We’ve been splashing around and making SOUND WAVES together during SUMMER of WONDER at Middle Way School!

Throughout the past week, young musicians played with the idea of CAUSE and EFFECT through music. There were so many great opportunities to see—and hear—how our actions and ideas can make a big difference in the world around us.

How do our contributions harmonize with others? How is a song created and what can we do to influence its sound? How can little changes in a song create big shifts in the way it feels? Music offers amazing metaphors!

Curious to learn more about how Buddhist-based ideas can be naturally woven into everyday experiences? There’s one more week of SUMMER of WONDER, and we’re currently enrolling for the 2025/26 school year—K through 6th grade.

Find out why Middle Way School has been named Best Independent School in the Hudson Valley, four years in a row!

https://middlewayschool.org/admissions

_____

#buddhisteducationforchildren 
#middlewayschool
#chronogramreaderschoice
#musicandmetaphor
#learningfromexperience
#causeandeffect
#soundwaves
#dharmaeducation
#harmony
#bandoffriends
#upstateschools
#bestindependentschool
#hudsonvalley
#fouryearsinarow

@chronogram ...

The CREATE session of Summer of Wonder has made for a beautiful week! Led by thoughtful questions and mixed-media exploration, we’ve been thinking about ideas of refuge as we study the forested campus of Middle Way School.

What refuge does the forest offer? What do we know about a tree? What role does each tree play in the forest? Can a rock be a shelter for a small creature? What elements in the forest can we not see?

Inspiring our inquiry were books, such as Stand as Tall as the Trees: How an Amazonian Community Protected the Rainforest by Gualinga and Resau, and When You Find the Right Rock by Mary Lyn Ray. Young artists created multi-level, intricate drawings, paintings, collages, and 3D sculptures.

We took walks in the woods to collect items from nature to assemble hanging mobiles. We also made paper from natural pulps and sculpted with clay to squeeze, press, smooth, and experiment with different textures.

Nature is simply FULL of wonder, and finding connections to the natural world can help us understand even the most complex ideas.

Curious? A few spots remain for our final weeks of Summer of Wonder. Sign up today!
https://middlewayschool.org/summer/

Want to dive deeper? Now enrolling K – 6th grade for 2025/2026

___

#middlewayschool
#onewithnature
#worldofimagination
#outdoorclassroom
#buddhisteducationforchildren
#createcamp
#youngartists
#refuge
#nurturingwonder
#hudsonvalleycamps ...

Congratulations to Middle Way School’s Outdoor Education and Science teacher Dorothy Varner for her win as most influential Environmental Advocate/Activist in the entire region.

Middle Way families know this recognition comes naturally—Dorothy’s pure passion about the intersection of science and nature is delightfully contagious. With an abundant forest as an outdoor classroom, she keeps finding new ways to spark a joyful engagement. She has a gift for helping students truly feel the ways in which we are connected to what dwells around us—both seen and unseen.

When we understand our interconnection with all life, we become a voice for those who cannot speak for themselves.

Thank you, Dorothy, for being a voice for the earth, and for sharing your love of the natural world with us all!!

Now enrolling budding scientists and friends of nature for the 2025/2026 school year (K – 6th gr.)

___

@chronogram

#scienceismagic
#natureeveryday
#onewithnature
#forestawareness
#avoicefortheearth
#youngenvironmentalists
#interconnection
#allbeings
#caretakers
#hudsonvalleyschools
#updstatenyschools
#outdoorclassroom
#buddhisteducationforchildren
#chronogramreaderschoice
#chronogrammies2025 ...

Summer of Wonder weeks at Middle Way School are bursting with imagination! Our JOURNEY session was filled with building, creating, envisioning, and playing together. In this way, we studied the impermanent, ever-changing nature of all things. In the mornings, we set our aspirations and sat in quiet meditation before the day’s adventures got underway. Using branches from the forest, hand tools, fabric, and creative thought—as well as drawing and writing—we developed props for play and honed epic stories, adding on to one another’s tales. Carving skills were adapted for each child, creating opportunities for challenges and encounters with bravery. At the end of the week, magical, mythical, and mysterious creatures filled the pages of our journals!

Curious? A few spots remain for our final weeks of Music and Movement:
https://middlewayschool.org/summer/

Now enrolling K – 6th grade for 2025/2026

___

#middlewayschool
#epicadventures
#onewithnature
#worldofimagination
#outdoorclassroom
#buddhisteducationforchildren
#journeycamp
#creativewriting
#impermanence
#everythingchanges
#hudsonvalleycamps ...

Our first two weeks of SUMMER of WONDER have been SO MUCH FUN!!

Middle Way School—voted BEST INDEPENDENT SCHOOL in the Hudson Valley for 4 years in a row—offers outdoor adventures and inward exploration. We splash in the sun, play silly games, learn wilderness skills, get creative with arts and crafts, build confidence in community, learn skills for centering ourselves, and SO MUCH MORE!

Curious? There are a few sessions left and we’d love to welcome your child.

