
LONG ISLAND
ROSS SCHOOL
Nursery–Grade 12, post-graduate
18 Goodfriend Drive, East Hampton, NY 11937
631-907-5400
Ross School’s mission is to change the way education meets the future; to foster interdisciplinary, integrated thinking and innovative leadership; to engage fully in the global community; and to facilitate lifelong learning.
Ross School is a co-educational boarding (Grades 6–12, PG) and day school (N-Grade 12, PG) located on a beautiful campus in East Hampton, about two hours east of New York City. Serving approximately 400 students and attracting a world-class faculty, the School offers a global, integrated curriculum with engaging courses in science, math, arts, humanities, and wellness, with opportunities for independent study, competitive athletics, extracurricular activities, and travel.
The Ross educational experience aims to impart to young people a 21st-century skill set and the inspiration that will motivate them to keep their minds actively engaged in learning. The School stresses direct personal experiences, inquiry through primary sources, and hands-on interpretation and analysis of information.
Ross School has a successful college placement program, with 100% of applicants receiving acceptances at competitive colleges and universities.
WINSTON PREPARATORY SCHOOL
Winston Preparatory School is a network of campuses offering students with learning differences a highly individualized, holistic, and responsive education. Our unique model serves students through grade 12, along with a multifaceted gap year program for students who are not yet ready for college or the workplace. At Winston Prep, faculty carry out ongoing, in-depth assessments to cultivate a deep understanding of students, helping them to advance at a meaningful pace and giving them the tools to continue independently learning and growing.
All of our campuses provide intense skill remediation while fostering independence, resilience, responsibility, and self-awareness. They include two sites in New York City and one each in New Jersey, Connecticut, on Long Island, and our newest campus in the San Francisco Bay Area. Last year, we also launched Winston Online Learning, an innovative, individualized program that allows students to participate from anywhere in the country. To learn more about Winston Prep, visit www.winstonprep.edu.
WESTCHESTER & UPSTATE
FRENCH-AMERICAN SCHOOL OF NEW YORK
Pre & Lower School: 111 Larchmont Ave, Larchmont, NY 10538
Middle School: 145 New Street, Mamaroneck, NY 10543
High School: 320 East Boston Post Road, Mamaroneck, NY 10543
Contact us at 914-250-0401 or admissions@fasny.org
Founded in 1980 as a one-classroom preschool, FASNY has evolved to become an international and bilingual N-12 day school educating more than 700 students on three campuses in Mamaroneck and Larchmont, New York. It is the only school in the New York metropolitan area accredited to offer both the International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma and the French baccalaureate. All students also graduate with a New York State high school diploma. New in September 2020: an International Program for grades 1-8, no previous French required.
Teachers are committed to creating an environment that is nurturing yet challenging, one that encourages students to flourish intellectually, emotionally, and ethically. A combination of French and American traditions are hallmarks of school life, as are the arts, music, athletics, and community service; local and international trips; and 20+ club offerings. College acceptances represent a wide range of schools in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, and other European nations. To learn more visit fasny.org.
THE GOW SCHOOL
2491 Emery Road
South Wales NY, 14139
www.gow.org
GREEN MEADOW WALDORF SCHOOL
307 Hungry Hollow Rd.
Chestnut Ridge, NY 10977
845-356-2514
www.gmws.org
Nursery – 12th grade
Green Meadow Waldorf School offers programs for babies and toddlers from birth to age three, serves children from Nursery through 12th grade, and runs popular summer programs. Founded in 1950, we are one of the oldest, largest Waldorf schools in the US, with almost 225 students. Benefiting from discovery and play in our Early Childhood program, skill-building in our Lower School, and rigorous intellectual challenges in the High School, Green Meadow students go on to top colleges, fulfilling careers, and are known for their resilience and creativity. Come to an admissions event or call us to learn more about how we are transforming education. We also have a strong commitment to serving a diverse range of children, and we welcome LGBTQ and gender-fluid families. We invite you to read about our commitment to diversity at www.gmws.org/diversity.
Hackley School
293 Benedict Ave
Tarrytown, NY 10591
www.hackleyschool.org
A member of both the Ivy Preparatory League and the international schools' consortium Round Square, Hackley has a 285-acre woodland campus in Tarrytown with extensive facilities to support our K-12 educational program, including a science building, geothermal library, competition cross-country trail system, eight athletics fields, and a new 110,000-sq ft Center for Health and Wellness. Through ongoing efforts to increase socioeconomic diversity, Hackley now draws from over 70 communities, from Cold Spring to Manhattan, from Ridgefield, CT to Franklin Lakes, NJ, and all points in between.
Hackley’s mission “challenges students to grow in character, scholarship, and accomplishment, to offer unreserved effort, and to learn from the varying perspectives and backgrounds in our community and the world.” Hackley students discover themselves through relationships with others—in classrooms, on stage, in art studios, through community service, and on playing fields. Committed to international understanding, diversity, environmental stewardship, adventure, leadership, and service, Hackley prepares students to think and act with care and effectiveness both at school and in their broader communities.
Welcomed by the motto, “Enter here to be and find a friend,” Hackley honors the strength of character, offering students a warm, supportive community that enables both challenge and nurture, giving them the means to set high personal goals and attain them. Through this strong ethos and the quality of its faculty and students, Hackley has achieved distinction as an educational force shaping the lives of generations.
OAKWOOD FRIENDS SCHOOL
Oakwood Friends School is offering a full 5-day program of in-person programming, academic and extracurricular, with advanced health protocols meeting and exceeding all NYS guidelines, on a 55-acre campus for room to spread for the safety of all. See a Virtual Campus Tour and come join our Virtual Open Houses on Sundays April 2nd & 23rd, at 10:00 AM – details and RSVP at www.OakwoodFriends.org.
RYE COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL
Cedar St., Rye, NY 10580
914-925-4513
www.ryecountryday.org
PreK - 12th grade
Rye Country Day School is a coeducational, college preparatory school in Rye, New York, dedicated to providing students from Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 12 with an excellent education using both traditional and innovative approaches. In a nurturing and supportive environment, we offer a challenging program that stimulates individuals to achieve their maximum potential through academic, athletic, creative, and social endeavors. We are actively committed to diversity. We expect and promote moral responsibility, and strive to develop strength of character within a respectful school community. Our goal is to foster a lifelong passion for learning, understanding, and service in an ever-changing world.
New York City
BASIS INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS | PreK–12
Brooklyn, Chelsea, Upper West Side
(347) 305-4960
basisindependent.com/nyc.
BASIS Independent Manhattan is a PreK–12 private school that educates students to the highest international levels through a spiraling liberal arts curriculum featuring STEM, Mandarin, logic, humanities, economics, and more. Subject Expert Teachers are at the helm of every classroom—with a unique two-teacher model in the Early Learning and Primary Programs that supports differentiation—who encourage students to take risks academically while providing consistent, individualized support.
With a clear focus on readying students for the skills they need to excel in their future pursuits, BASIS Independent Manhattan takes the guesswork out of what good education looks like, providing an unparalleled foundation in all academic disciplines, along with critical skills like collaborative problem-solving and self-advocacy. The school’s culture is shaped by the pillars of citizenship, confidence, courage, compassion, and creativity, creating a community that is as vibrant and diverse as its students.
BLUE SCHOOL
241 Water Street
New York, NY 10038
212-228-6341 x 110
Pre-primary (2-4 years old), Primary (K-5th), Middle School (6th-8th)
Enrollment Director, Dawn Williams
DawnW@blueschool.org
www.blueschool.org
Since its inception, Blue School has been reimagining education for our changing world for students age 2 – grade 8. Our approach to learning balances academic mastery, self and social intelligence, and creative thinking, knowing that each of these are essential components to educating our students’ full selves. Here, every child is seen and celebrated for the unique individual they are.
