The Sycamore School

TSS Mission: To provide a dynamic, nurturing and personalized education that inspires a passion for learning, self-discovery and connection to the community. TSS Vision: To cultivate engaged, independent lifelong learners who can think critically and apply their knowledge to real-world experiences in order to achieve personal success and contribute positively to their community. Three Roots: Academic Development Social Emotional Growth Civic Engagement TSS opened it's doors in the fall of 2017. Dr. Karyn Ewart, the founder and head of school, is a clinical psychologist who has worked in area public and private schools for over 20 years. She founded TSS in order to fill a need in her community. She wanted to create a school where learning could be challenging without being stressful; a school that caters to all types of learners, including those who are neurodivergent. It was also important that learners have access to social-emotional support and skill-building alongside academic tasks. Some key features of the school include small classes, onsite counseling support, differentiated instruction specific to the learner, opportunities for both remediation and acceleration, college & career counseling, and an inclusive community. TSS opened it's doors in the Ballston area of Arlington and then moved to a bigger space in Rosslyn in 2023.

We are a small independent nonprofit school that serves a cross-section of students in 5th-12th grade, many of whom have ADHD, high functioning ASD, and/or anxiety. We also are proud to support a large LGBTQIA+ community. We offer small classes with individualized, self-paced, inquiry-based, experiential learning using a mastery-based learning model. We provide a 1:6 teacher to student ratio, weekly field studies, a Movement & Mindfulness class, and community service opportunities. We don't give grades or have tests and our students graduate with a mastery transcript. Our students have gone on to all types of colleges including UVA, Christopher Newport, Bucknell, George Mason, Marymount, University of Delaware, Emory and Henry, Bryn Mawr, Sweet Briar, Sasquahana, and NOVA; a few of our students have gone directly into the workforce or have participated in a structured gap year. We offer need-based scholarships and would love to serve a diverse group of learners. Our tuition is purposely kept low to offer an affordable private school option.