Middle Way School

MIDDLE WAY SCHOOL'S CENTRAL MISSION IS TO INTEGRATE THE BUDDHA DHARMA WITH PROGRESSIVE EDUCATION IN ACADEMICS AND ALL OTHER ACTIVITIES AT THE SCHOOL. MWS IS CREATING A MODEL BUDDHIST CURRICULUM IN COLLABORATION WITH MIDDLE WAY EDUCATION, THE SCHOOL'S SISTER ORGANIZATION. THE MWS CURRICULUM WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO OTHER LIKE MINDED EDUCATORS AND EDUCATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AROUND THE GLOBE. MWS'S ASPIRATION IS TO PREPARE STUDENTS TO CONFIDENTLY TAKE THEIR PLACES IN THE MODERN WORLD WITH NOBLE QUALITIES SUCH AS DISCERNING WISDOM, COMPASSION, GENEROSITY AND DISCIPLINE. BEING A DECENT HUMAN BEING WHILE ALSO HAVING FUN ARE HIGH PRIORITIES AT MWS. WE FURTHER STRIVE TO IMPART MWS GRADUATES WITH AN EXPERIENTIAL UNDERSTANDING OF MEDITATION AND THE BASICS OF THE BUDDHIST VIEW INCLUDING IMPERMANENCE, INTERDEPENDENCE IN TANDEM WITH A FUNDAMENTAL MOTIVATION OF ALTRUISM.

AS ONE OF THE FIRST BUDDHIST ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS FOR CHILDREN IN THE WEST, MWS IS AN INDEPENDENT PROGRESSIVE BUDDHIST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WITH APPROXIMATELY 100 STUDENTS AGES 3-12 ENROLLED IN PRE-K TO 6TH GRADE. IN TANDEM WITH THE CORE DHARMA FOCUS OF THE SCHOOL'S MISSION IS A COMMITMENT TO BEING AN ACADEMICALLY EXCELLENT SCHOOL. STUDENTS LEARN A SECOND LANGUAGE, DEVELOP SKILLS IN MUSIC AND ART AND GROW CONFIDENT IN THE SCIENCES, MATH, AND LITERACY. IT IS CENTRAL TO OUR MISSION TO INFUSE ACADEMICS AND OTHER ACTIVITIES WITH DHARMIC PRINCIPLES SUCH AS IMPERMANENCE, LINEAGE, INTERDEPENDENCE AND REFUGE. WE ASPIRE TO BRING FORTH A LIFELONG LOVE OF LEARNING IN OUR CHILDREN. THIS REQUIRES HIGH-QUALITY, PROGRESSIVE TEACHERS WITH A CURIOSITY FOR THE DHARMA AND A STRONG SUPPORTIVE ADMINISTRATION. STUDENTS AND FAMILIES RECEIVE DEDICATED ATTENTION AND INDIVIDUALIZED INSTRUCTION, AS WELL AS AN INVITATION TO WALK THE PATH OF WAKEFULNESS. THE MIDDLE WAY SCHOOL IS A 501(C)3 ORGANIZATION INCORPORATED IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK AND RECOGNIZED BY THE NYS EDUCATION DEPARTMENT (NYSED) AS A NONPUBLIC SCHOOL. IT IS A MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS (NAIS) AND THE ULSTER COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. THE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE MWS MODEL HAPPENS IN COLLABORATION WITH MIDDLE WAY EDUCATION, A SEPARATE NOT FOR PROFIT ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO CREATING PATHWAYS FOR TRADITIONAL BUDDHIST WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE TO ENHANCE MODERN EDUCATION FOR THE BENEFIT OF THIS AND FUTURE GENERATIONS. THE MIDDLE WAY SCHOOL HIRES AND ENROLLS WITHOUT DISCRIMINATING AGAINST ANY IDENTIFYING FACTOR WHICH MAY INCLUDE RACE, AGE, NATIONAL OR ETHNIC ORIGIN, RELIGION, SEX, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, GENDER IDENTITY, OR SOCIOECONOMIC BACKGROUND. WE WILL MAKE ACCESSIBILITY ACCOMMODATIONS FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES TO THE FULLEST EXTENT POSSIBLE. AS AN INSTITUTION AND AS INDIVIDUALS WE RECOGNIZE THAT WE HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO ACTIVELY CHANGE THE POWER DIFFERENCES THAT PERPETUATE BIASES AGAINST HISTORICALLY UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS. OUR INCLUSION EFFORTS ARE A DYNAMIC PROCESS.