Educational excellence is at the core of our teaching and learning. While our approach to delivering lessons has built-in flexibility, the curriculum itself is complex and rigorous at every level. Fun and exuberance are irrevocable tenets of our approach to education. We know that play has tremendous value in increasing the possibilities for creating and generating ideas. At every level, children are encouraged to find joy in learning. Community is at the heart of who we are. When your child starts at Blue School, you are joining a warm, engaged group of people who are connected by a shared belief in our approach to learning.
Our program is intentionally structured to foster development throughout the twelve-year journey of a Blue School education, beginning at age two up through 8th grade. Blue School provides a nurturing, supportive environment where children can develop at their own pace. The emergent, inquiry-based curriculum intentionally builds throughout the Pre-Primary and Primary programs, so that, by the time they reach middle school, Blue School students know themselves as learners and are well poised to make an informed decision about the next four years of their education. Our graduates continue on to New York City’s top high school and thrive.
Nestled in the heart of the South Street Seaport, Blue School is an oasis in a large, fast-paced city. Our beautiful campus is designed to inspire creativity, exploration, and meaningful connection. We encourage you to come to see it for yourself!
C'E MONTESSORI
C'E Montessori is an independent, coeducational Spanish/English dual-language Montessori school for Toddlers through Fourth Grade. The school's philosophy is an evolved take on the Montessori method, and they provide an advanced curriculum that is adapted to the needs of children in NYC today. C'E Montessori is a vibrant community of parents, teachers and children. C'E defines its vision and staff as Modern Montessori Purists - Traditional Montessori in the classroom for their students, transparent accountability and metrics online for their staff and parents. C'E Montessori enrolls children for its three different school programs. Toddlers, Primary and Lower Elementary. Children applying for our Toddler program must be two years old upon enrollment, our Primary (3-6), Lower Elementary (1st-3rd grade), and Upper Elementary (4th-6th grade) programs are mixed aged classrooms. Visit the website for information on virtual tours and admissions information as well as summer camp details.
At C'E Montessori we prepare the child to transform their world, without prejudice to what that world will be, which child will transform it or how it needs to be transformed. We respect the potential of the child and the fundamentals of our ideas enough to allow our students to imagine that world different.
COLLEGIATE SCHOOL
301 Freedom Place South
New York, NY 10069
212-812-8500
www.collegiateschool.org
Kindergarten - 12th Grade boys’ school
Collegiate is a K-12 independent boys’ school, led by Head of School David Lourie, located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. We are a small school of 655 students housed in one building, giving us a unique sense of community and camaraderie. Students travel through 3 divisions, Lower (K-4), Middle (5-8), and Upper (9-12). Our student/teacher ratio is 6:1, with over 76% of our faculty having advanced degrees, allowing for close relationships and excellent, engaging teaching.
Our school was founded in 1628. Over the years it has moved around the city, with our last location of over 125 years being at 77th Street and Broadway. We moved into our new facility at 301 Freedom Place South and 61st Street in 2018. Our building, designed and built exclusively for our use, provides students with state-of-the-art classrooms, a 40,000-book library, two gymnasiums, a full theater, and a blackbox, along with two outdoor spaces.
THE ÉCOLE
Pre-Nursery to 8th Grade
111 East 22nd Street
New York, NY 10010
+1 646 410 2238
bonjour@TheEcole.org
www.theecole.org
Located in New York’s vibrant Flatiron District, our intimate and independent French-American school cultivates an internationally-minded community of students. At The École, we believe that the goal of education is to develop well-informed, well-rounded, responsible, and compassionate—in a word, “enlightened”—students who can create and connect to a world filled with possibilities. This belief is at the heart of our uniquely-designed bilingual program, in which students learn to not just speak, read, and write in two languages, but also to think, feel, and act in ways that are informed by two cultures. To always see, explore, and understand the world around them from two perspectives is the gift of the deeply bi-literate student, succinctly captured in our school’s motto, “Light through language”.
Artfully blending the curriculum requirements and pedagogical approaches of the French and American systems, our faculty creates rich academic environments for a diverse, international student body. From Maternelle through Middle School, students at The École are guided through the core language arts, social studies, math, and sciences content, as well as character and cultural enrichment, in both French and English. In our intimate classroom settings, our teachers aspire to provide bilingual learning opportunities that engage, challenge, inspire—and illuminate.
82ND STREET ACADEMICS
Parents choose 82nd Street Academics because the parent-teacher conferences are collaborations that give peace of mind. The portfolio-based assessment measures 80 age-appropriate skills and parents see how much their child has accomplished.
Parents choose 82nd Street Academics because diversity is celebrated instead of tolerated.
And kids choose 82nd Street Academics because they study the life sciences in the attached garden and visit daily the child-sized playground where work becomes play.
We promise parents and kids:
• A joyful inviting experience in the 1st month or we refund your tuition
• Moments to create family memories
• Curiosity based learning
82nd Street Academics is located in the historic district of Jackson Heights. It's a learning system that starts at age 2 and offers Summer Academics and AfterSchool through 10th grade. Call 718 457 0429 and arrange a visit!
www.82ndst.com
ETHICAL CULTURE FIELDSTON SCHOOL
33 Central Park West,, New York, NY 10023
212-712-6220
3901 Fieldston Rd., Bronx, NY 10471
718-329-7300
www.ecfs.org
Pre-K -12th grade
The Ethical Culture Fieldston School was established in 1878 by the visionary Felix Adler, educator, social reformer, and founder of the New York Society for Ethical Culture. Committed to academic excellence, progressive education, and ethical learning, ECFS today serves about 1,700 students from Pre-K through 12th grade on two campuses, one in Manhattan and the other on 18 acres in the Riverdale section of the Bronx. Our two lower schools, Ethical Culture and Fieldston Lower, teach Pre-K through grade 5; Fieldston Middle, grades 6 through 8; Fieldston Upper, grades 9 through 12.
With a diverse community and a longstanding commitment to social justice, the school offers a rich and challenging curriculum in the arts, sciences, and humanities. ECFS also has one of the largest financial aid programs of any independent day school in the country.
Find out more at www.ecfs.org
THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH NURSERY SCHOOL
(212) 691-3432
www.fpcns.org
The First Presbyterian Church Nursery School was founded in 1952 in the heart of Greenwich Village. The school offers a non-sectarian program, welcoming children and families of all configurations, religions, races, cultures, and economic backgrounds. Respect for individuality and community building are centerpieces of the program. The Nursery School is dedicated to the development of the whole child in a warm and nurturing environment, with an educational philosophy based on the theory of Developmental Interaction, the program is enhanced and inspired by the Reggio Emilia Approach.
FPCNS believes that children learn best when they are active participants in their learning. The school offers experienced classroom teachers, along with specialists in Studio Art, Music, Movement, Gardening and a Healthy Snack Program. FPCNS has excellent student teacher ratios in classrooms for children aged 2.0 to 5.3. The nursery school offers large airy classrooms, a roof top playground, and indoor play space for rainy day play. Extended Day programming and an Early Summer program are available for 4s and 5s students. Parent participation is welcome and encouraged. A lending library with over 3000 volumes is a beloved parent run resource. The school actively raises funds to provide financial assistance to families in need.
