About Whitby School
Welcome to an extraordinary school. Located on a beautiful 25-acre campus in Greenwich CT only 45 minutes from New York City, Whitby is an independent, coeducational private school with 385 students ages 14 months through eighth grade.
Founded in 1958, Whitby is a 50 year leader in Montessori school education, with a tradition of teaching students through the most innovative, proven practices in education. At Whitby, our goal is to guide students to develop a true passion for learning and gain the intellectual, emotional and social skills to "Learn, Live and Succeed" in today's global community. While our main goal is to provide a superior, well-rounded education ( Learn), we also stress the importance of living that learning in everyday life and understanding the reward of community service ( Live). The result is a student prepared to work hard, apply themselves and succeed at school and life ( Succeed).
Whitby is the oldest Montessori school in America and the founding school of the American Montessori Society. Whitby continues its tradition of applying best practices in education with the accreditation and integration of the International Baccalaureate (IB) program, one of the most highly respected educational programs in the world. Whitby’s Head of School, Doug Fainelli, who previously introduced the IB program at the International School at Dundee, is overseeing the integration of IB for the Primary and Middle school years at Whitby as a seamless extension of the Montessori practice. Whitby‘s IB program for the middle school is the first in the Greenwich area. Along with its accreditation by the America Montessori Society and the Connecticut Association of Independent Schools, Whitby is now the only triple accredited school in Connecticut. More information on Montessori and IB Learning at Whitby.
Whitby’s educational program is designed to meet the needs of the whole child — cognitively, socially, emotionally and physically — while setting high academic standards. By promoting active inquiry and disciplined exploration, students are encouraged to use their minds well and develop a strong preparation for all future academic pursuits.
Whitby’s students benefit from an expert and dedicated faculty along with a low 6:1 student faculty ratio. This ensures that every student receives the tailored, individual attention that will stimulate creativity, excite the intellect, foster self-esteem and inspire a love of learning.
The trans-disciplinary curriculum at Whitby combines Montessori school techniques with the inquiry-based framework of IB and includes world languages (Spanish for all students with French or Chinese electives), curriculum-enhancing computer technology, physical education promoting skill development and team building with interscholastic team sports for grades 3-8, an extensive music program including concert band, chorus, ensembles and individual instruction and enriching visual arts, theater and dance.
Whitby’s Stepping Stones (18 months to 3 years old) and Primary (3 to 5 years) divisions have long been recognized as the region’s premier early childhood program. As Whitby students advance to the elementary grades, they make their mark with strong academic performance as illustrated by the 36% of Whitby students in 2nd to 8th grade who qualified for the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth Talent Search, scoring in the 95th percentile or higher on standardized testing. Whitby graduates are also consistently accepted at a range of excellent secondary schools with 90% accepted at their first choice school. Most importantly, graduates are happy, productive and caring world citizens.
A testament to the strength of Whitby’s global approach, the diverse student body of 350 speaks over 15 languages and represents dozens of distinct cultures, all of which are celebrated and respected in this truly international community. Students are treated with understanding, rewarded by their individual efforts, and encouraged to embrace the challenge of working hard. On campus, students flourish in a state-of-the-art facility with renovated classrooms, multiple playgrounds, library & technology center, garden, gym, tennis courts and athletic fields.
The result is an incomparable school that builds on the traditions of the past, meets the ever-changing challenges of the present and inspires innovation for the future. Please contact us to learn more or schedule a private tour by calling 203-869-8464 extension 193 or email info@whitbyschool.org. We look forward to hearing from you!
