At Crowden, we see that learning in community–when each person has a particular part to play and contribution to make–has those same powers to transport and transform.

We witness our mission in action every day. On one recent occasion, an upper school student filled in for an absent lower schooler during a concert so that their ensemble could perform. With humility and kindness, the older student stepped in, understanding that his role was not to lead the younger students, but to join the ensemble as their equal. Throughout the concert, he watched his younger counterparts for his cues–when to rest, when to play, when to breathe. What he had learned at Crowden, and showed to the greater community that evening, was an ability to be in concert with others in a uniquely deep and meaningful way.

We believe that academic learning, too, must be deeply relational. At Crowden, across all subjects, students are given the space and encouragement to discover, test out, fail, and persevere together. Whether through peer editing essays or shared science design challenges or collaborative music composition, students at Crowden work with each other knowing that, ultimately, their successes are intrinsically intertwined.

Feeling known, seen, and needed, by design

Chamber music requires thoughtful collaboration built upon trust, and so does educating a child. Because our students are engaged in the co-creation of learning art–every day–they are known and seen in ways that go far beyond the typical school. They are also known and seen by all of Crowden’s teachers and staff, creating a larger and deeper set of connections within and across grades. Just as meaningful, though, is the sense of mattering–of being needed–that only an environment deeply rooted in meaningful collaboration can create. Every morning, students find resonance with one another during music rehearsals–with transformative results that flow into their academic scholarship and personal development. This powerful connection is why we say that, at the Crowden School, music changes everything.