Waterside School

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Welcome To

Waterside School

Independent Junior Kindergarten through Fifth Grade day school providing a rigorous academic and moral education regardless of income or circumstance.

Blending the important lessons of the classroom with
the requisite lessons of character and the lasting lessons of the heart.

The School's Beliefs

The School was founded on the belief that the true measure of a child is not to be found in what he is given but rather in what he has worked to overcome; the belief that talent, hard work and character not circumstance should ultimately determine every child’s destiny; and the welcome lesson that the Dream, one uniquely American, is alive and well, here and now, with us and with ours.

Quick Facts

2001

YEAR FOUNDED

100%

FAMILIES RECEIVING FINANCIAL AID

37

COUNTRIES REPRESENTED BY STUDENT BODY

6:1

FACULTY TO STUDENT RATIO

17

Average class size

30

Faculty full time members

15

Minimum hours each parent volunteers in a School year

Latest News

Alumni Spotlight: The Ramos Siblings

Waterside is known for having accomplished alumni due to their foundational education and the support they receive post-graduation from the School. Today, we’d like for you to meet Chris and Clea Ramos. Today, Chris is serving the US Navy and his sister, Clea, is recently completed her sophomore year at Bucknell University.

Return of the International Festival

A little rain couldn’t dampen the excitement of the Waterside community as we celebrated the return of the International Festival on Saturday, April 29. Students, families, and friends gathered to highlight the more than 40 nations that make up our student body.

Alumni Spotlight: Jennafer Washington ’12

Jennafer Washington, Class of 2012, is a junior at Drexel University majoring in Global Studies with a double minor in French and Spanish. Currently, she is in Drexel's Undergraduate Cooperative Education Program as a Program Assistant at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression in Philadelphia.

Alumni Spotlight: Lexi DuPree ’10

Lexi DuPree, Class of 2010, graduated Magna Cum Laude from Clark Atlanta University in 2021 with a major in Elementary Education. She currently works as a teacher at a school with a similar mission to Waterside in Atlanta, Georgia and will begin graduate school this summer to pursue a Masters in Elementary Education.

Alumni Success

96%

Of those in the School's last ten graduating classes have earned admission and scholarships to leading independent schools

100%

Of the high school Class of 2020 are currently attending four-year colleges and universities

68%

Of those are enrolled at colleges and universities ranked most or highly competitive

Pamela Jaramillo

Jadon Washington

St. John's University

Christina Roca

Providence College

Kaitlyn Davis

Columbia University

Tiler Wilson

Wesleyan University

Jessica Johnson

Syracuse University

Andres Soto

Columbia University

Thursday, June 01

Friday, June 02

Saturday, June 03

Alumni BBQ
12:00 PM — 2:00 PM

Monday, June 05

Tuesday, June 06

5th Grade Field Trip Stamford Arboretum
12:15 PM — 3:25 PM

view full events Calendar

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Happy Waterside Wednesday! 💙 Throughout May, t

Happy Waterside Wednesday! 💙

Throughout May, the School will spotlight four members from this year’s graduating class for our weekly Wednesday series.

Today, we’d like you to meet McKenna, Sofia C., Chloe, and Jaden! Each student has pushed themselves to succeed this year by trying new activities. McKenna spread her wings by performing solos throughout the year, most recently at the Spring Concert. Jaden made his debut in a team sport by joining the soccer team in the fall. Sofia C. and Chloe became budding entrepreneurs, opening an e-commerce lemonade stand, SCC Lemonade.

We know these four will continue to make the most of the new opportunities they'll encounter at their secondary schools. We wish them all the best at @gwichacademy and @greensfarmsacademy!

#WeAreWaterside #WatersideWednesday #Classof2023

We pride ourselves on having an impeccable faculty

We pride ourselves on having an impeccable faculty and staff that fosters a kind and respectful environment for our students. Erica Abela is a vital member of Waterside, making it the special place it is. She joined the community as a first-grade teacher in August 2022 and has been an incredible member contributing to Waterside’s spirit.

As Asian American & Pacific Islander Month continues, we want to learn what this month means to Waterside community members. We asked Erica what she’d like to share with our families, students, and alumni in light of our AAPI celebration.

“As a child, I struggled to connect with my Filipino identity beyond my household,” Erica shared. “As I grew older, I began to understand and discover my Filipino identity more deeply. During AAPI Month and beyond, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders hold brave spaces where we continue to learn, fight, and flourish. This month is about reflection, familial history, celebrations and joy, but it also addresses the oppression those with Asian American and Pacific Islander identities face.”

While walking through our halls, make sure to visit the AAPI board outside the Alumni Room to learn more about AAPI history, figures, and community members at Waterside. Students and faculty members have been adding to the board, and we encourage others to participate throughout this month as well!

Thank you, Erica, for being invaluable to Waterside’s community! 💙

#WeAreWaterside #WatersideFaculty #AAPIMonth

Happy Waterside Wednesday! 💙 Throughout May, t

Happy Waterside Wednesday! 💙

Throughout May, the School will spotlight four members from this year’s graduating class for our weekly Wednesday series.

Today, we’d like you to meet William, Angel, Brandon, and Jacob! This year, this group has shined by taking on public speaking roles and sharpening their skills through in-class debates. Whether at Waterside concerts, the International Festival, or during our daily morning assemblies, they have proudly become narrators and leaders of the School.

We know they will continue to grow as they begin the next chapter of their academic lives. Congratulations to our scholars! We wish them all the best at their secondary schools, @brunswickschool and @ryecountryday.

#WeAreWaterside #WatersideWednesday #Classof2023

On May 11, Waterside School hosted its annual Spri

On May 11, Waterside School hosted its annual Spring Concert, titled “Rise”! The School’s 2023 Spring Concert was full of sunshine and joy as each grade stepped on stage to perform their pieces. ‘Side Notes, the School’s fifth-grade jazz band, opened the show with a Waterside original, “‘Side Steppin.”

Throughout the show, the audience rocked, rose, and “vroomed” with Waterside students as they performed. Junior kindergarten touched our hearts with “I Wonder if I’m Growing” by Raffi, while kindergarten students sang faculty favorite “Garden Song” by John Denver. First grade brought us back to the ‘70s with Bobby Day’s “Rockin’ Robin.” Second graders sang “Take on the World” by Rowan Blanchard & Sabrina Carpenter, and the third graders graced us with both “Rise” by Callum Scott and “Life is a Highway” by Rascal Flatts. The fourth and fifth graders had an encore from Acoustic Night with “Sunshine” by OneRepublic, followed by “Rise Up” by Imagine Dragons. To end the evening, our fifth-grade narrators invited the Waterside community to rise with them to sing “One Foot” by Walk the Moon for an all-school sing-along!

Congratulations to our stars, and thank you to Ms. Anna Black and Mr. Jonny Duennebier for directing this year’s concert! 🎼💙

#WeAreWaterside