In the Triangle area, there is no shortage of various independent schools with different compositions, missions, and values. Therefore, parents must navigate the landscape to gather as much data as possible to make the best decision for their family and find the school that is the best match for their learner. 

 

In my position as Director of Enrollment Management, I often get asked what the advantages of preschool through eighth-grade school are, which is a great question. Most parents I speak with did not go through this configuration themselves; most have gone through a more traditional path: preschool (possibly), K-5, 6-8, 9-12. A preschool through eighth grade isn’t a commonly experienced way of navigating learning.

 

But let’s break down the journey parents go through to find a school that matches their child’s needs and a family’s value system.  

 

These questions often lead parents to inquire about independent schools. Independent schools have the flexibility that other systems do not. We can focus on the child and the family, an advantage not afforded by other schools.  And in this context, a preschool through eighth-grade program provides even more flexibility in serving the child. Why? A preschool program builds the program up from preschool to eighth grade.  Each year, the students are enveloped in a developmentally-appropriate environment that respects and nurtures them where they are. As a result, they are nudged to expand their knowledge and skills, both academically, socially, and emotionally.

 

A preschool-12th grade system does not have that flexibility.  They must navigate the curriculum and expectations downward in a way that does not reflect what is in the child's best interest. The downward momentum will dictate what is expected at each division below rather than building skills upward and outward. This creates undue pressure on the lower grades to perform vs. the lower grades blossoming in their own right.

 

Another huge advantage for students in a preschool through the eighth program is community.

 

Duke School students are known from their first adventures in preschool to their eighth-grade Capstone year.  Our staff has been actively engaged in scaffolding a student’s educational path.  Duke School values family, and together we assist our students in an environment where they are not being known over and over again but are genuinely known for all 11 years of their education. We are a tight-knit community, and the children get to experience their pushes for independence in a caring, supportive environment.

 

But why specifically Duke School? The answer lies in the continuity of teaching and learning. In a more traditional setting, students go through a system.  Year after year, they are taught the standards and move to the next grade level.  Each year, parents wonder if there will be a teacher match for their child. For anyone that has experienced that, it’s tough to navigate.  At Duke School, we are a preschool through the eighth-grade program.  Our curriculum, pedagogy, and social approaches are all handled in a leveled, consistent manner.  Our staff is all trained the same way; we nurture our students in our project approach that is foundationally set on a strong social/emotional curriculum.  There really is a difference between school and program. 

 

And lastly, Duke School graduates are ready for any challenge ahead of them.  Our students learned how to think critically, problem-solve, become upstanders, and be flexible.  They have learned how to think for themselves and can reflect on their own growth and create goals for their next steps. They are ready for anything in front of them.  Our eighth graders spent the last ten years honing their skills. They are prepared!

 

So, all this is to say that Duke School’s preschool through eighth-grade educational program benefits children in many ways.  So often, I hear parents who have toured with us say, “I wish I had this education when I was growing up.”  I hear them. I wish I did, too.