Garden School

As a parent of two children who have attended Garden School, I wholeheartedly recommend it, as both have thrived academically, socially, and emotionally in this robustly challenging and nurturing environment. The small class sizes (our initial draw to the school) and exceptional teachers have allowed for personalized attention; in turn, I have seen both my children's confidence grow, their intellectual curiosity fostered, and their individuality cherished. Due to this, they both have blossomed into happy, independent-thinking children. The Garden School community is a wonderfully inclusive and supportive environment where students are encouraged to be their best selves. The school's cultural atmosphere helps children be kind, respectful, and responsible, qualities that have made a lasting impact on both of my children. One thing that stands out when you visit the campus is that it is not uncommon to see kids of all ages interacting with one another socially and academically, as the school goes from nursery up to the 12th grade. This includes the extracurricular offerings, which are many: from athletics, the arts, or academic clubs, the range of options is impressive. Both of my children have been able to explore their interests outside of the classroom, from music and drama to science and sports, helping them develop skills that we feel will serve them well in the future.As parents, there is so much uncertainty about the myriad variables that can affect children, one being the quality of education. For us, we have found Garden School to be exceptional at fostering the self-worth necessary for our children to succeed.

The garden school has a special meaning to me. I went to this school from 2003-2007. The teachers and staff gave me the learning support I needed to succeed in high school and beyond. Teachers took time at the end of the school day for students who needed help with the learning materials and went over with us again. Now as a parent of an early childhood student at the Garden School, I can say that the school still gives students care, time, and that on one that I received for students to succeed in life. My child grew so much from pre-k- to kindergarten academically and socially. I couldn't be happier.

Both of my sons graduated from Garden School, one started in 4th grade, and my second in the Pre-K program. The individualized attention and supportive teachers at Garden School made a huge difference in their academic and personal development. The dedication of the teachers helped them build a strong foundation, both intellectually and emotionally, which is so important for success in today's society. It is very rewarding to see the impact of the many years at Garden School on their accomplishments, as evidenced by my younger son's recent graduation from Princeton University and current pursuit of a law degree at Fordham. I would highly recommend Garden School to all interested families!

We cannot believe what an incredible find Garden School has been for our family and our daughters. At Garden School, we have found educators that think about every student. They don't just say that either, they do. NYC is full of massive schools and there is not a lot of personalization out there. Yet at Garden, our kids are thought of as individuals, pushed and challenged in different ways and we see their confidence grow each day. High school is a scary prospect and while we had not thought about paying for school at first, we find that what we get for tuition is high quality at Garden School. Our girls play multiple sports at a competitive level, there are exceptional classes, tons of clubs and activities, and recently there has been a huge investment in the Arts. We lucked out with finding Garden School and strongly recommend it to anyone looking for high-quality education at a reasonable price in Queens.

Garden School is an amazing and welcoming establishment. There`s a real sense of community among everyone who goes here, with a long history and an intelligent student body. The classes are excellent and the faculty are even better.

I`ve been going to this school for 7 years and the education and people that go to this school are truly amazing!

I`ve been in garden school since 9th grade and I`ve never been in such a friendlier and amazing environment. I really enjoy how there`s a small community and you just know everybody. I particularly love astronomy class. I have not seen Astronomy in any other school and it`s one of the most interesting classes I`ve been in.

I have been at Garden since I was in 7th grade and I couldn`t imagine being anywhere else. I am graduating this year, and my experience has left me more than prepared for college. If I had to pick the best quality garden it would have to be the close-knit community. My favorite opportunity to take advantage of is the student-teacher relationship. I have never felt behind in any class because I can always ask any teacher to help me when I am struggling.

I am grateful for my time at Garden. I`ve been a student at Garden since 4th grade. I`ve made so many great friends and the support my teachers have given me has been unparalleled. I`m graduating soon and I`m going to miss everyone so much.

Garden school is a place you can call home. Great environment and atmosphere.

I have been a student at Garden for close to 5 years, and have loved it so far. The teachers are fantastic, sports teams are excellent and supportive, with an overall helpful and familial environment. All in all, my time at Garden has been some of my years best so far.

I have been at Garden School since I was 6 years old, participating in the Summer Camp every year until I finally got the opportunity to become a student in 6th grade. I am now a junior and my years spent at Garden have undoubtedly changed me for the better. The small academic setting has promoted a strong sense of family throughout the years that would be unattainable at any other school. I have been proud to call Garden my second home for the past decade!

