Friends' School

After being surrounded in my adult life with people with strong academic backgrounds and miserable social lives, I wanted more for my children than just sitting in over-crowded classrooms, listening to lectures and doing worksheets. Since preschool, the children have learned social and emotional skills along with their academic skills. The Area of Expertise (AOE) presentation that the elementary children make each year is a great example of the way that the children learn as a group, yet get to shine in their own particular way. By the time they are in fifth grade, they have developed the confidence in themselves to get up in front of several hundred people and describe their learning experience.
--Submitted by a parent

Friends' School has been a wonderful place for our children. It is a warm, nurturing community where students get strong academics. My children love going to school and they are curious, enthusiastic students. Friends' knows the importance of social-emotional education and how this in turn allows children to feel secure and known and therefore able to learn. I feel like they have a higher level of ownership of their education. There is a culture at Friends' that values authenticity, reponsibility and respect for all. It is truly education of the whole child.
--Submitted by a parent

We have a fourth grader and a first grader at Friends' School. They are both thriving and enjoy going to school each day. Our daughter attended the preschool before attending the elementary program, so she had an easy transition into Kindergarten and felt very comfortable jumping right into the elementary curriculum. We love how the excellent teaching staff focuses on each of their strengths and knows their individual learning styles. The small class size facilitates this process and allows for good focus on community and social emotional skill building. Our children have a strong academic base, but also know how they learn and embrace the pure joy of learning. The school leadership is strong, and the community is dynamic and engaged. We love Friends' School and highly recommend it.
--Submitted by a parent

Friends' School is a wonderful place to be a parent, teacher, and especially a student. Everyone feels part of the community and each member's strengths contribute to a whole that is truly more than the sum of its parts. The children are kind, the parents are warm and welcoming and the teachers are open and empathetic. It is in this atmosphere that learning in all three areas -- head, hand and heart -- takes place.
--Submitted by a parent

My daughter is truly getting an education of head, hand & heart at Friends' School. They have done such a great job creating a feeling of community within the classes, the school , the parent community and the community of Boulder. As I watch the Boulder Valley students get their art, music and PE cut, I feel fortunate that Friends' School finds this an integral part to education. The small class size means that nobody slips through the cracks. As a parent, I feel supported through the many parent education nights that are offered. If I could change one thing about Friends' School, it would be that they went all the way through 12th grade!!
--Submitted by a parent

Friends' School is an amazing and extremely well managed school. It does an exceptional job of staying true to its mission of educating the whole child - head, hand, and heart. The most striking manifestation of this philosophy is the social-emotional curriculum, which is quite simply a huge part of everything about Friends'. It is evident in preschoolers practicing 'twigging,' or branching out to form new friendships by sitting next to or playing with children with whom they don't usually play. It shows in the elementary children's friendship meetings in which children can bring up social situations (without naming names) and asking their peers for suggestions on how to approach those challenges. The preschool teachers, elementary teachers, and the specialists are all extremely dedicated and truly interested in each child. I have been impressed with how they have worked hard to identify and meet both of my children's individual needs.
--Submitted by a parent

Friends' has exceeded our expectations in every area in the two years we have been part of its community and we eagerly look forward to the elementary years. The teachers are compassionate, caring and highly qualified. The school's motto (Educating the Whole Child - Head, Hand, Heart) is evident in all involved with the school. They truly nuture each child's self-esteem and facilitate each child's learning conflict resolution. The class sizes are ideal for both child and teacher - allowing for individualized attention and support. The portfolio assessment model is used which is so empowering to the child, parent and teacher. I could go on and on about the school but wholeheartedly encourage anyone considering it to just check it out - you will be glad you did!
--Submitted by a parent

Their mission is to educate the head, hands and heart. Each child is treated as an individual and every teacher is AMAZING!
--Submitted by a parent

You won't find more committed teachers than those at Friends' School. They are smart, funny, caring, and creative. They value children as individuals and help them reach their potential. Most importantly, perhaps, they teach kids a language to use when resolving conflicts that promotes self-respect and confidence as well as empathy. My children love to go to school at Friends' because of these teachers; they love to read, to learn, to play, to solve problems, and to challenge themselves. Further, the greater community at Friends' couldn't be more supportive. There is always another parent to laugh with or help you solve a problem. Most kids want to stay on the playground for hours after school, and all the parents seem to enjoy hanging out as much as the kids. Finally, Friend's benefits from superb leadership from Polly Donald. She is a top-notch educator in all respects.
--Submitted by a parent

Both of my kids attend Friends'. Before Friends' neither of my kids were excited about going to school and now i literally find them in the car waiting for me to drive them there. I appreciate the focus on helping kids develop socially and emotionally. Helping them develop important social/emotional skills early on in life will serve them forever. At Friends' they have also developed a real love of learning and I find them turning games into learning opportunities. The small class sizes allow for incredible focus on each child and I love to 2-year looping system. The teachers really get to know each child. Before choosing Friends' I asked several people who I deeply respected (all Ivy league grads) who sent their kids there and they all spoke so highly and each of their children were so different. I truly think it works for all different types of kids!
--Submitted by a parent