Calhoun School

Coming out of preschool, we applied to 15 independent schools. If I knew now what I knew then, we would have only applied to Calhoun. We have consistently received constructive feedback during our parent-teacher conferences, and we feel that the teachers/administrators/staff, and our family have a partnership to guide our daughter in her growth. She is thriving academically and socially. The pedagogy of "open inquiry" is excellent for our daughter. The school meets her where she's at. On top of the Calhoun education that she's receiving, the families we have met are just lovely - down to earth and very friendly. Another observation is in our daughter's grade, 99% of the families have both working parents. As a working mother myself, this was a bonus. Our daughter is currently in first grade, and this is our second year at Calhoun.

The school is amazing. The community is open and welcoming. There is an investment and interest in being better as a school for the children, families and the community. All voices are important and there is ample opportunity to be heard. My child is one that can easily be lost when there is so much going on. She went to an all girls' school for so many years and felt like an outsider. At Calhoun, she doesn't t feel that way anymore. She is learning to use her voice and not getting lost in the crowd in the meantime.

Our son is in 4th grade and has been at Calhoun since preschool. We wholeheartedly recommend a Calhoun education! Most importantly, Calhoun teaches children to THINK. The curriculum unfolds each year and builds on the prior year's foundation of learning and making connections within and across subjects. The more "hardcore" academics are thoughtfully constructed around deep learning--and the arts classes have blown us away. Our son is thriving—developing academic and personal confidence, thinking for himself and making connections across subjects.Worth mentioning that Calhoun is also just a well-run place. During COVID, I have not heard of one other NYC private school that took so many proactive measures to keep students in school safely and provide flexibility for families. Examples: Students are tested WEEKLY w saliva test, Calhoun rented additional classroom space to create more physical distancing, enabled families to choose remote vs in-person or a combination. Perhaps more importantly, as it relates to COVID, we were amazed and impressed and grateful last spring how teachers helped student voice and process their feelings about the pandemic and suddenly having their lives shut down. More than once, I had a tear listening to class discussions.

Our son graduated from high school last year, and we have one junior and one 6th grader currently attending Calhoun. All of our children are very different learners, yet Calhoun has been tremendously successful in meeting each of them where they are. Through a child directed learning approach, our children are appropriately challenged and nurtured, to do and be their best both academically and as people. We are grateful for the attention and support of the administration and staff, who are always available and approach the relationship to students, and the family, as a partnership. The amount of homework is challenging but not overwhelming, and class sizes are small and manageable. We feel incredibly grateful that our children attend a school that is committed to encouraging their students to forge their own paths, supporting and celebrating the uniqueness of their experience through high school, as well as preparing them for their journey beyond.

Our son is in 10th grade and started at Calhoun last year. The real strength of the school involves the commitment of the teachers, faculty, and administrators. They are accessible and take a keen interest in each student and his or her learning style. Aside from the strong core academic subjects, Calhoun offers interesting and meaningful elective courses to choose from.

Calhoun has a strong academic program with attentive teachers. The material covered is similar to many peer schools. The uniqueness of the school is reflected in the style of teaching where students are expected to participate in all classroom discussions and are taught to be self starters. Children may start the program with shyness, confidence, and everything in between. Through the nurturing program beginning in the lower school, students' confidence develops. They learn to voice their ideas and opinions in a respectful setting. There is a great deal of individual attention from teachers and peer support. The students are engaged and active learners. The class sizes small (~11-13 per group) so there are many opportunities for individual attention for all students. Teachers encourage study across disciplines which is reflected in student presentations and group projects that take place throughout the year starting in the later years of lower school and carrying all the way through high school. The open classroom setting allows for collaboration across disciplines. It is similar to our workspaces today where few people have closed-off offices.

This school is a gem amongst a sea of private schools in NYC! Our children are receiving an excellent education in an environment that values individuals and actual learning! We have two children at Calhoun and couldn't be more satisfied with our experience. The middle school is everything we had hoped it would be. The teachers are thoughtful and dedicated. The homework load is both challenging and appropriate. The high school encourages students to steer their own path while simultaneously providing the support they need to navigate their way. The Calhoun community is supportive, lively and warm. We look forward to watching our children mature and blossom at this school that is truly in class by itself.

My son has just started his second year at Calhoun and is in the 3"s program. We couldn't be happier with his experience thus far. He is excited to go to school everyday and has become such an enthusiastic learner. We are equally as excited to be a part of such a supportive, caring and forward thinking community. Calhoun is not just a building where our children go to school, but a community base for the entire family. Calhoun is a progressive, project based school that is committed to continuously reflect upon and better itself. We look forward to many years at this wonderful school!

I am a current middle school parent at Calhoun and am very pleased with the progressive program. I'm impressed by the depth of understanding the students attain by learning in small groups. Teachers expect full participation in classroom discussions. My children's classes average 12-14 students so teachers understand each child's level of comprehension: who need more challenge or more support. At the culmination of an area of study, middle school students complete projects including a written report, presentation, and art project. These occur throughout the year in Humanities, Science, and Spanish/Mandarin with students either working independently or collaborating with classmates. At the middle school level, children receive a moderate amount of homework and are expected to be more thoughtful and thorough with the assignments. As a result, the students develop a deep understanding of the subject matter.