Education is not preparation for life, education is life itself. THE PARK SCHOOL OF BUFFALO OVERVIEW BOOK FALL 2024
Head of School Lisa Conrad Head of Lower School Omarlla Roulhac oroulhac@theparkschool.org Head of Middle School Amy DiChristina adichristina@theparkschool.org Head of Upper School Charles Hartney chartney@theparkschool.org Director of Admissions Jarret Izzo ‘03 admissions@theparkschool.org The Park School of Buffalo 4625 Harlem Road Amherst, NY 14226 716-839-1242 theparkschool.org Dear Friends, The Park School of Buffalo is a unique community with a long history of educational innovation, a committment to honoring students as their individual selves, and a deep-seated belief in a shared responsibility for taking care of each other. These are not accidental developments, but are intentional, core parts of our mission, dating back more than 112 years. I am so incredibly happy to share with you what it truly means to be a Park Pioneer today, while highlighting all the accomplishments and milestones that Park has embedded into our community over time. In just one day, our lively campus offers a busy, exciting schedule from PreK all the way through Upper School. Kindergarten friends enter the Field Station holding hands with their puddle boots on, ready for a science lesson about fall ecology. Grade 4 students are fully engaged with our Artist in Residence, Mark DiVincenzo, working on paintbrush techniques and “plein air painting.” Passing the 3D lab, Grade 8 students are seen discussing their printing plans in teams. Seniors are busy in their Forensics elective comparing fingerprints for DNA analysis. The above is representative of how experiential learning, especially tied to the outdoors, allows Park students to learn in their own ways, by trying and failing, and by collaborating with their peers on projects that tie them directly to this beautiful campus we all share. And because we do this work together as often as possible, Pioneers quickly learn, understand, and value the benefits of working in partnership with others. This all leads to learning that is engaging, long-lasting, and fun. Stop by to see us and get in on the action! Warmly, Director of Athletics Turner Battle tbattle@theparkschool.org View our Board of Trustees at: theparkschool.org/schoolboard Lisa Conrad Head of School Lisa Conrad is The Park School of Buffalo’s 20th Head of School and only the third woman to hold this position in the school’s 112-year history. She was named permanent Head of School by the Park Board of Trustees in July 2021. She is a recipient of Buffalo Business First’s 40 Under 40 award and received the Utopian Euphoria’s 2021 Women Who Walk in the Footsteps of Greatness award.
PARK SPOTLIGHT: #1IN BEST PRIVATE K-12 SCHOOLS IN ERIE COUNTY The Park School of Buffalo is proud to be the Best Private K-12 School in Buffalo and Erie County, awarded as #1 for 2023 and 2024 by Niche. Most recently, Buffalo Business First listed Park as the #1 school in their 2024 Western New York Schools Guide.
OUR MISSION The Park School engages the whole student in a diverse and creative community that nurtures the joy and responsibility of active learning in all, from our youngest learners to our graduates, who leave with the skills essential to college success and the confidence to serve and lead. OUR MOTTO Meaning, "Truth & Joy." Veritas et Gaudium BACKGROUND
OUR OVER 112-YEAR HISTORY The Park School of Buffalo was founded in 1912 by a group of parents dissatisfied with traditional teaching methods of the era. In consultation with educational reformer and philosopher John Dewey, they hired his student, Mary Hammett Lewis, to become the school’s first headmistress and to establish Park as Western New York’s first premier progressive education institution. Park celebrated its centennial in October 2012, as it remains an educational oasis for students from Prekindergarten through Grade 12. The Park School of Buffalo, anchored by a mission barely altered since its opening, is well into its second century of active, lifelong learning. OUR CAMPUS Tucked away on a serene, 34-acre campus in Amherst, NY, our close proximity to Interstate 90 allows for a convenient commute for our families, who come from 44 different ZIP codes in the Buffalo/Niagara region. Boasting 14 buildings and including a state-of-the-art science center, three playing fields, two athletic facilities, brand new tennis courts, a pond, a stream, a marsh, and nature trails, our campus allows our students to engage in experiential learning as it is intended. Intentionally designed so that our classrooms and the outdoors integrate seamlessly, Park provides limitless inspiration through a curriculum that knows no boundaries and isn’t confined to four walls. BACKGROUND Respect, Responsibility, Honesty, Kindness.