✨ SESSION 3: CREATE! (5 days: July 14 – July 18)
Ideas come to life with printmaking, natural dyeing, flower pigment pounding, earth materials painting, and more.

✨ SESSION 4: JAM! (5 days: July 21 – July 25)
Play with strings, percussions, keys and more to express ourselves with music and theater.

✨ SESSION 5: MOVE! (5 days: July 28 – August 1)
Cover some ground with wild games, ultra-silly challenges, DIY obstacle courses, and action-packed adventures!

Open to rising kindergarteners through rising 6th graders.

✨ Learn more and sign up today:
https://middlewayschool.org/summer/

___

#upstatesummercamp
#ulstercountysummercamp
#contemplativecamps
#outdooradventures
#inwardexploration
#connectionstonature
#creatingconfidence
#hudsonvalleysummercamps
#catskillssummercamp
#saugertiescamps
@chronogram ...

✨ IT’S OUR BIRTHDAY! ✨

Today, we celebrate SEVEN YEARS as a thriving independent school, centered on Dharma-based education for children. We are honoring our students, smiling on their achievements, and joyfully anticipating what lies ahead as we continue to grow.

🌈
A SPECIAL FUNDRAISING
MATCH TO CELEBRATE:

https://middlewayschool.org/give/

FOR 48 HOURS, we’ve been offered a chance to reach our resources even further—thanks to the generosity of a TRIPLE MATCH challenge! That means EVERY GIFT HAS TRIPLE THE IMPACT until we reach our promised match of $6,500.

🌈
CAN YOU HELP US
AMPLIFY THE POWER
OF GENEROSITY?

In auspicious alignment, today is also Saga Dawa Düchen. For many, this day commemorates the Buddha’s birth, enlightenment, and parinirvana. Many consider this day the most auspicious of the year!

Saga Dawa Düchen presents an opportunity to multiply the merits of our good will and positive actions. This alignment feels especially meaningful today as we reflect on seven years of developing and nurturing education for children rooted in Buddhist wisdom and compassion.

Multiply your generosity today
by supporting and spreading
this birthday wish to others—
both near and far.

https://middlewayschool.org/give/

___

Together, we’ve come SO FAR!

In June of 2018, Middle Way School received our first charter from the NY State Department of Education, which enabled us to open our doors and begin the path of creating a unique curriculum of compassion to benefit children around the world. We are grateful for the many individuals whose kindness, dedication, and support have encouraged our vision and sustained our efforts. ...

It’s HAPPENING!! Come to the 4th Annual PLANT SALE + YARD SALE. Bake sale goodies, foraged treats crafted by our students, flowers, shrubs, gently used clothing, toys, and sports equipment for children and adults.

At our BOUQUET BAR—you can CRAFT YOUR OWN—or pick up a pre-made arrangement for someone special (Mother’s Day is tomorrow!). Special thanks to @palomamelestudio and @marahshemesh for these lovelies!

SO MANY families have worked together to plan and host this event in support of Middle Way School. Rain or shine, it’s a fun day of gathering to raise needed funds. Open to the public—please tell your friends and family.

See you soon, friends!

___

#plantsaleyardsale
#sharingwitheachother
#schoolfundraiser
#saugertiesyardsale
#ulstercountyyardsale
#reducereuserecycle
#communityconnections
#interconnection
#hudsonvalleyyardsale
#middlewayschool ...

Fresh growth and special visitors have brought inspiration to our campus!

Last week, Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche visited Middle Way School to explore our campus and meet our students. Accompanied by Lama Gyatso and Justin Kelley, an educator with Tergar Schools and the Executive Director of Tergar Institute, they visited each classroom and strolled through the forest, discussing the ways in which our schools for children share common intentions.

Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche is a renowned Tibetan Buddhist teacher known for his work with the Tergar Meditation Community. He integrates a traditional Buddhist practice and philosophy with the current scientific understanding of the mind and mental health, hoping to make meditation accessible for everyone.

Our Owls, Garudas, and Tigers (fourth through sixth graders) listened intently as he spoke about his childhood anxiety and how meditation and a practice of awareness helped him to overcome his feelings of unrest. With lots of laughs—and plenty of pizza references—our students were totally tuned into Rinpoche’s casual joy.

May we continue to collaborate for the benefit of all!

___

@tergarschools
@tergaronline
@mingyurrinpoche

#buddhisteducationforchildren
#collaboration
#globalconnections
#dharmabasedlearning
#childhood
#happyandfree
#meditationformentalhealth
#hudsonvalleyalternativeschools
#theimportanceofwhatcantbemeasured ...

Come to the 4th Annual PLANT SALE + YARD SALE, hosted by the Middle Way School Parent Community Association (PCA)! We’ll have gently used clothing, toys, and sports equipment for children and adults, plus flowers, shrubs, and trees for your garden. Add some colorful joy to your space for spring and share a bouquet with someone special. (Mother’s Day is the next day!)

