When Lakeside School founded The Downtown School in 2018, we were given a blank slate to design a high school that thrives at the intersection of academic rigor and learning with purpose. To this end, in 2022 we hosted a full-day summit in which every student came up with their own unique mission statement in order to clarify their purpose. Through this process, students identified their unique talents and how they want to share those skills to have an impact on the world around them.

Our curriculum promotes inquiry because we believe that by grappling with complex problems, students learn to navigate ambiguity and approach life’s challenges from multiple perspectives. We are a feedback-oriented school, and it shows. In 2022, our students completed the High School Survey of Student Engagement (HSSSE), and in it students overwhelmingly noticed both our feedback and open-ended inquiry approach to learning. You may view the survey results below.

The Downtown School is a campus connected to the city in many ways. Our classrooms extend far beyond our building. Consequently, our students learn to navigate the city and its vast resources. Our expert teachers design the curriculum with community partners in mind. We believe that students find meeting and relevance when they see applications of their learning in the “real world.” 

I am often asked about The Downtown School’s connection with Lakeside School. The Downtown School was founded with a deep commitment to making a world-class, independent school education more economically accessible to more students. The Downtown School’s curriculum combines some of the best aspects of Lakeside’s high-quality academic program with new programs that are unique to our school. The two schools have an overlap with governance. For example, Lakeside School’s Board of Trustees has fiduciary responsibility over The Downtown School, and Lakeside’s Head of School is the chair of The Downtown School’s Advisory Board. The two schools share healthy discourse about teaching, learning, and leadership. It is important to know that the admissions processes for The Downtown School and Lakeside School are completely separate. 

With all this in mind, I invite you to learn more about our program, teachers, and community. We hope to see you soon!

Sincerely,

Sue Belcher

Head of School