Founding

Letter from the Founder

History of Apple Orchard School

The beginnings of Apple Orchard trace back to 1971. My husband and I returned from Washington, D.C. where he had been at the National Institutes of Health. Our two daughters were just two and three years old. Looking for preschools in January proved much more daunting than I imagined. Spaces were filled at any of the nearby schools that I liked.

We were renovating an old farmhouse on Allandale Farm and saw the basement as a possible place for a small group of children. Having completed the Teacher’s Program at Shady Hill School, I said to my friends with small children – “Let’s do this.” So we gathered together a group of other parents who also wanted the farm, animals, trees and fields to be central subjects of their childrens' school.

We looked around and saw the apple trees and decided to call the school Apple Orchard. Some wonderful teachers came to work with the children and we moved into a larger space in the barn. We then were given a pig, a donkey, a horse and two goats for the children. We continue to thrive here enjoying the children and the farm where we see the children grow.


--Lee Albright, Founder, Apple Orchard School



Letter from the Founder

  • There is not a day that goes by when we don’t arrive at Apple Orchard and appreciate this gift we have been able to provide our children. Apple Orchard is truly a magical place, with amazing teachers and team who care so much about our children. Without the scholarship program, our family would not have this opportunity to introduce our children to education in such a special way. We are forever grateful.

    Former Parent

  • Receiving a scholarship for The Apple Orchard School has made it possible for my child to be a part of such a wondrous school. A school that does not feel like school, but feels like home. As a parent that has made a world of an impact on our family. When we count our blessings, we count Apple Orchard twice.

    Former Parent

  • “I am thrilled that we have been able to find a preschool for our daughter that elevates play and concrete activities over academic concerns. You don’t pretend to do things, but you really do them. I love it that the kids pick vegetables, collect eggs, and cook snacks together. I think it’s nothing short of fabulous that the children got to watch ducks raised from eggs and set free on the pond.”

    Former Parent

  • “Apple Orchard is truly a model school, the best place on the planet to send your child to jumpstart his or her education.”

    Current Parent

  • “The grounds are like being in another, simpler world.  During a parent visit, taking a winter walk, I could see the joy in the children’s faces as they skipped, ran, got distracted, picked up a stick or rock, and then continued on their way.  How often do you see a child skip these days?  You do at AO!”

    Former Parent

  • “The staff is genuine, friendly, exceptionally knowledgeable, and competent.  They know your child’s habits, likes, dislikes, anything you can think of, and challenge them in a way that incorporates the natural world into the learning plan.”

    Former Parent

  • “All of our kids left AO with a deep appreciation for the outdoors and animals. This is a gift we could not have given them in any other pre-school setting.”

    Former Parent

  • “Apple Orchard is a magical place for our children as they learn without knowing they are learning! Friendships are formed which last a lifetime as our children develop a love for each other, their teachers and nature.”

    Current Parent

  • “All of our children have attended AO and completely embraced and loved every aspect of their experience. Combining the outdoors with traditional learning fosters an early school experience that has cultivated both academic growth and social development in our children.”

    Former Parent

  • “Apple Orchard helped to shape my children’s creative potential. Apple Orchard had such a significant impact on one of my children that he decided to come back as a teaching assistant for his senior project in high school.”

    Former Parent