What Families Should Consider When Choosing The Circle School

The Circle School is a self-directed democratic school in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, enrolling students from age 4½ through about 19 (preschool through high school). It suits families who want their child to practice freedom, responsibility, and community rather than follow a conventional classroom curriculum. The school is now enrolling for the 26/27 school year, offers free bus service from 12 school districts, and provides financial aid for most families.

What makes The Circle School different

The school describes itself as an independent, self-directed democratic school founded in 1984. Its program "balances freedom, responsibility, and community." Students learn academics, but also how to navigate their world, advocate for themselves, and be productive members of a community.

The physical setting reflects that philosophy:

• An 8-acre campus with woods, a creek, a sledding hill, and play fields
• A 9,000-square-foot building with no classrooms and no rows of desks
• Dedicated spaces including art, science, a playroom, a computer lab, a library, and a cooking kitchen

The school serves roughly 70 to 90 children at a time, which keeps it small relative to most public and traditional private schools.

Who it is designed for

The school states it is "open: welcoming all who can thrive, preschool thru high school." That phrase matters — the fit depends on whether your child can thrive in a self-directed environment rather than one driven by adult-set schedules and curriculum.

Signs this model may fit your family:

• You want an alternative to public and traditional private schools
• You are comfortable with your child having significant control over how they spend their time
• You value democracy and shared responsibility as part of daily school life, not just as subjects
• Your child is between 4½ and about 19 years old

Signs it may not fit:

• You want a conventional grade-level curriculum and testing sequence
• Your child needs a highly structured, adult-directed day to function well
• You are looking for a school that mirrors a traditional private school experience

Practical logistics to weigh

The bus service from 12 districts is worth checking early — confirm whether your district is one of them, since that determines whether daily commuting is realistic.

How to evaluate the philosophy before committing

The school's own framing is that students "practice life, community, shared responsibility, and democracy." Its published writing (by founder Jim Rietmulder and others) argues that grades matter less than other capacities — one article is titled "Why Your GPA Won't Save You in a Zombie Apocalypse, or Ten Things That Matter More Than Grades."

If that framing resonates, the next step is to see it in practice rather than only read about it. Ask during a visit:

• How do students and staff make decisions together day to day?
• What does a typical day look like for a child your child's age?
• How do students move toward academics they will need later, such as for college or work?
• How does the school handle conflict and accountability?
• What does the financial aid process require?

The school notes it is "something like Sudbury Valley School and dozens of other self-directed democratic schools," so if you are familiar with that model, you already have a rough sense of the approach.

Bottom line

Choose The Circle School if you want a small, self-directed, democratic alternative for a child aged 4½ to about 19, you can use the bus service or commute to Harrisburg, and you need financial aid for most families to make it work. Look elsewhere if you want a conventional curriculum and structured classroom. Start by confirming your district's bus eligibility and the current financial aid process, then visit before the 26/27 enrollment window closes.