The Bridge School

This is our family's fourth year at Bridge. I cannot imagine my kiddos attending any other elementary program after being here. Yes, it is a labor of love and families run this school...but that's what makes it great! We have an amazing paid staff and the partnership between them, the parents, and the students is what makes Bridge what it is. We are all invested in all of our children. This school understands how children learn and what children need. Our outdoor program and theater program are both huge highlights of the Bridge experience. If you want a high quality experience for your child and are able to invest your heart and soul but cannot afford one of the more expensive private schools then this may be your spot. Tuition is kept low because parents share much of the work and financial aid helps fill in the gaps for a number of dedicated families. Come take a tour and see what this school is all about!! We'd love to have you join us.

No other school will provide your child with an education at the level of quality that The Bridge School provides. Kids at this school are not expected to just sit at their desks to learn. They explore learning in a very hands-on way that is unique to this school. The Bridge School offers a supportive community for your child and their entire family. Each child develops at his or her own pace and is allowed to do so. Children thrive and develop a love of learning which is why my children attend.

We just finished our first year at The Bridge School and we are home! For the first time since my son started school, I believe he is forming a healthy relationship with education. I can only describe the experience he is getting as "real." There are too many examples of what we love about The Bridge School to name, but my favorite aspect is that I know that my child matters here. We are excited for our daughter to start next school year!

The Bridge School is a fantastic school - both my kids go here. My seven year old is in five days a week, and my three year old is in the Friday half day program. It's a cooperative school - the first one we've been a part of - and the school has a high degree of parental involvement. So long as that works for you, and you are willing to put in the time needed (each family has a certain number of volunteer hours per month) this is a wonderful way of involving the parents in the day to day functions of the school. It helps us as parents meet other parents, and see what the school does first-hand. The co-op aspect helps keep costs down, which helps a great deal.

My kids love going to school, which matters a lot to us. Both my wife and I believe play-based learning is the best way for kids to connect with the subject matter and The Bridge School excels at this. Every Wednesday my seven year old gets to spend most of the day at Seahurst Park, exploring and learning about the natural world. Sparking his curiosity is such a great first step for future learning!

We would not hesitate to recommend The Bridge School to other families.

We moved my 9 year old son to The Bridge School after he kept slipping through the cracks in public school. He never wanted to go to school and often complained of stomach aches. Now he wakes up early excited to learn! The teachers and parent volunteers make learning tangible through many hands on experiences. They also focus on community building both within the school and city at large. We have made fantastic friends and are so happy we found The Bridge School!

My 7 yr old son is in his first year at The Bridge School, and we love it. There is so much I could say about what makes this school unique and a great fit for our family, but I'll try to list a few highlights to keep this post from being too long!
- My kiddo loves his weekly wilderness exploration class. They head to Seahurst Park rain or shine most of the year (though when it's really cold they do nature studies indoors). Sometimes they capture, study, and release sea creatures, other times they hike and do botany studies, other times they craft artwork from natural clay found in the park. It's the best!
- The Friday enrichment programs rock. My son's done one each term. In the fall, he participated in the musical theater class and played an Oompa Loompa in a Willy Wonka Kids stage production with a set, lights, choreography -- everything! Amazing! He'd never been in a performance before, and to see his confidence soar made me one proud mama! In the winter he did a beginning building workshop and learned to use all kinds of tools from hacksaws to drills. He's currently in the next building class and the kids are applying their tool skills to build go-karts! Truly, I wish I were a kid again and could go to the Bridge School. (PS: The Friday enrichment classes are great for homeschoolers too!)
- The community has been warm, welcoming, and involved. Both my son and I have made good friends through TBS. The school places a nice focus on socio-emotional development and it shows.
- Every time I see an article about education, it reaffirms our choice to send him to TBS. Kids should have plenty of recess? Check! Bridge School gives kids time to play and BE KIDS! Cursive is good for brain development? Check! Bridge School teaches kids to read and write in cursive (among the many, many other things they learn). Students should have a voice and choice? Check! Bridge School takes kids' interests, abilities, needs, and strengths into account to create a rich and valuable learning experience and environment. The best learning happens outside the classroom? Check! In addition to wilderness classes at Seahurst Park, the teachers plan more field trips than any other school I've heard of! Museums, plays, farms, businesses/foundations, cultural events -- tons of cool stuff that stimulates the kiddos' minds.
I could go on and on, but I'll leave it at that for now. The teachers and director are very accommodating, so I highly suggest scheduling a visit to see the school for yourself!

The Bridge School is an amazing space for our kiddos to grow, learn, explore their curiosity, be in nature, nurture relationships, teach and mentor in! It's become our second family and I can't imagine any other school for my kids!