Darrow School

I attended Darrow from 1996 – 2000 and it was a great experience. Initially it was a difficult transition for me coming from New York City to New Lebanon, but with the kindness of faculty and staff, the mountainside became my new home away from home. I made some lasting friendships that I still hold dear at Darrow. The small classroom sizes were a breath of fresh air. Every student was able to get that one on one afternoon from the teachers. I looked forward to Wednesday mornings every week for Hands-​to-​Work. It was a time we all could get out of the classrooms and offices and get to work in various activities that many of us had never had the opportunity to participate in like wood chopping, composting, and other things. I visited the mountainside for the first time in over a decade last alumni weekend with my wife and the memories came flooding back. I can’t wait to go back for this year’s reunion, it’ll be my 15^th! #Darrow #Ducks

I came to Darrow as a student who did not function well in the «one size fits all,» large classroom public school environment, where variations from the norm were discouraged and where students were not encouraged to ask for help when needed.
When I was touring the campus, the classes that I sat in on were not only interesting, but the interactions between students and teachers were so productive that I understood what was going on, and was able to follow the lecture. I almost didn’t know how to react to this new (to me) dynamic! The students were also very friendly.
As a perspective student, the students made me feel welcome and were interested in hearing my stories and why I was interested in Darrow.
Once I became a student at Darrow, I found out that the besides being engaged in the students’ learning, many of the teachers used creative ways to get the students interested in what they were learning, even when the students thought they disliked a particular subject. While at Darrow, in addition to the substantive information, I learned many useful learning techniques that I carried on (and still use) into my educational career.
Darrow is a very community driven school in New Lebanon, where not only do the teachers care about teaching in the traditional sense, but who also care about their students as individuals and want to see them succeed.

I attended Darrow in the 70s and it was by far the the most formative educational experience I’ve had in my life. I left a very traditional, well respected private school in New York City, hoping to find a school whose faculty were more engaged and whose mission was more progressive. I found both at Darrow. Teachers took an active interest in all of us, imparting their accumulated wisdom, AND encouraging us to be the best people we could be. My interest in writing blossomed under the tutelage of various Darrow teachers, and eventually became my career. The quality of the Darrow educational experience has only improved over the years. With a dynamic new headmaster, and a vibrant faculty, Darrow today provides an incredibly supportive learning environment. It’s a gem of a boarding school!