GARDEN SCHOOL
33-16 79th Street
Jackson Heights, NY 11372
718-335-6363
www.gardenschool.org
admissions@gardenschool.org
@gardenschoolnyc
Garden School was founded in 1923 to meet the need for a high-quality, individualized, and independent school in Jackson Heights, Queens. The core of this neighborhood school’s early vision remains the same as the faculty and administration combine the wisdom of tradition with the science of pedagogical research to offer every student the finest education that maximizes academic and personal potential, in a partnership atmosphere where individual, family, and community goals are valued and nurtured. We believe every child has potential and where we believe it is a school’s job to spark, acknowledge, and promote the passions and interests of children.
Garden is a tight-knit family where we help our students develop and mature by tapping into their curiosity and teaching them to see one another as members of a global community. It is that sense of being part of something larger than oneself—a culture of caring for and reaching out to others—that makes Garden School a home away from home for our students.
Register for one of our weekly Virtual Information Sessions or schedule a private family tour of our campus.
GREENE HILL SCHOOL
39 Adelphi Street
Brooklyn, NY 11205
718-230-3608
www.greenehillschool.org
Greene Hill School is an independent lower and middle school for children that serves the need of the Fort Greene/Clinton Hill and surrounding Brooklyn communities for affordable and progressive education. We actively involve families in their children’s school and children in their own education. We promote learning through an interdisciplinary curriculum, appreciation of critical thinking, and open-ended investigation of the neighborhood and beyond. Founded with the understanding that community is the backbone of society, Greene Hill School guides children to become dedicated members of a diverse, democratic society. Greene Hill School has small class sizes and staff dedicated to supporting children as they become confident in their abilities to explore, learn, demonstrate compassion, and be inspired.
We at Greene Hill understand that, realistically, it is a challenge to operate an independent school with low tuition rates, but are committed to working toward our goal of having Greene Hill School be a viable option for members of our community without tuition being a barrier. For this reason, we offer a sliding-scale tuition.
GREEN IVY SCHOOLS
BATTERY PARK MONTESSORI
http://www.batteryparkmontessori.com/
Battery Park Montessori is a Montessori preschool, nestled among trees and tucked away on the riverfront in South Battery Park City.
Children are free to explore the Montessori materials in a nurturing environment where light, nature and water are ever-present themes. Our patio and garden offer rich options for work periods, during which children are encouraged to become thoughtful, compassionate learners who interact respectfully with the natural world.
Each child is constantly challenged to take risks and develop their interests. Montessori teachers gently guide children according to those interests, which helps spark their individual passions and a life long love of learning. Our children are encouraged to cultivate a curiosity to know more and the confidence to ask meaningful questions. They are invited to become confident students who find their own answers and celebrate their mistakes as valuable moments on their journey to mastery.
As our children learn so do they teach. As each child masters a particular concept or skill they are invited to teach that material to their peers throughout the school. Montessori children develop deep care for their friends, their community and the environment.
We are enrolling children ages 2 through 6, with half-day sessions for ages 2-3 and full-day sessions for ages 3-6.
PINE STREET SCHOOL
http://www.pinestreetschool.com
Pine Street School is the first candidate school for the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme in Lower Manhattan. Home to 40 bright, modern classrooms and tailored learning spaces, we span 85,000 square feet in the heart of FiDi.
Our technology-forward curriculum is inherently STEAM-based. From math, science and language, to music, arts and athletics, we combine disciplines in unique ways to keep students challenged and engaged while providing a rigorous course of study. Real world problems of personal interest are given real world answers through hands on inquiry.
With IB, students are extremely involved in their own development. Before beginning any new project they work with their teacher to define the characteristics of an “excellent” outcome. They engage rubrics, checklists, benchmarks and standards to identify the strengths and weaknesses of their effort at key milestones. In this way they learn to focus on excellence rather than task completion.
Helping students become bilingual, biliterate, binumerate and bicultural, our curriculum features a dual language Spanish immersion program. In addition we reflect our international downtown community with over 20 countries and more than 15 languages represented in our school.
We are currently admitting students from 2 years through 4th grade – with Montessori running concurrently in the preschool program - and will expand grades each year through Middle School.
THE IDEAL SCHOOL OF MANHATTAN
314 West 91st Street
270 West 89th Street
New York, NY 10024
212-769-1699
https://www.theidealschool.org/
A Small School That’s Big on Inclusion
The IDEAL School of Manhattan is New York’s only K-12+ independent inclusion school. Our mission is to affirm and accept the full identities of all people while inspiring academic excellence, creative leadership, and a desire to build a more just and equitable world.
The school’s core principles are built into its name: Inclusion, Diversity, Excellence, Acceptance, and Leadership. Every aspect of the IDEAL experience--instruction, assessment, program, enrichment--reflects a research-based commitment to inclusion education.
At IDEAL, we believe that differentiated learning is the key to academic excellence. We offer a supportive environment where all identities and abilities are celebrated. Our diverse and nurturing community thrives in a robust academic program, where students recognize their potential to effect change and gain the tools to do so, seeking out the difference, and understanding that only in the community are we IDEAL.
IDEAL’s curriculum and programs are multicultural by design, and social justice and anti-bias instruction are built-in and given dedicated instructional time. Immersion in the arts and a differentiated athletic program as well as service-learning opportunities round out the IDEAL experience.
Schedule a visit to learn more about New York’s only K-12+ independent inclusion school, including our post-secondary Next Steps Transition Program for students aged 18-21.
THE INTERNATIONAL PRESCHOOLS
There’s a reason our students love coming to school: they feel part of a lively, diverse, and supportive community. For over 55 years, we’ve been helping the children of generations of American and international families in New York City build the confidence, self-esteem, and academic foundation that will sustain them for a lifetime as citizens of the world.
We believe in creating a warm, nurturing environment where children feel secure and gain confidence in their own abilities. We believe that by sharing aspects of their home culture through music, dance, food, language, and dress, children expand their knowledge and understanding of the world. We welcome children who speak little or no English at home and believe that English speaking children benefit as they observe and help their peers learn English.
Through our structured, teacher-led play-based activities, children learn naturally how to think, how to solve problems, and how to achieve goals. How to express their ideas and emotions, how to cooperate, collaborate and respect each other, and how to be a friend.
While having fun, they develop the social, emotional, physical, and cognitive foundations they need to succeed — not just in their next school but throughout their lives.
THE KEW-FOREST SCHOOL
119-17 Union Turnpike
Forest Hills, NY 11375
(718) 268-4667
www.kewforest.org
MANHATTAN COUNTRY SCHOOL
150 W. 85th St.
New York, NY 10024
212-348-0952
www.manhattancountryschool.org
PreK - 8th grade
Manhattan Country School is a pre-K through eighth-grade co-ed elementary school where children are members of a collaborative learning community. A recognized leader in progressive education, Manhattan Country School offers a cohesive, challenging academic program--one in which teachers rely on experiential learning and creative pursuits to stimulate the intellect. In addition to being well-trained in the academic disciplines, students acquire a deep understanding of activism and social justice and develop the strength and resources to effect change and pursue their goals. The student body reflects the diversity of New York City, with no racial group accounting for more than 50 percent. This diversity is supported by an innovative sliding-scale tuition program that enables every family to pay according to its means. A unique feature of the school is the award-winning MCS Farm in the Catskill Mountains. The farm program engages students with the natural processes that support life and provides an unparalleled experience of social growth. Manhattan Country School students graduate with highly developed critical-thinking skills, a sense of purpose, and a deep understanding of our multicultural world. They go on to attend a variety of highly selective independent, public and parochial high schools, and boarding schools.
MARY McDOWELL FRIENDS SCHOOL
Mary McDowell Friends School is a K-12 college preparatory program dedicated to the success of students with learning disabilities. Grounded in the Quaker values of equality, integrity, and social responsibility, we cultivate a diverse and anti-racist community in which all students can reach their full potential. Our specialized teaching methodologies and challenging curricula empower students to become academic achievers, creative thinkers, advocates for equity, and contributing members of a global society.
