Private K-12 School in Scottsdale AZ

Tesseract School, Paradise Valley:
Founded in 1988, Tesseract School is an independent, private day school in Paradise Valley, Maricopa County, Arizona committed to the development and education of students from pre-school through 12th grade. We are a non-denominational and co-educational institution, serving students from Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Phoenix and surrounding communities. We offer early childhood programs (preschool and kindergarten) from the age of 3 (or 2 at the educators' discretion) through upper school. Approximately 350 students are enrolled in the school and we have an overall student-teacher ratio of 8:1. All of our faculy have undergraduate degrees and many have master degrees.

Co-educational Programs (Prechool through 12th Grade)

Early Childhood Education:
Our early childhood education program is a five-day a week school, and offers morning or full day options. The children who are applicants must be 3-years-old and toilet trained in order to be admitted; 2-year-olds who are toilet trained and ready for a school environment may also apply.

Tesseract has an outstanding full-day kindergarten program that combines structure with flexibility. It is a balance of free-choice and more direct instruction. The program supports the children in the transition from pre-K as they are guided in the development of new learning skills.

Lower School:
At Tesseract, our lower school encompasses students from the age of 3 (2 year olds accepted at educators' discretion) in our early childhood education program through fourth-grade. All of our classes embrace the Tesseract philosophy of small-class sizes with a low student-to-teacher ratio, where students engage in an integrated thematic curriculum that promotes understanding over rote memorization.

We believe in educating the whole child by focusing on important core academic skills—reading, writing, listening, speaking, and computation—while enriching the curriculum with foreign language, performing and visual arts, library, technology, physical education, service learning, field trips and guest speakers in a safe and supportive environment. Starting with our youngest students, curricular concepts and skills are introduced at age-appropriate levels, becoming more complex as students’ abilities progress throughout the lower school program.

Active involvement and hands-on learning activities bring concepts and lessons to life, stimulating and engaging young minds.

Just as important as a strong academic foundation is a strong social curriculum that nurtures each individual and provides a sense of community. Every morning, in every lower school classroom, Tesseract students start out their day with the Responsive Classroom® Morning Meeting, which includes greeting each other by name, participating in a group activity, sharing important information and planning the day. The Responsive Classroom approach continues throughout the day as students make academic choices, follow agreed upon rules and solve problems in appropriate ways. By fostering cognitive growth through social interactions, Tesseract students learn to be cooperative, assertive, responsible and empathetic, preparing them for successful interactions throughout their academic, social and professional lives.

Middle School:
At Tesseract we understand the social, emotional and intellectual needs of the middle school child. At the very core of our mission is an extraordinarily student-centered approach designed to help each individual student develop his or her unique talents in a safe and supportive environment.

Our innovative curriculum, small-class sizes and outstanding educators are all devoted to the development of inquisitive and reflective students who learn through experience and discovery, and seek deep understanding of knowledge. Tesseract students are encouraged to develop their natural talents in areas including communication, numeric analysis, written reflection, foreign language, the arts and athletics. This multi-sensory, integrated approach to learning allows students to make their own connections, process and remember information in a way uniquely meaningful to them and understand concepts at their own current levels. Rather than rote memorization, critical thinking skills are developed.

At Tesseract we believe that learning does not begin and end in the classroom. Whenever possible, we strive to connect student learning to the local or global community. The middle school regularly participates in local field trips and visits from guest speakers, as well as experiences an annual curriculum-related class trip.

Upper School:
Tesseract’s upper school has been designed to give students the skills and knowledge needed for success in college and beyond. Our innovative, student-centered curriculum emphasizes authentic learning, cross-curricular connections and international exposure. We combine these elements with outstanding educators, a low student-to-teacher ratio and a well-rounded, college-preparatory curriculum that includes Advanced Placement (AP) courses, foreign languages, visual and performing arts, physical education, class trips and projects, service learning, college counseling and student government.

As important as our students’ intellectual growth is their personal growth. Serving as the framework for our academic and social curriculum, The Habits of Mind—perspective, evidence, connection, convention and perseverance—and The Habits of Heart—collaboration, service to the common good and ethical behavior—serve as the framework for our academic and social curriculum, establishing lifelong habits and an upper school community where students feel safe, understood, engaged and empowered.

In preparation for college, our upper school graduation requirements provide each student with an education that combines the breadth, depth and flexibility required by higher-learning institutions. Through close mentoring and our comprehensive college-counseling program, upperclassmen are prepared for a smooth transition from upper school to the colleges and universities of their choice.

Foreign Language Instruction:
All students, beginning with our early childhood program, learn Spanish. Lower school students have Spanish four times per week, and starting in middle school, Spanish becomes a core subject. Due to the hybrid/block system, Spanish class, like other core classes, meets four times a week.

In addition to Spanish, Tesseract has been offering Mandarin since 2006. Originally offered as an enrichment program for all grade levels, Mandarin is now offered as a foreign language choice for upper school students.

Technology Programs:
At Tesseract, technology is a tool for learning. Students have access to a variety of technologies, and educators are encouraged to integrate technology into their curriculum to enhance their teaching methods, and to encourage and cultivate student creativity. The technological vision for Tesseract is to infuse technology into students’ daily lives. This includes utilization of online research and collaboration, PowerPoint presentations, word processing, artistic endeavors, digital portfolios, pod casting, 3-D software, Smart Technologies Airliner Tablets, the TI Navigator system and the ninth-grade one-to-one laptop program.