The Washington Market School

Overview

Founded in 1976 by Ronnie Moskowitz — famously starting with a first class of six in a Tribeca loft — The Washington Market School has grown to roughly 200 children across two nearby Tribeca campuses. Its distinctive identity is a deliberate blend of Montessori and Reggio Emilia, paired with signature "studio classes" and an anti-bias, anti-racist lens. It's an independent non-profit.

Programs & ages

The school serves ages 2–5: a Half Day program for 2s–3s and a Full Day for 3s–5s, with optional extended day to 6pm. Alongside mixed-age classrooms (with three teachers each), children rotate through studio classes — chess, library, movement/drama, music and art — led by specialists, and the school provides structured kindergarten placement ("exmissions") support.

Tuition 2026–27

For 2026–27 the school publishes $34,880 for Half Day (2s–3s) and $48,190 for Full Day (3s–5s). It offers unusually deep need-based aid — up to 95% of tuition, applied for via Clarity, with a reported ~$450,000 awarded in 2025-26. A full-day place sits a few thousand above the citywide median (~$44,900) — see how it compares on our tuition page.

Leadership & staff

Carrie Kries has been Head of School since 2022, when founder Ronnie Moskowitz retired; Kries holds an M.S.Ed. in educational leadership from the University of Pennsylvania and came up through Montessori and independent schools. The site names its two site directors, CFO and enrollment lead as well — good leadership transparency. The gap (behind the Green rating's one caveat) is that individual classroom teachers' Montessori-credential detail isn't itemized publicly.

Accreditation & authenticity

Washington Market is accredited by NYSAIS and is a member of AMS, NAIS and ISAAGNY. Importantly, it describes itself as Montessori-inspired — a genuine blend of Montessori and Reggio Emilia rather than a pure, AMS-accredited Montessori. If a strictly authentic Montessori program is your priority, weigh that; if you like a warm, studio-rich hybrid, it's a feature. See our authenticity guide.

Ownership & stability

An independent non-profit since 1976, operating two Tribeca campuses. For the record: in spring 2026 the Hudson Street campus briefly paused after an off-site safety incident on a park trip and reopened within weeks under a new protocol; both campuses are open. No ownership or financial-instability signals.

What parents say

Recent third-party reviews are warm and consistent — Niche 5.0/5 (11 reviews) and GreatSchools 4.0/5 (21, a wider/older spread) — praising the community, the studio classes and the balanced Montessori/Reggio approach:

"We love Washington Market! The community of parents is really warm and inviting, and the teachers genuinely care about each child and family." — Parent review, Niche, ~2024

"The blended Montessori and Reggio Emilia approach creates a special, structured-yet-playful environment… the studio classes — chess, library, movement/drama, music, art — are all led by specialized, phenomenal teachers." — Parent review, Niche, Nov 2023

Heard around town

Signals from public parent forums and listservs (UrbanBaby, Reddit, Park Slope Parents, StreetEasy, neighborhood groups) and our own parent & alumni interviews. Forum chatter is opinion — often anonymous and sometimes years old — so take it with a grain of salt; interview quotes are first-hand and shared with permission.

Worth noting: that polarizing reputation is from the founder era. Post-2022 reviews (see above) run consistently warmer — a good example of why we date every quote.

Admissions

As an ISAAGNY member, Washington Market runs on the standard NYC cohort calendar — inquire and tour in the fall, apply by the winter deadline, with a child visit and decisions in late winter. Financial aid is a separate application via Clarity. Map your dates with our admissions timeline and planner.