Private School in Dutchess County, NY

Dutchess Day School, Millbrook:
Dutchess Day School in Millbrook, Dutchess County, NY is an independent, co-educational elementary & middle school that serves students from Pre-Kindergarten through to Grade 8. Millbrook is conveniently located in the Hudson Valley, 1 hour & 30 minutes drive upstate of NYC. As well as Dutchess County, our school serves Columbia & Putnam Counties, NY, and Litchfield County, CT. Dutchess Day School provides a strong academic foundation, values children’s natural curiosity, and fosters an enduring enthusiasm for learning. In an atmosphere of trust and mutual respect, students are encouraged to take intellectual, athletic & artistic risks, to develop independence, confidence, and imagination.

Preschool, Elementary & Middle School Education Programs (Pre-Kindergarten-Grade 8):

Preschool Program: 
At the core of this broad, child-centered program is the philosophy of learning through play. The curriculum focuses on the social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development of preschool children. It stimulates the imagination of each child by instilling an appreciation for and natural curiosity about the world around them.

A team of teachers build an atmosphere of trust, cooperation, and collaboration, in which children can celebrate differences of all kinds. Within this safe and nurturing environment, children explore and learn while being encouraged to take risks. Children are supported at all times as they move toward independence.

We also offer an Enrichment Program for Preschoolers, Toddlers and Infants at Dutchess Day School.

Lower School Program:  
Students in the lower school learn in classrooms full of books and materials with which to explore, discover, and invent. Their teachers understand the needs of children at different stages of development. The curriculum sets a strong foundation in reading, writing, and mathematics and provides rich experiences in the arts, science and technology, and physical education.

The reading program in each grade is designed to enable students to become joyful and habitual readers. In writing workshops, students create poetry and prose as they engage in the process of writing, editing, and sharing. Mathematics lessons build skills and thinking, and stress the connections of math to everyday life. Each grade focuses on a social studies theme, which is explored through reading and writing as well as field trips, skits, and special projects. Beginning in kindergarten, all students take part in the French language program, which introduces common vocabulary through games, songs, and activities.

In addition to learning in their self-contained classrooms, students visit co-curricular teachers in the science lab, gymnasium, music room, art studio, computer center, and library. Teachers use the fields, gardens, and woods to inspire poetry, conduct science labs, and provide an outdoor setting for reading classes.

Upper School Program: 

Curriculum:  Emerging from the lower school as active learners, students have a strong foundation of skills and a great enthusiasm for investigation, reading, learning, exploring, and discussion. In the upper school, students move from class to class, with a core of homeroom teachers and advisers overseeing their progress.

* Academic subjects include:  Science, mathematics, social studies / history, English, foreign language (French, Spanish, Latin), computers, art, music, and physical education.

Dutchess Day School emphasizes independent thinking and exploration, a strong academic foundation in the key disciplines, writing and speaking skills, social and community responsibility, and integrity.

The Arts Program:
Dutchess Day School offers exceptionally strong and sophisticated programs in visual arts and music, as well as in drama in the form of school plays.

Technology:
Technology in the school curriculum cannot exist in a vacuum. Just as integration is essential in history, art, and music, it is also important for technology. Dutchess Day School students use computers in the lab, in classrooms, and in the library. New concepts or software are taught during lab time. This time is also used to reinforce basic skills such as keyboarding and word processing. We introduce a variety of programs to expand children’s overall knowledge of computers.

Students also use computers in their classrooms to help strengthen math, language, problem solving, and research skills. In addition, laptops provide upper school students with online research resources and enable them to have computers in virtually every classroom when needed.

Physical Education:
The physical education program at Dutchess Day School provides a fun and stimulating way for students to be physically active, while learning ways to become physically fit. In lower school, physical education is activity centered, utilizing a problem-solving approach to skill development. The program is designed to teach basic motor skills, game skills, teamwork, cooperation, problem-solving, and leadership. Physical education classes also incorporate themes from the topics that each class studies, and students learn associated games.

In upper school, we offer a comprehensive program, which includes team sports, lifetime activities, international games, physical conditioning, and team-building. Students are encouraged to refine individual skills, to work as a team, and to learn to win or lose with grace. We provide a variety of sports experiences and help each student to appreciate the value of physical activity and fitness.

Lunch Program:
At Dutchess Day School, our CIA trained chef strives to create menus and meals that are healthy, seasonal and delicious. Students are not allowed to bring their own lunches but eat family style with fellow classmates and faculty members. Eating family style promotes a sense of community and cooperation within the school. The children are involved in the daily operation of the dining room acting as servers who bring the food to the tables and clear at the end of the meal.