The College School

I have children in preschool, lower division and upper division at The College School (AKA TCS). TCS has been life-changing for my family. It is a community PS-8 program with a team of profoundly dedicated teachers and administrators. I am humbled by their dedication to my children's success. My favorite qualities about TCS are (1) Balance between individuality/self-reliance and community contribution. TCS fosters confidence in individuality by helping kids think about who they are (e.g., kindergarten identity project) and realize that they can do hard things on their own (e.g., wilderness solo night). However, TCS does not feed into egoism. Kids learn that they are part of a team (e.g., paddling in a canoe), a class (e.g., strong emphasis on class participation discussions), a school (e.g., younger grade mentees throughout middle school), and a world (experiential projects like the food pantry train promoting social justice). (2) Experiential learning. TCS' experiential learning approach and the team's selfless willingness to forge into the world with students fostered a love of learning in my children that I did not think possible. (3) Middle school. Early adolescence is brutal. It's also highly impressionable. I did not want to send my kids to a stand-alone middle school or a high school when they were barely 13. TCS' middle school is an active and important part of the larger TCS community. Middle schoolers are the elders. They know the younger children are watching, and it fosters a sense of pride and leadership in them. That their teachers treat them as learning partners, going by first names and promoting student-led learning, encourages maturity and social responsibility. (3) Diversity. This might occur in small amounts at other independent schools, but it is exemplary at TCS. The TCS zip code list is staggering. I kept expecting to find a group, like a clique, of neighborhood kids or parents, and there simply isn't one. TCS students and families are extraordinarily diverse in race, religion, economic background, and locale. I know more than 10 families who commute more than 40 minutes one way for TCS (which speaks to its desirability). Families choose TCS not for convenience, but because they really believe in it.

i have two kids at TCS, now 7th and 8th grade and both have been there since pre-K. TCS offers a rigorous curriculum integrated into a unique, one-kind in area outdoor, adventure, and experiential education program. Experienced and dedicated teachers. Great facilities and equipment including outdoor gear and a second campus at the LaBarque conservation area. We love TCS!

We have two children at The College School and have had a wonderful experience with both of them. One thing I appreciate is the outdoor experiences and trips the kids get to take each year. There is a second campus on several acres with a farm-like feel that classes visit regularly. The teachers are also very engaged and have always been helpful if I've had questions or needed help with the children`s learning. TCS is genuinely a special school, and I know my kids are better people from attending.

My child's learning experience has been joyful, and the natural curiosity remains intact, which means the world to me. When you know better, you do better, and we must do better for our children in this society. I wish all children could have the experiences that The College School offers. A holistic and healthy approach to in-depth learning. The schools' response to the pandemic has been spot-on, and I am pleased with their safety response. I feel like this school protects childhood's by providing learning on the go with a life lived outdoors. That means the world to me. I am thankful for teachers who go above and beyond with their mentorship for their students.

I strongly recommend this school! We were attracted by their Reggio Emilia approach. But it was better than I could imagine. The teachers were so nurturing and took so much time to get to know each child. Also, the art my child did in preschool is unbelievable that I have framed so much of it and created books. As they progressed to elementary school, they get to try more challenging experiences. Each of their themes and activities has so much thought behind them and without the children knowing they are learning math, science and empathy.We`re overall very happy. With the pandemic they struggled as everyone, but in the end have been tremendously successful keeping kids at school and recognizing that's essential for their development. I appreciate the teachers and the current leadership from the head of the school.I can`t forget mentioning the amazing lunch program that the school has put in place. We have a chef!!! She creates nutritious meals for the kids and has adapted to covid as well. If you value diversity, critical thinking and believe kids should not only learn in a classroom, this is the school for you!

The College School is amazing. I love dropping my child off and seeing all of the smiling kids who are excited for school. I highly recommend checking out this school.

Sending my children to The College School has been one of the most important decisions we ever made. I have two very different kids with different personalities and learning styles. TCS has helped them become problem solvers, critical thinkers and each have confidence and a true love of learning. The teachers are kind and deeply engaged and challenge them to always do their very best work and thinking. The outdoor experiences and challenges they have had have really rounded out the very solid academic program. I see both of my children being very prepared for high school and what is beyond.

This is a wonderful school and very unique in its approach to learning. It is very "hands on". The children learn to love the outdoors and know how to be good citizens. They even have a 28 acre property about 45 minutes from school that can be used for a multitude of purposes.

As a former student of five years, I would definitely recommend The College School. The teachers were always kind, and it was like they really wanted to get to know me as a person, not a student. They were very understanding, and the classes were usually hands-on activities, not just sitting in a classroom listening to a teacher give lectures. The classrooms were always neat and well-supplied, as well as being big enough. Specialists were always my favorite classes, especially drama and PE. But there was music, and art also. In drama, come springtime, you would learn 'Circus Skills'. That consisted of Poi, balancing feathers, then clubs on your hands and chin, juggling, balancing on a ball, tightrope, and a bunch of other things, all in a safe environment. There is a gym, and an outside field area for PE, as well as a blacktop, and every year, starting in 1st grade, classes would take overnights, in various places, depending on what they were studying. For example, the 5th grade goes caving for multiple nights, as well as going on many field trips to catch, tag, and study monarch butterflies. They let them go, of course. In conclusion, I would recommend TCS to any fun loving, hands-on kid who loves to learn by doing!