Meet The Grauer School
The Grauer School, located in Encinitas, CA, is a private day school for grades 6-12 offering independent, compassionate, college preparatory education. According to their website:
We work in an environment of academic excellence to help students develop as caring, compassionate, ethical individuals, aware of their responsibilities to local and global society. To accomplish our mission, we seek students who are able and ready to perform in a college preparatory environment, and to take on the leadership roles necessary to build a better society.
A Video Introduction to The Grauer School
A Visit to The Grauer School
I had the good fortune to visit The Grauer School recently. While I had heard of the school, and I know several families with children who attend Grauer, this was my first visit to the campus. Elizabeth Braymen, director of admissions, gave me a tour and shared the vision and philosophy of the school. Her passion for the school extends beyond her role as an administrator since she is also the parent of a Grauer student.
The campus is located just north of the San Diego city limits in Encinitas, not far from the ocean, and encompasses five acres. The buildings provide 20,000 square feet of indoor space and are a combination of newer structures and portable buildings, with an eye toward replacing the portables at some point in the future. The main building contains a great hall where they hold community meetings and events. Anchoring this structure is a beautiful stone fireplace, hailed as the largest stone fireplace in San Diego. In the classrooms, teachers have designed comfortable spaces that are conducive to learning and discussion.
The class sizes vary based upon grade level and subject, but the school is committed to remaining a small school with a maximum capacity of 150 students. One benefit of their small size is that they can take advantage of opportunities that might prove too cumbersome for larger organizations. For example, I met teachers and high-schoolers who had just returned from the World Religions Conference in Australia, a perfect tie-in to their study of world religions.
The breadth of academic, arts and extracurricular offerings at The Grauer School might seem a bit surprising given their small size, but it goes hand-in-hand with their commitment to develop well-rounded students. They design their curriculum to prepare students for college, and as such the curriculum complies with the University of California course requirements for admission into the California State system. In addition, the California State Frameworks are integrated into their courses and the school is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).
Music at The Grauer School
Technology use was apparent all around campus. In addition to computer labs, students may also bring their own laptops to school. There was a mix of Macs and Windows machines, and a range from higher-end laptops to netbooks.
The atmosphere on campus is definitely one of a close-knit community where everyone knows everyone else, from teachers to students to parents. As we toured, Elizabeth had a warm welcome or word of encouragement for everyone we encountered. After completing my tour I met Stuart Grauer, the director and founder of The Grauer School. His commitment to and passion for education is evident everywhere you turn on campus.
Of course many parents are concerned – and rightly so – with the bottom line. How will attending The Grauer School help their child? I will say that I was impressed with the school’s commitment to admit students who are, in fact, a good fit for the environment rather than filling seats with any and all who apply. They truly look for students who will thrive and succeed at the school.
As students near graduation, Grauer works with them and their families to identify college choices that will be good matches and that will value their strengths. The system seems to work because 100% of all 2008 graduates were admitted to colleges of their choice, and the students gained acceptances from 82% of all colleges to which they applied. Apparently the colleges value the education that The Grauer School is providing. The average college scholarship offer made to seniors at The Grauer School this year was an impressive $30,000.
If you are looking for a middle or high school for your child that has an intimate learning atmosphere, emphasizes academics and college prep, and develops individuals who are concerned about their world and their place in it, I encourage you to visit The Grauer School and learn more about what they offer. Their website has a lot of great information including videos that provide a glimpse of what life is like at the school, and they are very active on Facebook and Twitter.
Learn More
Open House
Saturday, February 6, 2010
10:30am to 2:00pm
Tours leaving every 20 minutes
Website
http://www.grauerschool.com/
Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/#/pages/Encinitas-CA/The-Grauer-School/103908979661
Twitter
http://twitter.com/GrauerSchool
Contact
The Grauer School
1500 El Camino Real, Encinitas, CA 92024
(760) 944-6777
(760) 944-6784 fax
info@grauerschool.com
One Response to “Meet The Grauer School”
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My son is a member of the 2010 graduating class and has attended Grauer since the 7th grade. I appreciate the truth of the statements in this review. My son has experienced the opportunity for a unique education with individual attention, flexibility and encouragement to pursue his own passions, and a nurturing environment which has given him the confidence to explore his limits, attempt new challenges, observe the world from a high level of engagement, and develop the skills needed for learning and communcation at the college level and beyond.