We support our students in their academic journey with structured, multisensory curricula; differentiated instruction; small class sizes; and an engaging approach to learning, empowering them to be their own best advocates at school and beyond. We believe that all of our students can learn when given the attention and specialized resources they need. Our efforts extend beyond the classroom, incorporating the visual and performing arts, athletic teams, field studies programs, cross-cultural travel, and service-learning. Our college preparatory program is rich, supportive, and academically-rigorous.
The school has three campuses in Brooklyn: a newly renovated lower school in Boerum Hill, a middle school in Carroll Gardens, and an upper school in Brooklyn Heights. new.marymcdowell.org.
Montclare Children’s School
747 Amsterdam, Ave.,
New York, NY 10025
www.montclareschool.org
Nestled in a beautiful landmark building on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, Montclare Children’s School’s community reflects our international and culturally diverse neighborhood. Our enriched, balanced curriculum and primarily teacher-guided approach promote the highest levels of cognitive, social, emotional, physical, and ethical development, in a secure, stimulating, playful learning environment.
Our teachers scaffold opportunities for our students to problem solve, learn conflict resolution, and manage frustration and expectations, and our supportive preschool setting encourages kindergarten readiness.
Learning to transition, follow routines, and engage in cooperative play, children build confidence and independence. Our teachers encourage meaningful interactions and friendships, further boosting a child’s secure sense of self. Students also explore open-ended process art in our luminous art studio in addition to enjoying many opportunities throughout the day to engage in unstructured, imaginative play.
Through inquiry, discussion, and exploration our program fosters reflective thinking and abstract reasoning. Our curriculum promotes logical thinking by introducing skills in context and providing concrete materials. The acquisition of knowledge bolsters self-esteem and learning with others greatly enhances social intelligence.
Montclare’s dedicated teachers and administrators work together and with our children and their families to create the best possible educational environment for all of our students.
The Montessori Schools in Flatiron and SoHo
212-633-0600
For admissions questions, please email us at admissions@themontessori.org
For general information, please email us at info@themontessori.org
https://www.themontessorischools.org/
The Montessori Schools provide an engaging early child-care education program in Downtown NYC built upon the classical methods of Maria Montessori. Our school puts children on a path that embraces creativity, builds self-awareness, and helps develop the academic skills, emotional intelligence, and personal confidence necessary for lifelong success.
We are committed to teaching your children in a supportive, wholesome, and state-of-the-art environment. We recognize our profound responsibility to make the most of these formative years and inculcate a love of learning that will serve your children for the rest of their lives.
Our SoHo campus serves children ages 18 months-6 years. Our Flatiron school serves children ages 2 years-6 years. To learn more about our admissions process, visit https://www.themontessorischools.org/admissions-exmissions.
NEW AMSTERDAM SCHOOL
62 Ave B, New York, NY 10009
212-533-1820
www.newamsterdamschool.org
Early Childhood - 5th Grade
New Amsterdam School is a community founded on a reverence for both nature and childhood. The philosophy of the school is built on the study of human development and combines an engaging academic curriculum with deep social-emotional learning, outdoor education, and artistic skills in order to meet the whole child as they unfold. The community of parents, teachers, and alumni is diverse in thought, background, and experience. They form a warm, loving circle in which each child can safely and joyfully grow into their best self.
Our school prioritizes inclusivity and aims for our community to truly reflect the multifaceted city, and the world, in which we live. Our classrooms are vibrant communities of diverse ethnicities, genders, races, sexual identities, socio-economics, physical and mental abilities, political opinions, religions, and nationalities.
Founded in 2006, New Amsterdam School began as a grassroots alliance of educators, parents, and community leaders determined to bring the benefits of Waldorf education to Lower Manhattan. We now serve early childhood through fourth grade and will add a fifth grade in the fall of 2022. We are a member of WECAN (Waldorf Early Childhood Association of North America) and an Associate Member of AWSNA (Association of Waldorf Schools of North America).
OPEN HOUSE NURSERY SCHOOL
318 Warren Street Suite A
Brooklyn, NY 11201
718.625.5252
www.openhousekids.org
For nearly 50 years, Open House has maintained an open door to all families and their children aged 2.5-5. At Open House, we believe in the central importance of a child’s social and emotional growth. We provide many rich play-based experiences in art, music, math, natural science, and literature, and through these, children gain cognitive skills and a confident social identity. Our developmentally sensitive and interactive approach allows children to be both self-directed and adult-supported, even while we follow Covid precautions.
Our school, located steps from the Bergen Street F/G stop, was designed with young children in mind and has six classrooms and a sunny enclosed rooftop playground. We offer highly flexible scheduling, with extended days, so that families may create programs that best suit their needs.
In keeping with our progressive educational philosophy, no screening, interview, or formal application determines admission to Open House. All that is required is interest, as established by taking a tour, filling out a brief application form, and paying an application fee of $100. Please visit our website for more information and to schedule a fall tour for this school year (we have limited openings) or the following school year. Admissions decisions for next year are usually made in January. We look forward to seeing you at Open House!
PROFESSIONAL CHILDREN’S SCHOOL
132 West 60th Street
New York, NY 10023
pcs-nyc.org
Professional Children's School provides a challenging and engaging college preparatory program for busy actors, dancers, athletes, musicians, artists, entrepreneurs and others who are serious about their studies. Juggling the demands of an outside pursuit with traditional schooling can be a challenge for any young person, however committed they and their families are to an academic education. PCS emphasizes the importance of classroom learning while offering the option of a flexible schedule and distance learning, allowing students to balance time in the classroom with outside pursuits. PCS accepts fall and mid-year applications for grades 6 - 12 on a rolling basis.
Contact Director of Admissions, Lori Gigliotti Murphy at lmurphy@pcs-nyc.org or 212-582-3116 for more information or to schedule a virtual or in person visit.
PUSTEBLUME INTERNATIONAL PRESCHOOL
244 West 14th Street, NYC
212-206-1137
info@pusteblumenyc.org
www.pusteblumenyc.org
Pusteblume International Preschool is NYC’s only non-profit, fully licensed, independent preschool offering German and Spanish language immersion. Some of our children participate in both language programs on a weekly rotation.
We combine the best of international and American teaching methods in a nurturing setting, that cultivates the growth and development of your child. Our unique, NY State-approved curriculum is built around inquiry and exploration in the classroom, the school community, and the vibrant city that surrounds us. Our licensed, native-speaking faculty teaches music, movement, mathematical concepts, literacy, and visual arts in a fun and warm learning environment.
Pusteblume’s beautifully appointed, light-filled facility features a large playroom that allows children to move freely even when the weather does not cooperate. We are conveniently located near multiple playgrounds and parks and are only steps away from various major transportation options.
Our preschool program admits children 2 to 5 years of age; the activity-based after-school/enrichment programs welcome children up to 12 years old and are open to students from other schools.
At Pusteblume we have created a multilingual, multicultural environment that prepares your child to participate and succeed in our international world.
THE RED BALLOON LEARNING CENTER
www.redballoonlearningcenter.org
Founded in 1972, The Red Balloon is a private, year round, full day program serving a diverse population of children 2-5 years old. The mission of The Red Balloon is to empower children to be confident, creative, and compassionate individuals and community members. We believe our community helps children and their families value differences, ultimately leading to increased understanding, empathy, and acceptance of all members of our global society.
We are open Monday through Friday, 8:00am until 6:00pm. We have a chef on staff who serves fresh breakfast, lunch, and snack daily. We are located in Upper West Harlem in a Columbia University residential building.
