Academy of the Sacred Heart. Educating with love has been the mission of the Academy of the Sacred Heart for over 200 years. As a Catholic school for children of all faiths, the Academy provides a child-centered, nurturing learning environment that offers challenging academics and small class sizes. Faith formation, leadership development, and strong study skills are all results of an Academy education.
Their primary school welcomes learners beginning at age three in our Little Acorns Program. Lower school students engage in science experiments in a dedicated science lab and begin learning French and Spanish. Middle school students study in single gender classes within a collaborative learning environment, maximizing the separate learning strengths of boys and girls. Our Eighth Class graduates matriculate into the region’s finest high schools and maintain a lasting relationship as alumni of the Sacred Heart.
Chesterfield Montessori School. Chesterfield Montessori School is an AMI-recognized, authentic Montessori school serving a culturally diverse student body between the ages of 16 months through 8th grade. Peaceful, mixed-age classrooms are equipped with the full range of hands-on Montessori materials, which provide stimulating challenges that meet the cognitive, emotional and social needs of each child. Highly trained teachers ensure that each child is challenged and nurtured in a way that best serves his/her individual developmental needs. The resulting benefits for the child are self-confidence, enthusiasm for learning and lengthened attention span, as well as a solid foundation for future academic endeavors. The partnership of parents, children, and teachers makes Chesterfield Montessori School a place where children and families flourish. Explore us online at www.chesterfieldmontessori.org or call (314) 469-7150 to schedule your personal tour.
Community School. For more than 100 years, Community School has allowed each child’s strengths to shine through with a 7:1 student teacher ratio that truly engages young students in developmentally appropriate and active learning. The low ratio increases opportunities for personalized attention and differentiated curriculum. Students consistently score among the highest in the nation on achievement tests. Music, art, band, physical education, drama, woodshop, and foreign language complement the academic program, and the curriculum is fully integrated across subject areas. Through community service projects, students grow in social awareness and experience the satisfaction of helping others. Community School also offers after school programs and summer camps. All takes place on a beautiful 16-acre wooded campus with a pond, nature trail, playing fields and playgrounds. Need-based financial aid is available. Community School also offers a half-day program for 3-year-olds to provide more options for parents of young children. For more information, visit communityschool.com or call 314-991-0005.
Countryside Montessori School. Countryside Montessori School offers part-time and full-time care for children eight weeks through six years of age. Countryside is NAEYC accredited and affiliated with the American Montessori Society. The home-like environment, along with its spacious playground, trike area and pony corral, set Countryside apart from the rest. Countryside is dedicated to the education of the whole child. With our low child:staff ratios, our goal is to meet each individual child’s need for intellectual, physical, social and emotional development. By offering a superb Montessori education in a nurturing environment, Countryside strives to help children reach their full potential and become independent, life-long learners. Countryside offers fall, summer and year-round programs. Please call 314-434-2821 or email Jenifer at [email protected] for more information.
Forsyth School. Forsyth School is a leading independent, co-educational elementary school for children age 3 through Grade 6. Located next door to Washington University and across the street from Forest Park in the Wydown-Forsyth Historic District, Forsyth offers an unforgettable experience on a one-of-a-kind campus with classrooms in six repurposed, historic homes. Forsyth is a place where personal best counts — in the classroom, on the field, on the stage, and on the high ropes course in the Adventure Center. Students are encouraged to stretch beyond their comfort zones with activities like memory mapping, ballroom dancing, arthropod studies, Shakespeare performances, and more. The challenging and engaging curriculum fosters independence and prepares students to thrive in secondary school and beyond. Each summer, the Forsyth Summer Discovery program offers dozens of one-week, themed camps over eight weeks for children age 3 through Grade 6. Visit ForsythOnline.com or call 314.726.4542 for more information.
Fulton School at St. Albans. A small, co-ed, independent, Montessori school for students 18 months old through 12th grade, The Fulton School approaches education differently. We are small by design; there are no ceilings on what students can learn, and no hiding places for them to resist growth. The teaching styles are refreshing, and the students are engaged, accepted, and excited about learning. In the Lower School, each child’s whole personality is celebrated and nurtured. Classrooms allow children to explore hands-on, meaningful works that both reach the children at their current stage yet also encourage them to stretch themselves. The Upper School offers a strong college-prep curriculum. Teaching them to think critically, write and speak effectively, collaborate, exercise initiative, and display good character are our highest priorities. Preparing students for studying and working on their own — in college and then professionally — are the end goals. Mutual respect, freedom balanced with responsibility, and plenty of choices create a unique atmosphere that adolescents love. Come see for yourself at The Fulton School. Explore online at tfssa.org or call (636)458-6688 for a tour.
