The Willow School, NJ

Name

The Willow School, NJ

Legal name

The Willow School

Website

https://willowschool.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private K-8 Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Nonsectarian Independent Day Schools (EDAJABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Alternative/Pedagogical Model Private Schools (Project-Based, Democratic, etc.) (EDAJABAJ), Outdoor & Wilderness Education Schools (Field-Based Learning) (THAAAOAA), Nature-Based / Forest School Early Learning Programs (EDACADAD)

Keywords

• Private K-8 education
• Independent school
• Preschool through eighth grade
• Experiential outdoor learning
• Virtues character education

Headquarters

HQ city

Gladstone

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: The school charges tuition for students in preschool through eighth grade. Financial aid and affordability programs are mentioned as part of the school's commitment to accessibility.
2. Summer Programs: The school operates Summer Nature Camp programs for children.
3. School Store: Merchandise sales through the Willow Store.
4. Philanthropy and Fundraising: Annual giving programs including the Green Gala and Golf Classic, with donors contributing to support school programs and financial aid.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Willow School provides private independent education for students from age 3 through Grade 8 on a 34-acre campus in Gladstone, New Jersey. Its core offering consists of Preschool, Lower School (K-5), and Middle School (6-8) academic programs supplemented by integrated curricular frameworks including Virtues character education, MIT-derived Systems Thinking, Experiential Learning, Outdoor Learning, and World Language instruction. The school also operates a Summer Nature Camp program and generates supplemental revenue through merchandise sales at the Willow Store and philanthropic fundraising events.

Product overview

The Willow School is an independent school for students in preschool (age 3) through eighth grade. The school's educational offerings consist of its core preschool, lower school (K-5), and middle school (6-8) programs, supplemented by specialized curricular programs including the Virtues program for character education, Systems Thinking curriculum for complex problem-solving, Experiential Learning for hands-on education, Outdoor Learning leveraging the 34-acre campus, and a World Language program teaching French, Spanish, and Latin. The school also offers extracurricular programs including Ethics Bowl, Competitive Math League, and seasonal Willow Summer Nature Camp. The middle school program features Latin instruction alongside French or Spanish, and the school hosts annual traditions like International Day cultural celebrations and Winter/Spring Arts performances.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Preschool Program Early childhood education program for children age 3, focusing on foundational learning through play, exploration, and introduction to world languages. Designed for families seeking an inquiry-based preschool experience on the Willow campus.
• Lower School Program (Grades K-5) Elementary education program for Grades K-5 emphasizing academic excellence, systems thinking, experiential learning, and outdoor education across the school's 34-acre campus with streams and forests. Designed for families seeking a values-driven elementary education.
• Middle School Program (Grades 6-8) Middle school education for Grades 6-8 featuring Latin language instruction alongside French or Spanish, ethics, service learning, competitive math, and preparation for high school placement. Designed for families seeking rigorous middle school education with character development.
• Willow Summer Nature Camp Summer nature camp offering outdoor exploration and adventure for children, incorporating the school's environmental education philosophy. Serves as an entry point for families new to the Willow community and supports continued engagement during summer months.

