Eastside Community School

Early Childhood - In our early childhood classrooms, great care is taken to create a warm and home-like setting and a beautiful environment where children's senses are nurtured. Every aspect of our early childhood program is designed to foster healthy and balanced intellectual, emotional, and physical development from daily outdoor play and nature walks to the organic foods served at snack time. Our students learn by engaging in practical activities such as washing dishes, sweeping, gardening, baking and building. We incorporate seasonal crafts, movement, outdoor adventures, and ample creative free play to encourage joyful learning and imaginative exploration. Eastside Community School (ECS) offers preschool and kindergarten for three- to six-year-old children (children must turn three by September 1st).

Grade School & Middle School - The key to education at Eastside Community School is balance: between students' practical knowledge and their creative enthusiasm; in a rich curriculum where challenging academics are integrated with arts, music, and movement; and where we ensure that learning happens naturally and rhythmically while helping develop students' skill and interest in a variety of subjects and activities. Subjects are made engaging and exciting by teachers skilled in oral storytelling and by integrating each subject with a variety of arts.Elementary School:Students don't merely absorb the subjects taught in the two-hour main lesson. Instead, they reach a deep understanding of each lesson by bringing it to life in books that they design, write, and illustrate about each subject. Day-to-day learning takes place in a non-competitive environment. Parents receive regular updates through parent-teacher conferences, written evaluations of student progress, and close relationships between teachers, students, and families. Teachers and students often progress together from first grade through the middle school years. Other specialty teachers add to the weekly rhythm by sharing their expertise in language instruction, music, handwork, and movement education.Middle School:The middle school years can be both full of anxiousness to explore the world or conversely, full of anxiousness to not be ready. We meet these transition years by seeking a balance between a comforting continuity from the lower grades and increased academic and artistic challenges. Students participate in multi-day trips such as biking, hiking, and kayaking, which bring hands-on experiences linked to the academic curriculum. In eighth grade, all students complete a comprehensive research project, complete with written report, artistic project, display, and oral presentation to the school community. This comprehensive approach to academics, the arts, and real-life activities prepares students well for the challenges of high school. And they take with them a healthy, inclusive approach to social relationships, as they refine their ability to work as a team and to respect each other's individuality.