Rain or shine, it’s a fun day of gathering to support the school. Open to the public—please tell your friends and family!

___

#plantsaleyardsale
#sharingwitheachother
#schoolfundraiser
#saugertiesyardsale
#ulstercountyyardsale
#reducereuserecycle
#communityconnections
#interconnection
#hudsonvalleyyardsale
#middlewayschool ...

Three cheers for Volunteers! Thanks to the students, parents, and alumni who joined us for Saturday’s Forest Restoration event! We worked together to begin the installation of a sturdy deer fence to contain a section of our wooded campus.

Here, Middle Way students will be playing a role in restoring the forest’s vitality, diversity, and longevity. Soil tests, native plant study and selection, protective partitioning, and planting will be carried out throughout the school year, with updates as the stewardship takes root.

This project is supported by an Ecological Restoration Grant from Partners for Climate Action. Special thanks to our MWS parents who are leading this project and making great connections with our community.

___

@climateactionhv

#climateactionhv
#outdoorlearning
#forestrestoration
#caringforourspaces
#lendingahand
#studentsoftheforest
#plantingideas
#refuge
#interconnection
#causeandeffect ...

Middle Way School families started the week with a special celebration of our Teachers! A handmade banner and a parade of children brightened up the rainy morning. Drawings and notes of appreciation now decorate the walls of our teachers lounge, with an arrangement of fresh flowers and healthy snacks to last through the week. A basket of “wishing stones” was offered as a symbol of appreciation—each stone infused with wishes of kindness and blessings from our community.

THANK YOU, Teachers!! For your tireless dedication to this challenging work, for your special attention to every child, and for your cheerful guidance—even on the rainiest of days—we are so very thankful for the brightness you bring to our school.

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week!!

___

#teacherappreciationweek
#buddhisteducationforchildren
#bestindependentschool
#cultureofgenerosity
#spreadinggratitude
#meyouus
#alternativeeducation
#upstateny
#ulstercountyschools
#saugertiesschools
#upstateliving
#hudsonvalleyschools
#weloveourteachers❤️ ...

This week, we’ve been celebrating our educators! What a unique blend of humans we have on our team at Middle Way School! Thanks to their wisdom, silliness, skillfulness, patience, and dedication, our school is such a special place for learning.

We are all grateful for the care, creativity, and curiosity they nurture in our students throughout the school year. Without their inspiration and support, Middle Way wouldn’t be the radiant school we all love.

Thank you, Teachers!!

___

#teacherappreciationweek
#buddhisteducationforchildren
#bestindependentschool
#cultureofgenerosity
#spreadinggratitude
#meyouus
#alternativeeducation
#upstateny
#ulstercountyschools
#saugertiesschools
#upstateliving
#hudsonvalleyschools
#weloveourteachers❤️ ...

The Spring Shindig has become an annual tradition at Middle Way School. It’s a joyous opportunity for the Fawns (pre-K) and Snow Lions (kindergartners) to welcome their families, share what they’ve been learning, and be together in community.

Leading up to the event, students helped prepare our campus, mulching the yard and tending the garden. Delicious snacks and beverages were made from foraged ingredients—even knotweed drinking straws! We sang and danced together, giving other classes and teachers a chance to see the youngest Middle Way performers in action. On display were their reflections about spring growth and their time spent in the garden.

Thank you for sharing the beauty of the season, Fawns and Snow Lions!

___

#buddhisteducation
#earlychildhoodwonders
#springishere
#whatmakesyourgardengrow
#upstateprivateschools
#hudsonvalleyschools
#saugerties
#dharmaschools
#upstatenewyork
#outdoorlearning
#weloveourcommunity
#celebratingtheseasons
#hudsonvalleyparents ...

The Earth Day celebration continues! We are pleased to share that Middle Way School has been awarded a 2025 Ecological Restoration Grant from Partners for Climate Action Hudson Valley.

Our students interact with the forest daily. Recess includes fort building, investigating life beneath fallen logs, and finding the homes of unseen animals in knobby tree nooks. Through our Outdoor Education curriculum, students learn ancestral skills like compass navigation, shelter building, and plant identification. They explore complex relationships with plant species and delight in the infinite wonders of observed phenomena. They learn that the forest is an extension of who they are—a provider and place of refuge.

From playtime to wild food foraging and campfire cooking, children at Middle Way School experience years of deepening their relationship and kinship with wild places.

The forested area of the campus became a crucial resource during the Covid-19 pandemic. Tents with outdoor rugs were set up providing space for outdoor classrooms. Thanks to the forest, ours was one of the only elementary schools in Ulster County able to safely remain open for full-time, in-person learning.

Four years later, this grant will allow our community to give back to the land which held our little ones through uncertainty. Middle Way students will be helping to restore the forest’s vitality, diversity, and longevity. Soil tests, native plant study and selection, protective partitioning, and planting will be carried out throughout the school year, with updates as the stewardship takes root.

This project is supported by an Ecological Restoration Grant from Partners for Climate Action. Sign up for the MWS newsletter on our website to learn more and get involved.