Quantifiable outcome

• Strong high school placement outcomes for eighth graders
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Surati for the Performing ArtsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPerformed at Willow's International Day 2025 celebrating India and Its Neighboring Countries. The ensemble presented 'Tyohaar: The Festivals of India' through dance and storytelling in the Barn Studio.
• America's Grow-a-RowminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWillow volunteers have partnered with America's Grow-a-Row to harvest food for the Community FoodBank of New Jersey. Students participated in harvesting 700 pounds of kale.
• Raritan HeadwatersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental organization that has partnered with Willow for Earth Day service projects. Second and fifth graders visited Fairview Farm to explore aquatic ecosystems and tackle invasive species removal.
• Willowwood ArboretumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBotanical garden that partnered with Willow for Earth Day activities including hands-on demonstrations on planting nursery trees and planting black gum saplings.
• Matheny Medical and Educational CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Earth Day service projects where Willow middle school students participated in campus clean-up efforts.
• United Way of Hunterdon CountyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWillow's Middle School Spanish classes partnered with United Way's Helping Hands program to adopt four families for holiday gift giving. Students wrote letters in Spanish and organized the gift drive.
• Community FoodBank of New JerseycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual partner for the Students Change Hunger campaign and Willow Winter Dash fundraiser. The school has won multiple awards for funds raised and meals donated. CFBNJ representatives visit to educate students about food insecurity.
• 4OceanminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOcean conservation organization. Willow fourth graders designed and sold reusable bags to raise money for 4Ocean, which is dedicated to actively removing trash from oceans and coastlines.
• BlinkNow FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMaggie Doyne, Co-founder and CEO of BlinkNow Foundation, visited as Morning Gathering speaker on October 3, 2025. She shared her work educating children in Nepal.
• University of the Philippines Alumni & Friends Rondalla, Inc.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFilipino cultural ensemble from Middlesex County, New Jersey that performed at Willow's 14th Annual International Day celebrating Oceania cultures.
• Rutgers UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosted Willow's Future City Regional Competition at Rutgers University. Students showcased city designs and met professional civil engineers.
• Lovelace + InteGIRLSminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMath competition organization hosting the largest math competition for female and nonbinary students in the world. Willow students participated at Rutgers University with 16 students representing the school.
• Ethics Institute at Kent Place SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosts the annual New Jersey Middle School Ethics Bowl. Willow was an inaugural member when it started and competes annually. Willow's Ethics Bowl Team coach Sally Zeiner contributed to writing cases for the competition.
• US Green Building CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublished an article honoring Mark Biedron, co-founder of The Willow School, and his lasting impact on green building and sustainable education.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• The Peck School: Independent K-8 day school in Morristown, NJ serving a similar affluent New Jersey family segment with project-based, character-driven education. Closely comparable in grade span, mission, and tuition-tier positioning.
• Far Brook School: Progressive, coeducational day school in Short Hills, NJ serving ages 3 through grade 8 with an emphasis on experiential learning and the arts. Highly comparable in pedagogy, grade span, and NJ independent day school positioning.
• Kent Place School: Independent K-12 day school for girls in Summit, NJ that hosts the NJ Middle School Ethics Bowl competition in which Willow competes. Direct peer in grade range and NJ independent school market.
• Princeton Day School: Independent day school in Princeton, NJ serving PreK through grade 12. Direct competitor for NJ families seeking premium private education with character development emphasis.
• The Montclair Kimberley Academy: Independent PreK-12 day school in Montclair, NJ with a comparable holistic, character-focused curriculum. Competes for the same North-Central NJ independent school family segment.
• Stuart Country Day School: Independent day school for girls in Princeton, NJ (PreK-12) emphasizing character, service, and academic rigor. Comparable in mission and NJ premium day school positioning.
• The Pennington School: Independent day school (grades 6-12) in Pennington, NJ that overlaps with Willow on the middle school age band and competes for the same Mercer/Hunterdon county families.

Broad incumbents

• The Lawrenceville School: Highly prestigious NJ private school (grades 9-12 with house system) that competes with Willow for feeder family consideration and high school placement outcomes of Willow graduates. Larger and more established than Willow.

Regional players

• Riverdale Country School: Independent PreK-12 day school in the Bronx, NY with a strong sustainability and outdoor education program. Comparable in progressive, nature-integrated pedagogy but in the NYC metro rather than NJ market.

Emerging players

• Greenwood Friends School: Small Quaker independent school in West Chester, PA serving preschool through grade 8 with a strong outdoor and experiential learning emphasis. Comparable in scale, grade span, and nature-based pedagogy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/willowschoolnj
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCHFXuT8p991o0ZfGmLu2wmQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheWillowSchool
• Instagraminstagram.com/willowschool
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-willow-school-nj

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Willow School, NJ