By Sun staff
A new academic year is just getting underway, but it’s already time for parents and guardians to start thinking about options for next year, and with the Boston area’s wide range of top-notch independent, private, and parochial schools, kids of all ages can find one that well suits them while still staying local.
The Advent School, located at 15 Brimmer St. in Boston, is a progressive, Reggio Emilia-inspired elementary school for children ages 4 through Grade 6. Advent students learn to be critical thinkers, confident scholars, and compassionate citizens of the world in a diverse academic community founded on the principles of social justice and dedicated to respect and inclusion.
Visit adventschool.org for more information.
Beacon Hill Nursery School at 74 Joy St. in Boston, was founded in 1955. Since then it has been a vital part of the downtown community since its inception with a consistent commitment to high quality early childhood education for ages 2 through 5. Their primary mission is to create a nurturing community that instills a lifelong love of learning in its students. They cherish children’s innate curiosity through purposeful play guided by exceptional early childhood educators.
The school boasts two onsite playscapes, a library/community space, eight classrooms and an indoor gym. Programs have a strong emphasis on play, hands-on engagement, open-ended exploration and social/emotional development. Enriched by weekly yoga and music classes.
The Junior Kindergarten program integrates play-based programs for young children with “increased structure, exposure to academic readiness skills, leadership opportunities and preparation for the transition to next schools,” according to the school.
Visit www.bhns.net for more information on Beacon Hill Nursery School.
Belmont Day School, located at 55 Day School Lane in Belmont, fosters intellectual curiosity, honors differences, and empowers meaningful contribution through its core values of excellence, respect, responsibility, honesty, caring, and joy. From pre-K through Grade 8, students’ love of learning is nurtured through hands-on, collaborative, interdisciplinary, and process-oriented work. Belmont Day’s faculty also excel at offering each student the right balance of challenge and support. Graduates often go on to their chosen high schools as caring leaders and confident self-advocates. Register online at www.belmontday.org.
Since 1965, Boston Children’s School, located at 8 Whittier Place in Boston, has been bringing the joy of learning to children between the ages of 2.9 and 7. Located at Charles River Park in the West End,, the school attracts students from the greater Boston area and children from around the world.
The BCS curriculum is designed to be age appropriate. Children learn and play in small groups, in individual, intimate classroom settings, allowing the classroom teachers to know each child and their individual learning style. In addition to daily classroom activities, the Boston Children’s School offers Spanish, Yoga, sign language and music as part of its curriculum. All children have daily access to the private on-site playground. Detailed information about the Boston Children’s School, its academic year and summer programs, are available on the BCS website at www.BostonChildrensSchool.Org.
Boston College High School, located at 150 Morrissey Blvd. in Boston, introduces students to today’s most pressing issues, such as climate change, AI, and racial and economic inequality, while shaping the lives of countless future generations.
BC High is a place where leadership, innovation, faith, interculturality, and justice aren’t just extraneous parts of the experience – they are thoughtfully woven into the curriculum and everyday life through our Centers for Human Excellence.
BC High alumni have changed the world as military and spiritual leaders, politicians and scientists, educators, and captains of industry. The school’s innovative House System sets an unparalleled standard of care that enables students to experience all the resources of a large private school, while being nurtured and mentored in a deeply personal way.
Visit bchigh.edu for more information.
Charlestown Nursery School (CNS), locate at 124 Main St. in Charlestown, is an innovative program for children 20 months-5 years old that draws on the best research from Reggio Emilia, Montessori and other thoughtful approaches.
The curriculum is built around a series of explorations that grow out of the children’s own interests while emphasizing individualized development. Parks, museums, libraries, and historic attractions are also considered part of the school’s extended campus.
Learn more on Instagram or visit their website charlestownnurseryschool.com.
Malden Catholic High School, located at 99 Crystal St. in Malden, is a co-divisional, college preparatory high school. Sponsored by the Xaverian Brothers and guided by their spiritual values of simplicity, humility, compassion, trust and zeal, the school and its faculty inspire students to lives of service, leadership and excellence while nurturing enduring personal relationships and lifelong learning.
