We absolutely love the Birch School !!!

– our 21-year-old graduated from there

– our 17-year-old who is graduating this year spent a couple years there

– our youngest who’s going into high school in September went there for a couple years.

It’s important for parents to realize that sometimes public school is just not the right fit for your kid. Sometimes you just have to make it work. Sometimes it’s not easy and it’s definitely not free, but sometimes you have to try it out or you’ll never know.

Thank you to everyone past and present at the Birch School. We’re grateful for all you have done for our family.

This is our first year in the Birch community.  Birch administrators and teachers are supportive and flexible and the student community is welcoming and inclusive.  During these unexpected and unprecedented times, the administration and teachers have solicited feedback from parents and students and have worked to implement suggestions and recommendations to better meet the diverse needs.  Birch has met our expectations and we look forward to growing with the Birch community. 

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The Birch School is the best thing that ever happened for my son. He really wasn’t suited for the public school curriculum or schedule & I pulled him out to homeschool in middle of 3rd grade. He was so unhappy there… it was impossible to keep him in school when all it produced was misery & low self esteem. Homeschooling went well for us- but at a certain point he began to ask to go to school… and i didn’t want him in that environment because i knew he wasn’t prepared to meet the bureaucratic expectations that aren’t developed with any intentions of meeting the child. In our last year of homeschooling it became difficult to teach him because he began to resent me for not allowing him to go to school which put me in a difficult position— until I found Birch. It was a complete answer for all of us.  It met my son’s need for socialization & a structured curriculum while it allowed me to leave him with a community where I felt confident he was safe & happy. I can’t recommend The Birch School highly enough!

If you want your child to develop a love for learning in an atmosphere that is supportive of all the children, you want the Birch School.

If you want your child to be engaged in project based academic pursuits of interest to him or her and not just be told to complete assignments of little interest, you want the Birch School.

If you believe that science and social studies are less about memorizing than analyzing, collecting data, synthesizing findings and making judgments, you want the Birch School. 

If you think that intellectual curiosity is as important as achievement, you want the Birch School.

If you think research skills should be taught and not assumed, you want the Birch School.

If you think kids require social emotional learning, you want the Birch School.

If you want your child to be computer literate and beyond, if you believe that the integration of technology increases engagement and prepares students for the transition from school to college, career and lifelong learning, you want the Birch School.

Most of all, if you want your child not just to learn but to be passionate about going to school every day, you most definitely want the Birch School!

“This school is fantastic! It is the answer to what is wrong with public education today. My son hated school, was failing classes, and I couldn’t find any way to motivate him to put forth the tiniest bit of effort in his studies. The Birch School has been like a miracle – he tells me every day how much he loves school, he talks about the projects he is working on in class, he is enthusiastic and engaged. They have given back to my child the love of learning that public schools had managed to stamp out. I can’t thank them enough for what they have done for my family!”

-Birch School Parent

“Our sons want to go to school every day now that they are at Birch. And when I say every day, I mean that snow days are now met with a groan and Mondays with a smile. And that is our 14 year old! This was not the case before the boys were at Birch, but the Birch School creates such a supportive environment that the kids there feel safe and engage in their learning more than they ever have in the past. They have a say in what they study, and that makes a big difference for them. We were worried about the social situation when we started because of the size of the school, but they each consider everyone in the school to be their friends, and they could not be happier. It is so great as a parent to send your children off to a group of people who care so deeply about them. And both the teachers and the Director are constantly searching for new ways to engage in learning and improve each child’s experience. I don’t know any other school that does this not just once in a while but every single day.”

– submitted by a parent

I am so happy I found this school. My daughter (15) seems to be comfortable there after stressful times in High School. Thank you for having this vision and for providing this valuable support for homeschooling families. – H.S.

Posted February 05, 2014

The Birch School is an excellent private school in the Hudson Valley. Love their philosophy, the curriculum is evolving per my child’s needs, the atmosphere is homelike, teachers and aids are nurturing and the program is progressive! My child looks forward to going there and when a child is excited to go to school you know it is a good place to be!

-Birch School Parent