___

@climateactionhv

#climateactionhv
#outdoorlearning
#forestrestoration
#caringforourspaces
#studentsoftheforest
#earthdayiseveryday
#plantingideas
#refuge ...

Middle Way School cheerfully joined in the Earth Fest celebration at the Ashokan Center in Olivebridge, New York. Children of all ages were invited to connect with the Earth by making nature impressions in clay using flowers, twigs, and leaves.

At story time, we read “What Do You See When You Look at a Tree?” by the amazing Emma Carlisle, discussing the many stories that grow from the life of a tree.

How does it feel to be a part of its story? Can you feel the connection?

“Pause and notice the trees all around you…
Does this tree think?
Does this tree feel?
Does it have thoughts just like yours? …
Who else made a home in its arms?
Did children before you play in its shade?”

Thank you, Emma Carlisle, for prompting these ideas and for sharing them with the world in your beautiful book!

___

@ashokancenter
@emmacarlisle_
@bigpicturepress
@kewgardens

#earthday
#interconnection
#buddhisteducationforchildren
#connectingwithnature
#connectingwithcommunity
#independentlearning
#hudsonvalleyschools
#upstateschools
#upstatenewyork ...

Middle Way School students are honored to participate in the first annual, town-wide SAUGERTIES EARTH DAY WEEK celebration! Our Tigers class (sixth grade) created site-based written pieces in the deep woods of our campus. Upon choosing a special spot to sit, they responded to the following four prompts: 

1. SHARE A STORY about something that happened in your chosen spot. Take the reader to a moment in time when something special happened in the place where you sit. 

2. DESCRIBE THE LAND where you sit. Use your five senses to paint a picture with words. Provide enough detail so a picture may form in the mind of your reader. 

3. CONSIDER THE DHARMA themes we’ve learned about—such as impermanence, interconnection, refuge, bodhicitta (awakened heart), and the concept of cause and effect. Write a sentence or two connecting at least one of these concepts with the land where you sit. 

4. FREESTYLE FORM: Choose your own adventure! Write a poem, a note, a reflection, or a song inspired by the place where you sit. 

See their reflections on display all this week, including excerpts from their writing and photographs taken by the students in their chosen “sit spots.”

🌱

248 Main Street, Saugerties, NY
April 22 through April 27

Special thanks to the Tigers class and the Teachers who facilitated this project, along with the Saugerties Earth Day Committee for including our school in this event. We also share our appreciation for the land we inhabit and all the experiences that are woven into its history. 

To learn more about the ways in which we are connected to the Earth, and to see a calendar of events for the week, visit the website of Saugerties Earth Day Week: https://www.saugertiesearthdayweek.org

___

@saugertiesearthdayweek

#earthday
#interconnection
#buddhisteducationforchildren
#connectingwithnature
#outdoorclassroom
#saugertiesevents
#hudsonvalleyschools
#upstateschools
#upstatenewyork ...

DHARMA ART BENEFIT - now through APRIL 26
Supporting education for children rooted in Buddhist wisdom and compassion

Lasha Mutual shares thoughts on her relationship with creativity:

“Imagery from sadhana practice bubbles around in my mind’s eye until a spark of inspiration provides the impetus to make the image manifest, and then the process of creating these dharma-inspired paintings flows with a sense of ease, energy and delight.”

Lasha Mutual has generously donated six of her works in support of Middle Way School. Proceeds from our Dharma Art Benefit support our need to raise $108,000 by the end of the school year this June.

Rooted in Buddhist teachings, Middle Way School cultivates compassion, collaboration, and creativity in the minds of our young learners.

Explore these works and many others in our online Dharma Art Benefit Auction—including ‘Wisdom Dakini,’ which was featured on the cover of Buddhadharma magazine, a Lion’s Roar Publication.

___

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Lasha Mutual for supporting Middle Way School!

Thank you for celebrating dharma-based education for children. May your generosity for this unique model of education echo its benefit to all beings everywhere.

Explore and support Middle Way School—NOW through April 26.

See bio for link.

___

@lashamutual
@khyentsefoundation
@middlewayschool
@lionsroarbuddhism

#MiddleWaySchool
#LashaMutual
#LionsRoarMagazine
#BuddhaDharmaMagazine
#BuddhistEducationForChildren
#SupportingOneAnother
#ArtBenefit #DharmaArt
#MindfulEducation
#DJKR
#DzongsarKhyentseRinpoche ...

DHARMA ART BENEFIT - now through APRIL 26
Supporting education for children rooted in Buddhist wisdom and compassion

We are honored to feature ‘Skymind,’ an archival giclée print with Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche’s original calligraphy in gold, signed by Artist Andra Samelson (24 x 36 in, limited edition of 21).

These artists have generously donated their creations for the benefit of Middle Way School and the awakening of all beings. Proceeds support the school’s heartfelt intent to expand the mindset of modern education. Rooted in Buddhist teachings, Middle Way School nurtures a profound understanding of the world and an interconnection with all beings.

