COMMON MAPS
Map version new-york activity top-down
Main site Contact
Menu
↑ parent activity group ·
research dossier

Middle Way School
Saugerties, NY · EIN 830862436 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE B20 · Education · Medium ($1M-$10M) · middlewayschool.org
revenue
$2.5M
expenses
$2.8M
net assets
$483K
employees
37
volunteers
6
program ratio
67%
mission · from form 990

Middle Way School is an independent progressive school with nearly 100 students, ranging from nursery school to seventh grade. As one of the first schools for children inspired by Buddhist wisdom and compassion, Middle Way School is exploring the rich potential of integrating wisdom and compassion with progressive education. Our aspiration is to prepare students to take their places in the modern world with the noble qualities of intelligence, confidence and discipline, with an understanding of interdependence and a fundamental motivation of altruism.

profile · synthesized from sources

Independent progressive school in Saugerties, NY, serving nearly 100 students from nursery through seventh grade. Integrates Buddhist-inspired wisdom and compassion with academic rigor, social-emotional learning, and developmental-stage-based education. Offers a summer program focused on outdoor exploration, creative expression, and mindfulness for children up to rising seventh grade.

named programs · 4 · from sources

What they call their work

Academics, Living Sciences, and Dharma Curriculum
Integrated curriculum organized around three focus areas: Academics, Living Sciences, and Dharma, with thematic units such as Impermanence, Interconnection, and Bodhicitta. Aligns with Common Core, Learning for Justice, and Education for Sustainability standards.
Anti-Racist Coalition (ARC)
Parent-led initiative in partnership with school administration to advance anti-racism through education, curriculum development, and community engagement, supported by professional training and inclusive hiring and enrollment practices.
Five Domains of Learning
Curriculum framework including Sciences, Humanities, Arts, Embodiment, and Contemplation, designed to provide a balanced, holistic education rooted in developmental stages and Buddhist wisdom.
Middle Way School Summer of Wonder
Five-week summer program offering themed sessions including outdoor exploration, creative writing, theater, music, and farm-based animal care, emphasizing mindfulness, collaboration, and self-awareness.
activities · 5 groups

What they do

  • Educator Training in Equity and Inclusion 2 activities
    • Advance anti-racist education and practice
      Conducts anti-racist professional development for teachers and staff, integrates anti-racism into curriculum through lesson plans that connect with Buddhist concepts such as impermanence, and supports community-wide engagement through the Middle Way Anti-Racist Coalition (ARC), a parent-led group fostering anti-racist practice across the school community.
    • Promote Buddhist-informed educational model through public outreach
      Shares its educational philosophy and anti-racism approach through public articles and media features in publications such as Chronogram, The Woodstock Times, Tricycle, and Buddhist Door, enhancing visibility and understanding of its Buddhist-inspired, progressive school model.
  • Safe and Inclusive School Environment 1 activity
    • Ensure inclusive admissions and financial accessibility
      Admits students and hires staff without discrimination based on race, religion, gender identity, or socioeconomic background, and provides financial aid to 75% of students while developing additional opportunities to support underrepresented groups.
  • School and School-Community Events 1 activity
    • Host community engagement and outreach events
      Hosts Open House events for prospective families, maintains a Parent Community Association, and organizes community-building activities including parent book clubs, open meditation classes, potluck dinners, and dance parties to strengthen school-family connections.
  • Summer Day Camp Programs 1 activity
    • Provide summer programs for students
      Offers multiple 4- to 5-day summer programs for children entering grades 2–7 and younger children (ages 3+ through rising first grade), including adventure, creative arts, theater, music, animal care, and mindfulness-based play. Programs are held off-site in the Hudson Valley and Catskill Mountains and in partnership with Napping Horse Farm.
  • Uncategorized 1 activity
    • Operate a progressive Buddhist-inspired elementary school
      Operates an independent progressive school serving nearly 100 students from nursery through seventh grade, integrating Buddhist principles of wisdom and compassion with inquiry-based, progressive education practices. The school day includes morning and closing circles, daily outdoor time, academic blocks, and specialty classes in subjects such as music, art, Sanskrit, aikido, and social-emotional learning.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$2.47M
Contributions & grants$872K35%
Program service revenue$1.60M65%
Investment income$8640%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$2.75M
Program expenses67%
Admin / overhead32%
Fundraising1%
Salaries & benefits$1.79M
Grants paid out$457K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$647K
Cash$368K
Investments$0
Liabilities$164K
Net assets$483K
Liquid reserves1.6 mo
4 years on record · 2021–2024 · YoY revenue +6.6%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 1
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
Grace Louis Head of School 40 $93K
board members · 6
  • Cecile Hohenlohe — Board Chair
  • Eric Wilden — Trustee
  • Harvey Feldstein — Trustee
  • Laura Lopez — Trustee
  • Priya Kumari — SECRETARY
  • Sonam Tenzing — Treasurer
relationships · 15

