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Why Pre-K to 8

Seventh grader holds hands with a pre-k buddy

The early childhood, elementary, and middle school years are critical for children: It's when they build their academic foundation, begin to develop a sense of themselves as individuals, and ask questions and push boundaries to better understand the world around them and their relationship to it.

This time of childhood and early adolescence is unique, special, and vitally important. That's why we're such firm believers in the transformative power of a pre-k to 8th grade education. The benefits speak for themselves:

Student climbs a rope outside amongst the trees
With little or no older teen influence at school, our students remain more ingenuous, more likely to engage in healthy, age-appropriate activities, and more comfortable being kids a few years longer than peers at many other schools.
Two students focus intently on a science lab
Having come to know themselves deeply as learners and individuals while at Green Acres, our graduates are able to be active participants in the process of selecting the high school that will best allow their passions and dreams to thrive.
Students lean over an assignment together
The most abundant leadership opportunities at a school often belong to the uppermost grades. Without older students on campus, Middle Schoolers have unique and meaningful opportunities to be leaders in their community.

By the time they graduate from Green Acres, our students:

  • Use their solid intellectual foundation, creativity, and strong ethical framework to pursue their passions;
  • Know themselves as learners and are comfortable with themselves as people;
  • Take a collaborative, team-oriented approach to leadership;
  • Are optimistic agents of change who practice an exceptional commitment to making a difference;
  • Embrace differences and celebrate the strengths of others;
  • Are driven learners who embrace challenge;
  • Emerge as leaders in their communities, achieving success in a wide variety of disciplines.

See where our graduates go after Green Acres

 

The positive experiences our two children had in their nine and ten years at Green Acres entirely outweighed any burdens of applying to high schools. Children and families change, and what is best in young childhood may change in adolescence. There is such excitement in embarking on the high school search process when your adolescent is an active participant—and this far outweighs the work involved. And every child we know benefited from the broadening of the social experience that comes with changing schools at 9th grade. Terri P'08, P'12