Great Circle Academy. Their education complex in Webster Groves is a place where no one feels different. That’s what makes them different. The Academy is part of Great Circle, a statewide nonprofit that focuses on strengthening children and families by providing services that help address behavioral health and trauma-related issues. Great Circle Academy’s educational options are: 1) Individually tailored academics and therapeutic support for K-12 students with social, emotional, behavioral or communication challenges; 2) specialized K-12 education and therapeutic support for children on the autism spectrum; and 3) an innovative high school program where teens in substance use recovery will find a safe, sober learning environment. Their private, state-of-the-art school programs are fully accredited and staffed by a licensed and credentialed faculty. At Great Circle Academy, they inspire the students who continually inspire us. For more information, visit www.greatcircle.org or call 1-844-GC-HELPS to schedule a visit.
St. Joseph’s Academy. St. Joseph’s Academy, a college-preparatory high school for girls, has been a leader in Catholic education for over 175 years. The curriculum is rigorous by design and focuses on developing leaders. More than 140 courses are offered, including 42 Honors/AP/ACC courses. SJA seeks a balanced approach and invites students to pursue their many interests. Whether it’s in Mandarin Chinese, Robotics, Entrepreneurship, Journalism, Campus Ministry, Performing Arts or Athletics, SJA prepares young women to make a profound impact in the world. This year, the school opened a state-of-the-art College Advising and Resource Center. Prospective families are invited to learn more about this exciting program and space. Holding students to high standards is the key to SJA’s success. The school continues to be an expert in educating young women in an environment that challenges them to grow in faith, knowledge and respect for self and others. Please visit sja1840.org for more information.
The School District of Clayton. The School District of Clayton, the area’s “private” public school, has a nationally recognized PK-12, college preparatory academic program. Clayton teachers are committed to their students’ continued success and put the interests and needs of each student at the center of every decision made. Preparation for college is emphasized at every grade level in Clayton schools. Clayton High School offers 22 Advanced Placement courses; students took 549 Advanced Placement exams last year, with 93 percent scoring a 3 or higher. In 2018, 99.5 percent of seniors graduated, and 92 percent of graduates advanced to two-and four-year colleges. The class of 2018 had a composite mean SAT critical reading and writing score of 680 and math score of 703. The average ACT composite score during the same time period was 25.9. Clayton High School has been ranked third in Missouri and second among non-selective high schools in U.S. News and World Report’s 2018 Best High Schools list. The School District of Clayton has again been ranked as the best school district in the state and as the 13th best district in the country on Niche K-12’s 2019 school rankings. Additionally, Clayton High School and Wydown Middle School were ranked first in Missouri in their respective “best schools” rankings. Glenridge Elementary, Captain Elementary and Meramec Elementary also ranked near the top in the state, taking the fifth, sixth and eighth spots in the elementary category, respectively. For more information, call 314-854-6000 or visit ClaytonSchools.net.
Visitation Academy. Visitation Academy is an independent Catholic school with a long-standing reputation for academic excellence, teaching students to Live Jesus through optimism, gentle strength, humility, joy, and inner freedom. The Lower School offers a coed Montessori early childhood program for age 2 -Kindergarten and an all-girls program in grades 1-5; the Middle School bridges childhood to young adulthood for girls in grades 6-8; the Upper School provides a rigorous college-preparatory curriculum for young women in grades 9-12. A Visitation education provides students with a foundation for future success, building confidence and an inner strength that will last a lifetime. For more information, call 314-625-9103 or visit visitationacademy.org
The Wilson School. A Wilson education gives children age three through sixth grade a strong academic foundation in the caring environment they need to succeed. Teachers are empowered to develop customized curriculum that connects foundational learning with innovative, project-based experiences which engage and inspire. Intentional class sizes, two educators per classroom, and subject area specialists create an environment where students can take risks, develop leadership skills and strive to reach their personal best. With a high-tech facility that feels like home, students who graduate from The Wilson School are well-balanced, caring and curious young adults, ready for learning in the 21st century. For more information, visit WilsonSchool.com or call 314-725-4999.
Whitfield School. Whitfield is a close-knit and diverse community for grades 6-12 where each student’s strengths are known, cultivated and celebrated. Our talented faculty capture students’ imaginations and energize them to identify and pursue their passions. Whitfield’s college preparatory program is rooted in character education. Our Habits of Mind and Heart curriculum provides a common language for character education and encourages critical reflection for academic and personal growth. Whitfield’s college counseling program inspires students to reach for their top choice schools in a low-stress way. In the last five years, seniors have earned over $11 million in merit scholarships for their first year of college.
