Shady Hill School is an independent, coeducational day school in Cambridge, MA. Founded in 1915, it offers a unique style of teaching and learning for children in Pre-K through Grade 8.
The school uses a distinct style of learning called the “Central Subject” method, where students in Grades 3 through 8 study a specific subject, such as a specific culture, period, or movement, and explore it through literature, geography, writing, and history. For example, in grade 3, students study “Whales and Whaling” or in grade 4, “Ancient Greece." The school stresses relationships among many areas of learning and uses original source materials rather than textbooks.
At Shady Hill, students are encouraged to be explorers, artists, writers, scientists, athletes, mathematicians, and musicians. The school helps students become joyful active learners and acquire knowledge through discovery. In summary, the school sees its role as follows:
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Knows and honors the individual character and spirit of each child.
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Respects the pace of childhood and understands that true exploration takes time.
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Creates a safe environment that allows children to be curious, take risks, and make mistakes.
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Challenges prejudice, respects difference, and recognizes that multiple perspectives inform human experience.
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Encourages children to be independent thinkers who can transform ideas into meaningful action.
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Advocates learning through cooperation and collaboration.
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Designs and uses Central Subject: an interdisciplinary curriculum with a deep focus on a single theme or year-long topic
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Emphasizes contact with primary sources and actual materials
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Cultivates the power of creative thinking and academic excellence.
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Promotes the leadership of teachers and invests in their professional development.
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Offers an inspiring teacher training course for those preparing to enter the profession.
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Forges a lively, interdependent community of students, teachers, parents, alumni, and administrators who work together to achieve the school's mission.
The school offers extensive arts programs and gives students many opportunities to learn and appreciate arts and crafts in various forms, such as music, paintings, drama, pottery, and woodworking.
The athletics program at Shady Hill offers a broad range of age-appropriate sports. Each student has the opportunity to study a single sport in great depth. Sports offered include soccer, cross-country, field hockey, basketball, lacrosse, track and field, ultimate frisbee, ice hockey, tennis, and flag football.