The theme of our benefit auction, Seeds of Awakening, is inspired by the awakened nature of springtime, as well as the calligraphic overlay by Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche on Andra Samelson’s edition of ‘Skymind.’ Each of the three giclée prints offered are embellished with original calligraphy by Dzongsar Khysentse Rinpoche, depicting the seed syllables of OM, A, HUNG.

Explore this creation and others for a limited time—NOW through APRIL 26.

SEE BIO for ‘Seeds of Awakening’ link.

___

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Andra Samelson for her visual exploration of the dharma, and Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, on whose vision our school is founded. We are deeply grateful for the inspiration and unwavering support. Thank you for celebrating dharma-based education for children. May your generosity for this unique model echo its benefit to all beings everywhere.

___

@middlewayschool
@khyentse
@khyentsefoundation
@andrasamelson

📸 Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche: @pawo
📸 Andra Samelson by Ann Landi

#MiddleWaySchool
#DzongsarKhyentseRinpoche
#DJKR
#AndraSamelson
#BuddhistEducationForChildren
#SupportingOneAnother
#ArtBenefit
#DharmaArt
#MindfulEducation
@siddharthasintent ...

DHARMA ART BENEFIT -  MARCH 24 to APRIL 26
Supporting education for children rooted in Buddhist wisdom and compassion

BID or BUY NOW!

We are honored to offer this artwork for sale by Barbara Bash in our online Dharma Art Benefit: 

‘Gesture’, Original Ink Painting on Canvas 
30 x 30 in

A long-time friend of Middle Way School, Barbara shares her meditative calligraphy practice rooted in Heaven, Earth, and Human principles. She inspires a wide range of learners—from Naropa University to our young students, staff members, and parent community. Her work fosters present-moment awareness, invites self-reflection, and explores ideas of impermanence.

In Barbara’s own words : 

“It has always been about engaging with the alive line—of the alphabet—the pencil and pen—the brush—the good conversation. I am following a dynamic dialogue with the world—with the page—with others—with myself. The stroke of a life.”

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Barbara Bash for supporting Middle Way School! EXPLORE this creation by Barbara Bash and support Middle Way School—NOW through April 26. 

Thank you for celebrating dharma-based education for children. May your generosity for this unique model of learning echo its benefit to all beings everywhere. 

See bio for link. 

___

@bbashbigbrush108
@skylakelodge
@naropau
@khyentsefoundation
@chronicles_trungpa_rinpoche 

#MiddleWaySchool
#BarbaraBash
#Skylake 
#NaropaUniversity
#Bigbrush
#BuddhistEducationForChildren
#DharmaArt
#MindfulEducation
#DJKR
#DzongsarKhyentseRinpoche ...

Our campus is full of creativity this morning! Join us TODAY, Saturday, April 5, from 10 to noon for our Spring Open House, Art Show, and Bake Sale!

See the skillful artwork of our students exhibited in every classroom. We’ll have hands-on art activities for children of all ages— drawing, collaging, printmaking, and more—plus a delicious bake sale!

Explore our forested campus, get to know teachers and families, and find out why Middle Way School has been named “Best Independent School” in the Hudson Valley by Chronogram readers for three years in a row.

Saturday, Apr. 5 (10 am – 12 pm)
268 West Saugerties Rd, Saugerties, NY

We’re looking forward to meeting you!

___

#buddhisteducationforchildren
#connectingwithourcommunity
#bakesale
#saugertiesevents
#hudsonvalleyschools
#upstateschools
#hudsonvalleyprivateschools
#hudsonvalleyalternativeschools
#upstatenewyork ...

DHARMA ART BENEFIT - MARCH 24 to APRIL 26
Supporting education for children rooted in Buddhist wisdom and compassion

BID or BUY NOW!

Inspired by a teaching from His Eminence Garchen Triptrul Rinpoche, Calligraphy artist Luke Townsend explores the limitless qualities of love. 

The students at Middle Way School also explore these qualities of love and compassion for all beings through our dynamic curriculum based in Buddhist wisdom and compassion. 

We are honored to include and offer this artwork for sale by Luke Townsend in our MWS online Dharma Art Benefit Auction: 

Limited Edition Giclée Print on Hahnemühle Hemp Paper

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Luke Townsend for supporting Middle Way School!

Thank you for celebrating dharma-based education for children. May your generosity for this unique model of education echo its benefit to all beings everywhere.

Explore this creation by Luke Townsend and support Middle Way School—NOW through April 26.

See bio for link.

___

@townsend.studio
@khyentse
@khyentsefoundation

#MiddleWaySchool
#LukeTownsend
#Calligraphy
#TibetanCalligraphy
#BuddhistEducationForChildren
#SupportingOneAnother
#ArtBenefit #DharmaArt
#MindfulEducation
#DJKR
#DzongsarKhyentseRinpoche ...

