Lesley Ellis School

Lesley Ellis is a great school for curious, bright children. The teachers are engaged and thoughtful. The overall curriculum is challenging in a good way, designed to capture kids' imagination and interest. Lesley Ellis is particularly strong in the preschool and elementary programs, where social and emotional learning are just as important as academics. Throughout Lesley Ellis there is an active culture of tolerance and mutual respect. This is true at all levels - faculty, staff, and students. Fighting bias, or "anti-bias," has been a core element of Lesley Ellis' philosophy and curriculum for a long time, starting well before it became the phrase du jour. This doesn't mean the school is preachy, or that academics are neglected. Instead, kindness, self-understanding and understanding others are ideals infused throughout a typical school day - along with a solid academic foundation that prepares kids for life beyond its walls.

We love Lesley Ellis! Our kids are currently in 7th and 4th grade and have both been there since preschool. With small class sizes and a team-teaching approach, each student is appropriately challenged. Academic expectations are high, but students are well-supported and never feel stressed or unprepared. The teachers are very well-qualified and bring a depth of experience and creativity to their teaching that makes learning fun. The unique social emotional curriculum encourages kids to become self-confident and kind and has contributed towards a culture of inclusivity where everyone feels like they belong. Along with all of this, Lesley Ellis also offers an amazing visual and performing art program, unique after school activities like sports teams, ski club, and chess club, all within a very tight-knit school community. I am so glad we chose Lesley Ellis and feel very confident my kids will be well-prepared for high school.

Lesley Ellis has been an incredible place for all three of my children -- my oldest transferred from our local public school in the middle of 1st grade, and my younger two started this year (Kindergarten and preschool). The caring teachers, the strong emphasis on the anti-bias curriculum and social-emotional learning, and the balanced curriculum allows them to explore their interests while making sure they have a well-rounded base. We love the outdoor time (4x as much recess as our local public school) as well. We highly recommend LES!

This school emphasizes community and it is clear in every interaction, between parents and teachers, students and staff, and among all the constituents. Wonderful learning experiences grow out of authentic lessons. What a good experience!

Our family loves Lesley Ellis. We have two kids who go to the school, one in Elementary and one in Early Childhood. We love the caring teachers who not only know their stuff but also know kids as individuals. In the Early Childhood program, the teachers grow the curriculum out of the interests of the children; they make sure kids are getting all of the important skills they need but are very creative in how they get there.And the young kids get to benefit from being in a school with older children. They get weekly Spanish classes with a native speaker, time in the library, music, and movement! In Elementary, the multi-age classrooms (Grades 1&2, 3&4, 5&6, and soon 7&8) give the kids a chance to learn from others, and then in alternating years, practice being leaders. There are lots of chances for students to interact with each other- my little one waves excitedly to his older "buddy" when we see him on the playground after school. Because classrooms are team taught, kids get a chance to learn from and connect with a variety of adults. All school assemblies led by the older kids, the great anti-bias curriculum, and teachers' focus on the whole child are a few favorite parts of LES