RIVERDALE COUNTRY SCHOOL
5250 Fieldston Rd., Riverdale, NY 10471
718-549-8810, 718-549-7780
www.riverdale.edu
PreK - 12 grade
Over the years, since the founding of Riverdale Country School in 1907, Riverdale has sought to equip students to “change the world for good.” Our students, in pre-kindergarten through grade 12, seek to understand the world around them, clarify their thinking, take action and reflect on what they have learned. We educate students based on guiding principles in three areas: mind, character, and community. Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) are at the core of the anti-racist, anti-bias, and transformational work of Riverdale. Approximately 42% of our students and 25% of our faculty and staff identify as people of color. This commitment is reflected in the pillars of student life here at Riverdale, which promotes curiosity, purpose, and belonging.
MIND
High standards and innovative approaches encourage students to explore a wide range of subjects in the humanities, arts, and sciences. Riverdale provides both a strong educational foundation and a rich variety of experiential, interdisciplinary, and service-learning experiences. Riverdale students are intellectually curious, and the school community provides thoughtful support for emotional growth as well as support for their success as independent learners.
CHARACTER
We encourage honesty, self-discipline, resilience, and perseverance in all students. We provide an active support system, a culture of building each other up, and the development of character to sustain students throughout their lives.
COMMUNITY
The Riverdale campuses, the largest in New York City, are the setting for an active community of learners. This is a “high-challenge, high-support” environment, where students can stretch and grow. Students also expand their view of community beyond our campuses; they are encouraged to view themselves as citizens of this city and the world at large, with all the joy and responsibility that implies.
RODEPH SHOLOM SCHOOL
10 West 84th Street
168 West 79th Street
7 West 83rd St.
New York, NY 10024
646-438-8600 Admissions
646-438-8500 Main
www.rodephsholomschool.org
Rodeph Sholom School, a Reform Jewish day school, fosters intellectual curiosity through a challenging independent school academic program. At the heart of RSS is a warm, vibrant community, where students are guided by Jewish knowledge, values and ethics to become self-confident and socially responsible leaders.
Founded in 1958, RSS is the only Reform Jewish day school in New York City to serve students from nursery school through 8th grade. We believe that these are the most critical years in a child's development, when we can help establish a cultural identity and academic foundation that will allow students to flourish in high school and beyond.
With more than 600 students total, RSS is large and diverse enough to offer a stimulating and academic program, yet small enough to guarantee that every child receives the individualized attention he or she deserves. Upon graduation, our 8th Grade students routinely attend the most competitive independent and public high schools in New York City and beyond.
The benefits of an RSS education extend far beyond the classroom. The moment your child joins the Rodeph Sholom School community, your family becomes part of Congregation Rodeph Sholom, a warm and welcoming community on the Upper West Side.

ST. HILDA’S & ST. HUGH’S SCHOOL
619 West 114th Street
New York, NY 10025
www.sthildas.org
St. Hilda’s & St. Hugh’s is an independent, Episcopal school for boys and girls. We welcome boys and girls as young as 2 for our early childhood and elementary programs. Our upper division welcomes students from fourth grade through eighth.
Founded in 1950, the school endeavors to create and educate a community diverse in race, culture, and religious beliefs, preparing its students to make meaningful contributions to our global society. Our mission statement draws upon the belief that learning occurs best in a diverse environment, open to all influences, and that it must be a product of critical analysis.
Located in Manhattan’s Upper West Side, the school serves over 300 students from neighborhoods throughout New York City.
THE TOWN SCHOOL
540 East 76th St., New York, NY 10021
212-288-4383
www.thetownschool.org
The Town School is committed to elementary co-education, serving students in Nursery through Eighth grade. As we embrace high academic and ethical standards for each student, we are guided by our school motto, “let there be joy in learning.”
Town’s program balances the traditional and the innovative, emphasizing excellence in academics and thorough exposure to the arts and physical education. We teach children to think creatively, read critically, and reason logically, stressing the value of both individual learning and collaboration. We are committed to diversity, teaching students to be inclusive and to respect themselves and others.
We believe that the process of learning is as important as the result. Town builds on children’s natural curiosity and creativity, helping them to discover and celebrate their strengths. In our nurturing and supportive environment, we challenge each student to take risks and persevere. The program enables students to experience success, increase self-confidence and develop individuality. Faculty and parents collaborate in support of each child’s growth.

WEST SIDE MONTESSORI SCHOOL
309 West 92nd St.
New York, NY 10025
212-662-8000
www.wsmsnyc.org
ages 2.0 - 6 years old
Mimi Basso, Head of School
Judy Lyons, Director of Admissions
West Side Montessori School … where to begin a lifetime of learning.
Since 1963, West Side Montessori School has provided an exceptional early childhood education within a welcoming and richly diverse community. Here, children are nurtured, families find friendship and support and faculty can flourish. We embody the best practices that have evolved in early childhood and Montessori education, and as a community of learners, we use the process of self-reflection to continually improve what we know and what we do to best support our students. We share our growing understanding of early childhood education and our findings with parents and with the broader educational community. Our mission is made feasible by our outstanding faculty and is further enhanced by our internationally recognized teacher education program.
We maintain our unique identity by:
Actively involving families in their children’s educational lives.
Modeling our belief in the importance of diversity.
Living our Montessori philosophy.
Continually building on our knowledge of child development and Montessori education.
WETHERBY-PEMBRIDGE SCHOOL
7 E 96th Street
New York, NY 10128
646-213-3400
www.wetherby-pembridge.org
Director of Admissions - Jean Monaco - jean.monaco@wetherbypembridge.org
Wetherby-Pembridge is a unique independent school for boys and girls ages 2 - 14 (Nursery 2- Grade 8) that holds sacred its core values of Respect, Resilience, and Responsibility. The curriculum is based on the rigorous English National Curriculum and is enriched by NYC’s cultural experiences. Children are inspired to achieve personal confidence and success with integrity, kindness, respect, and manners.
Wetherby-Pembridge partners with families to provide an academically challenging but also a bespoke program that works to supply all children with the tools to create in the world. Our unique community is both educationally engaging and family-focused.
WINSTON PREPARATORY SCHOOL
Winston Preparatory School is a network of campuses offering students with learning differences a highly individualized, holistic, and responsive education. Our unique model serves students through grade 12, along with a multifaceted gap year program for students who are not yet ready for college or the workplace. At Winston Prep, faculty carry out ongoing, in-depth assessments to cultivate a deep understanding of students, helping them to advance at a meaningful pace and giving them the tools to continue independently learning and growing.
All of our campuses provide intense skill remediation while fostering independence, resilience, responsibility, and self-awareness. They include two sites in New York City and one each in New Jersey, Connecticut, on Long Island, and our newest campus in the San Francisco Bay Area. Last year, we also launched Winston Online Learning, an innovative, individualized program that allows students to participate from anywhere in the country. To learn more about Winston Prep, visit www.winstonprep.edu.
YORK PREP
40 West 68th St.
New York, NY 10023
www.yorkprep.org
York Prep is a New York City independent school committed to creating a nurturing environment that challenges and supports each student in a diverse and inclusive setting. Compassionate educators guide students through a traditional and rigorous curriculum while employing a range of innovative techniques to cultivate each individual student’s skills, abilities, and interests. York strives to support all students as they grow into lifelong learners and responsible citizens.
Their program offers an unparalleled Jump Start Program with one on one personalized attention, along with Honors courses, AP classes, and a world-class Scholars Program. The thorough and student-centered college counseling program provides guidance tailored to each student’s particular needs and interests.
York has built a community based on a fundamental principle. As founder and headmaster, Ronald Stewart loves to say, “Character trumps Algebra.” While the curriculum is challenging and prepares students to succeed academically in top schools, York prepares them to do much more than just earn good grades. York prepares them to be confident people of character.
