About The New School
What People Are Saying
Appreciations from parents and students
Families were asked what they appreciate about the New School. Following are their responses:
The New School is very comfortable – it’s little and makes kids feel more special, and children get more attention than at other schools. – 2nd grader
The New School teachers work hard and care about every kid. —4th grader
The New School is very special because there are a lot of nice people, many friends you can make, and they have lots of science. – 2nd grader
The New School is a uniquely wonderful school where children get individual learning contracts, parents are very involved, and the staff is unusually dedicated. I can't recommend it enough! I wish I had had the opportunity to attend a school like this as a child! – a parent
The children interact with each other without regard to age, both socially and academically. Learning is both cooperative and individualized. – a parent
New School has met all my son's needs, intellectual as well as social. The low teacher to student ratio combined with best teaching practices and individualized learning contracts means that each child receives the education he or she requires.- a parent
My son loves school because he is challenged to learn experientially; interacts w/children of all ages; and participates in exciting activities like writing and acting in the students' own play. I love the intellectual rigor, the respect for differences and diversity, the multi-modal learning activities. There is an emphasis on social interactions and individualized curriculum and learning strategies that suit each child. The teachers are incredible and the learning experiences phenomenal. Parental involvement is high, and helps foster a true sense of community. Above all, The New School is a safe, comfortable, holistic environment in which the whole child is educated. - a parent
This is truly the 'little school that could', and has. The teachers are wonderful. The kids love the school. Amazing, just amazing. - a parent
The children interact with each other without regard to age, both socially and academically. Learning is both cooperative and individualized. Teachers frequently observe students so they can figure out how to get out of the way and allow students' natural curiosity to flourish. The best alternative to homeschooling! - a parent
My son has been attending this outstanding private school for 5 years. Curriculum is designed to meet the students' needs. Teacher quality is outstanding. Parent and family involvement and commitment is as good as it gets. The New School focuses on the kids. A truly exceptional learning environment. When my son graduated and moved on to middle school I felt confident in his ability to handle any public school challenge be is cognitive, social, or emotional.
Alumna testimonial
The following is the college application essay of a former New School student, Janeen Elhassan. She is studying at the Eastman School of Music.
“Where kids love to learn” is the slogan printed on the T-shirt I have from my elementary school. I’ll admit, it’s kind of corny, and sometimes I’m embarrassed to wear it in public; however, while I can’t speak for every student’s experience at The New School, mine was truly incredible. Looking back, I have become more aware of how much I gained from my years there. And, true to the shirt, I sincerely believe that I developed a love for learning that is more valuable than any information I’ve ever gotten out of a textbook.
The curriculum at The New School is very individualized because each student has their own contract. Contracts list assignments either daily (for younger students) or weekly (for older students). Each student’s contract is based on his or her individual strengths, weaknesses, and interests. I learned a great deal about time management and self-discipline from the contract system. I’ll admit there have occasionally been nights when I was up late cramming for a test, but I am confident that I have the ability to organize my time and complete a rigorous workload thanks to the skills I mastered doing contract work.
One of the most important differences between The New School and other schools is that in The New School there are no grade levels. Not only would grade levels be impractical in a school with only 20 students, but the absence of grade levels also removes all limitations on how much a student can learn. Because the teacher was not waiting for other students to reach the same point, I never felt held back from learning more. The amount I learned related directly to the effort I put in and the time available. Not to be limited by someone else’s standards is a lesson I might not have learned in a different environment. I believe this work ethic has helped me in all aspects of my life; it has especially allowed me to thrive academically and musically.
Many of the big projects we did at The New School were group projects. Topics spanned all areas: Chinese culture, science experiments, writing and rehearsing plays, and countless other things. You spend your whole life interacting with people, so it is important to learn how to cooperate with a group and communicate effectively. Those skills, developed at The New School, have helped me to participate in group projects in high school, contribute to a soccer team that won the sectional championship, and collaborate with musicians in many different ways.
My favorite part of the day at The New School was investigations time. This was the period of the day when, assuming I had finished all my contract work, I could choose what I wanted to work on. This time also taught me difficult lesson: life is full of choices. The paper on my desk beckoned for me to come write a story about an underwater restaurant. The books spilling off the shelves begged to be read. And there was always room on our refrigerator for another one of my artistic masterpieces. At home I would tell my mom about what I did during investigations that day and have a list of what I wanted to do the next day. I have kept that desire to do everything, but it hasn’t been easy. Since the third grade, my days have only grown busier with piano, clarinet, soccer, and forever-growing piles of homework; the lesson about making choices came back to haunt me recently. Last year I had to stop playing piano in the jazz band; this year it was either quit soccer, or give up sleeping.
Sure, I studied math, science, reading, and writing at The New School, but the knowledge I gained is so much greater than just that. I left with the desire to learn new things and delve deeper into the areas with which I am already familiar. I left with the notion that learning is an ongoing process to which there is no end. I left with the ability to juggle many different activities and work with others. Now I’m leaving high school with even more experience and insight, ready to bring it all with me to college. Who knows, I might even pack my New School T-shirt.