I`ve been at this school for 5 years and can confidently say that it has been some of the best moments of my life. Everyone in the garden is very kind and supportive because it's such a small community. I play many sports and the garden is a place for competitiveness and hard work. currently, I am playing volleyball and we are on a 5-game winning streak and headed for the playoffs. So that in itself should speak volumes. We are also located in one of America's most diverse neighborhoods and we have a lot of students from many different backgrounds. It`s a school worth considering.

I like the extracurriculars and the sports available. It`s a great school, I would recommend it.

I have greatly enjoyed my time at Garden, especially the trips, like the annual Nantucket/Cape Cod trip and the International trip where I went to Costa Rica. It was so much fun, especially with friends and I was so sad when it was over. The sports selections are also great and you don`t even have to try out, you can just join and try out whatever sports you would like. I, although I am not good at basketball, got to join it and it was so much fun with my friends and I had an amazing time with the team. Everybody is super close here and the homework level is good enough for you to not be stressed but also learn a lot.

I have been here for my whole lifetime. Me being 15 years old, and with being here for 12-13 years. I am a lifer so far. I have always had an amazing time, sometimes it is rough but I push through it. The garden is like family to me. I have lifelong friends here. I will be here until I graduate. I have to say this. So, Garden for me wouldn`t be Garden without the teachers OR SPORTS. Sports is how I cope throughout the year. It is how I made most of my friends. I would also recommend this school because of how you can bond with everyone.

I have been at garden school since 6th grade and it is a really good school with so much diversity and amazing teachers. The diversity is the best part of this school and the teachers and language diversity is amazing too. I love garden school. I am in garden school.

I love my school. The Garden is a place where I can be who I want to be all the time and my teachers and peers appreciate me for who I am. It is a safe and challenging place and I am grateful that my parents send me here. All the classes are cool and I like that we get to have friends across different grades. I enjoy the arts program and also the new robotics program. Though I don't play sports, I attend lots of games and know that my friends are having fun playing on teams. The Garden is a great place.

Garden School has been a special place for our family! Both of our daughters have attended Garden School over the past 5 years. Their experiences have been rich and full of opportunity and inspiration. Garden School has something for everyone - art, music, drama, sports, debate, key club, afterschool activities, and more! The staff at Garden School is committed to both the developing needs of their students, and supporting them beyond just academics. The administration is responsive and supportive. Our family highly recommends Garden School to any interested family!

The Garden School has been an all-around positive experience for my daughter. From high academic standards to a supportive learning environment, my daughter and I are pleased with the choice we made to join the Garden School community.

Our daughter has been a student in the Garden School since she was in Kindergarten, and is now entering third grade. We couldn't have found a better community- the teachers and caring, dedicated, and work hard to ensure every child learns. Individualized attention has been key for my daughter, who struggles in reading but excels in other areas. The teachers can meet her where she needs to be, and challenge her to learn and grow further. It's also an exciting time to be at Garden- new leadership has revitalized the school and there are more new programs, facilities upgrades, and enrichment available to students than ever before. But most of all, Garden is a family. We are so fortunate to have stumbled upon Garden and are incredibly grateful to have found such a caring, supportive community.

Our daughter has been a student in the Garden School since she was in the Nursery. She is now going into the third grade. For six years we have been proud members of the Garden community and plan to continue. We are both full-time working parents and so Garden was there for us when we were seeking a strong school, quality, seamless after-school care as well as an excellent summer camp. Every teacher, counselor, coach, administrator, and staff member cares about the school and the kids. Each student gets one-on-one time with the teacher because the classes are small which leads to level-appropriate instruction for each child based on whether they need more support or need to be challenged. Under the excellent leadership of Headmaster Chris Herman, the facilities are being upgraded and the programming is being enhanced. Lower School Head Bill Vogel has been a steady force for many years. The staff and faculty enjoy working at the Garden School which makes for a happy environment with thriving students. We highly recommend the Garden School and feel so fortunate to have our daughter in a school where she has wonderful friends and people who know and look out for her.

Garden School is a great school that helped me a lot throughout my high school career. The teachers are nice and they will all know you very well. The teachers will always have time for you after school. I am sure anyone can do well if they put in the effort in Garden School. The college preparation process is also superb! My college counselor was very helpful throughout the whole process and helped me get into a very good school.

We could not be more pleased with what the incredible staff of Garden School has done for our child. They have both challenged and supported her in a way that has achieved far beyond what we expected her to be doing at this age. She is reading and writing like a high school student and doing the math I did much later in my education. Garden is a supportive and kind community. She has made wonderful friendships, tried new activities, and learned so much about herself.