OUR PROGRAMS MONTESSORI (Beginning age 3) The Children's House at Park is a premier Montessori program for children in their earliest years. Every aspect of the program is specifically designed and personalized by certified teachers to promote the growth of the whole child, and as such, your child will have autonomy to choose their work, move freely, work at their own pace, and self-correct. PRE-K (Beginning age 3) The PreK program at Park focuses on the development of the whole child. Through a combination of teacher-facilitated gatherings and play-based learning, the environment in the Bungalow is created for intentional academic and social-emotional learning. LOWER SCHOOL (Grades K-4) Park’s Lower School provides a rich academic and social foundation – cognitive, social, physical, emotional, and moral. Teachers closely observe how each child is developing and provide appropriate support to keep everyone growing. Teachers incorporate a balanced approach to literacy, incorporating guided reading instruction, phonics-based word study, a print-rich environment, and plenty of writing. Mathematics instruction follows the developmental progression from concrete to conceptual thinking that occurs in young, school-aged children. 290 STUDENTS 44 ZIP codes, five countries 8:1 TEACHER RATIO average class size of 12 students ACADEMICS 96 UNIQUE COLLEGES accepted our 2024 Park graduates $5,000,000+ IN MERIT SCHOLARSHIPS combined, awarded our 2024 Park graduates
MIDDLE SCHOOL (Grades 5-8) Park’s Middle School combines a rigorous academic curriculum with a stimulating and supportive environment to help students negotiate those competing needs and to build each student’s responsibility for active learning while maintaining the joy of discovery. Recognizing that each child develops differently, our experienced faculty utilizes experiential learning and differentiates instruction to meet each student’s individual needs. Our mission is to develop in each child the foundational skills necessary for a successful future, including a sense of self-awareness; a respect for others’ rights; the ability to think critically and express ideas clearly; and an understanding of academic, civic, and personal responsibility. UPPER SCHOOL (Grades 9-12) Our Upper School curriculum is grounded in our progressive principles which provide an experiential, individually-focused, and collaborative learning environment with a special emphasis on college readiness. Park‘s rigorous liberal arts curriculum requires four credits in each of our five core disciplines - English, history, mathematics, science, and world languages. At the same time, our students are encouraged to explore their strengths through a wide array of elective offerings in both our core departments and in the arts, an approach that prioritizes each student’s pursuit of their passions and interests. ACADEMICS Scan the QR code to watch a video of Trey, a 2024 Park graduate who utilized his learning at Park and applied it outside the classroom to start his own business. Trey was accepted into Cornell University, among others, beginning his first semester in fall 2025. Hear how Trey utilized skills learned at Park for real-life problem solving! theparkschool.org/trey
This program is specifically designed by certified Montessori teachers to promote the growth of the whole child. Given the freedom and support to question, probe deeply, and make connections, Montessori students grow up to be confident, enthusiastic, and self-directed learners and citizens, accountable to both themselves and their community. They think critically, work collaboratively, and act boldly and with integrity. Connecting with nature. Park’s 34-acre campus houses a waterfall, pond, marsh, greenhouse, woodland, apple trees, gardens, and a plethora of wildlife that will ignite your child’s senses and curiosity. Sensitive periods of learning. Once a skill or knowledge is learned during that critical window in which a child is receptive to acquiring it, it can then be reinforced and deepened as the child naturally becomes a teacher to another child, thus forming social responsibility. Prepared environment. Each area contains activities deliberately designed to develop skills and knowledge such as concentration, coordination, cultural understanding, and cognitive growth through gained experience rather than mere recitation of facts. CORE PRINCIPLES The Children's House at Park is a premier Montessori program for children in their earliest years. Independence and discovery. Child-directed learning empowers your child to determine the what, where, and duration of their learning. As your child is able to explore, discover, and create in a supportive community, they will build confidence and independence. Respect for the child. Children are naturally curious, inquisitive, and ready to learn. Your child will have autonomy to choose their work, move freely, work at their own pace, and self-correct.
THE BUNGALOW PREKINDERGARTEN Not sure which program is the right fit? Visit theparkschool.org/earlyed to view a comparison chart of both Early Education Programs! We encourage you to schedule a tour to view the campus and learn more about which one might be best for your child. ACADEMICS Housed in their own bright and airy bungalow, students enjoy the luxury of a play-based, child-centered program. Children experience a wealth of hands-on learning opportunities in the group gathering space, a kitchen/art room, a large activity room, and a resting room. This ample physical space, in addition to the beautiful campus, supports Park’s strong commitment to giving children the freedom to explore their own potential and satisfy their curiosity. PreK students walk around campus with their teachers getting fresh air as they head to specials like art, music, library, and gym. Through free play and teacher-directed learning times, students build social, academic, and motor skills while they learn to treat others with respect and kindness. Academic content and kindergarten readiness curriculum is integrated throughout the day.