Who they work with

  • Amy Brown White Partner — Consultant who led anti-racist professional development for teachers and staff.
  • Chronogrammies Partner — Recognized as '1 Place' by Chronogrammies in 2022, indicating a partnership or recognition relationship.
  • Eastern Sun Academy Partner — Organization where Dee Joy Coulter, Marti Holley, Kristin Lhatso, and Steven Sachs initially developed the Five Domains of Learning framework later adopted by Middle Way School.
  • KTD Partner — Supportive center of Buddhist study and practice involved in the development of the Middle Way School model in Upstate New York.
  • Khyentse Foundation Funder — Provided significant financial support to Middle Way School.
  • Khyentse Foundation Network — Featured in KF FOCUS and recognized by the Khyentse Foundation as part of its initiatives promoting Buddhist education.
  • Kunsang Kelden Partner — Communications professional and Tibetan culture advocate who discussed intersections of Buddhism and anti-racism.
  • Middle Way Education Partner — Collaborated on the research and development of the Middle Way School educational model.
  • Middle Way Education Partner — Sister organization with which Middle Way School collaborates as a center of research on integrating Buddhadharma into progressive education.
  • Napping Horse Farm Partner — Collaborates with Middle Way School to offer a summer program focused on animal care and sustainability at its animal sanctuary.
  • National Association of Independent Schools Network — Member of NAIS, indicating affiliation with a national network of independent schools.
  • Richard de Heyl de Ortiz Partner — Speaker who shared perspectives on being a white man in Black spaces and transracial adoption.
  • Saugerties Central School District Network — Part of the Saugerties School District.
  • Ulster County Chamber of Commerce Network — Member of the Ulster County Chamber of Commerce, indicating local institutional engagement.
  • Zen Mountain Monastery Partner — Supportive community contributing to the development of the Middle Way School model in Upstate New York.
strategies · 5

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Buddhist Wisdom and Compassion Integration
    methodology: wisdom_and_compassion_integration
    By integrating Buddhist wisdom and compassion with progressive education, the school cultivates students' intelligence, altruism, and ethical development because these qualities are foundational to both personal growth and socially responsible global citizenship.
  • Contemplative Education Model
    methodology: contemplative_education
    By embedding mindfulness, reflection, and contemplative practices into daily routines (e.g., Morning and Closing Circles), the school supports emotional regulation, self-awareness, and community cohesion because sustained inner awareness enables holistic development and resilience.
  • Equity-Centered Inclusion and Anti-Racism
    methodology: equity_centered_inclusion
    By actively addressing power differences in admissions, hiring, and curriculum through culturally responsive teaching and Buddhist-based anti-racism, the school reduces systemic biases because equitable structures and intentional reflection are necessary for inclusion and justice.
  • Holistic Development Through Five Domains
    methodology: five_domains_holistic_education
    By structuring education around five integrated domains—Sciences, Humanities, Arts, Embodiment, and Contemplation—the school ensures balanced, holistic development because aligning curriculum with fundamental human capacities and Tibetan Buddhist wisdom energies supports all dimensions of a child’s growth.
  • Inquiry- and Play-Based Experiential Learning
    methodology: inquiry_based_learning
    By using inquiry-based, play-centered, and experiential learning approaches, the school engages children's innate curiosity and developmental needs because deep understanding emerges through active exploration and child-initiated discovery.