Woodstock Day School

I have three children at WDS. They all have very different personalities and needs, but all of them love going to school everyday. The school community is nurturing and encouraging. The teachers are great. They make learning fun and interesting. Consequently, my kids are thriving socially and academically. The school also has a very generous financial aid program so that it is accessible to a diverse community.
--Submitted by a parent

We moved to Woodstock post 9/11 and had no idea what we would find. My son was 5 at the time and had not been to school yet. When he walked into that WDS kindergarten class for the first time (never looking back) we were elated. He is so hungry for learning we are amazed. There is no place like it I am sure. The classes are not large- which is excellent as far as student-to-teacher ratio, but his group of friends extends past his grade, into a larger community of children. It's hard to articulate. If you are here, looking for a school for your child- I would recommend that your child spend a day at the school and get a sense of their reaction. I'd be surprised if you weren't surprised!
--Submitted by a parent

I recommend this school to everyone. You just have to visit it once to fall in love with it. My daughter truly had a magical childhood there! They taught her to love to read and learn! School work was never torture there!
--Submitted by a parent

My son is now in 8th grade at WDS. He's been there since 4th grade. Hcan be himself at WDS and he loves going to school everyday! He is very close with his teachers, and calls them all by first name. The academics in the Upper School (7-12th grades) are rigorous, and are kept very hands-on and relevant to the students' lives. The teachers are incredibly dedicated and usually are a given students' teachers for a number of years (e.g. - my son has had the same great social studies teacher for 3 years). This means that the teachers already know your child, and his/her needs, from the very start of the school year, and they feel comfortable together. The classes are small and intimate so every student's needs can be met. The beautiful,30-acre campus is used as an expanded classroom in almost every subject. The 'specials' and sports are great too.
--Submitted by a parent

My son (now 13) spent K through 6 grades at Woodstock Day School and generally had a good experience. The quality of academics in the lower grades was not great, but it was a warm, welcoming 'climate,' which he needed more than academics at that point. The 5th and 6th grade were quite rigorous academically and brought him 'up to speed' so that when he left to go to public school in 7th grade, he was able to get high 'B's and 'A's in all courses. The school has changed slowly over the years I've been familiar with it, becoming perhaps less 'warm and welcoming' and more focused on academics--for better or worse. The library and the librarian are the absolute best in the Hudson Valley (Robin Shornstein). She loves books and conveys this to every child. Also great was the art teacher, Inyo, who was also very engaging and encouraging.
--Submitted by Donna Boundy, a parent