LOWER SCHOOL Learning happens not only in the four walls of the classroom, but throughout Park’s 34-acre campus. We leverage our resources to provide rich learning experiences, as they cross the campus daily to receive regular instruction from teachers who specialize in art, music, French, physical education, and library. Students will also learn within our greenhouse, field station, open grounds, learning center, and more! All lower school students enjoy daily outdoor recess. Students may begin band instrument lessons in grade 4. Many Lower School students participate in Park’s dramatic productions alongside their Middle and Upper School peers. Students in Grades 1-4 have the opportunity to play on our co-ed 1-2 and 3-4 soccer and basketball teams against other local schools. GRADES K-4 CURRICULUM SO MUCH MORE THAN JUST THE CORE... Park’s Lower School students learn at an early age how to apply problem solving skills in real-world application, think critically through hands-on experiences, and use multiple modalities to explore their interests while learning. Lower School focuses heavily on project-based learning through multiple units of study that incorporate thematic cross-curricular content. Student work is highlighted, shared and celebrated with our entire school community. This is all done following John Dewey’s core principles and beliefs. STUDENTS UTILIZE OUR ENTIRE CAMPUS ACADEMICS Learn more at: theparkschool.org/ lowerschool
ACADEMICS PARK SPOTLIGHT: CROSS-DIVISIONAL LEARNING Throughout the school year, all of our Lower School classrooms interact with both Middle and Upper School students on a monthly basis. Each student is assigned a “reading buddy” who comes and reads with them a few times a year. Our Grade 9 students work with both Grades 2 and 4 on our ‘Crayfish Project,’ an ongoing commitment to data collection and research of the invasive Red Swamp crayfish in our campus pond to further investigate their patterns and how we can preserve our natural freshwater ecosystem. The Upper School AP Calculus class teaches Grades 1 and 5 about the different types of sound waves. These are just a few examples of the cross-divisional collaboration within our school! 82% OF FACULTY HOLD ADVANCED DEGREES
ACADEMICS MIDDLE SCHOOL GRADES 5-8 CURRICULUM The Park School of Buffalo’s Middle School program is unlike any other. We provide a rigorous curriculum that leaves students “stretched, not stressed,” allowing them to push academic boundaries, ask questions, and be engaged in the classroom. They will immerse themselves in a fully supportive and community-like atmosphere as our experienced faculty utilizes experiential learning and differentiates instruction to meet each student’s individual needs. We foster a smooth transition out of the self-contained classrooms of lower school by offering a team-based teaching model for Grades 5 and 6. This allows faculty to collaborate and support students both academically and emotionally during this transitional period. Students develop independence as they travel around campus for world Language, art, drama, music and physical education classes. While building their confidence and autonomy, students enjoy a strong team-teaching structure to guide their growth. Learn more at: theparkschool.org/ middleschool
ACADEMICS PARK SPOTLIGHT: GRADES 7 & 8 ELECTIVE COURSES Students entering Grades 7 and 8 will be able to enroll not only in the music and language courses of their choosing, they will also be able to select one or more courses pertaining to their specific interests, including engineering, coding, history, literature, and more. This allows for more direct learning in their field(s) of interest. Students learn to organize their materials and supplies in different ways since they no longer have desks that are their personal spaces. In addition, beginning in Grade 7, students begin to participate in our school’s advisory program, which provides supportive academic and personal guidance through both individual and small group structures that address the distinctive ethical, social, and academic needs of our students. Preparing for the Upper School transition, we provide our Grade 8 students with more challenging coursework, which includes an accelerated math program that combines algebra and geometry and concludes with capstone research projects and presentations.
