The Blue School Story

For sixteen years, Blue School was an innovative independent school for students, age 2 through grade 8, located in lower Manhattan. Founded by the Blue Man Group to create an educational experience that fostered creativity, academic challenge, and socio-emotional learning. The school closed In June 2023, but the community of educators and families who believe in the undeniable capacity of children lives on. We know that an education that balances academic mastery, self and social intelligence, and creative thinking results in capable, compassionate, joyful young people. We are grateful for the time we had together and the ways we grew and learned together.

Blue School Principles

Blue School reimagined education for a changing world, aiming to develop and share an inquiry-based approach to education that would foster creativity, promote academic excellence, nurture human relationships and inspire a passion for learning.
Blue School’s vision of a more complete, balanced and exuberant approach to education prepared students to be adaptable thinkers, collaborative problem solvers, and courageous innovators. Balancing academic mastery, self and social intelligence, and creative thinking, Blue School celebrated each child for the individual they are, honored what they brought into the classroom every day, and helped them develop their unique voice.

“We have delivered for our kids an amazing, rich, vibrant, deeply student-centered, experience unlike anything I have ever seen before in all my years in education. I am humbled and honored and beyond grateful to have accomplished this with all of you.”

— Noah Reinhardt, Head of School

“The legacy of Blue School is a way of seeing the specific luminosity inside every individual child, a frequency of light that even we as parents may not be able to see, and crafting the precise learning environments to make each child’s radiance visible. This is nothing short of a miracle.”

— Kate Quarfordt, Educator, Parent, Board Member

“We created an educational program where creativity is cherished and encouraged and where children fall in love with the joy of learning. An environment where community is paramount—where people feel like there is genuinely no better place to learn and to grow.”

— Matt Goldman and the Blue School Founders

“I am moved every day by my classmates and by how such a diverse jumble of different types of people, with different interests can be there for each other.”

— Ryan, Class of 2020

“Every one of our stories is different. Every one of our personalities and opinions are different. But something, some small piece of something, holds us together….Thank you to this special school. Thank you for helping me on this never ending journey to find where I am from.”

— Stella, Class of 2019

“Twelve years ago we trusted Blue School with the most precious thing in our entire lives—our baby! We hoped he would get to be creative and messy and happy in a school that would celebrate him for being himself. Twelve years later we are incredibly grateful that he has gotten all of that, and so, so much more.”