Virtue can be inspired.
Excellence can be taught.
Welcome to Gardner Academy
Gardner Academy prepares students in grades 6-9 to excel academically, lead with integrity, and serve with purpose through a rigorous, values-driven, competency-based education rooted in the Episcopal tradition, classical wisdom, and place-based learning in the Methow Valley.
At Gardner Academy, we are passionate educators committed to guiding middle school students through their most formative years with a values-driven, purpose-filled education that fosters courage, curiosity, compassion, and a love of learning.
A Whole-Child Approach
Throughout the week, students develop mastery in academics while also nurturing grit, purpose, leadership, and a sense of belonging. The rhythm of our days reflects our belief that middle school is not only preparation for high school, but for life. Our approach to lifelong learning and education includes six key elements.
Gold Standard Project-Based Learning
Students engage in deep, meaningful learning through hands-on, interdisciplinary projects that solve real-world problems. Aligned with best practices, our projects foster critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, and communication—building both academic mastery and life-ready skills.
Purpose Focused Education
We believe education is about more than achievement—it’s about becoming. Through reflection, service, and meaningful challenge, students explore life’s big questions, discover their unique gifts, and develop the courage to lead lives of meaning and contribution.
Competency Based Education
At Gardner Academy, students’ progress based on mastery, not seat time. Personalized instruction, clear learning targets, and meaningful assessments ensure that each student builds a solid foundation of knowledge and skills at a pace that supports true understanding and lasting growth.
Episcopal Practices
Rooted in the Episcopal tradition, we nurture intellectual curiosity, moral courage, and spiritual depth. Gardner Academy welcomes students of all faiths into a community that values wisdom, integrity, compassion, and justice—encouraging thoughtful dialogue and inclusive exploration of belief and meaning.
Place Based Learning
The Methow Valley is our classroom. From ecology to local history, students engage with the land and community through immersive, real-world learning experiences that cultivate stewardship, wonder, and a strong sense of belonging to both place and purpose.
Classics Based & Socratic Conversation
Through the study of great works in literature, philosophy, history, and the arts, students grapple with timeless questions that shape the human experience. The classics provide a shared foundation for critical thinking, moral reflection, and cultural literacy—connecting students to the enduring story of humanity.
Join us as we reimagine the middle school experience
Upcoming events
Join us at the Winthrop Library to learn more about Gardner Academy and if its right for your family.
April 9 from 6-8pm
April 23 from 6-8pm
Ready to take the next step?
If you are interested in applying to Gardner Academy for the 2025-2026 school year, please fill out this interest form.
We expect applications to be available online mid to late April.
“Curiosity is the beginning of knowledge. Action is the beginning of change.”
— James Clear