Arts & Ideas Sudbury School

4915 Holder Avenue

Baltimore, MD 21214

9 Reviews

School District
Grade

K-10
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by parent on August 21, 2023

I love this school, which is more like un-school but that's good because I think traditional school is lacking a great deal. It's very a non-traditional environment, which is to me, is like a breath of fresh air. Best of all my kid thrives there.
Submitted by parent on November 11, 2021

Our son flourishes in the democratic school environment, building confidence and pursuing his academic and social interests. He especially appreciates freely moving around the space, where he can interact with anyone else at the school, find new projects to get involved in, old stuff to explore, new ideas to talk about. He can independently be himself within a community of other learners in a truly democratic environment. The structure of the school's operations are accessible as a parent, which helps connect with other parents and staff, especially important in these days of social distancing and limited interactions. A&I is one of our hubs of interaction, and our family loves being part of the A&I community.
Submitted by parent on November 08, 2021

We moved to Maryland so all four of our children could attend Arts & Ideas. We wanted a place for them to thrive through democracy, pursuing their interests, having unlimited time outdoors, and the privilege of experiencing a truly diverse and open community. We found this at A&I. Our oldest graduated last year and will enter college with a secure sense of herself. All four of our children know how to advocate for themselves, create boundaries, work as a team, and possess deep, empathic listening skills, take responsibility, and believe in individual and collective accountability. Through the real life experiences that A&I provides, our children have gained valuable and enduring life skills. Our children are prepared for the real world and we know A&I has been a major factor in our children’s emotional, cultural, academic, and social growth.
Submitted by parent on November 05, 2021

Five star school! My children have been going here since they were 5 years old. I am happy that the school provides freedom, space to allow children to be independent and include structure. The staff/teachers are top notch!
Submitted by parent on November 05, 2021

The only school of it's kind in Baltimore, my son has found a home away from home where he can be himself and learn at his own pace.
Submitted by parent on May 23, 2018

Spectacular, this school has benefited not just our sons-our whole family have benefited from this experience!
Submitted by parent on April 02, 2018

My son loves this school and has been here for years.
Submitted by parent on May 17, 2015

My two young children are thriving at Arts & Ideas. The littlest ones do incredibly well here. Don't expect your kids to come home with clean hands or clean anything, lol! Something about all the free play time makes these kids extremely interesting and poised. Computer play has been beneficial to my kids, as it's highly collaborative and social, and usually involves lots of problem-solving. Your child's quirks will be accepted and valued. Their autonomy and ideas will be respected. This model seems to produce very emotionally healthy children. There is no formal curriculum. My children learned to read early and are way above "grade level" though the kids who learn later do so very rapidly and catch up with the early starters. It takes a paradigm shift to understand the Sudbury model. Parents here are courageous and willing to go outside the box. The founder, Caroline, has an uncanny understanding of children, and you will want to leave your kids with her because she is so kind and funny and patient. The other staffers are fantastic, though kids can vote them out if they want to.
Submitted by parent on September 16, 2013

Sudbury philosophy is an interesting one. This school has an engaging staff. I do feel that this school is less appropriate for the 7 and under crowd. Younger children DO need guidance (for example to wash hands before eating) and leaving them to 'organically' grow does not work well for all children. For older kids, this might be a good place. What I disliked about this school, however, is: 1 - use of computers (kids gaming all day), 2 - parental involvement disuaded.