About

Mission Vision and Philosophy

Since 1971

In 1971, The New School opened in Fayetteville, Arkansas as a non-profit organization with 24 students age three to six. Today, the independent school has more than 400 students from one-year-olds in the preschool through the 12th grade. Over the years, the school has seen substantial growth, in both the program and the leadership, but the philosophy and mission of the school have stayed very much the same.
At The New School, our philosophy is that a school should inspire a child's love of learning while promoting their social growth, emotional growth, intellectual development and creativity.
We believe that children learn best in a positive environment with careful direction and guidance from teachers who demonstrate care and concern for each child. We believe that a school should encourage exploration and inquiry in an environment enriched with opportunities in the arts and sciences, and we believe that a school’s instructional programs should ensure that students reach their full potential for academic achievement. To achieve these goals, The New School is committed to selecting outstanding teachers and supporting them with the highest quality of professional development.

At The New School we strive to promote a sense of community that helps each child and family feel connected and valued. We believe that school programs should promote kindness and cooperation to all members of the school community, including students, parents, faculty and staff. We believe that a school should help students become good citizens with a sense of responsibility and respect for others within the school community and throughout the world beyond.

List of 3 items.

  • Mission

    The New School community empowers each student through a well-rounded experience and inspires a love of lifelong learning.
  • Vision

    Our students will be confident and engaged learners who lead through collaboration and compassion.
  • Core Values

    Curiosity, Character, Community, Respect, Citizenship, Innovation, Excellence

Leading Innovative Learning

The New School provides students in Northwest Arkansas with a student-centered, innovative education supported by state of the art facilities and leading educators. With a low student-to-faculty ratio of 8:1, students are known and cared for by an excellent faculty in an encouraging atmosphere. The school’s curriculum is focused on science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM). 

We believe in teaching new century skills to students of all ages through instruction in STEAM. Our objective is to mold our learners into students who have a mindset of curiosity, who are problem-solvers and critical thinkers.
A New School student asks questions about the world around them and understands how to look for the answers.
Our state of the art Tinkering Studio and Innovation Center encourage children of all ages to become question-askers, success-seekers who recover from a failure, and innovators who pursue their passions. 

At The New School, we aspire for our students to:
  • Think critically about the world around them.
  • Feel empowered to use their voice.
  • Understand that they own their failures, as well as their successes.

Accreditation, Memberships and Affiliations

The New School is one of the few accredited early childhood programs available to families in Northwest Arkansas and one of only five schools in the state that has been awarded full accreditation by the Independent School Association of Central States (ISACS). This accreditation demonstrates that The New School’s programs are comparable to those of the most prestigious independent schools in the nation. The New School is also a member of the following:

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The New School Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Statement

We believe that a diverse, inclusive learning environment, where each community member feels a sense of belonging, is necessary to fully realize our mission of empowering students through a well-rounded experience and inspiring a love of lifelong learning. TNS is committed to building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive learning community through our admission policies, hiring practices, professional development, curricular and extracurricular programming, and school culture. We are dedicated to the full inclusion and engagement of individuals with varied, often intersectional, life experiences. These diverse points of view within our school community contribute to The New School education, enriching the learning environment for all of our students. We strive to empower our students to engage in a complex, multicultural world confidently and compassionately and to thrive as lifelong learners, forever exemplifying our core values of curiosity, character, and community.
Northwest Arkansas' Premier Independent Day School
Empowering students age one through grade 12