Springtime brings fresh beginnings and new experiences on the horizon. It’s a great time of year to share perspectives from families whose children have grown up at Middle Way School. They’ve seen the benefits of individualized attention for every child, ample time outdoors convening with nature, and a dharma-based foundation for understanding of the world.

CURIOUS TO LEARN MORE? Join us this weekend for our Spring Open House and Art Show. Tour our forested campus, meet the Teachers, and chat with other families. Sample hands-on art activities for children of all ages, plus homemade baked goods from our community.

Saturday, Apr. 5 (10 am – 12 pm)
268 West Saugerties Rd, Saugerties, NY

Insights from ALUMNI FAMILIES whose children have graduated to their next scholastic step:
___

“My child’s transition from Middle Way to public school has been smooth. She has been on the high honor roll every quarter and her science teacher commented that she’s very curious and asks great questions.”
___

“Our son is well-prepared and doing well. He began the year well above grade level in Math. We were nervous that he would have to learn a whole new style of Math and thankfully he had all the skills necessary to succeed.”
___

“[My child] is doing great and he never feels unprepared!”
___

“After two marking periods, [our child] has straight A’s and a 98% average. We recently learned that she has been selected to take the advanced science class (Biology) as an 8th grader, and it has been recommended for her to join the accelerated Math program. I feel so grateful to Middle Way for the solid educational foundation she received here and for the caring, talented teachers that she got to learn with and be inspired by. THANK YOU!!!”

___

#buddhisteducationforchildren
#bestindependentschool
#outdoorclassroom
#brightlearners
#mindfulalternative
#hudsonvalleyschools
#upstateschools
#hudsonvalleyprivateschools
#hudsonvalleyalternativeschools
#upstatenewyork ...

You’re invited to our Spring Open House and Art Show!
Saturday, Apr. 5 (10 am – 12 pm)

Explore our forested campus, meet teachers and families, and find out why Middle Way School has been named “Best Independent School” in the Hudson Valley by Chronogram readers for three years in a row.

We’ll have hands-on art activities for children of all ages—drawing, collaging, printmaking, and more—plus a delicious bake sale.

Bring a friend and help us spread the word!

___

#buddhisteducationforchildren
#connectingwithourcommunity
#bakesale
#makenewfriends
#hudsonvalleyschools
#upstateschools
#hudsonvalleyprivateschools
#hudsonvalleyalternativeschools
#upstatenewyork ...

Middle Way School students from our 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grade classes recently worked together to create a Giving Tree for our community, situated in the Village of Saugerties. The children crafted small, handmade gifts for our neighbors, infused with intentions to spread light and joy into our community and our world.

This delightful project was created in a collaboration between our Dharma, Art, and Outdoor Education teachers to encourage the students to make creations that they share instead of keep. Materials were selected with a focus on re-use and repurposing. There were book marks, prismatic light-catchers, up-cycled coin wallets, and hand sewn hearts.

Visitors of all ages were curious to see what was made with their friendship in mind! It started some great conversations and helped to open up our appreciation for one another.

___

#buddhisteducationforchildren
#connectingwithourcommunity
#collaboration
#interconnection
#workingtogether
#sharinglove
#givingtree
#upcycling
#caringforothers
#bodhicitta ...

Introducing SEEDS of AWAKENING
A Dharma Art Benefit connecting our global friends
to the heart of Buddhist-based education for children

LIVE NOW through April 26, 2025

~ link in bio ~

As we celebrate the Spring Equinox today, we invite you to explore and support SEEDS of AWAKENING!

Participate in this meaningful event by purchasing artwork that inspires and uplifts. Your support directly enables us to continue offering and evolving our unique, Buddhist-based approach to childhood education—providing timeless refuge for children navigating the wonders and challenges of our complex modern world.

We ask for your help in raising $66,000 by June, 2025—to reach this year’s goal of $108,000 for the Middle Way School Annual Fund.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the 24 ARTISTS who have generously contributed their beautiful, Dharma-inspired creations.

And we thank YOU for your generosity!

We invite you to multiply the merits of giving by sharing this appeal on social media. We are all connected to one another in some special way.

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@middlewayschool
@khyentse
@khyentsefoundation
@andrasamelson

#BuddhistEducationForChildren
#SupportingOneAnother
#ArtBenefit
#DharmaArt
#MindfulEducation
#DJKR
#DzongsarKhyentseRinpoche
#108
#SpringEquinox ...

From all of us at Middle Way School, we wish you a happy Losar! Today we welcome the YEAR OF THE WOOD SNAKE—a symbol of renewal, flexibility, and gentleness. May the loving heart of dharma awaken compassion and wisdom in all beings everywhere—on this day and all days.

From our morning offering puja to our afternoon snake parade, we’re celebrating the Tibetan New Year on this day. Our campus is alive with Losar festivities! Students share offerings, freshen their classrooms, feast on momos and sing songs together—precious Middle Way School traditions.

