Crestmont families in their own words

My son started at Crestmont in Kindergarten and is now finishing 5th grade. The school is built on experiential learning with no testing, and focuses on learning through field trips, art, music, creativity and active learning – exploring education in a non-traditional setting. Students sit with teachers and with the whole school, and talk about feelings and how to treat others. The school is a cooperative, so the tuition starts at a lower rate than most private schools. Plus the more you volunteer and work at the school, the lower your tuition bill. Academics? My son tested (through an outside agency) two grade levels above the average child of his age after just a few years there. There is a lot of cross-grade interaction with academic projects and creative activities. I can’t say enough wonderful things about all the teachers and the school!

– Jeff Luna-Sparks

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Crestmont nurtures kids in a way I never dreamed possible. It supports the potential in each child and holds possibility for each person’s different way of learning. It fosters a passion to discover and explore. The community network creates a safe and empowering space for children’s curiosity to blossom and unfurl, and it allows the children to stretch their imaginations, teaching them through experience while allowing them to find their own paths. We love Crestmont and are so happy we found it; we wish every child could share the benefit of a school such as this.

-Sarah McLeod

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1. Everyone knows and cares about my daughter.
2. My kids can learn in a very supportive environment, at their own pace, and be introduced to amazingly creative curriculum.
3. Small class size with great adult-child ratio.
4. Creative arts, math, science, Spanish, physical education, band, chorus, art, music, language arts and reading – all presented by inspiring teachers.
5. The community: pulling late hours together, problem solving, supporting staff, being in the classroom with my child, special camping trips and events.
6. Love of field trips and exploring our local environment.
7. Tradition of supporting the local family shelter (GRIP) and buying land in the rainforest from our children’s fundraising efforts.
8. Partnering and supporting other schools in other countries – Nepal was this year.
9. My daughters raising money for Heifer International and for Shivalaya School in Nepal.
10. Freedom to express themselves and impact the school with their ideas

- Scott Gelfand

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I just wanted to say how incredibly impressed I was with the fifth graders’ presentations today. I thought their humor, poise, self-possession, compassion, ability to articulate their thoughts and feelings, and the craftsmanship of their speeches was about the best testament to what a Crestmont education can do for kids that I have yet seen. What an amazing group of young people. It was wonderful to hear their voices.

- Tanya Shaffer

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We love Crestmont because of its individual approach to each student.
We love Crestmont because creativity abounds!

- Coren Macy and family

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I have never seen a more intelligent, caring, involved group of parents. Or a smarter or stronger group of teachers, who really know how to teach the important, life-affirming things. And there are no administrators to add to the budget, or make unnecessary procedures for these folks to go through, in pursuing the goal of a superb, hands-on, creative and experiential education for the kids.

— 2005-2006 Kindergarten parent

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Being a part of a cooperative school for us is a creative process, and we are a creative family. We enjoy making a difference in our daughter’s school life, in addition to enhancing the lives of so many other families. Participating strengthens our principles of supporting families and our community.

- The Kniess Family

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Participating in a co-op school takes energy. Parents participate in the classrooms, attend monthly meetings, help out on cleanup weekends, chaperone on field trips, etc. It’s not for everyone. But for people committed to being involved in their children’s education, the experience is rewarding, and the results are tangible. Playground rules like “Can’t say can’t play” make sure that everyone is included. Kids quickly learn to “bring each other up,” to work together on shared problems, to think about the impact of their actions, to take their role as guardians of the planet seriously. Public schools have had their arts, science, phsy-ed, and music programs decimated over the past decade. In addition to strong academics, we wanted our child to have access to more than the three Rs – we wanted him in a place that encouraged an awareness of the environment, of a child’s responsibility in the world. We wanted him in an environment that would help him grow as a human. Crestmont has been all that to us and more.

- The Hacker/Kubes family

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My son is excited to go to school every day.  On the weekends he asks me why there have to be weekends; he’d rather be at school then, too.  Crestmont is a special place, full of art, community, magic, adventure.  It’s also a gentle, nurturing environment that can help a quiet soul bloom.  We’re grateful to have found it.

- The Shaffer-Green family