Academic Excellence

by Peter Aaron, September 28, 2011

The home of innumerable social idealists and a welcoming setting for artist colonies and utopian communities since colonial times, the Hudson Valley-Western New England area has long been a bastion of progressive thought. And in keeping with the region’s tradition of non-traditional notions, this pattern has naturally carried over into the realm of education, with several of its maverick academic institutions dating back to the 18th century. In today’s climate of slashed public school budgets and an increasingly competitive, constantly evolving global job market, many parents are understandably concerned about making sure their children are adequately equipped for the future.

But luckily for families in the region, when it comes to private college preparatory education, there are dozens of acclaimed, proven schools with widely varying curriculums to choose from. Whether parents are considering a highly creative, arts-oriented approach, or even the firm guidance of a military-style program, there’s a private school to fit their needs nearby. For this month’s Education Supplement, we focus below on seven of the region’s most exceptionally innovative college preparatory facilities.

The Importance of Being Individual: Oakwood Friends School
The oldest co-educational boarding and prep school in New York, Oakwood Friends School emphasizes the importance of the individuality of its students. Chartered by Quakers in 1796, the school had two other homes before opening its present Poughkeepsie location in 1920. A co-educational school, Oakwood Friends enrolls students in grades six through twelve and offers “a challenging curriculum within a diverse community, dedicated to nurturing the spirit, the scholar, the artist, and the athlete in each person.”

“There’s so much versatility in the program here,” says Vince Vincent, a professional Manhattan opera singer who teaches music at the school. “The courses are very unique in that they cross over into and work together with other areas of study. For example, I teach a ninth-grade course called ‘Music, Culture, and Society,’ which covers issues of censorship in music, the place of music within popular culture, and the relationship between music and politics.” With its small classes, committed, accessible teachers (most of whom live on campus), and comfortable facilities, Oakwood Friends focuses on fostering a strong sense of community as its students prepare for the demands of college.