✨ Losar Tashi Delek!! ✨

On this auspicious day, we invite you to join us in multiplying our good merit in support of Middle Way School and our mission to be a model school for Buddhist-based childhood education worldwide.

https://middlewayschool.org/annualfund/

We are excited and committed to our continued creation of a living model for childhood education rooted in Buddhist wisdom and compassion, in partnership with Middle Way Education and generously supported by @khyentsefoundation .

For a wealth of resources and activities benefiting children, educators, and parents globally, please visit @middlewayedu . We also invite you to learn more about our sister schools in Asia: Lhomon Education in Bhutan; Kanishka School in India; Blue Lion Preschool in Singapore; and the Jataka School in Thailand (opening in 2026).

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#buddhisteducationforchildren
#middleway
#openheart
#losar
#yearofthewoodsnake
#resilience
#dharmakids

@thejatakaschool
@bluelionpreschool
@lhomoneducation
http://dzongsarinstitute.org.in/en/primary-school/ ...

From all of us at Middle Way School, we wish you a happy Losar! Today we welcome the YEAR OF THE WOOD SNAKE—a symbol of renewal, flexibility, and gentleness. May the loving heart of dharma awaken compassion and wisdom in all beings everywhere—on this day and all days.

From our morning offering puja to our afternoon snake parade, we’re celebrating the Tibetan New Year on this day. Our campus is alive with Losar festivities! Students share offerings, freshen their classrooms, feast on momos and sing songs together—precious Middle Way School traditions.

✨ Losar Tashi Delek!! ✨

On this auspicious day, we invite you to join us in multiplying our good merit in support of Middle Way School and our mission to be a model school for Buddhist-based childhood education worldwide.

https://middlewayschool.org/annualfund/

We are excited and committed to our continued creation of a living model for childhood education rooted in Buddhist wisdom and compassion, in partnership with Middle Way Education and generously supported by @khyentsefoundation .

For a wealth of resources and activities benefiting children, educators, and parents globally, please visit @middlewayedu . We also invite you to learn more about our sister schools in Asia: Lhomon Education in Bhutan; Kanishka School in India; Blue Lion Preschool in Singapore; and the Jataka School in Thailand (opening in 2026).

___

#buddhisteducationforchildren
#middleway
#openheart
#losar
#yearofthewoodsnake
#resilience
#dharmakids

@thejatakaschool
@bluelionpreschool
@lhomoneducation
http://dzongsarinstitute.org.in/en/primary-school/ ...

From all of us at Middle Way School, we wish you a happy Losar! Today we welcome the YEAR OF THE WOOD SNAKE—a symbol of renewal, flexibility, and gentleness. May the loving heart of dharma awaken compassion and wisdom in all beings everywhere—on this day and all days.

From our morning offering puja to our afternoon snake parade, we’re celebrating the Tibetan New Year on this day. Our campus is alive with Losar festivities! Students share offerings, freshen their classrooms, feast on momos and sing songs together—precious Middle Way School traditions.

✨ Losar Tashi Delek!! ✨

On this auspicious day, we invite you to join us in multiplying our good merit in support of Middle Way School and our mission to be a model school for Buddhist-based childhood education worldwide.

https://middlewayschool.org/annualfund/

We are excited and committed to our continued creation of a living model for childhood education rooted in Buddhist wisdom and compassion, in partnership with Middle Way Education and generously supported by @khyentsefoundation.

For a wealth of resources and activities benefiting children, educators, and parents globally, please visit @middlewayedu. We also invite you to learn more about our sister schools in Asia: Lhomon Education in Bhutan; Kanishka School in India; Blue Lion Preschool in Singapore; and the Jataka School in Thailand (opening in 2026).

___

#buddhisteducationforchildren
#middleway
#openheart
#losar
#yearofthewoodsnake
#resilience
#dharmakids

@thejatakaschool
@bluelionpreschool
@lhomoneducation
http://dzongsarinstitute.org.in/en/primary-school/ ...

As students mature into their older childhood, it’s natural for parents to wonder about which options might best support their child’s growth.

One parent—who has been with Middle Way School from its earliest years—speaks to why he continues to choose meditation and mindfulness over a standardized path:

“I’m so thankful to stretch our child’s experience at Middle Way into his tween years. In a time of such big changes—both internally and globally—I’m in no rush to trade acres of forested splendor and deep discussions in an intimate class size… for a more standardized setting with testing pressure and the expectation to conform. At Middle Way, the kind-hearted teachers meet his laser-sharp mind in all sorts of challenging ways. His imagination is fostered and he’s thriving academically. While his critical thinking and awakened heart are SO far beyond his years, he’s also able to hang on to the tenderness of childhood and have a real love of learning without it being a stressful experience. I couldn’t be happier with our choice, especially now as he goes into sixth grade.”

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#bestindependentschool
#wonderbased
#dharmabasedlearning
#wholehuman
#childhood
#happyandfree
#hudsonvalleyschools
#hudsonvalleyalternativeschools
#theimportanceofwhatcantbemeasured

@opus40 ...

