When schools and families work together, good things happen for children. At The Intergenerational Schools, we see good things popping up all around: in children’s smiles, the achievements of our students, and the positive relationships growing between students, teachers and families.
One of the things that make our small, tuition-free schools so special is our thriving and connected community. From ages 0-99+, we invite all members of our community - families, learning partners and teachers - to engage as essential participants in a child’s learning journey. Everyone is seen as a valued contributor.
This was the perfect fit for my child. The multi-age classrooms were a great place for my child to thrive. My child connected with community mentors. They made learning fun for my child, and she really looked forward to going to school. It was great as a working mother to know my child was at a great place.
-Intergenerational School Parent
Parents report that our small class sizes - with an average class size of 17 (16 for early ages and expanding as students prepare for high school) - make it easy for their child to receive the personal attention they need from our caring teachers and staff. And our multiage classrooms and practice of looping (teachers stay with the same students for more than one school year) helps to grow strong relationships.
TIS is the best!! The teachers and staff are very friendly and everyone seems to work together to ensure that students LEARN. The smaller classroom structure provides so much individual attention and help.
-Intergenerational School Parent
My daughter has been at this school since second grade, and she will be moving onto high school after the current school year. The teachers and administrators here care about the individual child, and they go above and beyond to provide support for the individual child, whatever that may mean. The student body is diverse and everyone seems to be included.
-Intergenerational School Parent
Parents, families and caregivers are invited to participate in the Intergenerational Schools community as much as they are able. Every year, volunteers contribute countless hours to our schools, adding support and vitality to our school.
We believe that joy and connection are essential components of our holistic approach to learning for our students and families. We host frequent family events to bring together our entire community to make memories and share our love of learning. While these change from year to year, some of the successful community building events we’ve held include:
- Literacy Day where families join their students for read-alouds and classrooms celebrate their favorite book characters together.
- Fall Fest where everyone comes together to share a meal, play games, participate in science experiments, and paint pumpkins to kick off our schools’ Fall Break in early October
- Paint & Sips where students bring their families, grandparents, aunties and uncles and cousins to learn to paint a landscape together while enjoying snacks and drinks.
- Intergenerational Cooking Classes-the schools provided the ingredients and the Founder of Edwin’s Restaurant led online classes for families to follow along at home in their own kitchens
- Spring Thing where families came to decorate T-shirts, learn how to make balloon animals, and some of our bravest students showed off their skills in a Spelling Bee
- Family Dance-this event was planned and run by the Near West Family Group and had an amazing turn out for their space-themed party. Primary classes helped decorate with the space models they made during school
- Story Time where students are encouraged to come to school in their pajamas, sip hot cocoa, and snack on cookies while their teachers and family members get to read their favorite picture books to the children.
- Back-to-School Cook Out TIS-East’s summer BBQ mixer with a bounce house and free books to build students’ home libraries
- Popsicles in the Park-Near West’s casual end of summer get together bringing new families together with returning families and staff at the park
At the Intergenerational Schools, our community truly feels like a big extended family. Enroll your child at The Intergenerational Schools today and be part of a community that values education, diversity, and the unique background, culture, and potential of every student. Join us for the 2024-2025 school year - we have limited spaces but we’re still enrolling.
About The Intergenerational Schools
For 25 years, The Intergenerational Schools have served the greater Cleveland area with exceptional K-8 academics in a unique multigenerational learning community. We empower a love of learning through a holistic approach that includes personalized learning, enrichment, and healthy and caring relationships. With two neighborhood schools in Buckeye and Ohio City, we’re closing the achievement gap by providing a high-quality, tuition-free education to all. Our award-winning programs build confident, capable students who contribute to our extraordinary community. Get to know The Intergenerational Schools today: Where children thrive and community grows.