The walls talk at Manhattan Day School.
Covered by paintings, drawings, sculpture, and writing, they speak of innocence and experience, of exuberance and compassion. The walls tell stories of the self and recite epics of Jewish history. They reverberate with the vision and voices of MDS students, who, from their earliest years here, are encouraged to express themselves in every way they can. Why do we place such strong emphasis on self-expression? Because we believe that’s what makes kids happy, and happy kids make good learners. So we educate through motivation and self-discovery. We encourage students to explore the widest range of extracurricular activities, from choir to chess, basketball to Torah Bowl. We help kids discover the things they love to do, and we enable them to explore their interests, exercise their passions, and satisfy their curiosity. And because our school is an inclusive environment, every Manhattan Day School child may join any club or team without tryouts or auditions, anxiety or rejection. Is your child tone-deaf but loves to sing? No problem: there’s room for every voice in the MDS choir, just as there’s room for every aspiring athlete on every MDS sports team.

Click play below to listen to the MDS School Choir:

At the end of the day, our after-school gatherings, teams, and activities do far more than teach kids how to play the game, sing the song, paint the picture, write the poem, or debate the point: They are about helping students grow as individuals while simultaneously interacting as part of a community. They are about learning good sportsmanship, acquiring school spirit, and understanding ourselves and others. Like everything else at MDS, they’re about bringing fun, pleasure, and self-expression to learning.