Interview with Walden International School PARENT, Tim Main
Tim Main, a parent at Walden International School, shared his perspective on the school's close-knit community, strong values, supportive teachers, and wide range of academic and extracurricular opportunities. He reflected on how the school's personalized approach, strong parent-teacher communication, and student support have helped both of his children thrive, while highlighting the family atmosphere and student-led experiences that make Walden a welcoming community.
Highlights from the interview
It was not the only school on our list that we looked at, but what we found and quite liked about the school was really the close-knit feeling of family and community in the school. We really like the values that Miss Perugini and the teachers embody there. I mean, just walking into the school, there's a heading above the front entrance saying, "Making good people," and I think that's very fitting for what the school stands for.
She really enjoys the extracurricular activities available outside of classroom time as well. It's given her a chance to participate in a whole manner of different activities, from the school musical, the different sports events, even through mentorship opportunities with younger students in the school.
My son has had a terrific experience within the last two years with his teachers. He's really enjoyed the relationship that he's formed with them, the comfort that he feels in the classroom, both with his peers but also the support he feels from his teacher.
All teachers, especially in the primary years, we have great communication with them. They're excellent at keeping us informed of where our kids are doing well and where they're struggling, and what paths we can take and how the school can support them in those areas of struggle.
The kids feel very well supported with their academics. They each individually have different areas of strength, but I think what's most important is that the classes that they excel in are the ones that they are naturally strongest in.
Both academically and from a co-curricular, extracurricular perspective, the school has a lot of opportunities for the kids to get involved in, and we enjoy both very much.
It's a relatively small school, which is great on one hand because it allows for a sort of family and community feel within the school. And I think the school does terrifically well with the space they have available… For a small school, I think they're really being very thoughtful in how they manage the resources they do have available.
Once or twice a year, the school hosts open houses which are, by and large, student-led, and so there's an opportunity for parents and prospective students to tour the school with a current student… While you're also at the open house, you get a chance to meet the faculty and visit various classrooms. So, I would really encourage prospective families to go to the open houses.
We have both of our kids at Walden. I'm very grateful for the school. I think they've done an amazing job for both children independently.
I can't say enough positive things about the school and our experience there. And I hope that other families coming share that sentiment that I have in this interview.