I've sent both of my kids to Garden School, with one attending Garden right now. I also was on faculty at Garden School twenty years ago. It's an exceptional place. Leadership there is strong and visionary. Faculty is first-rate. The small class sizes contribute to remarkable empathy and camaraderie across grades. Garden also features the strongest debate program in NYC, consisting placing above other schools (Dalton, etc.), along with championship sports teams, including girls volleyball and others. The school really is something wonderful.

We started exploring private education when our child was in 6th grade. After many school visits across Queens and Manhattan and a plethora of applications and exams later, it was clear what our first choice was going to be. From the first time we walked into Garden, we all knew this was the right fit for our family. But most importantly, our son knew it was the right fit for him. Some say, "Garden School is Queens best kept secret" and we would have to agree. I guess the cat is out of the bag. Others say, "Garden might be small but oh SO mighty!" This is also true. So what is it about Garden that we all fell in love with?Let's start with our son. While in 6th grade in public school, he had an opportunity to shadow the Garden 7th grade for a day to see what school would be like for next year. This experience clearly solidified his feelings about the school. In the morning at drop off, he was extremely shy and nervous, as he had always felt like an outlier in educational spaces. At that time, he was a very bright, self-conscious multiracial child who had a hard time making friends. When I came to pick him up after school, he wasn't in the office to meet me. I quickly learned he was in one of the classrooms across the school hanging out with others. As I walked into the classroom, I saw him huddled with his peers, laughing and shouting about. He saw me and had a huge smile on his face. The whole way home he spoke about all the new friends he made and how much fun he had in all the classes he participated in. Most importantly, he said it was the first time he felt he could truly be himself. It felt like family. After several other school visits and shadow days, these same feelings never arose. There was something about Garden that was different. Garden School is grounded in community. I don`t just mean it is housed within the Jackson Heights community. I mean the values and behaviors of the school are rooted in down-to-earth practices and policies centered around students and families. The school is accessible, not only financially but socially. It is encouraged and modeled for students, parents, teachers, and administrators to collectively work together for overall success. Education is elevated and valued as a top priority BUT not at the expense of diminishing students love of learning through competition, stressful study habits, and elitist behaviors. Garden School`s leadership is open to feedback and innovative in their response to change. Garden`s diverse population aligns much more closely to New York City`s demographic, where a cross-section of race and class are present in and out of the classroom. Are there areas for growth? Of course! Does Garden offer everything other schools twice their cost and size offer? No, not yet! For our family, that is perfectly okay because what Garden does provide is a culture, community, and quality of education that cannot be replicated through bigger buildings, enlarged admin staff, more sports teams, or the number of shows produced each year. Today, our son is now in the second half of his 8th grade year. Since joining Garden in 7th grade, he has done exceptionally well academically and socially but has had some challenges along the way. However, these challenges have been met with honest and caring conversations with his teachers and staff. They ALL have gone above and beyond to support us in this journey. We are continuously impressed at how engaged and committed his teachers are in supporting his growth, not only as a scholar but as a well-rounded young man. It is not uncommon for our son to regularly tell us how much he LOVES school and can`t imagine being anywhere else. As parents of a smart, unique, and justice-minded child, we are confident Garden is building the foundation he needs to be successful in anything he tackles moving forward. We are excited to see how he continues to flourish throughout his high school years to come.

As a junior at Garden School, I've realized Garden is like no other school when it comes to community. Since it is a small school by design, with a 6:1 student-teacher ratio, it allows me to delve deep into my subjects and work with my teachers one on one when I need it. I have attended Garden since the third grade and going to school quickly became something I looked forward to, as Garden is my second family. Garden fosters community and gives us many opportunities to bond with students across all grades. Therefore, no student is ever left out. I'm glad I made the decision to stay at Garden for high school. I feel prepared for the college process and am glad I had a chance to take advantage of Garden's rigorous AP classes and in-school SAT prep. The Garden School experience is one of a kind.

This is my third year at Garden School, and I am very appreciative of the three years that Garden has spent with me. This is a local and small school, but it is for sure, a warm family. I first arrived here as an international student from China. I would never describe myself as a communicative person before I came here. So I imagined that my first year at a new school would probably be hard and lonely. However, just within my first month at Garden, almost every single person, teacher and student, knows my name and greets me every day like they've been known me forever. I just want to show that Garden is definitely a place that cheers its students up and makes them feel safe and warm.

Garden School provides its students with the proper education and gives them the resources that will lead them to a bright future. We are very lucky that we are able to do in person learning even when public schools are currently closed. Because we have this option, it gives students more opportunities to have a well rounded education. Garden School is also taking the appropriate measures to keep its students safe and healthy especially during these times. If you are looking for a good school that will provide a stable education, with teachers that will prepare you for college, Garden is the place for you.