UPPER SCHOOL Dark Descent: Studies in Horror Literature; Women Writers & the Wild Woman Archetype; Harlem: Collective Creativity in the 20th Century; More Than a Game: Literature & Ethics Through Sports; Multicultural Perspectives in Science Fiction Learn more at: theparkschool.org/ upperschool GRADES 9-12 CURRICULUM ENGLISH LITERATURE Our Upper School’s rotating block schedule is built intentionally to accommodate our rigorous core academic requirements while providing students space to pursue their passions and interests through elective courses, clubs, and other co-curricular activities. This unique approach fosters student agency, ensures their investment in the educational experience, and prepares them well for college and beyond. In all disciplines, we stress key skills and competencies that will best prepare our students for their lives after Park: critical thinking and problem solving; clear, cogent expression in written and oral communication; diligence and work ethic; and collaboration and teamwork. Calculus I, II, and III; Integrated I, II, and III; Logic; Pre-Calculus; Statistics MATHEMATICS A SAMPLING OF OUR COURSES... SCIENCE AP Physics: Algebra-Based; Biology; Chemistry; Electricity & Magnetism; Engineering; Forensics; Physics; PH 120 Environmental Science; The Science Behind Food; Waves HISTORY AP Modern World History; AP United States Government and Politics; Ancient Africa; Principles of Economics; Presidential Character; World Religions WORLD LANGUAGES Novice French/Spanish; Intermediate French/Spanish A and B; Advanced French/Spanish A and B; AP French/Spanish; Hebrew HONORS/AP COURSES OFFERED 47 ACADEMICS
22 With a 100% acceptance rate, our past five graduating classes have been admitted to over 80 colleges each year, including multiple Ivy League acceptances. COLLEGE ACCEPTANCE RATE Julianne Lewis, our Director of College and Life Counseling, has earned the NYSSGA School Counselor of the Year Award for 2023 and the ASCA NYS Counselor of the Year Award for 2024! 100% INDIVIDUALIZED COLLEGE COUNSELING As early as Grade 9, Upper School students have access to the resources necessary to familiarize themselves with the college application process at Park. Students receive one-on-one college counseling from our Director of College and Life Counseling. In addition, our College and Life Counseling Center holds seminar classes for Grades 9-12. In seminar classes, students learn about college admissions, career exploration, mental health awareness, and study skills. Starting in Grade 9, students gain access to their Naviance account, which follows students through Upper School and is an important tool in the college search process. PARK SPOTLIGHT:
ARTS VISUAL ARTS Park’s visual arts program is fresh and exciting, allowing students to experiment with different mediums and art forms. This encourages students of all ages to find their creativity, open their minds to multiple forms of expression, and to have fun enjoying the process! Our classes revolve around what the students would like to practice and pushing those creative boundaries to potentially discover something new. Each year, we have an experienced Artist in Residence work with our students on types of art unique to their classification of artwork. PERFORMING ARTS Park’s drama and theater program has really taken off in recent years, performing multiple sold-out shows and achieving new levels of growth and success. Students who want to be involved behind the scenes may take the Theater Production course to organize costumes, assist in rehearsing lines, learn how to create and print 3D props, paint stage sets, and more! Our music programs include singing in choir, learning how to play a multitude of instruments in core music classes, and performing in Park’s Middle and Upper School bands and/or the jazz ensemble. All students are encouraged to create and practice their own solos to perform at our concerts throughout the year.
IMMERSION CO-CURRICULARS & CLUBS • American Sign Language Club • BABEL Book Club • Chess Club • Earth Spirit Educational Services • Engineering Club • Environmental Stewardship Club • Fishing Club • GSA • Model United Nations • Sino-American Fusion • Student Government • Yoga Club ...and many more! Park's Immersion programs are not vacations or class trips; rather, they involve year-long academic study for students in a world outside their own, offering opportunities to learn, discover, and explore. For each immersion, students spend their year on an in-depth study of their destination's history, literature, science, culture, and practices. Immersion trips vary from historical and cultural tours of other countries such as Greece, Japan, and Peru. Hands-on studies of skills including photography and photojournalism; or physically demanding excursions such as a week-long hike of the Appalachian Trail. Most immersion experiences incorporate some form of community service as well. CO-CURRICULARS
ATHLETICS ATHLETICS GRADES 1-12 AWARD-WINNING From developmental and competitive sports for students starting in Grade 1 to multi-championship winning basketball and soccer teams in our Upper School, our athletic program strengthens our students not only physically and mentally but also allows them to develop life skills including commitment, teamwork, and accountability.
PARK OFFERS 23 DIFFERENT TEAMS ACROSS MULTIPLE SEASONS: Cross-Country* Football ^ Golf ^ Soccer Clinics* Tennis Varsity Soccer• Volleyball FALL Bowling Cheerleading* Futsol Soccer* Indoor Track* JV Basketball• Varsity Basketball• WINTER Baseball ^ Flag Football• Soccer* Softball Tennis ^ Track and Field* SPRING All teams are co-ed until Middle School, unless otherwise noted. *Co-Ed ^ Boys team only Girls team only •Boys & Girls teams TURNER BATTLE MEET OUR DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS Turner Battle, our Director of Athletics, is committed to enhancing Park's athletics program to provide our students the opportunity to develop necessary life skills through sports including leadership, team-building, responsibility, and respect. Over the last 15 years Turner has been a coach and mentor to countless young athletes at the Division I level. With extensive playing and coaching experience, Turner brings a fresh perspective and innovative ideas to our school. Turner Battle was one of the nation's top point guards when he joined the UB Bulls basketball team from 2001-2005. Not only was Battle the leader of the UB team that advanced to the MAC Championship game and the school's first NIT bid, Battle also helped establish Alumni Arena as one of the hardest places to win in the MAC. Among countless awards and feats, he has most recently been awarded with his jersey retirement in University at Buffalo’s Alumni Arena in 2024.
/parkschoolofbuffalo @parkschoolbflo 4625 Harlem Road, Amherst, NY 14226 716-839-1242 theparkschool.org admissions@theparkschool.org @parkschoolofbuffalo
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