Allendale Columbia School

Our grandchildren attend Allendale Columbia and we are staunch supporters of this School of Excellence. Although it is noteworthy for its creative and rigorous Academics we are most impressed with the family atmosphere, inclusion, and fostering of school, community, and worldwide focus and development. It takes a Village to Raise a Child and AC embodies that concept. As grandparents, we have always felt welcomed and included. We recall fondly many Grandparent days, Strawberry Breakfast, Innovation Days, and fundraising Galas, etc. We would come to AC weekly for lunch with our grandson. The farm-to-table, locally sourced organic food was always delicious and how food should be provided to growing children. What was most impressive was AC's handling of the Pandemic. The school the first one to close in Monroe County on Friday in March 2020 opened that Monday in virtual classrooms. Our grandson said the only difference with this time online was that he could not whisper in his classmate's/friend's ears. In the Fall of 2020, the students returned to 5 days in-person 8 am-3 pm providing students with the education, connection, and camaraderie they need. Our grandsons treasure this school so much they would gladly go year-round with no summers off. I cannot express with words the depth of appreciation and gratitude I have for all the faculty, staff, and administrators that demonstrate such commitment to this school and its students. Thank you for all you do to make AC the special school it is!!!

Allendale Columbia is a completely different school than it was two years. Thanks primarily to the arrival of Mick Gee, the new Head of School in 2012 and John Sullivan, the new Head of the Lower School in 2011, AC is being restructured and set on a new path. The school has freed itself from standardized testing and bureaucrat regulations to instead enable it to quickly respond to new educational trends and the are responsible for the fine strokes. The students feel like they are part in school seven days a week if she could. Another key item that makes AC noteworthy is their ability to serve children with needs on both ends of the spectrum. They have employed math and reading stimulation. At the beginning of the 2012 school year, AC responded to a need in a matter of weeks to implement their new STEM program

Allendale Columbia is a school that is evolving - I love what the school is doing with May Term offerings, and it allows for my two children to be seen as individuals with individual needs. They are both actively involved in music, and extra-curricular activities, like the Lego Robotics teams and pit band. It is a wonderful feeling knowing that the sports program is a no-cut policy, where my kids can feel like they can try a sport and be part of a team without being cut out of the process from the start. I highly recommend this school for anyone who wants a unique, student-centric, and high quality education for their child.

As it concerns the Lower School, Allendale Columbia is a completely different school than it was two years. Thanks primarily to the arrival of Mick Gee, the new Head of School in 2012 and John Sullivan, the new Head of the Lower School in 2011, AC is being restructured and set on a new path. The school has freed itself from standardized testing and bureaucrat regulations to instead enable it to quickly respond to new educational trends and the individual needs of the students. Lower School education is now project and inquiry based learning with real world relevance. The faculty paints the broad strokes of the curriculum, but the students are responsible for the fine strokes. The students feel like they are part of a higher purpose and can participate in projects that they are passionate about, have a stake in, and can help make a difference. Learning is now interesting and fun.

Parents are involved and have many opportunities to connect with other parents to discuss their child(ren) and to support each other. This spirals into students who benefit from this community atmosphere and who develop into mature adults.

The teachers are amazing and extremely supportive . The environment is safe and nurturing and children are allowed to blossom to their fullest potential. Amazing school. We are here to stay!