Welcome from Cathy Reid, Principal

   The Smith College Campus School, located in Northampton, Massachusetts, is the laboratory school for the Department of Education and Child Study at Smith College.  The school serves children from kindergarten through sixth grade, with two classes at each grade level.  The Campus School is located at Gill Hall on the Smith College campus.

     As a laboratory school, the Campus School's mission includes providing an excellent model of elementary education and a supportive and challenging environment for college students in the Smith College teacher education program.  Classroom teachers work closely with student teachers who bring a variety of interests, expertise and enthusiasm to our classrooms.  The study of teaching and learning in which the student teachers are engaged encourages an ongoing dialogue about the process of education among all of us and contributes to the vitality of the Campus School.  The school also serves as an observation and research site for Smith students and faculty.

   The Campus School has a comprehensive program which includes a strong curriculum in all the major subject areas.  The curriculum is enriched by the Campus School's connection to Smith College and access to the physical and human resources of the college.  Campus School students utilize the science center, plant house, theater, chapel, student center, computer center, and other resources to enhance their work in the classroom.  The Smith campus is an arboretum with many gardens, wooded areas, and a pond that are frequently the destination for walking field trips.  The Smith College faculty is a resource for teachers as they develop curriculum and activities,  Faculty members visit classrooms to share their expertise with children.

     The Campus School's program in the major subject areas is complemented by programs in art, music (vocal and instrumental), physical education, computers and Spanish. The programs in these special areas are often integrated with the major subject areas.  Children may learn about and experience the art or music of a particular time period or culture they are studying in the classroom. They may be using rhythms or patterns in music class that are related to work with patterns in mathematics.   A concept from a science unit may be explicated through a multimedia authoring project in the computer lab. In each instance children are helped to understand concepts and learn skills in a way that is integrated with their larger school experience.

      The Campus School helps children meet their intellectual potential and goals by creating an environment which supports children socially, emotionally, and physically as well as academically.  We are committed to being a place where children want to be, where they actively and deeply engage with peers and adults, and where they feel not only free but encouraged to take intellectual risks that lead to deeper understandings and the ability and confidence to use what they know and solve problems.  The intellectual, social, and emotional considerations of our work here come together as we attend to the needs of the whole child and engage children in the process of thinking about the kind of human community we are as well as about their own development as learners.

     The Campus School staff are a dedicated group of professionals who share a commitment to the education of children and future teachers.  I invite you to take a closer look at us on this web site and to visit us in person if you have the chance.  Please call 413 585-3295 for more information or to arrange a visit.

Sincerely,

Cathy H. Reid
E-mail: creid@smith.edu