I`ve been attending Garden School since the age of two. Over the years I have realized how unique my education has been and how it has helped me achieve more than I ever thought I could. Going to a smaller school is so beneficial, it gives us a better sense of community and comfort within the school.

My daughter started at Garden School in first grade and is now is ninth grade. She has received a top-notch education, and her dedicated and caring teachers have nurtured her talents and provided support for her when she needed it. She has been able to try new things by joining the many clubs that Garden has to offer. Garden School has been a home away from home for my daughter and she loves going to school. During this challenging year, with so many schools closed due to the covid pandemic, Garden School has been open and has implemented safety and cleaning procedures that have kept its students safe and in school to receive the best education without interruption. Our family is happy and grateful that we have chosen Garden School for our daughter.

I've been in Garden since I was two years old. It has been a place where I will have memories I will cherish forever. I believe that Garden has done an excellent job at shaping me into a well-rounded versed individual, and I am fully confident that I will be well prepared to thrive in the real world.

Garden school is one of the better schools I have been to in my lifetime; The class size is small, something that is unexpectedly convenient for learning. With smaller classes, teachers are able to give each student individual attention and assistance with schoolwork, and the small classes are also convenient for social distance during these dangerous times. Teachers are genuine, and they really care about the mental health of their students while pushing you to get the most out of your education. Sports and recreational activities are a big part of garden, especially sports like basketball and volleyball. With such a small amount of students, the Garden community is small and tight-knit, something that's hard to find in many schools.

Garden is an amazing school. The faculty and teachers really care about their students. The students are very close and the school is like a family. The education given here is great. The sports teams have recently been winning championships as well. The education is top notch.

I`m so glad I found a school that motivates and keeps my child involved. My daughter has been going to the school for about three years and is an eighth grader this year. The school has handled reopening during the COVID-19 school year extremely well. They provide covid tests sometimes even multiple times a month and have made sure to keep the school clean and have sanitizing stations. My daughter was a part of the school's volleyball team last year and they won the championship! She was ecstatic. The school is truly her comfort zone and they give her a rigorous yet manageable workload that pushes her to be the best student she could be. An interesting part of the school is that they have a tradition of taking the children to a different country. I sent my child to Senegal last year knowing that she was in good hands and was able to learn about different cultures. She was also excited to go to Nantucket with her friends in the spring, which is another trip the school provides yearly. Teachers are friendly and love the environment.

Garden School is a hidden gem in Western Queens. My two children each started at Garden in the 5th grade in 2018 and 2020 and have both had absolutely wonderful experiences. The environment is nurturing, collegial, and academic. The small teacher to student ratio enables individualized teaching and a highly effective learning environment. Students frequently interact with students from other grades, which deepens the sense of community and awareness. The teachers draw on their years of experience while also bringing new approaches and cultivate a supportive learning environment. Garden's successful and quick pivot to remote learning in the spring of 2020 was impressive. Their thoughtful and well-managed pandemic protocols over the fall of 2020 with an expanded remote learning option allowed the school to conduct full in-person learning while keeping everyone safe. I highly recommend Garden School for families looking for a down-to-earth and high-quality education.

Garden School is a wonderful community based learning experience. Classrooms are small and lots of individualized attention is given to students. After hours allows students to receive extra support if they need it, and there are also so many clubs or foundation courses that students can enjoy as part of free time social experiences. The debate club is one of the focal points of the school, and the two teachers are wonderful role models. There are so many staff members that support students in one way or another. Administration is knowledgeable and easy to talk to with availability at all odd hours.

I am extremely happy with the quality education my daughter has been getting at The Garden School, and their handling of the COVID-19 situation has been first class.

Good school I'm in it and it is the best

Garden School is the best investment you can make in your child's education and development. The teachers are knowledgeable, genuine and caring. There are an array of after school activities, sports, and clubs. The education curriculum prepares you for advanced studies and most children move on to achieve advanced degrees. However, the main point to stress in this review is individual attention! The bonds, friendships and mentor-ship that is formed within the school between students, teachers and leadership is with you for years to come. There is a true sense of community here. Here are two examples of the caring environment (there are countless):1. In 11th grade, I needed extra tutoring/help with French...the headmaster of the school, assisted me extra help french lessons on his lunch break to ensure I did well in the class. This is unheard off in most schools today.2. After graduation, in my 1st year of college, I came back to Garden to get assistance with Calculus and Statistics. My high school math teacher took the time to assist after school hours. Needless to say, I did very well in those subjects. Looking forward to both of my kids attending the school in the near future.THE SCHOOL, TEACHERS and LEADERSHIP ARE IRREPLACEABLE!