“My daughter’s success is due to all the dedicated staff and faculty at York. I am proud of my daughter's achievements but if she were a beautiful flower, York would be the sun and the rain."
-York Prep Parent
Benchmark School
Students who learn differently need a program tailored to the way they learn best, and that's what Benchmark School provides.
Benchmark School in Media, PA is an internationally recognized leader in providing effective, individualized education for bright children in grades 1-8 who have dyslexia, ADHD, or other learning differences.
At Benchmark School, our exclusive approach goes beyond basic reading programs to reach the whole child. The Benchmark Approach is a unique way of teaching children with dyslexia, executive functioning issues (ADHD/ADD, auditory and visual processing differences), and other language-based learning differences.
Developed and refined over decades of research and hands-on experience, the Benchmark Approach teaches children how to be critical, analytical thinkers with excellent emotional, social, and decision-making skills.
The Benchmark Approach is intentional, reflective, supportive, and teaches the whole child. Our approach meets children where they are and creates personalized instruction for each student. We use an array of tools and strategies—honed over fifty years—to scaffold student success.
When our graduates leave Benchmark School, they are confident and competent learners who know their learning styles intimately and can advocate for their own success. Thousands of alumni credit Benchmark School with their achievements as learners and in life. Lauren Pyle '04 says, "I came to Benchmark because it catered to my unique learning style; other places couldn't do that for me, which stifled my ability to grow. Benchmark took the time to understand how I was different, then gave me the tools to be successful."
Visit at benchmarkschool.org.
THE CREFELD SCHOOL
8836 Crefeld Street
Philadelphia, PA 19118
215-242-5545
www.crefeld.org
7th - 12th grade
A gender-inclusive school, serving students in grades 7 through 12, The Crefeld School's mission is to graduate self-aware, empathetic, lifelong learners, who possess an appreciation for diverse perspectives, their role in society, and their ability to act as agents of change. Located in Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, Crefeld provides an intentionally different college preparatory program to help students become their best selves.
Values
• Trust-based system: Everyone at Crefeld is a member of the community. As members of this community, trust is essential to our functioning.
• Commitment to social justice: We believe it is our responsibility to do what we can to eliminate bias based on race, ethnicity, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, political affiliation, national origin, or disability.
• Diversity, equity, and inclusion: Crefeld is committed to building a culture that respects and embraces diversity, inclusion, and equity, believing that these values are critical for advancing knowledge, sparking innovation, and creating sustainable communities.
• Strength-based approach: At Crefeld, we celebrate what students do well every day and help develop compensation strategies for areas of growth.
• Embrace individuality: Through the advisory system, each student is recognized as an individual and has a well-supported designated advocate monitoring their education at Crefeld.
DELAWARE VALLEY FRIENDS SCHOOL
19 E. Central Ave.,
Paoli, PA 19301
www.dvfriends.org
DVFriends is one of the nation’s best schools for bright students who learn differently. We welcome students in grades 1 to 12 with reading (dyslexia), writing (dysgraphia), math (dyscalculia), memory (long-term and working), processing speed, ADHD and executive functioning challenges. Our purposeful Quaker culture recognizes and honors the inherent worth of all students while nurturing a community that is diverse and inclusive in every way.
This philosophy underlies all we do to help students discover and grow their strengths and celebrate their differences. We have an exceptional track record of preparing students to succeed in college and beyond. A high percentage (98%) of DVFriends graduates apply and choose to attend a broad range of higher education programs, including 4-year colleges and universities, top art and culinary schools, community colleges, and technical institutes. Our faculty develops authentic partnerships with students and their families to build trust that fosters accountability and yields achievement. Our research-based, multisensory teaching techniques empower students to develop tools for their unique learning styles. Applying innovation and deep expertise, DVFriends teachers guide students to embrace the courage to try, establish the confidence to reach farther, and build resilience to succeed in school and beyond.
Learn more at www.dvfriends.org.
Friends' Central School
1101 City Avenue
Wynnewood, PA 19096
610-649-7440
www.friendscentral.org
Nursery - Grade 12
Friends’ Central School is an independent, Quaker, co-educational, college-preparatory day school for students in Nursery through grade 12, located on 41 acres across two campuses in Wynnewood, Pa. Guided by Quaker values since 1845, Friends’ Central cultivates the intellectual, spiritual, and ethical promise of students.
Friends' Central is committed to building and maintaining an inclusive, diverse community. A basic tenet of Quakerism is the belief that there is a divine spark in everyone, recognizing the spiritual equality of all persons. All constituencies are responsible for an awareness of and ongoing dialogue around equity issues of race and ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, privilege, religion, physical ability, and family structure. We honor each perspective and life experience, and through an intentional curriculum and differentiated methods of teaching, we seek to empower and engage all groups.
Friends’ Central is committed to education that is challenging, thoughtful, and dynamic. Our faculty set increasingly high standards, encouraging students to approach new ideas with an open mind and unreserved respect for one another. Our students participate in a process designed to foster creative, critical, independent, and flexible thinking, and our graduates are prepared to succeed in college and the world beyond.
At Friends’ Central, we go further. We grow stronger through collaboration, dig deeper for new knowledge, and aim higher in the pursuit of intellectual promise.
To learn more, check out our website!
LANSDOWNE FRIENDS SCHOOL
110 N. Lansdowne Ave.
Lansdowne, PA 19050
610-623-2548
www.lansdownefriendsschool.org
Pre-K through 6th grade
Lansdowne Friends School (Pre-K through 6th grade), located fifteen minutes from University City, engages children as they develop academically, socially and spiritually. Grounded in Quaker values, our challenging program builds on the natural curiosity our children have for their immediate surroundings. Our green campus within the walkable community of Lansdowne supports the exploration of our students’ ever-changing world. Our goals for children include growth in academic skills; cultivation of an inner discipline and a strong sense of self and community; enjoyment of learning; and development of respect, compassion and care for others.
MEDIA-PROVIDENCE FRIENDS SCHOOL
Founded in 1876, Media-Providence Friends School is a co-ed Quaker day school for students in age 2 through grade 8 located in downtown Media, Delaware County, Pennsylvania.
MPFS is committed to fostering positive identities (racial, gender, religion, sexuality, family structure, class & ability) in our students, staff, families, and trustees, and encourage their personal development by:
• Raising awareness and building literacy by engaging in explicit conversations about our identities
• Honoring the intersectionality that exists within ourselves and members of our community, thus increasing our capacity for empathy
• Encouraging our community to take action when they see injustice, prejudice, and bigotry in the world.
We understand this work is dynamic and ongoing, and will require us to continue to learn and grow. A close-knit learning community, MPFS offers students big views of the world ahead. Here, in small classes, under the caring tutelage of early childhood, elementary school and adolescent experts who love what they do, students from different backgrounds and faiths grow up together, immersed in an academic environment that speaks to all the aspects of their beings: intellectual, emotional, physical and spiritual.
Every day, students at Friends are engaged in the processes of learning and discovery in contexts that honor the values of simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equality and service. As they reflect upon what they hear, see and feel, make connections between lessons and life, construct knowledge and act upon their convictions, they learn that learning itself is a lifetime pursuit.
We encourage all prospective families to RSVP to a Virtual Open House at mpfs.org/rsvp. Please contact Angela DiMaria, Assistant Head of School and Director of Admissions & Program, with any questions at adimaria@mpfs.org or 610-565-1960 ext. 104.
