“When you walk into Birches the space and people are inviting and interactive. All of the teachers and staff at the school are very kind and supportive; there is an overwhelming feeling of calm, warmth, and care. It’s amazing to see how being outdoors naturally facilitates important skills like emotional regulation, sensory processing, and social skills. We are already seeing increased confidence with our son who started at Birches this year in Kindergarten. The leadership and passion the administration and teachers display are beyond what we can describe in words. Each child is encouraged to create, explore, play, lead, and ask questions, and is given the patience, time, and attention that they need to do it. We’ve seen how this has helped our son’s growth in so many important ways- his ability to have boundaries and express his feelings, his stamina to hike, to pretend, to sit and just be; he’s more aware of himself and others now, and his social confidence and skills are blooming. We feel like he’s more able to be himself at Birches School and is just so happy to be there!”

“Birches was absolutely wonderful for our son. Within a few weeks of transitioning there in 5th grade, he began to regain his curiosity and confidence in learning. What I think Birches does so well is to respect and value each student’s individuality while emphasizing their importance as part of the overall community - as contributing to being diverse and multifaceted. The students do spend a great deal of time outside in the natural world, but this is woven into a strong academic curriculum. My son has thrived in High School since graduating from Birches. The school is truly an example of honoring how individual strengths contribute to the overall good - all in a challenging and rich academic environment.”

“We have a grandchild that has recently entered high school after having spent 8 years at Birches. We were concerned that the transition from a small, academic and nurturing community to a large public high school would represent a challenge. She has smoothly met this experience with a positive sense of self and strong academic foundation. Birches’ education has been an amazing experience. The teachers are stellar, creative and pack their magic into a project based, thematic curriculum.”

“Our family is fortunate to be part of this wonderful school community and for the education that our daughter is gaining at Birches! From thoughtful project-based learning to the incredibly skilled and caring teachers to the nature-rich school grounds, Birches offers a unique learning experience. The school inspires curiosity, confidence, kindness, and critical problem-solving skills which are essential for developing minds both in and out of the classroom.”

“My child is their best self at Birches. They are supported to be the person they are and is nurtured to stretch their mind, body and soul. The teachers and administration are beyond passionate, and compassionate and are experts in their individual grade-bands or professional specialty. They care. They not only support our children but they support the collective whole, our family, and the entire community. Students are seen as their full selves, heard and celebrated. I know that my child is not only receiving exceptional academics but is gaining invaluable social and emotional skills so wherever they go next they will travel with a positive sense of self, rooted in themselves and the world around them.”

“We feel wonderful sending our Kindergarten son to school at Birches each morning, and then greeting him in the afternoon — cheerful, a tad muddy, a little tired, and overflowing with things to tell us about skills he learned, stories he heard, wisdom his teachers imparted. Birches offers proof that you can honor childhood and also offer academic rigor — it’s been amazing to see our son’s resilience and sense of adventure develop right alongside his handwriting, decoding skills, and number sense. We trust this school, its leaders, and teachers. ”

“My son is new at Birches and we could not be happier! I’m a teacher myself so finding the right school for our family was really important for us. We felt such a warm welcome as we joined the school and there are many opportunities to build connections with families and faculty throughout the year. My son is excited and happy when he gets home, talking about the hikes he takes in the woods, playing with his friends, and the hands-on academic work he does in class. We are so thankful to be a part of this community. ”

“Our daughter absolutely loves Birches. We anticipated all kinds of benefits from the small class setting and highly qualified teachers and administrators. What we couldn’t fully anticipate is the way her curiosity and imagination would flourish with all the space and time outside. It’s a truly special place to grow and learn. We feel so thankful we discovered Birches and so fortunate to be a part of the community.”