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

January 31, 2023

2023 Martin Luther King, Jr. Assembly

During the month leading up to the assembly, our students focused on Dr. King’s mission and how he had an impact on the lives of others during the Civil Rights Movement and beyond. The result was each grade sharing what they learned in various interactive ways.

January 27, 2023

Alumni Spotlight: The Davis Twins

College athletes Olivia and Kaitlyn Davis share how their education from Waterside helped them achieve their dreams and continues to resonate with them in their senior year of college.

December 09, 2022

Alumni Faculty at Waterside

Waterside is known for having outstanding alumni as a result of their foundational education at the School. We are especially proud that three of our alumni now work as members of Waterside’s faculty and staff.

November 07, 2022

Alumni Spotlight: Pamela Jaramillo ’12

Pamela Jaramillo, Class of 2012, continues to carry the “Waterside W” as she finishes her senior year at Bard College.

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

Wednesday, February 01

Drawing & Painting 3rd – 5th Grade
4:15 PM — 5:30 PM

Thursday, February 02

Saturday, February 04

Monday, February 06

Tuesday, February 07

view full events Calendar

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Happy Waterside Wednesday! We are excited to celeb

Happy Waterside Wednesday! We are excited to celebrate Black History Month as a community. To start our celebration, we’d like to share moments from this year’s Martin Luther King, Jr. assembly.

This year, each class studied the life, the work, and the inspiration that Martin Luther King Jr. ignited. The students focused on his mission and how he impacted the lives of others during the Civil Rights Movement and well after. The program was led by our kindergarten students sharing posters of key moments in Dr. King’s life. Our second-grade students created a modern dance piece to Mahalia Jackson’s version of “Take My Hand, Precious Lord” before displaying their work honoring the women important in Dr. King’s life. First-grade students chanted their dreams for a more just and equal future, and our junior kindergarten class led the whole room in a rousing version of “This Little Light of Mine.” The third graders sang “Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around” while holding their protest posters inspired by the children of the Civil Rights Movement. Finally, fourth and fifth graders recited sections of the “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop’’ Speech that Dr. King delivered the night before he was killed, along with reflections on what the speech means.

From junior kindergarten well into adulthood, the lessons and dreams of Dr. King continue to resonate with the Waterside community. 💙 Kudos to all our students for their hard work and dedication to inspire others, and Happy Black History Month!

#WeAreWaterside #WatersideWednesday

Today, we’re excited to share the stories of a p

Today, we’re excited to share the stories of a pair of outstanding alumni. Kaitlyn and Olivia Davis, Class of 2012, continue to carry values from Waterside in their last semester at Columbia University and Hamilton College.

Waterside’s education provides foundational knowledge for our students to excel upon graduating and enter their next school with an innate drive for curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking. However, Waterside is not just about what is learned in the classroom. Our entire curriculum includes athletics, STEM, and the arts, so our students are exposed to several hobbies and interests at a young age. For the Davis sisters, that was basketball.

“The first time we played for a team was at Waterside,” Kaitlyn said.

“Actually,” Olivia interjected. “The first time we ever played basketball was at Waterside,”

Eleven years later, Kaitlyn and Olivia are in the midst of their fourth successful college basketball season. Kaitlyn is a Psychology major and plays for Columbia University. Olivia is an Economics major with a minor in Anthropology and plays for Hamilton College.

To read more about the Davis Twins, click the link in our bio! 💙

#WeAreWaterside #WatersideAlumni

Happy Waterside Wednesday! 💙 As January comes t

Happy Waterside Wednesday! 💙 As January comes to a close, it’s incredible to see the effort Waterside’s students continue to put in every day.

A newfound interest in mail has taken over the junior kindergarten classroom. Outside their door, a mailbox resides for “123 JK Avenue,” inviting the Waterside community to help our youngest learners practice reading and writing. Inside the classroom, the students check the mail daily, review the letters they receive, and figure out how to reply thoughtfully. Thanks to our JK teachers for fostering our students’ interest in this timeless form of communication.

Second-grade students are studying human anatomy in science, so they crafted life-size diagrams of the human body to demonstrate how our joints work and bones connect. After building skeletons to encapsulate their anatomy unit, second graders Cam and Logan demonstrated their knowledge by reciting what each bone is to science teacher McClatchy Ruskin.

It is tradition for Waterside’s art program to begin the new year with a school-wide project in honor of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s work and impact. This year’s piece is titled “Black Acti-vase” and is inspired by American potter Roberto Lugo whose art reflects his work as a social activist. Highlighted on the vase are people that continued MLK’s work toward eliminating racial injustice in the United States throughout history.

Tomorrow at 8 am is Waterside’s annual MLK Assembly. We welcome all community members to join us, and stay tuned for a special video showcasing this amazing event!

#WeAreWaterside #WatersideWednesday

Please join the Waterside Community in wishing Mr.

Please join the Waterside Community in wishing Mr. Duncan Edwards, our Founding Executive Director, a very happy birthday!