THE MIQUON SCHOOL
Nursery through 6th Grade (ages 3-12)
2025 Harts Lane
Conshohocken
610-828-1231
www.miquon.org/
For 90 years, Miquon has been dedicated to celebrating childhood by challenging tradition with innovative, student-centered teaching practices. Time spent outdoors, collaborative learning, a strong sense of community, and thoughtful, reflective teachers are the cornerstones of our Progressive program.
Located just outside of Philadelphia, our 10+ acre campus – including a bamboo forest and creek – is an integral part of a Miquon education. Learning often looks like play as teachers incorporate the natural world into the curricula and lesson plans.
Miquon values racial, ethnic, economic, religious, gender, and social diversity and actively seeks applicants who represent and broaden that diversity. Each year, we enroll approximately 150 students in eight mixed-age groups (nursery through sixth grade), typically 18-22 children in size with two dedicated teachers in each classroom.
BASIS INDEPENDENT MCLEAN | Age 2–Grade 12
8000 Jones Branch Dr.
McLean, Virginia 22102
(703) 854-1253
mclean.basisindependent.com
BASIS Independent McLean is an age 2–grade 12 private school in Northern Virginia that is educating tomorrow’s artists, engineers, scientists, and leaders. The world-acclaimed BASIS Curriculum is benchmarked to the highest international levels, featuring unique courses in STEM, Mandarin, logic, humanities, economics, and more. Subject Expert Teachers lead each subject area—with a two-teacher model in the Early Learning and Primary Programs that supports differentiation—and encourage students to take risks academically while providing consistent, individualized support.
Students and teachers alike center themselves around their school values: show respect, take responsibility, and make improvements. These ensure students build the empathy, independence, and confidence to take control of their education while also learning to be good friends. At BASIS Independent McLean, students ultimately learn to become active participants—not spectators—in their school and the larger community.
THE POTOMAC SCHOOL
www.potomacschool.org
(703) 749-6313
The Potomac School is an independent coeducational day school located on a wooded 90-acre campus in McLean, Virginia, just three miles from the nation’s capital. Through an educational program that balances challenge and support, Potomac offers students exciting opportunities to learn, grow, and thrive.
The school's 2021-22 enrollment was 1,066 students, with an average class size of 16. Potomac is organized into four divisions: Lower School (K-3), Middle School (4-6), Intermediate School (7-8), and Upper School (9-12). From the start of the school year when the seniors walk the kindergartners into their first assembly through all the years that follow, Potomac students create shared memories and build supportive friendships across the divisions.
Special features of the academic program include an emphasis on four key life skills -- public speaking, financial literacy, information literacy, and cultural competence – and a K-12 service learning program that enables students to work with more than 50 local nonprofits. At the Upper School level, advanced classes and concentration programs provide extra academic challenge and opportunities for independent research. Potomac has a robust interscholastic athletics program, fielding 72 teams at various levels in 25 sports. Popular co-curricular offerings include a nationally ranked speech and debate team and a strong robotics program.
ST. STEPHEN’S AND ST. AGNES SCHOOL
St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School is a college preparatory Episcopal Church School in the Diocese of Virginia that educates boys and girls from ages 3 through grade 12. SSSAS serves students from across Northern Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. We have three distinct campuses, each uniquely tailored to meet the needs of the students within. We live our mission every single day. To help our students succeed in a complex and changing world, we seek to inspire a passion for learning, an enthusiasm for athletic and artistic endeavors, a striving for excellence, a celebration of diversity, and a commitment to service. Our mission is to pursue goodness as well as knowledge and to honor the unique value of each of our members as a child of God in a caring community.
Our students are respected and celebrated for their gifts and talents. Through all the learning, exploring, and dreaming big, students develop confidence in themselves because they are known, supported, challenged, and inspired to succeed. The opportunities are endless, and the relationships last a lifetime.
Every aspect of your school experience contributes an essential ingredient to who you will become. As you consider what you want in a school, keep these points in mind:
• Values that affirm the worth of each member of the school community create the conditions for your success.
• Teachers who nurture your curiosity inspire you to realize your academic best.
• Hands-on learning experiences, whether field trips, service projects, or cross-cultural travel build your understanding of the wider world.
• Opportunities for you to innovate stimulate your imagination and creativity.
• Clubs, activities, and athletics are proving grounds for building friendships, developing leadership skills, and shaping your character.
• A school with a well-defined sense of purpose will help you to define yourself to BECOME READY.
WESTMINSTER SCHOOL
3819 Gallows Road
Annandale, VA
(703) 256-3620
www.westminsterschool.com
Westminster School provides to students in preschool-8th grade a well-rounded education steeped in the classics, whose fundamental goals are a disciplined and well-informed mind, strength of character, dedication to learning, generosity of spirit, creativity, and joy in the possibilities of life. Accelerated curriculum includes the core subjects, as well as Junior Great Books, French, Latin, Art, Music, Penmanship, Drama, Dance, and daily PE. Extracurricular activities such as sports, chorus, orchestra, chess, French club, Builder’s Club, MathCounts, and multiple field trips per year enhance students’ rich experience. Extended care, door-to-door bus service, enrichment classes, and camp programs are also available.
Call us today to schedule a tour or register for one of our upcoming Open Houses and learn more about our school and the wonderful opportunities that await your child! Upcoming Open House dates are scheduled as follows: October 6, 2022 (virtual), October 19, 2022 (in-person), December 6, 2022 (virtual), or January 24, 2023 (in-person). We look forward to seeing you there!
BASIS INDEPENDENT BELLEVUE | Grades 3–8
15749 NE 4th St., Bellevue, WA 98008
(425) 229-1277
bellevue.basisindependent.com
BASIS Independent Bellevue is changing the face of private school education! Opening fall 2022, Bellevue families will discover a learning community where intellectual curiosity drives student success, where interdisciplinary instruction meets experiential learning, and where students are inspired to learn at the highest international levels. Students will engage in a content-rich curriculum rooted in the liberal arts and STEM—including Mandarin, art, humanities, advanced mathematics, and more—all led by Subject Expert Teachers who empower students’ full potential. The BASIS Curriculum combines top education practices from around the world and is designed to ensure students gain the content knowledge, critical thinking skills, and independence needed to succeed.
BASIS Independent Bellevue is growing each year, with plans to expand to a full middle and high school.
NEW DISCOVERY SCHOOL
New Discovery School is a play-based preschool that nurtures the whole child. We foster confident, joyful learners by building a strong and inclusive community of children, families, and teachers.
NDS was founded in 1985 with the mission to provide young children with an emotionally supportive environment where they can learn and grow through play. Play is the heart of our curriculum.
Children explore and discover both on their own and with peers and teachers, learning through a balance of planned and spontaneous activities that engage and challenge, while also providing opportunities to experience success and self-discovery.
Our focus on social-emotional learning empowers children- giving them the skills to self-regulate, listen respectfully, resolve conflicts, enter play, welcome others, and feel confident navigating the social arena. We believe it is essential to teach children how to be valued members of a group, and we welcome all types of families to be a part of our community.
The arts play a key role in our program. We start each day singing together, encourage creativity, and have a skilled team of teachers actively promoting creative expression through many forms including music, sign language, movement, theater, dance, and sculpture. Children leave NDS confident and ready to continue learning.
SOUNDVIEW SCHOOL
6515 196th St. SW
Lynnwood, WA 98036
(425) 778-8572
www.soundview.org
At Soundview School, we know that every child deserves a school that is ethical, rigorous, and compassionate. That is what Soundview School provides. That’s how we can help your child be ready for this world.
Soundview is a small, independent, International Baccalaureate school in Lynnwood, Washington serving children aged three through eighth grade.
Learn about our mission and our school at www.soundview.org or (425) 778-8572.
We are ready to talk about your child’s education.

