An independent co-educational school serving preschool through Grade 8.

Academics at Clark

For more than 60 years, thousands of students have experienced the unique academic opportunities afforded by The Stanley Clark School. An emphasis on hands-on and experiential learning and a nurturing collaborative environment are just a few features that set Stanley Clark apart. Our graduates leave ready for success, with the ability to problem solve, think creatively, and express individual viewpoints.

1st grade students working at desks

Highlights of a Stanley Clark Education

An Environment of Mutual Respect - Students of all ages are respected as learners and empowered to make choices.

Early Childhood: Our Reggio Emilia pedagogy in preschool and kindergarten engages students as highly competent co-researchers in their learning.

Lower School: Our 1st-4th graders are building a breadth and depth of knowledge, drawing from what they are learning and encouraged to elevate it to the next level.

Middle School: Students in 5th-8th grade learn to take ownership and responsibility for their coursework, empowered to ask questions or spill out into hallways to study independently or in collaborative groups.

7th graders in science class looking into a microscope

Develops Life-Long Learners - Our faculty fuel a love for learning by encouraging students to do their best and explore new ideas. Students build a toolbox of ways to communicate and research. Whether through learning to write a theme statement, developing lab reports, creative and performing arts, or challenging themselves on an athletic field, students emerge from Clark with poise, confidence, and passion.

Preschool 4 student working alongside teacher

A Cross-Disciplinary Approach - Academics at Stanley Clark seamlessly tie into creative and co-curricular studies. A project in art class may reinforce a social studies or language arts topic, or a student's interest may become the theme to develop writing, science, and math skills.

Cross-Divisional Opportunities - While our students range from 3 years old through 8th grade, we are one school community, sharing and growing together. Our three divisions allow us to focus on specific developmental stages, but being housed under one roof creates an opportunity for cross-divisional collaboration. Students practice following and leading in a nurturing environment.

A Growth Mindset - Students are encouraged to take calculated risks and learn to move forward when things don't go as planned - a valuable tool to learn in the early formative years. Instead of being hesitant to try for the fear of the unknown, we consider what we don’t know “yet.”

Learn More About Our Three Divisions

Early Childhood

Link Goes Here

Lower School

Link Goes Here

Middle School

Link Goes Here

Tiger Talk Blog

Students petting a turtle
A Passion for Sea Turtles Inspires Year-Long Reggio-Inspired Learning in Preschool
Lindsey Hab, Director of Marketing and Communications

Early in the school year, when a student brought a book to school about sea turtles, no one could have imagined at the time the breadth and depth of where this organically emergent topic would take the class of preschoolers. What unfolded was an incredible example of how learning takes place in a Reggio Emilia-inspired classroom, where students' curiosity leads to rich discovery, collaboration, development, and growth, all centered around students' interests. Read about Mrs. Gratrix and Mrs. Bobos' 4/5 class's engaging journey throughout the school year and how a passion for sea turtles has made such a tremendous impact.

Two lower school boys painting a dog made of clay
Shelter-Dog Artwork Inspires Empathy and Curiosity in Students
Sarah Lotter, Art Teacher: Preschool 3 - Grade 3

When a Stanley Clark alumna reached out with an opportunity to help shelter dogs find their forever homes, our 1st through 3rd grade students were beyond excited to get started! A partnership with The South Bend Animal Resource Center led students to create drawings, posters, and sculptures of dogs up for adoption to draw attention to their unique traits and personalities. Read more about the impact it's had on our students as well as the shelter dogs!

Peyton blowing a bubble for a science lab
A Learning Environment of Mutual Respect
Lindsey Forsyth, Stanley Clark Parent

In her search to find a school where her middle school daughter could rekindle her love for learning, current SCS parent, Lindsey Forsyth, discovered Stanley Clark was exactly what her daughter needed – a place of mutual respect where she could be trusted, seen and challenged.