Portfolio School, which opened on N. Moore in 2016 and moved to 90 Hudson at Leonard in 2019, is, with the support of the two co-founders, transforming into a non-profit co-op for grades K-5. Co-founder Doug Schachtel filled me in, as did the current head of the parents group that is leading the transition.

The school will remain in its current location, will be owned by the parents and run by the teachers.

“It’s a great testament to the passion of our families and teachers that they want to take Portfolio into its next chapter,” said Schachtel. “The program will have the same head of program, be in the same space and follow the same curriculum.”

The school follows a project-based learning method that is somewhat unique – especially on this coast. (Some other examples: the Khan Lab School in Mountain View, Nuvu Studio in Cambridge, High Tech High in San Diego.) The school operates on a studio model, so the entire space is used by all the kids, who move from room to room depending on the activity of the moment.

When I visited in 2019, they had mixed-age groupings across the 20 kids in grades K through 5; they are accepting applications now in grades K through 7 for fall 2023. Tuition was $39,000 for the 2021-22 school year. The plan was to go through high school. They do have some open houses coming up; reserve here or write to parents@portfolio-school.com with the number of attendees or to schedule a 1:1 conversation.

• January 28th at 10am
• February 1st at 6pm
• February 9th at 6pm
• February 11th at 10am
• February 15th at 6pm

This from the parent group: “Parent involvement supports the school’s overarching mission, daily functioning, and desired educational outcomes for students. By aligning themselves with teachers, parents engage with the school in a less hierarchical structure, ensuring both academic and social-emotional progress for the children. Our community of passionate parents includes leaders in early education, entrepreneurs, executives at tech and finance companies, and all of us have been in awe of the joy our kids bring home from school every day.”