Lesley Ellis School

What Lesley Ellis School does

Lesley Ellis School is an independent, nonprofit private school in Arlington, Massachusetts, serving approximately 230 students across Preschool through Grade 8. Founded in 1949 and operated since 1981 under the nonprofit Schools for Children, Inc., the school delivers a progressive, PK-8 educational program organized into three divisions: Early Childhood (Preschool, Pre-K, Transitional Kindergarten), Elementary (K-4), and Middle School (5-8). Its core curriculum is anchored by an anti-bias framework inspired by Learning for Justice, supplemented by schoolwide Spanish instruction, an arts program featuring Arts Block and Arts Electives (film, animation, ceramics, dance, photography), a hands-on science program with annual science fair participation, and a library program that introduces media literacy from an early age. Class sizes are intentionally small at 7:1 in Early Childhood and 9:1 in K-8.

The school's business model is a recurring tuition-based subscription model. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; prospective families must contact the Director of Admission for rates. Approximately 25% of students receive need-based tuition assistance. Revenue is supplemented by auxiliary fee-for-service programs: Clubhouse (after-school), Vacation Program, and a multi-track Summer Camp (Young Adventurers through Trail Blazers). Go-to-market is community-led, leveraging word-of-mouth referrals, in-person events (Discovery Mornings, Open Houses, Tour Tuesdays, Parent Education Series, Fall Fun Fair, Touch a Truck), website content, and the Ravenna Solutions online application platform. Distribution is regional, drawing from 15+ communities across Greater Boston. The faculty and staff total 60-70, of whom 35 are teachers; 70% of faculty hold advanced degrees and the teaching cohort represents nearly 290 years of combined Lesley Ellis service. The student body is reported as 30% Students of Color.

Recent strategic activity includes the July 2024 appointment of Rhiannon McElwee as Head of School, ongoing construction of a new Library & Performing Arts Center (library portion targeted for completion by end of June 2025), and an announced fall 2026 partnership with Arlington Children's Theatre to co-locate in the new theater. The school holds AISNE accreditation (since 2003) and NAIS membership, and is led by a Head of School with program directors for each division and a Director of Admission, supported by Schools for Children, Inc. as the governing nonprofit parent.

Name

Lesley Ellis School

Legal name

Lesley Ellis School

Website

https://lesleyellis.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1949

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Lesley Ellis School is an independent, nonprofit PK-8 private school in Arlington, MA, serving approximately 230 students through an anti-bias progressive curriculum, small classes, and arts and science programs, with 25% of students on need-based tuition assistance.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Independent Private K-8 Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Educational Services (61)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Nonsectarian Independent Day Schools (EDAJABAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Preschool Programs within Private K–12 Schools (EDACABAM)

Keywords

• Private preschool education
• Independent K-8 schooling
• Progressive education programs
• Anti-bias curriculum
• Auxiliary youth programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Arlington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition: Private school tuition from Preschool through 8th grade. Financial assistance is available with approximately 25% of students receiving need-based tuition assistance.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Lesley Ellis School is an independent, nonprofit private school offering progressive preschool through 8th grade education at its campus in Arlington, Massachusetts. The school delivers a unified PK-8 program anchored by an anti-bias curriculum, small class sizes (7:1 in Early Childhood, 9:1 in K-8), integrated arts, Spanish, library, and science programs, and supporting services such as after-school Clubhouse, Vacation Program, and Summer Camp. Revenue is generated primarily through tuition plus auxiliary program fees, with approximately 25% of students receiving need-based financial assistance.

Product overview

Lesley Ellis School is a private preschool through grade 8 independent school offering a unified educational program centered on academic excellence, creativity, and anti-bias values. The core educational offerings include the Early Childhood Program (Preschool, Pre-K, Transitional Kindergarten), Elementary Program (Kindergarten–Grade 4), and Middle School Program (Grades 5–8), supported by a distinctive Anti-Bias Curriculum framework. The school provides integrated programs including the Arts Program (with Arts Block and Arts Electives), Library Program, Spanish Language Instruction, and Science Program with annual science fair. Auxiliary offerings include Summer Camp (multiple age-based programs) and Clubhouse after-school care. All programs are designed within a progressive educational framework emphasizing personalized attention, community belonging, and social-emotional development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Early Childhood Program (Preschool, PreKindergarten, Transitional Kindergarten) Preschool through Transitional Kindergarten program with an emergent curriculum grounded in the understanding that all children are naturally curious, capable learners. 7:1 student-to-teacher ratio. Includes schoolwide Spanish instruction from preschool onward.
• Elementary Program (Kindergarten through Grade 4) Kindergarten through 4th grade program where students experience academic and social trajectories as they begin to see themselves in broader contexts, with a 9:1 student-to-teacher ratio and integrated arts, library, Spanish, and science offerings.
• Middle School Program (Grades 5 through 8) 5th through 8th grade program immersing students in a community of serious learners in pursuit of academic, social, and emotional growth, including formal secondary school placement support.
• Summer Camp Program Summer camp for various age groups including Young Adventurers (Preschool & PreK), Junior Discoverers (TK and Kindergarten), Pathfinders (Grades 1-2), Senior Explorers (Grades 3-4), Pioneers (Grades 5-6), and Trail Blazers (Grades 7-8), plus enrichment programs.
• Clubhouse After-School Program Optional after-school program offering activities that allow students to pursue favorite interests or discover new ones, with additional Vacation Clubhouse options.

Quantifiable outcome

• Students consistently advance to top regional and state science fairs
• +1 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Arlington Children's Theatre (ACT)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Beginning fall 2026, ACT will make its home in Lesley Ellis School's new theater, creating a shared home for creativity, performance, and community. This transformative partnership expands arts education opportunities for students and brings one of Arlington's most respected youth arts organizations into the school's new Library & Performing Arts Center.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Belmont Day School: Belmont, MA independent PK-8 school with a similar progressive, small-class-size model and community-driven admissions. Highly comparable in mission, size, and Greater Boston geography.
• Shore Country Day School: Beverly, MA independent K-9 school on the North Shore. Comparable independent school mission, small-class approach, and family-driven admissions culture.
• The Fenn School: Concord, MA independent boys' school serving grades 4-9. Comparable independent K-8 mission, premium pricing, and Greater Boston feeder dynamics.
• Buckingham Browne & Nichols School: Cambridge, MA independent PreK-9 school with progressive pedagogy. Comparable academic positioning, though larger in scale than Lesley Ellis.
• The Meadowbrook School: Weston, MA independent PK-8 school with similar small-class-size progressive model. Comparable tuition band and suburban Boston market.
• The Park School: Brookline, MA progressive, inclusive K-8 independent school. Closely aligned on pedagogical philosophy, diversity commitments, and family demographic.
• Charles River School: Dover, MA independent PreK-8 school with progressive pedagogy. Comparable size, mission, and Greater Boston independent school market.

Emerging players

• Lexington Montessori School: Lexington, MA independent PK-8 school with alternative pedagogy. Comparable in independent school status and Boston-area geography, with a different curricular model.
• Waldorf School of Lexington: Lexington, MA independent K-8 school with alternative pedagogy. Comparable independent school size and progressive orientation, different curriculum tradition.
• Acera School: Melrose, MA K-8 school emphasizing STEAM and creative learning. Partial overlap in progressive, project-based curriculum space within the same metro area.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/lesley_ellis
• Facebookfacebook.com/lesley-ellis-school-201905903193176
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lesley-ellis-school

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Lesley Ellis School