What are the advantages of Breakwater’s small school environment?Breakwater truly is a place where “everybody knows your name.” We know our students by their distinctive smiles and unique styles. Our small, intimate setting enables us to be a tight-knit community that fosters a culture of belonging, accountability, and support. Older children look out for younger peers on the playground, the Director of Admissions takes a turn supervising recess, and the Head of School often acts as crossing guard in order to welcome kids safely to school. It is in this safe, connected learning environment that children feel secure enough to take risks and move outside of their comfort zones where transformational learning can take place. Our teachers’ in-depth understanding of each child’s physical, emotional, and intellectual strengths and needs enables them to offer a personalized learning experience for each student within the flexible yet structured curriculum. Nearly 40 years of research on small school environments suggests that students in small schools experience many benefits:
Our small school setting gives students more frequent and varied opportunities to develop physical, academic, artistic, and leadership skills in diverse situations. These experiences promote self-awareness and confidence as well as a sense of belonging and a mastery of specific skills. How can my child benefit from attending a pre-K–8 school?At Breakwater, we believe that 11-13-year-olds are still children, and we are committed to preserving the childhoods of our middle school students. Studies suggest that pre-K-8 schools provide many of the same benefits that small school schools offer. Pre-K-8 schools have been found to enhance students’ social capital and create greater opportunities for success by building relationships with staff and peers over a period of up to ten or more years. Overall, students in pre-K-8 programs demonstrate higher academic achievement, increased levels of participation in extracurricular activities, and greater leadership skills than students in traditional elementary or middle school settings. Students in pre-K-8 settings tend to experience less bullying, and the middle schoolers often take on the roles of mentor and role model to younger students. How does Breakwater connect with the larger local and global community?Our goal at Breakwater is to support students in a safe, engaging environment that encourages them to discover their passions and build upon their capabilities as they grow into intelligent, self-aware, and conscientious world citizens. World languages are integrated into the curricula at every level, and many classroom projects and school-wide traditions encourage students to develop empathy and social responsibility and to make connections across cultures and time. In the educational community, Breakwater serves as a teaching practicum site for early childhood education students at Southern Maine Community College (SMCC) and for art education students at the Maine College of Art (MECA). The School also plays a leadership role in the Portland Area Reggio Collaborative (PARC) and is a founding partner for the collaborative Nason’s Corner Park Greening Project. Our teachers are experts in their fields who facilitate our Parent Education Series and other workshops in the community. Many of our faculty also actively work as artists, craftsmen, and musicians outside of Breakwater, and we invite experts from local organizations and universities to teach some of our Enrichment classes, such as theater arts, martial arts, aerial trapeze, and LEGO robotics. Breakwater is described as a “progressive school.” What does this mean?Characterized by a student-centered approach to learning, progressive education values personal integrity, empathy, hard work, optimism, collaboration, and creative expression. The ability to reflect on experience and analyze one’s own ways of learning is essential to each child’s physical, emotional, and intellectual development. At Breakwater, teachers, parents, and children are partners in a celebration of learning. We encourage children to:
We believe that for learners of all ages, learning is most powerful when it is:
How will my child benefit from learning in a multi-age classroom?Multi-age learning environments expose younger students to the lessons and expectations of older students. Such glimpses into the future broaden younger students’ frames of reference and prepare them for the next developmental stage. Older students, in turn, are empowered to take on leadership and mentoring roles, which enhances their sense of purpose and belonging. Studies on the benefits of cooperative learning show that students often learn best from one another. At Breakwater, even our Kindergarteners have opportunities to share their important discoveries with their preschool peers. We frequently observe and monitor students' work to ensure that we provide learning activities that meet each student's needs and challenges him/her at the appropriate skill level. How does Breakwater assess student progress?Research suggests that the more kids are pushed to focus on how they are doing, the more they tend to become disengaged from what they are doing. At Breakwater, we have high academic expectations of our students. We challenge them to do their best work, and we incorporate key national educational standards into our curricula. However, rather than strictly “teaching to the standards,” we immerse our students in an integrated curriculum that gives a meaningful context to their learning. Instead of letter grades, we use multiple forms of assessment to inform our instructional planning and to keep students–and their parents–aware of their progress. Through formal and informal observations and assessments, parent-teacher conferences, student portfolios, and other evaluation methods, we provide a well-balanced picture of each student’s growth, development, strengths, and learning style. Who are Breakwater's Essentialists?At Breakwater, we believe that immersion in art, music and performing arts, world languages, physical education (Outdoor Adventure), science, and nature is essential to the development of each child’s body, mind and spirit. That’s why we refer to the teachers who lead these areas Essentialists. Our Essentialists work together with classroom teachers to integrate disciplines and give context and relevance to the total learning experience. What skills will my child gain from Breakwater’s Outdoor Adventure Program?Breakwater’s Outdoor Adventure Program is an adventure-based physical education program designed to provide outdoor experiences that help children build confidence, practice cooperation, learn leadership skills, and develop an appreciation for nature. Adventure-based education provides a series of direct, active, and engaging learning experiences that involve the whole person and have real consequences. An experience becomes an adventure when it evokes a sense of surprise and feels unique and relevant to the student. At the beginning of each year, activities focus on building community and encouraging teamwork, laying the foundation for ongoing