For the fourth year in a row, our Head of School Grace Ann Louis has been nominated for the most shining Youth Advocate in the region. She has held this top honor in Upstate New York for the past three years, and we’re all pleased to celebrate her recognition once again!

Grace is a champion for integrating contemplative practices into everyday education. She is an advocate for protecting the precious experiences of childhood and understands the importance of connecting with a child’s innate sense of wonder. She sees the unique qualities and needs of every child and helps to sculpt their educational experience to ensure they flourish.

Thank you, Grace, for guiding and challenging each one of our students with joy in your heart!

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@chronogram

https://chronogrammedia.secondstreetapp.com/og/862f1e2e-b8a5-4fe2-9296-9b0e4df78c28/gallery/472793605

#buddhisteducationforchildren
#youthadvocate
#childcentered
#hudsonvalleyschools
#updstatenyschools
#everychild
#contemplativelearning
#playbasedlearning ...

Congratulations to our Outdoor Education teacher Dorothy Varner for her nomination as most influential Environmental Advocate/Activist in the whole region! Middle Way families know this recognition comes naturally—Dorothy’s pure passion about the intersection of science and nature is delightfully contagious. With an abundant forest as an outdoor classroom, she keeps finding new ways to spark a joyful engagement. She has a gift for helping students truly feel the ways in which we are connected to what dwells around us—both seen and unseen.

When we understand our interconnection with all life, we become a voice for those who cannot speak for themselves.

Thank you, Dorothy, for being an advocate for the earth and for showing us that science is pure magic!!

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@chronogram

https://chronogrammedia.secondstreetapp.com/og/862f1e2e-b8a5-4fe2-9296-9b0e4df78c28/gallery/473127692

#hudsonvalleyecology
#scienceismagic
#natureeveryday
#onewithnature
#forestawareness
#avoicefortheearth
#youngenvironmentalists
#interconnection
#allbeings
#caretakers
#hudsonvalleyschools
#updstatenyschools
#outdoorclassroom ...

Middle Way School teachers and staff members recently gathered for a read-aloud focused on Black History Month. Our inspiring school librarian Robin Shornstein selected nearly 200 books that celebrate stories and achievements of people from African descent across the globe. These selections are being shared in our classrooms this month—and all throughout the year—to highlight the significant contributions and historical struggles of the African diaspora, to help us better understand the ways in which we are all connected.

Understanding the joys and hardships of others helps us to awaken our own hearts.

We applaud Robin Shornstein for her nomination in @Chronogram magazine’s esteemed Readers Poll this year as Best Librarian in the region. Anyone who has ever encountered her genuine enthusiasm for literacy and joyful involvement with every young reader’s interests will attest to how special she is.

Thank you, Robin, for inspiring both our students and our staff to push boundaries and fall in love with reading!

https://chronogrammedia.secondstreetapp.com/og/862f1e2e-b8a5-4fe2-9296-9b0e4df78c28/gallery/472750434

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#literacy
#bodhicitta
#interconnection
#librarylove
#sharingstories
#awakeninghearts
#blackhistory
#buddhadharma
#HudsonValleyLife
#HudsonValley
#UpstateNY
#HudsonValleyNY ...

In many cultures, Saraswati Day invites a celebration of scholarly learning, creativity, language, and an appreciation of the arts. This holiday is named for the pan-Asian deity who symbolizes knowledge, eloquence, and inspiration. Some choose this day to support a school, or symbolically start their children’s learning journey by teaching them the alphabet. 

Is there a way you might honor the joy of learning, or embark on a new path of your own? In what ways do you make time for creativity in your week? When is the last time you were inspired by a poem or gazed at the stars in wonder? What music, song, dance, poetry, or films inspire you and why?

If you feel moved on this auspicious day to help learning flourish, we are grateful for your support: https://middlewayschool.org/annualfund/

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#saraswatiday
#celebratingcultures
#learningaroundtheworld
#outdoorscience
#multiplyingminds
#drawingfromcreativity
#inspiredbyothers
#february ...

✨ Registration is NOW OPEN for Middle Way School SUMMER of WONDER: 5 WEEKS! Jun. 30 – Aug. 2, 2025

Middle Way School SUMMER of WONDER welcomes all children for outdoor adventures and inward exploration! Five incredible weeks feature splashing in the sun, collaborative games, wilderness skills, arts and crafts, meditation, and more! Each week is infused with the Buddhist-based wisdom of awareness, tools for centering oneself, creating confidence, and building community.

Open to rising kindergarteners through rising 6th graders, plus MWS young alumni! If your child will be a young alumni of MWS and is interested in playing a helping role, please email for more info: [email protected].

✨ Early-bird discount NOW through Feb. 15!

To learn more and sign up today, visit:
https://middlewayschool.org/summer/

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#upstatesummercamp
#ulstercountysummercamp
#contemplativecamps
#outdooradventures
#inwardexploration
#connectionstonature
#creatingconfidence
#hudsonvalleysummercamps
#catskillssummercamp
#saugertiescamps ...