Garden School

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From 33-16 79th Street

Garden School is a coeducational independent school in East Elmhurst and Jackson Heights, Queens, New York City offering a nursery-grade 12 education.

History[]

In 1923 a group of neighborhood parents banded together to organize the Garden Country Day School. The school took its name from the newly conceived garden apartment complexes built by Edward MacDougall, founder of the Queensboro Corporation, in the then-rural community of Jackson Heights.

The first classes, grades K–3, met in the Laburnum Court Apartments under the guidance of Dorothy Gleen, Charles Townshend, and Josephine Wech. Two years later, in 1925, grades 4–6 were added and John Bosworth Laing became the director. In 1927 Otis Flower assumed leadership as headmaster.

It was during the administration of Flower, and with the help of the Queensboro Corporation, that Garden Country Day School moved to its current location. Here Garden continued to grow, adding grades and then, in the spring of 1929, graduating its first high school class of three students. Within a few years Garden Country Day School became an independent school, with a board of trustees, under the New York State guidelines for not-for-profit schools.

Student demographics[]

The school's size varies based on enrollment. Currently, the total enrollment is between 250-275 students in Nursery through Grade 12 with an additional 138 Universal Pre-Kindergarten students in the Early Childhood Center. Depending on the grade level, grade sizes will range from around 15-20 in elementary and middle school and under 30 for high school. There are additional teachers in Nursery, Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten and student to teacher ratio is 7:1.

Development plan[]

Like many independent schools, Garden School's tuition does not cover the cost of educating the students. Annual capital campaigns and fundraising efforts play an important role in school culture and in providing added richness to the program.

The school also hosts a variety of annual events, such as a Walk-a-Thon and Gala each spring which have raised money for "smart boards" and other new technologies for the classrooms and improvement to the gym. The school has been making great progress.

Rory Staunton (1999-2012) was a student at the Garden School, known for his civic responsibility, inspiring leadership and kind heart. The Staunton family was one of the leading voices in support of the effort to turn the Garden School’s athletic field into public parkland, increasing the amount of recreational space in Jackson Heights by more than half an acre.[1]

Associations[]

Garden School holds active memberships in professional associations including:

• Middle States Association of Schools and Colleges
• New York State Association of Independent Schools
• The Guild of Independent Schools
• The Parents League of New York
• National Association of Secondary School Principals
• National Association for College Admission Counseling
• New York State Association for College Admission Counseling
• The College Board
• Independent Schools Athletic League (New York)
• Girls' Independent Schools Athletic League

External links[]

• Official website of the Garden School

Coordinates: 40°45′15″N 73°53′19″W / 40.7541°N 73.8885°W / 40.7541; -73.8885