group support, personal risk-taking, and individual growth. Later in the year, class trips and expeditions continue to provide students with opportunities to challenge themselves individually and to hone their cooperative skills. Trips typically include the Sweetser School’s low ropes course in Saco, Maine Rock Gym, wilderness hikes in the mountains, sea kayaking, and cross-country skiing. Early Childhood students visit Jessie Land, the Fore River Sanctuary, and our own rock wall located in the Dan. What is the purpose of Breakwater’s Social/Emotional curriculum?Our Social-Emotional curriculum begins in our toddler classroom and continues to build students’ self-confidence and self-awareness throughout the middle school years. It is designed to help students of all ages to develop and hone the skills they need to negotiate the social maze of daily school life on their journey toward independence. Because any given school day naturally requires students to solve problems, resolve conflicts, deal with disappointments, and manage their feelings and behavior, we begin early in the year to develop a common set of skills, rules, and language for students to use in their interactions with others. We construct daily opportunities for students to work individually, with partners, and with small and large groups on such skills as: playing cooperatively, advocating for oneself or a friend, appropriately demonstrating emotions, and learning to interpret the behaviors of others. Through modeling and role playing in both structured and unstructured activities, children develop self-control and gain competence in their ability to make friends, resolve conflicts, express feelings, cope with stress, and choose appropriate alternatives to aggressive behavior. How and when can I apply for admission to Breakwater?Breakwater welcomes families who value education and childhood equally. The application process typically begins mid-October and continues throughout the spring. Applications for our first round of admissions are due by February 15. After this date, we continue to accept applications on a rolling basis. To learn more about our admissions process, visit Applying to Breakwater. To find out if a spot is available for the current school year, contact Abbie Carter, Director of Admissions, at 207-772-4295, x232. Is financial aid available?Financial aid is available for families who qualify. Approximately 40% of Breakwater families receive financial assistance from the School. At Breakwater, we value diversity and equity, and financial aid enables us to create a learning environment in which all members respect and learn from one another’s differences. Click here to learn more about applying for financial aid at Breakwater. Does Breakwater provide before and after-school care?Breakwater offers year-round child care coverage to accommodate the needs of busy families. Our BeforeCare and AfterCare programs provide a safe, well-supervised place for children to play or study before and after school.
What Enrichment classes does Breakwater offer after school?Breakwater offers a unique opportunity to self-design your child’s after-school experience by supplementing our lightly structured AfterCare program with selections from our dynamic and diverse Enrichment classes. Check our current Enrichment schedule for a list of wide-ranging weekly classes that rotate every six weeks. From LEGO Robotics and Odyssey of the Mind to theater, art, athletics, and aerial trapeze, there’s something to pique everyone’s interest and keep your child happily engaged after school. Does Breakwater offer a summer program?Breakwater runs three fun and engaging summer programs: Early Childhood Summer Session for toddlers to six-year-olds, and Breakwater Creative Arts Camp or Summer Institute for children ages 7–14. Our summer sessions, Enrichment classes, and AfterCare program are all open to non-Breakwater students. Click here to learn more about summer offerings at breakwater. Why does Breakwater hold recess before lunch?According to recent studies and current best practice in education, when recess comes before lunchtime, students:
Does Breakwater have a lunch program?Breakwater currently partners with The Lion's Den Cafe (located in Catherine McAuley Hisgh School) and Portland House of Pizza to offer a wide-variety of lunch options. Click here for menu and order forms. Please note: Breakwater is a nut-free campus. How do you teach essential skills within a play-based Early Childhood curriculum?At Breakwater we believe that children best acquire skills when they are ready to do so, and that what children learn from early play experiences becomes the foundation for all academic learning. Through their exploration of materials and relationships, our early childhood students begin to construct a basic understanding of the world and learn how to solve problems, communicate, and make their own choices. At the same time, embedded in our daily activities are guided opportunities for students to practice essential foundational skills, such as language acquisition, math and reading readiness, and small and large motor skills. How old must my child be for your Toddler and Preschool Programs?Breakwater’s Toddler Program serves children from 18-36 months old. Children should be at least 18 months by the start of their first session. Each Friday morning, Breakwater also facilitates a Toddler Play Group designed for younger toddlers ages 12 to 28 months and their parent or caregiver. Breakwater also offers an Early Kindergarten (Early-K) Program for children whose parents and teachers have determined that they would benefit from spending two years in Kindergarten. How do I know if the Early Kindergarten Program is right for my child?Parents typically choose the two-year Early-K option for one of two reasons:
Why should I choose Breakwater’s Middle School Program?Young adolescence is a time for students to test assumptions, make mistakes and try on various identities. They need a safe and supportive environment in which teachers who know and care deeply for them can challenge them to take risks, think critically, explore new concepts, and try out leadership roles. Our middle school teachers are trained to understand the unique emotional and academic needs of young adolescents and are committed to helping them develop self-awareness and self-advocacy as they enter the years when peer pressure is most powerful. Our Middle School curriculum is academically challenging, integrated, and relevant to our students’ interests and lives. Click here to learn more about Breakwater’s Middle School Program from some of our graduates. Where do Breakwater students go from here?After Breakwater, many of our graduates attend local public and private schools, including: Falmouth High School, Thornton Academy, Cheverus, North Yarmouth Academy, Waynflete, and others. What remains most important-and consistent-is that our students emerge from Breakwater as independent thinkers, compassionate world citizens, and lifelong learners who possess the academic and interpersonal skills they need to succeed wherever their choices and circumstances take them. |
