About The Park School of Baltimore

With a Welcome from Head of School Dan Paradis

A Message from Head of School Dan Paradis

Welcome. I invite you to explore our website to get a glimpse of the excitement of our daily life, to delve into our academic programs of study, to learn about our inspired and inspiring faculty, and to begin the process of getting to know Park’s mission, philosophy, and values. Our community has much to share with you. We love our school. We love talking about our students, teaching, learning, and what it means to be a confident questioner and responsible citizen of this world.

One of the most rewarding experiences I have as Head of School is interacting with Park alumni who have gone off to pursue further academic achievement, develop professional interests and careers, and continue the process of choosing for themselves from the wide range of possibilities life offers. Hearing how their outlook on life was shaped by their time at Park is the best reflection of the Park philosophy and mission; an expression of the love, devotion, and skill of our teachers; and a manifestation of the true, deep, lasting partnership with our families.

Not too long ago, alumnus Tamas Szalay ’06 returned to Park to share his Applied Physics doctoral research with our Upper Schoolers. As he concluded the assembly, he offered three takeaways for our students: Be Curious; Be Yourself; and Be Grateful. These are simple, actionable ideas that I’ve come to consider central to the Park experience. Here’s my take on what Tamas said:

1) Be Curious. We know students learn best when they are engaged and invested in their work. As a progressive school, we honor and cultivate students’ innate curiosity and, therefore, can explore deeply, make connections among disciplines, and apply knowledge to the real-world situations that matter most to our students and their futures.

2) Be Yourself. Successfully fulfilling the Park Mission is incumbent upon respecting individuals and all of our glorious differences. There is no mold for a Park student; rather, Park students are charged with the responsibility of bringing their best authentic selves to school each day. In so doing, they don’t merely fill a space in the community, but create a community that reflects who each of us truly is. You can, and should, be yourself at Park.

3) Be Grateful. We are so fortunate to live and learn in a community that respects ideas, celebrates creativity, supports one another, and thrives on the notion of positive expectations. As stewards of this remarkable place, we have the responsibility and opportunity to express our gratitude in countless ways — first and foremost, by making the most out of our time here.

I thank you for your interest in The Park School, and invite you to visit us here on Old Court Road to experience the people, the philosophy, and this special campus. I hope this is the beginning of an exciting journey for you and your family.

And please see below for some quick facts about our school.

Dan Paradis signature

Dan Paradis
Head of School



About The Park School of Baltimore

SOME QUICK FACTS

1912

PARK WAS FOUNDED IN 1912 by forward-thinking, public-spirited citizens, who understood their responsibility to provide the best possible education for their children.


GENERAL INFORMATION

Grade LevelsPre-Kindergarten (Age 4) through Grade 12
Student GenderInclusive
MissionDevoted to intellectual inquiry, a collaborative spirit of learning, and an appreciation for the diversity of human experience, The Park School of Baltimore is a community founded on positive expectations of our students and respect for individual differences.

We cultivate children’s innate curiosity by nurturing their interests and engaging them as active participants in their own education.

We support young people in becoming confident questioners and responsible citizens of the world.
PhilosophyProgressive

• Learn more about the Park philosophy by clicking here.

• Learn more about the principles of progressive education by clicking here.
Dress CodePark School does not have a formal dress code.

Students wear clothes that are comfortable and appropriately respectful of a learning environment. Casual clothes (t-shirts, sweaters, jeans) and a range of footwear (sneakers, sandals, etc.) are all acceptable.

CAMPUS & FACILITIES

Location2425 Old Court Road
Baltimore, MD 21208
• Just off the Greenspring Ave exit from 695
• Minutes from I-83, the Jones Falls Expressway (Old Court Road exit)
• Located in Baltimore County, just three miles from the City line
Campus Features100 acres including interconnected academic buildings, rooftop observatory, freestanding Kindergarten building and adjacent playground, 44,000 square foot arts center, 42,000 square foot athletic center, playing fields (including a state-of-the-art AstroTurf field), student-designed lower school playground, woodlands, tributary, pond, ropes course, trails, gardens, and more. In the fall of 2023, Park opened a new 12,500 square foot Science + Engineering Wing. Additional acreage at the nearby Sugar Campus includes open meadows and athletic fields that include a regulation NCAA baseball field maintained in partnership with Stevenson University.

HOURS

School Hours8:30 a.m.–3:15 p.m.
Early ArrivalEarly drop-off begins at 7:30 a.m.
After School & Extended DayAvailable until 6 p.m.

The Park School Student Body

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856 students in our academic community

0

Upper School students
(Grades 9–12)

0

Middle School students
(Grades 6–8)

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Lower School students
(Pre-K–Grade 5)

MORE ABOUT OUR SCHOOL

FACULTY

Total FacultyFull-time and Part-time Faculty: 123
Advanced
Degrees
Advanced degrees: 108 hold master’s or other advanced degrees, with 11 Ph.D.s, 2 Ed.D., 1 J.D., and 1 Honorary Doctor of Letters among them.
Average Teaching Experience20 years
Average Tenure at Park10 years
Diversity22% of the faculty and 28% of our administrators identify as people of color.

