Newtowne School School Year Program

By
Newtowne School

At Newtowne, children thrive in a cooperative, Reggio-inspired program where teachers and families partner to nurture curiosity, confidence, and community engagement.

Sign-up Information

Ages: 2 to 5.
Grades Toddler through Junior Kindergarten.

Application required

Sign-up is ongoing

Applications for the upcoming school year are due on January 31. Applications are reviewed in February and families are contacted by early March with a determination.

Applications received after January 31st are reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis.

Admissions decisions are made with our school's mission in mind -- to build classroom communities that reflect the rich variety of backgrounds and range of perspectives that Newtowne values, and a commitment to cooperative education.

Cost

CORE PROGRAM (8:30-12:30):

ORANGE SEA STARS, (22 months ~ 2.9 years)

3-day Program: $15,500 annually
5-day Program $21,600 annually

PURPLE FISH (2.9 years ~ 3.5 years)

5-day Program: $18,800 annually

BLUE OTTERS (3.5 ~ 4.5 years)

5-day Program: $18,100 annually

GREEN DRAGONFLIES (4 ~ 5 years)

5-day Program: $18,100 annually

WRAPAROUND CARE (cost ranges depending on schedule):

EARLY DROP (8:00-8:30)

$203-$2667 annually

AFTERNOON PROGRAM (12:30-3:30)

$1,904-$13,800 annually

CPP EXTENSION PROGRAM (extends free CPP program until 3:30)

$4,600 annually

Financial Aid and/or Scholarship Available
Accepts Vouchers
Sliding scale based on income
Free for some residents

In the 2025–26 academic year, Newtowne's institutional financial aid supported families with annual incomes ranging from ~$20,000 to $160,000.

Award value range: $~4,000–$24,000
Median award: $14,133

Who received aid:

Families ineligible for the Cambridge Preschool Program (CPP) or Commonwealth Child Care Financial Assistance (CCFA)
CPP families needing support for extension programming (beyond the 6.5 hours funded by the city)
CPP families needing support for summer programming

Location

In-person only.

Newtowne School at First Church

11 Garden Street
(corner of Mason & Garden streets)
Cambridge, MA 02138
United States

Neighborhood

Neighborhood 9 and West Cambridge

Families are responsible for transportation to and from school. Newtowne School is a 5-minute walk from the Harvard Square station; many families arrive by MBTA train or bus. Limited parking for is available in front of the church for drop-off and pick-up. There is ample bicycle parking available.

Dates and Times

This program runs during the school year.

Monday through Friday.

Morning and Afternoon.

All students participate in our Core Program from 8:30-12:30, Monday-Friday.

Any family can elect to add the Early Drop (8:00-8:30) or Afternoon programing options (12:30-3:30) 1-5 days/week. We offer wraparound flexibility to meet different families' scheduling needs.

Our toddler classroom (Orange Sea Stars) offers 3-day/week or 5-day/week options for the Core Program.

Additional information

Newtowne School is a small, cooperative, Reggio-inspired early childhood program serving about 60 children. Our hands-on, play-based approach nurtures curiosity, confidence, and social-emotional growth while encouraging children to explore and contribute to their community. Families actively participate in school life, and teachers create a welcoming, collaborative environment where every child is valued, supported, and engaged.

Newtowne is a proud partner of the Cambridge Preschool Program.