The Gardner School, founded in 1995, is an independent school in Vancouver, WA. We currently enroll approximately 100 students in preschool through eighth grade, with a staff that includes specialists in art, Spanish, music, and physical education. Our beautiful five acre setting provides students with fertile ground for exploration and discovery and rich opportunities for outdoor adventures. Our proximity to the Washington State University campus provides access to additional facilities.

The Gardner School serves an intellectually diverse student body in mixed-age classrooms with low student to classroom teacher ratios. Students are expected to be respectful, cooperative and responsible learners and parents are expected to be active participants in their children's education. Teachers maintain frequent communication with parents and actively engage them in learning activities. Celebrations, student performances, special gatherings and other community events provide opportunities for students, teachers and parents to build a strong community.

The pioneering work of Howard Gardner, Ph.D., Harvard University Graduate School of Education, serves as the framework for much of The Gardner School curriculum. Gardner's philosophy of Multiple Intelligence asserts that every student's blend of competencies produces a unique cognitive profile for that child. Combining Gardner's philosophy with National and State standards, students are taught fundamental academic skills and content which they then apply to multifaceted topics that integrate Language Arts, Math, Natural and Social Sciences and the Arts. Students attend class in multiage classrooms which develop leadership skills and open up social connections. We place an emphasis on student performances that build and demonstrate deep understanding of subjects, in contrast to rote learning. We believe that deep understanding is essential for mastery and transfer of information as students develop intellectually. The Gardner School partners with local organizations in order to provide students with opportunities to bridge the gap between the classroom and real life. Field trips, community service projects and hands-on lessons encourage learning in context.