ACADEMICS

Average Number of Course Offerings Per YearUpper School: 201
Middle School: 124
Lower School: 40
Average Test ScoresMiddle 50% SAT scores for the class of 2023:
• Math 560-680
• EBRW 590-710
Advanced Placement scores for 2023:
• 95 tests taken
• 87% scored 3, 4, or 5. A score of 3 or above is a qualifier for college placement out of a requirement or into an advanced-level course.
Average Class Size15
Student-Teacher Ratio7:1

ACADEMIC ADMINISTRATION

Head of SchoolDaniel J. Paradis (2008)
AB Princeton University
MAT Brown University
Associate Head of SchoolPriscilla Morales (2016)
BA Yale University
MA The Klingenstein Center, Teachers College – Columbia University
Upper School PrincipalTraci Wright (1997)
BS Towson State University
MA Bowie State University
Upper School Dean of StudentsElliott Huntsman (2004)
BS Yale University
MA Education – Independent School Leadership, Columbia University
Middle School PrincipalJoshua Wolf (1994)
BA University of Pennsylvania
MA The Klingenstein Center, Teachers College – Columbia University
Middle School Dean of StudentsShrijana Puri (2008)
BA Washington College, Chestertown
MEd University of East Anglia
Lower School PrincipalMatt Doyle (2005)
BA Canisius College
MEd Loyola University, Maryland
Lower School Assistant PrincipalKatrina Holmberg (2007)
BA Vassar College
MA Teachers College – Columbia University
Director of Diversity, Equity, and InclusionAkira Townes ’13 (2021)
BA Bates College
MPH University of Washington

ATHLETICS

Teams53 in Lower, Middle, and Upper School
FacilitiesThe 42,000 square foot athletic center contains three basketball courts, the Lyn P. Meyerhoff Fitness Center, visiting and home team locker rooms, and an outdoor swimming pool. Two additional basketball courts are located in the Blaustein wing of the main building. There are five playing fields on Park’s main campus – including a state-of-the-art Astroturf field – and four on the nearby Sugar Campus.
MascotBruin
SportsCross Country • Soccer • Tennis • Field Hockey • Volleyball • Squash • Basketball • Track • Lacrosse • Softball • Baseball

ARTS

Arts & Arts IntegrationPark offers experiences in theater, music, and visual art at all grade levels. In addition to Park’s tradition of dynamic arts programming, we have a long history of integration of the arts into our curriculum, and we recognize the role creativity plays in all aspects of academic excellence.
FacilitiesThe 44,000 square foot Wyman Arts Center includes two galleries, an outdoor amphitheater, Meyerhoff Theater, Macks-Fidler Black Box Theater, practice rooms, rehearsal space, ceramics, 3-D sculpture, woodworking, jewelry, painting, photography, digital graphics studios, recording studio, and keyboard lab.

ACCREDITATIONS & AFFILIATIONS

AccreditationAssociation of Independent Maryland & DC Schools (AIMS)

Malone Schools

(Malone Scholarship Program)
From 2000 to 2012, just 50 independent schools throughout the United States were selected to receive a $2 million endowment grant by the prestigious Malone Family Foundation on the basis of their academic caliber; the quality of their staff; excellent accommodations for talented students; strong enrichment programs; attention to the individual student’s needs, interests, and talents; financial strength and stability; a commitment to financial aid; and an economically, culturally, ethnically, and socially diverse population. Park is one of two Maryland schools, and the only Baltimore school, to be so recognized. The endowment funds tuition assistance grants supporting academically talented students entering Grades 7-10.  parkschool.net/malone
Additional MembershipsNational Association of Independent Schools (NAIS)
• Association of Independent Maryland and DC Schools (AIMS)
• Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland (IAAM)
• Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA)
Baltimore Educational Scholarship Fund (B.E.S.T.)
• Baltimore Independent School Collaborative (BISC)
• Middle Grades Partnership (MGP)

ADMISSION

Deadlines
December 1:
Pre-Kindergarten (Age 4)
Kindergarten (Age 5)
Grades 1–5

December 15:
Grades 6–12
Common Entry Points• Pre-Kindergarten (Age 4)
• Kindergarten (Age 5)
• First Grade
• Sixth Grade
• Ninth Grade

FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Tuition Assistance49% of Park’s students receive tuition assistance.

40% through the Tuition Assistance Program

• 9% through the Employee Tuition Remission Program

GRADUATES

College Matriculations99% of our graduates enroll in a four-year college within one year of graduation.
College SelectionsClick to see a complete listing of college selections by graduates of the Classes of 2019-2023.
Total Alumni4793

Click here to learn about Park alumni as they pursue further academic achievement, develop professional pursuits, and continue the process of choosing for themselves from the wide range of possibilities life offers.

CAFETERIA

HighlightsThe Cafeteria prepares its menu using locally sourced, whole food ingredients when possible.
Upper & Middle SchoolsStudents may purchase hot or cold lunches.
Grades 2–5Children may bring lunch from home or purchase items from a limited menu.
First GradeFirst graders eat in their homerooms but may purchase whole, 2%, or skim milk.

TRANSPORTATION

RoutesPark offers bus transportation to and from many neighborhoods in Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Howard County, and Harford County.
FeesTransportation fees are based on one-way or round-trip travel, and the number of children per family being transported. Families may select a.m. and p.m. options, and may do so for individual trimesters or for the whole year.
DISCOVER MORE
Academics
Learn more about Park’s Pre-K through Grade 12 academic programs.
Affording Park
Our need-based Tuition Assistance makes a Park education affordable.
discovermore-chat-with-park-parent
Connect with a Park Parent
Direct-message or speak with current Park parents!