Park at a Glance
Founded in 1912, Park School is a non-sectarian, independent, gender-inclusive day school for children in pre-kindergarten through grade twelve. Daniel J. Paradis was appointed the tenth Head of School in July 2008. The school’s core values, rooted in the progressive educational philosophy of John Dewey, sustain an unshakable belief in children’s capacity to enjoy learning, to act rationally, and to grow when inspired by highly qualified, caring teachers. A fundamental commitment to inclusiveness and equity guides all programs and activities.
Quick Facts
GENERAL INFORMATION
| Founded | 1912 |
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| Grade Levels | Pre-Kindergarten (Age 4) through Grade 12 |
| Student Gender | Inclusive |
| Mission | Devoted to intellectual inquiry, a collaborative spirit of learning, and an appreciation for the diversity of human experience, The Park School of Baltimore is a community founded on positive expectations of our students and respect for individual differences. We cultivate children’s innate curiosity by nurturing their interests and engaging them as active participants in their own education. We support young people in becoming confident questioners and responsible citizens of the world. |
| Philosophy | Progressive • Learn more about the Park philosophy by clicking here. • Learn more about the principles of progressive education by clicking here. |
| Religious Affiliation | None. Park is non-sectarian and, from the time of its founding, has welcomed religious diversity. |
| Dress Code | Park School does not have a formal dress code. Students wear clothes that are comfortable and appropriately respectful of a learning environment. Casual clothes (t-shirts, sweaters, jeans) and a range of footwear (sneakers, sandals, etc.) are all acceptable. |
Campus & Facilities
| Location | 2425 Old Court Road Baltimore, MD 21208 • Just off the Greenspring Ave exit from 695 • Minutes from I-83, the Jones Falls Expressway (Old Court Road exit) • Located in Baltimore County, just three miles from the City line |
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| Campus Features | 100 acres including interconnected academic buildings, rooftop observatory, freestanding Kindergarten building and adjacent playground, 44,000 square foot arts center, 42,000 square foot athletic center, playing fields (including a state-of-the-art AstroTurf field), student-designed lower school playground, woodlands, tributary, pond, Appalachian Challenge ropes course, trails, gardens, and more. Additional acreage at the nearby Sugar Campus includes open meadows and athletic fields that include regulation NCAA baseball field maintained in partnership with Stevenson University. |
Hours
| School Hours | 8:30 a.m.–3:15 p.m. |
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| Early Arrival | Early drop-off begins at 7:30 a.m. |
| After School & Extended Day | Available until 6 p.m. |
Student Body
| Enrollment | Total Enrollment: 846
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Academic Administration
| Head of School | Daniel J. Paradis (2008) MAT Brown University |
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| Associate Head of School | Priscilla Morales (2016) BA Yale University MA The Klingenstein Center, Teachers College – Columbia University |
| Upper School Principal | Traci Wright (1997) BS Towson State University |
| Interim Upper School Dean of Students | Elliott Huntsman (2004) BS Yale University MA Teachers College, Columbia University |
| Middle School Principal | Joshua Wolf (1994) MA The Klingenstein Center, Teachers College – Columbia University |
| Middle School Dean of Students | Alpana Chhibber (2018) BA York College of Pennsylvania MAT Union Graduate College |
| Lower School Principal | Malika DeLancey (2018) MS Johns Hopkins University |
| Lower School Assistant Principal | Matt Doyle (2005) BA Canisius College MEd Loyola University Maryland |
| Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion | Courtney Rollins (2016) |
Faculty
| Total Faculty |
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| Advanced Degrees | 74% hold advanced degrees
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| Average teaching experience | 21 years |
| 11 years | |
| Diversity | 22% of the faculty and 28% of our administrators identify as people of color. |
Academics
| Average Number of Course Offerings Per Year |
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| Average Test Scores | Middle 50% SAT scores for the class of 2021:
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| Average Class Size | 15 |
| Student-teacher ratio | 7:1 |
Athletics
| Teams | 53 in Lower, Middle, and Upper School |
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| Facilities | The 42,000 square foot athletic center contains three basketball courts, the Lyn P. Meyerhoff Fitness Center, visiting and home team locker rooms, and an outdoor swimming pool. Two additional basketball courts are located in the Blaustein wing of the main building. There are five playing fields on Park’s main campus – including a state-of-the-art Astroturf field – and four on the nearby Sugar Campus. |
| Mascot | Bruin |
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Arts
| Arts and Arts Integration | Park offers experiences in theater, music, and visual art at all grade levels. In addition to Park’s tradition of dynamic arts programming, we have a long history of integration of the arts into our curriculum, and we recognize the role creativity plays in all aspects of academic excellence. |
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| Facilities | The 44,000 square foot Wyman Arts Center includes two galleries, an outdoor amphitheater, Meyerhoff Theater, Macks-Fidler Black Box Theater, practice rooms, rehearsal space, ceramics, 3-D sculpture, woodworking, jewelry, painting, photography, digital graphics studios, recording studio, and keyboard lab. |
Accreditation & Affiliations
Accreditation |
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| Malone Schools | From 2000 to 2012, just 50 independent schools throughout the United States were selected to receive a $2 million endowment grant by the prestigious Malone Family Foundation on the basis of their academic caliber; the quality of their staff; excellent accommodations for talented students; strong enrichment programs; attention to the individual student’s needs, interests, and talents; financial strength and stability; a commitment to financial aid; and an economically, culturally, ethnically, and socially diverse population. (malonefamilyfoundation.org) Park is one of two Maryland schools, and the only Baltimore school, to be so recognized. The endowment funds tuition assistance grants supporting academically talented students entering Grades 7-10. parkschool.net/malone |
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Admission
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Financial Information
| Tuition Assistance | 49% of Park’s students receive tuition assistance.
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Cafeteria
| Highlights | The Cafeteria prepares its menu using locally sourced, whole food ingredients when possible. |
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| Upper & Middle Schools | Students may purchase hot or cold lunches. |
| Grades 2-5 | Children may bring lunch from home or purchase items from a limited menu. |
| First Grade | First graders eat in their homerooms but may purchase whole, 2%, or skim milk. |
Transportation
| Routes | Park offers bus transportation to and from many neighborhoods in Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Howard County, and Harford County. |
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| Fees | Transportation fees are based on one-way or round-trip travel, and the number of children per family being transported. Families may select a.m. and p.m. options, and may do so for individual trimesters or for the whole year. |
Graduates
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Get to Know a Park Student
Click above to hear real students in their own words share the ways in which our inspiring faculty and student-centered learning help create engaging experiences, both inside and outside the classroom.
Park By The Numbers
Download this synopsis of some illuminating facts and figures about our school.
College Choices
Park students are encouraged to consider a wide range of possible colleges with the aim of having college choices that suit their personal preferences and goals.
