FAQs
What makes Odyssey different from other schools?
Odyssey Day School empowers children to be out-of-the-box thinkers through experiential, theme-based education that breaks the traditional mold and guides children as they embark on a life-long educational journey to discover who they are and who they have the potential to become.
Where is Odyssey Day School located?
Odyssey Day School is conveniently located at 2 Audubon Road, Wakefield, MA, 01880, with easy access from I-95. Map this!
What are Odyssey Day School’s demographics?
Total enrollment: 150
Infant – Preschool Teacher/student ratio and class size: Early Childhood ratios vary by age of child, but we meet or exceed expectations set by the state and NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children).
Average Elementary class size: We have combined age classes within the elementary program. Classes are often 12 to 15 students with one teacher and one teacher’s assistant, with a maximum of 18 students per classroom.
Where our students reside: Our students reside in Wakefield and over 20 surrounding cities and towns, including (but not limited to): Andover, Beverly, Burlington, Chelmsford, Derry NH, Essex, Lowell, Lynnfield, Malden, Medford, Melrose, Methuen, N. Andover, N. Reading, Newburyport, Reading, Saugus, Stoneham, Tewksbury, Winchester, Winthrop, and Woburn.
Ages/grades we serve: We are happy to love and teach your children from infant through 8th grade.
Racial Diversity: A healthy 21% of our student body is racially diverse, reflecting or exceeding the racial diversity of the surrounding community. However, our religious, ethnic and socioeconomic diversity, as well as our diversity of family composition, are much higher than those of the surrounding community.
How do I enroll?
Please start with a tour of our school to learn more about us. If you’re interested in taking the next step, please fill out the application. We accept applications year round.
Is there financial assistance?
Yes. Odyssey Day School is responsive to the needs of families and promotes accessibility to families at all income levels. For more information, please see our Financial Assistance page.
Does Odyssey Day School Provide before and after school care?
Yes. Odyssey offers Extended Day Care beginning at 7:30 a.m. and ending at 5:30 p.m. Limited Childcare is also available during some school vacation weeks. For specific rate information, please see the Tuition page.
Do Odyssey Day School students take the MCAS?
No. No private schools administer the MCAS. Private schools are not regulated by the state in this way, which gives teachers the freedom to develop creative and stimulating curriculum that is not geared toward a state-mandated test. The result is a much deeper and more enriching curriculum with more attention paid to developing critical thinking skills and habits of mind in students that will serve them well for a lifetime of learning.
How does Odyssey work with gifted students?
Families with gifted students often choose Odyssey for elementary school. Our model enables us to meet children where they are intellectually and challenge them to go to the next level– by extensions, independent studies, and/or grouping. We cross-group students by ability in reading and math, enabling a younger student to get his or her math or reading instruction with an older group, while remaining with his or her peer group the rest of the day. Social and emotional maturity is considered along with academic ability when a student is excelling in a subject area, and decisions take into account the needs of the whole child.
How do students transition from the small middle school environment at Odyssey Day School to a larger high school environment?
We are often asked this question, and the answer is simple: Odyssey students have been given the gift of a nurturing school environment during the elementary and middle years, allowing them to build confidence and self-esteem both socially and academically.
Our friendly and tolerant students know that teachers expect them to treat each other kindly, and they do. We fill our school with children, not angels, so while we can’t and don’t claim perfection, we do notice that our students tend to be uniquely empathetic and kind.
Our students go through all the age-typical developmental and social changes and challenges, but they do so in an environment of care and connection. They have support in working through interpersonal issues and are encouraged to be honest in communication. They emerge from our small environment with critical interpersonal tools – knowing and appreciating who they are, respecting themselves and others, and ready to integrate into a well-matched high school, even if it is significantly bigger than what they are used to. For more information on secondary school placement, click here.
How does Odyssey prepare students for high school?
Odyssey Day School students receive a uniquely individualized and challenging high school preparatory experience. Through our hands-on, theme-based instruction model, students learn to make critical interdisciplinary connections across subject areas. Our small class sizes and low student/teacher ratio allow children with a variety of learning styles to develop the cognitive skills and content mastery necessary for success in their next school, and in the world beyond our campus.
Our students leave Odyssey with a skill set that will serve them well in a high school environment and beyond. Their years at Odyssey help them to cultivate flexibility, innovative thinking, good communication skills, openness to new ideas, an embracing of cultural diversity and to develop cognitive skills and master the content necessary for success.