Quite often when we think of schools in Wilton, we think mainly of the public schools and Our Lady of Fatima Catholic School. But there’s also the CT Friends School, located at 317 New Canaan Rd..
With programs geared for both K-8 and preschool ages, it’s a unique option for parents looking for an alternative approach to school for their children. The Wilton program is one of more than 300 Friends Schools in the United States; the most famous one is Sidwell Friends in Washington, DC, which is the school President Obama‘s daughters attend, as did Chelsea Clinton.
The curriculum is based on Quaker teachings and philosophies, although the school is not a religious one–in, fact there are no Quaker teachers and only two Quaker students enrolled in Wilton. “We embrace all religions, ethnicities and backgrounds, but we don’t elevate one particular religion over another. So you wouldn’t see a Christmas celebration–it’s more about the seasons,” explains Oriana Laflamme, the Friends School director of admissions, who also lives in Wilton.
The educators weave in teaching approaches that originate in traditional, Montessori and Waldorf methodology. So while CT Friends School holds students to high standards of scholarship and classical skill building (reading, writing, mathematics, science the arts, social studies, etc.), they also follow a set of Quaker principles that can be remembered by the acronym SPICES.
“Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, Community, Equality and Stewardship of the Earth. It’s really values that any student or parent would want for their children. This creates the foundation for the curriculum and all that we do in our programming, our community building,” Laflamme says.
It’s Montessori-like, with an emphasis on collaboration. By fostering cooperation rather than competition among students, CFS creates an atmosphere that celebrates individual differences. Working together, the children learn about the joys and challenges of building a community while, at the same time, gaining a sense of their individuality. “We are child-centered, but the teachers are definitely leading the program.”
“There’s also an emphasis on the outdoors. We do a lot with nature and community service, especially in our middle school, that’s a big part of our curriculum,” Laflamme explains.
The classrooms are multi-age and multi-grade; next year, kindergarten will be on its own, while first and second grades will be paired together, as will third and fourth grades;, fifth and sixth grades; and seventh and eight grades.
Walking into the current grade 3-4 class, you spot a classroom with centers and areas, rather than lots of desks in a row. There’s a raised loft bed where children like to read; it’s covered with pillows the children made themselves–Laflamme explained this teacher has done a lot of fiber-arts with the students this year. There’s a large fish tank, a rug for meeting time, musical instruments, books and art.
“We have an experiential curriculum so if we’re doing Native American studies, they’ll learn in language arts about Native Americans, we’ll go to a Native American museum, and then we’ll do some Native American cooking. They might learn art, music and more, and it really resonates with them,” Laflamme says.
The maximum number of students enrolled per class is 15. In grades K-4, the student-to-teacher ratio is 1-to-8. “We’re small by design, so we can accommodate a wide range of students, academic abilities and learning styles, so we can engage each child individually,” Laflamme explains. “We’re not ever trying to get over 60 students for our K-8 grades, and there are 23 children in our preschool right now.”
Middle school students are introduced to a community service curriculum as well as some alternative enrichment programs, including robotics and animation. There’s a lot of music, including African drumming and ukelele playing. There’s also an all-school play which the students write, create sets and compose the music. “We do a lot with thematic studies to jump off the page,” Laflamme says. “They’ll learn about constellations, create to-scale constellation art boxes, and go to the Hayden Planetarium.”
The school also has an organic garden and takes the middle school students on excursions on alternating Fridays for an “outdoor leadership and education program,” where students will go stand-up paddle boarding, hiking, cave mining, and urban survival skills. “We take the 7th and 8th grade students with adults, give them a subway map and they have to navigate,” says Laflamme.
“I like that it’s small, and that you really get to know everyone better,” Alex, a student says. His classmate, Theo, agrees: “I like the community. We really get out to do different things and get out of our comfort zone, and it makes us more together.”
When the students graduate, some go on to public high school while others go to private or boarding school programs.
As for the preschool, the maximum number of students the Friends school would enroll in the 2-year-old class is eight, with two teachers. The remainder are in the combined 3- and 4-year old class. The program for the youngest Friends students is play-based with a focus on feeling expression.
Because the student body is a smaller one, there’s a tighter community of parents, with social events like pot-lucks, talent nights, art parties or speakers and informational programs.
“You get to know the parents a little more, and you have these really strong connections, especially at the preschool level. You really get that opportunity and it’s great,” says Lesley Gyorsok, a Wilton mom whose two daughters are Friends students.
The intimacy helps the Friends School community, says Laflamme, who also has two children enrolled. “They love the small class sizes. It gives it a feeling of family.”
The school draws families from Wilton in addition to Norwalk, New Canaan, Darien, Stamford, Westport, Fairfield and even Lewisboro and South Salem, NY.
“It’s a great mix, and they’re meeting kids from all different backgrounds,” Gyorsok adds. “It’s different than a traditional prep school with so many homogeneous backgrounds. It’s such a wide range and so good for the kids to learn about each other’s cultures and family life.”
She also likes the emphasis on life skills. “One of the reasons we came here is we really wanted our daughters to learn life skills, to be independent. They’re really working to raise adults. They’re nurturing the child and encouraging them, it’s a very supportive environment, but they’re teaching them to be independent. It’s good bonding and it teaches them so much, more than sitting down and filling out a worksheet.”
The school is located on a 5-acre wooded lot on the border of Wilton and New Canaan. The students spend a lot of time outdoors that adds to the community feel. They have an hour for lunch and recess and all the grades play outside together.
“We try to have our middle schoolers develop ‘uncommon kindness.’ It’s cool to be kind here. When you see an eighth grader pushing a kindergartener on a swing, it’s really something special.”
The hope, says Laflamme, is that the students all feel safe, not only physically but academically and emotionally too. “If you feel safe in your environment, academically you’ll take risks. You won’t raise your hand and be afraid to get laughed at. If you don’t feel emotionally safe, you can’t learn.”
To find out more about the Connecticut Friends School, contact Laflamme at 203.762.9860 or by email. There’s an Open House on Friday, Jan. 30 at 1-2:30 p.m. for families interested in learning more.