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EDUCATIONAL APPROACH

Our approach is grounded in the progressive education movement of the late 19th century, which emphasizes educating the whole child – their physical, emotional, and intellectual selves.

 

As a laboratory for collaborative, inquiry-based learning, we believe in the power of relationships. Together, we practice the skills of participation in a democratic community, including listening, self-expression, problem solving, and community care.

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EARLY CHILDHOOD

NURSERY 3s, PRE-K, AND KINDERGARTEN

Even the youngest children are included in High Meadow’s community culture. Through observation and documentation, educators identify personalized approaches to supporting children’s growth and relationships. Open-ended play is balanced with project-based learning in a warm, family-like setting.

LOWER SCHOOL

FIRST THROUGH FOURTH GRADE

In the Lower School, we move from a focus on the natural processes of learning to a more structured, inquiry-based approach. Reading, writing, and math become tools children use to learn about the world and what matters to them. 

 

As students grow into skills of research, inquiry, and knowledge sharing, we continue to prioritize emotional well-being and respectful community building as the center of all of our work.

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MIDDLE SCHOOL

FIFTH THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE

The Middle School continues to provide a balance of nurturing and academics. With small advisories for students, and close-knit teaching teams, we take time and care to understand who each student is and is becoming. We make space for student interests, and encourage independent activities, understanding that we are enriched by each other’s differences.

 

Students in the Upper School learn how to participate in a democratic community in the wider world. Drawing on the rich history and culture of the Hudson Valley, students explore how the past is alive in the present, and see themselves as part of history in the making. Without sheltering students, we provide an empowering place where young people can work toward what they want to see and be in the world.

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