The buzzing sound is always present. Sometimes it swells up, loudly cloaking us all in an almost tangible roar. Sometimes it softens to background murmur. But always it changes, moment to moment, day by day, a living force, an electromagnetic surge of power and energy.
The Circle School
Serving preschool, elementary, and high school-aged children from four through eighteen, The Circle School is an independent private day school located just minutes from downtown Harrisburg, Pennsylvania in Swatara Township. A pioneer in integral education, The Circle School’s program balances freedom and responsibility in a self-directed, democratic community. Students are free to choose their own activities, while sharing with staff responsibility for the day-to-day management of all aspects of the school, from enforcing democratically adopted laws to creating an annual budget. The Circle School also operates Children’s Morning Out, a free weekly playgroup for preschoolers aged 3.5 thru 5. Use the links at the top of the page to explore this innovative alternative!
Email Address:
The Circle School
210 Oakleigh Avenue
Harrisburg, PA
17111
United States
Phone:
717/564-6700
Fax:
717/564-6570
See map: Google Maps
Articles Published by This School
What do kids learn at The Circle School? More than I can know or name, I'm sure. But what do we see them learning? Here's what some of the staff have seen in recent months ...I have seen kids learn to value reading as a functional tool. They read the agenda for the School Meeting to determine whether or not to attend this week. They read about upcoming field trips and other events on the front door. When they serve on the JC they must read the complaints they are investigating. They read the muffin recipe, to divvy up the ingredients for various people to bring in.
I wanted to share some anecdotes about my stepson Jyles' experiences with The Circle School, because to me they embody the beauty of this program. In the evening, after his first visit to TCS in September, he said to me, "You know Marianne, at first I thought that it seemed like kindergarten there. After a while, I started to feel that it wasn't kindergarten at all, but that it was like college. Finally, now I've realized that it really isn't either of those things. What it is there is life."
I'll begin with a little background about my children coming to The Circle School. Last year I came to the school as a new staff person. Zeb and Jyles, my stepchildren, were soon to follow, enrolling last year. My own three children have gone through an arduous campaign with their birth father to do the same. There was jubilation in our household late in the summer when he finally agreed to allow them to come.
Why do you want to go to The Circle School, anyway, Connor? Connor attended the summer session and liked what he saw. He dictated this list of his own personal reasons, as part of his family's discussions prior to his enrollment this fall.