Welcome From Head of School

Welcome!

What do you remember about your first school? Mine was in Norway and I took two trains and climbed a mountain, a real Norwegian mountain, to get there. Our teacher always met the train and took my hand so we could climb up together. I remember my hand in hers and the sight of her lovely conch-shell pink nails swinging in my peripheral vision. I loved my teacher and my school. As ARS is our students’ first school, it will be the one they will always remember and love.

It is our singular honor to serve what can be defined as the tenderest years of childhood. It is our collective goal to have everyone who crosses the threshold fondly remember whatever feature was their top priority at the time. For a young prospective student, perhaps it is the friendliness of the other children. For prospective parents, perhaps it is the engagement level of the students and the faculty and the warmth of our parents. For trained educators, it may be the academic level at which they see our students performing. For grandparents, with an appreciation for longevity, it may be our 233 year history. For the aesthete, it may be the charm of our old-world architecture and style.

Priorities change with time but whichever quality one values in a small, traditional, independent, coeducational elementary school that quality, even if immeasurable, is in abundance at ARS. It is actually the immeasurable qualities that are emphasized at ARS: passion, kindness, empathy, courtesy and thoughtfulness. All of these are by-products of what is considered our core curriculum. There are many worthy measurable qualities that result from a strong curriculum offered by gifted teachers, and our students are the lucky recipients of those as well. ARS ineffably turns curious children into life-long students with a strong foundation in reading, writing (real handwriting, cursive included), mathematics, science, public speaking, multiple foreign languages plus the subjects of the truly well educated: music, art and ethics.

If you haven’t yet come through the doorway to ARS, I invite you to do so, our students will welcome you. Come find some of these endearing and enduring qualities that define this one-of-a-kind elementary school. I will be delighted to meet you at the door and show you all that we have to offer.

Warmly,

Brinton Parson, Head of the Alexander Robertson School

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