Visit MaldenCatholic.org/admissions to learn more.
The Newman School, located at 247 Marlborough St. in Boston, embodies its motto: “Heart Speaks to Heart.” Relationships are the foundation of students’ intellectual exploration and personal growth. The International Baccalaureate curriculum cultivates students’ abilities to think critically, ask questions, learn across disciplines, and develop research skills to thrive in college and become global contributors.
The Newman School serves students in Grades 7-12 (and postgraduate) from Boston, 55 towns, and 40 countries while offering the only comprehensive boarding program in the city. Students participate in activities citywide while developing global and community awareness.
Virtual open houses will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 22, from 6 to 7:30 p.m., and on Wednesday, Dec. 4, from 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Register for a “coffee talk” in your neighborhood to learn more about Newman at newmanboston.org/coffeetalks.
Park Street School (PSS), based at 67 Brimmer St. on Beacon Hill in Boston (with its Preschool located at One Park St.), offers superior educational options for toddlers through Grade 6.
Students build strong foundations of knowledge, beginning in their early years to help develop critical thinking skills. Active learning experiences for Preschool and Elementary children include field research in tidal pools, becoming knights in Grade 4, discovering animals’ habitats in Ponds and Meadows, or learning to classify leaves. Students flourish as they make connections in and out of the classroom and between subjects.
As a Christian school, PSS is committed to helping students develop character and an understanding of God’s love for them. Working together, the school’s faculty and families seek to form relationships that nurture and help children thrive.
Visit online at www.parkstreetschool.org.
St. John School, located 9 Moon St. in Boston’s historic North End, has been educating children since 1895. The school welcomes Pre-K through Grade 8 students, providing a Catholic education dedicated to fostering a spirit of community, faith, and academic excellence. The school’s dedicated teachers and small class sizes help bolster each student’s unique progress as well.
Students at the school benefit from a rigorous academic curriculum, enriched by integrated STEM programming, Italian language instruction, and hydroponic gardening, among other educational opportunities. The school also partners with the Lynch Early Childhood Project – an extraordinary initiative founded by Carolyn and Peter Lynch which enhances learning for 3- and 4-year-olds.
. For more information or to schedule a tour, please contact Julianna Lopez-Picardi at [email protected] or call 617-227-3143.
Spruce Street Nursery School, located at 5 Avery Place in Boston, offers educational opportunities for children from 2 through 5 years of age. Four open classrooms are designed to stimulate creativity and enhance development while dedicated teachers provide both individual and group instruction and support. Lessons are planned thematically to allow opportunity for exploration and guided instruction. Daily trips to the on-site playspace and nearby playgrounds are also part of the curriculum.
Visit their website to learn more about all of the programs at Spruce St.sprucest.org.
Walnut Hill School for the Arts, located at 12 Highland St. in Natick , was founded in 1893 and provides an immersive and intensive learning environment for arts students in Grades 9-12 and in Postgraduate Studies as one of the nation’s top boarding and day schools.
Area of focus include Music, Dance, Theater, Visual Art, and Writing, Film, and Media Arts, combined with a comprehensive academic curriculum. Professional artists and instructors from Boston Ballet, the New England Conservatory of Music, and other major arts institutions are also on hand to educate students.
Visit walnuthillarts.org for more information.
For those who need a little more academic attention, Dr. Katrina Tamvakologos (a.k.a. ‘Dr. T’), an experienced teacher with a passion for education, and her Unlock Your Potential offer personalized tutoring for K-12 students at their Beacon Hill offices.
In addition to assisting students in the fundamentals of writing, such as composition, essay writing, and reading comprehension, in one-on-one or small-group tutoring.
Reading intervention tutoring is also available to children who may be experiencing some difficulty reading while tutoring focusing on developing their will teach students how to remember instructions, plan Executive Functioning Skills. Unlock Your Potential offers older students assistance with college applications as well.
For more information, visit www.uyptutoring.com, or contact Dr. Katrina Tamvakologos at 617-784-6753, or via email at [email protected].