UCDS
5062 9th Ave. NE
Seattle, WA 98105
206-547-8237
www.ucds.org
Since the inception of UCDS in 1911 on the University of Washington campus, our teachers have assumed the role of educational researchers as they designed, implemented, and evaluated our programs. Today, as a professional practice school, UCDS is engaged in ongoing educational reform. Our school is a dynamic learning environment for teachers as we work together to understand and inspire each child that we serve. Like our students, teachers at UCDS collaborate with colleagues and support each other professionally. Each faculty member brings different expertise and experience, enriching the learning environment.
UCDS builds a strong community between students, teachers, staff, parents, the Board of Trustees, and the neighborhood. Civic responsibility is central to the ethos of our school. Students are responsible for sharing their knowledge and talent in a way that enriches the rest of the community.
We teach children to listen carefully to others, to help one another, to share what they have learned, coach one another, participate in group discussions, and develop areas of expertise where a child can assume leadership. We believe that developing tolerance for different points of view and empathy for the needs of others is essential to the moral development of a child.
WESTSIDE SCHOOL
At Westside School, every child crafts their own story that unfolds naturally from their personality, experiences, and gifts. We are distinguished by equal measures of rigor and delight, by a close-knit, inclusive community, and by ensuring that every child's story is full of possibility. We teach to the whole child, supporting them to explore, stretch, and grow, to foster lifelong joyful learners and independent thinkers who are engaged, caring leaders in our global community.
We strive to create a learning environment that teaches children to understand, appreciate, and respect different identities, abilities, beliefs, and cultures; and to have the confidence to speak and stand up to inequity and injustice.
We seek to create experiential opportunities that connect learning with meaningful context or service. Experiential education and integrated project-based learning engage students and give them real-life experience to develop problem-solving, innovative thinking, and complex communication skills, building a solid foundation for lifelong success.
In addition to core subjects, specialist classes at each grade level ensure Westside students graduate not only with a strong core of academics but also excelling in World Language study alongside a deep dive into the arts, physical education, and the natural world.
WHIDBEY ISLAND WALDORF SCHOOL
6335 Old Pietila Road, Clinton, WA 98236
360-341-5686
www.wiws.org
A Foundation of Free & Innovative Thought
Celebrating 36 years. Nursery to Grade 6.
Whidbey Island Waldorf School has provided a comprehensive, whole-person, arts-integrated education on south Whidbey Island, Washington since 1985. We are blessed to be situated in the midst of a 100-acre forest preserve.
What We Believe
The world is changing. What today’s children need in order to thrive, both now and in the future, is based on creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration, not memorization, testing, and competition. At Whidbey Island Waldorf School, our students learn to work with others to develop knowledge and wisdom. They learn to express themselves and their ideas clearly, confidently, and creatively. They learn who they are and how to use their strong moral character and will to positively impact the world. They learn to learn, and they love to learn.
Who We Are
Our extraordinary faculty brings decades of combined teaching experience, vast knowledge of child development, and deep commitment both to their craft and to the children in their care. Whidbey Island Waldorf School is a pedagogically-established school that draws Waldorf families and teachers from across the country and the world.
YELLOW WOOD ACADEMY
9655 SE 36th Street
Mercer Island, WA 98040-3798
206-236-1095
www.yellowwoodacademy.org
We’re all different. Which is why we don’t subscribe to cookie-cutter education. In fact, our philosophy is to fit the curriculum to the student.
Not the other way around.
But more than that, we believe that no matter how distracted, impatient, uninterested, anxious, or unengaged, the potential really is in there.
It just needs to be coaxed out.
Our one-to-one method optimizes the learning experience by tuning the subject to the student’s interest, pacing the lesson to the individual’s rate of learning, and by staying attuned to the student’s focus, anxiety, and engagement. All of which occur besides a rich environment of camaraderie and community.
Sometimes the best way to find the right path is by providing a highly tailored educational experience. Because when it is more personal, it is also more productive.
So, with patience, empathy and persistence, we work with our students to incite their natural curiosity and instill a love of learning. And bring forward the next generation of amazing human beings.
BEAUVOIR, THE NATIONAL CATHEDRAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
202-537-6493
www.beauvoirschool.org
Beauvoir, located on the grounds of the Washington National Cathedral in Washington, DC, is a coeducational independent elementary school that serves approximately 400 students in Pre-Kindergarten through Third Grade. Beauvoir’s mission is to provide an extraordinary early childhood education in a diverse community that values every individual. Its program encourages creative, courageous learners and builds an enduring foundation for a lifelong spirit of inquiry and joy in learning. As an Episcopal School, Beauvoir welcomes students and families of all faiths and backgrounds to celebrate their individual stories and collective experiences. The School aligns its practices and decisions with its goal to be a child-centered, safe, and deeply engaged learning community.
LOWELL SCHOOL
1640 Kalmia Rd. NW
Washington DC 20012
www.lowellschool.org
Founded in 1965, Lowell School is a progressive co-ed PK-8th grade school located in Washington, DC. Our beautiful eight-acre campus is conveniently located next to historic Rock Creek Park, and includes a Pre-Primary, Primary and Middle School, as well as several playgrounds, sports areas, and outdoor learning spaces, as well as a creek.
Lowell teaches children to fully embrace the humanity, dignity, and individuality of all people, so that they may serve now and in the future as agents of change in a world that continually struggles with inclusion and equity.
We promote active, collaborative learning, with an emphasis on building conceptual understanding and developing strong creative, critical, and analytical thinking. Carefully designed learning experiences and curricula are integrated across subjects, draw on powerful, relevant content and student interests, and support the development of internal motivation and a strong voice. Thinking is emphasized over rote learning, and students are expected to use their knowledge and skills creatively and practically.
Our faculty and staff honor the individuality of each child, give them time and space to grow, and nurture their strengths. A fundamental understanding of the developmental stages of cognitive, social, emotional, and physical growth informs all that we do. This approach provides the foundation for children to become highly motivated learners with a strong sense of self-worth and efficacy.
NATIONAL PRESBYTERIAN SCHOOL
At NPS, we focus on the foundational decade of childhood to launch lives of purpose and compassion. We provide children from age 3 to grade 6 the guidance, challenge, and support they need to develop as successful learners and good people.
We celebrate childhood, the foundational years when the greatest leaps of learning occur. Our faculty and staff are experts at helping children learn and grow - intellectually, socially, emotionally, and spiritually.
We challenge students with an engaging, research-based academic program that balances tradition and innovation. We embrace our Core Values – love, respect, responsibility, honesty, and safety - that help students learn and practice what it means to live morally and ethically. And we create a learning environment where children feel heard and respected.
Our exceptional outplacement record speaks for itself: NPS graduates routinely gain acceptance to - and thrive at - leading middle and high schools in the Washington, DC, area and beyond.
SCHOOL FOR FRIENDS
School for Friends is a preschool offering full day educational programs for 18 months to five year old’s, five days a week. The School is open 8:15 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. year-round and is closed all federal and winter holidays and one week in August for staff development. The School is located near Dupont Circle in the Church of the Pilgrims near Metro, bus lines, and the Connecticut, Florida, and Massachusetts Avenue commuting routes. All classrooms are bright and well equipped. In each classroom, areas are designated and equipped for dramatic play, block building, reading, using manipulatives, water play, and explorations with art materials. Teachers encourage children to make independent choices while exploring the materials. Allowing for both unstructured and structured experiences, each day the schedule includes a free choice time, snack, outdoor time, and circle time. Teachers emphasize respect for others and encourage children to listen and respond to each other while taking part in small and full group discussions.
Contact: Brian Palazzolo bpalazzolo@schoolforfriends.org
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