Green Acres School

Smart, caring school with a passion for educating children. They truly look at the whole of the child and encourage the love of learning. My child can`t wait to go to school!! And comes back with amazing tales of what he has learned and it isn`t rote. A challenging and integrated curriculum.

Really incredible place where children are engaged and learn curiosity and compassion

My daughter is in her second year at Green Acres. She was at a Montessori school before that. She did well, but needed more structure. We love the combination of structure, innovative freedom, and freedom to explore. It's such a balancing act to provide nurturing structure with the ability to move around, explore the campus, and question your surroundings. What makes it possible are the teachers. Their impeccable qualifications are only surpassed by their knowledge of and attention to each child. Our family has been around the block experiencing most school types in the DC and NYC area. Nothing compares to Green Acres School.

I love this school so much! All three of my kids have attended/are attending, and each one is such a comfortable and confident person. At graduation in 8th grade, each child offers some kind of performance - anything from an original speech or story, musical performance, or tai kwon do expo. It's remarkable how each and every kid is comfortable speaking to and being in front of a large crowd. I also love the campus and all the time kids get outdoors. The teachers are always very available and amazing.

Our son loves Green Acres so much he asks why he can't go to school on weekends. This place is an island of sanity in the sea of stress we are all to familiar with in the DC Metro area. Since we decided to invest in these most formative and precious years we've seen him grow from a timid boy and unsure student to a young man who is confident, assertive, and passionate about learning. The parents at this school really embrace newcomers and we have been welcomed into their homes.

I am a 3rd generation Washingtonian that attended all private schools, co-ed and then all-girls all the way through high school. As the mother of a current Green Acres 2nd grader, I am happy to write a review of this exceptional school. The environment is challenging, stimulating and the teachers do a wonderful job of focusing on the social and emotional health of children, the importance of which cannot be emphasized enough. The faculty and staff work simultaneously with parents to enrich each individual child's experience. My son has flourished, his self-confidence has grown, he is engaged academically and loves school. The hands-on approach to learning is what is absent in other area schools, but it is a core element of the Green Acres program and philosophy. The fact that the school ends in 8th grade is an ADVANTAGE I feel prospective families need to understand this: your child changes each year, so the student they are in 3rd grade will grow and evolve by Middle School. By 8th grade, the high school selection process is that much EASIER particularly because Green Acres does such a fantastic job with their Middle School kids, preparing them WELL for the next chapter : how to self-advocate, how to organize, how to approach teachers, how to work collaboratively as well as independently. I also want to add that Green Acres graduates are HIGHLY sought after by other area independent high schools. All you need to do is look at where the 8th grade class has been accepted, and that these children have options.Other area schools actually seek out Green Acres 8th graders. Finally, I want to address the importance of a school that ends in 8th grade. I understand that many families do not want to switch schools at high school time for reasons such as "they won't have as good a chance of getting in if we wait for high school" or "we want a school that goes 3-12 and it is easier," the admissions process in 9th grade is different - MANY vacancies open up as schools EXPAND their classes in 9th grade so keep that in mind. I personally know multiple families whose children started at schools beginning in 3rd grade and they thought they were all set until 12th grade only to discover, that sure enough, the high school was not a match and they wound up transferring. We love Green Acres and did a lot of research in selecting a school for our son so my advice - talk to current families as well as parents of graduates, tour the school and spend time on campus especially observing classrooms, meet the Admissions folks, and by all means, stop by and meet the Head of School, Neal Brown. You will not meet a more approachable, savvy and sophisticated team of people highly specialized in their field! Sincerely, Lauren Gage

My children have been at Green Acres since PreK and have absolutely thrived over the past several years (in both lower and middle school). They love going to school and are excited for each new day. The teachers are very attentive and nurturing and provide a comfortable environment for them. The academics are presented in both traditional and nontraditional ways. Most importantly, they learn how to apply concepts to everyday life and often come home with insights and connections that just amaze me. They are taught to be inquisitive and active participants in learning. The teachers are phenomenal in integrating learning in all crevices of their day to day, including free play. Green Acres kids are taught to think more abstractly, which is a far more complex and advanced way of processing information. The teachers are incredibly skilled and passionate and this enthusiasm is clearly transferred to students. We have been so thankful to the school for creating an environment where our kids are continually evolving as thinking, caring, and creative individuals.

This is our daughter's first year at Green Acres School and what an awesome experience she has had! She adores going to school every day, is energized and engaged, her teachers really know her and challenge her to be her best. The entire community is extremely warm and open and although we've only been apart of it for five months, it feels like much longer. If you are considering an independent school, go visit and you will understand why it is such a special place.