Waterford School

Write a Review801-572-1780

CLOSED NOW - Opens at 8:30am

Admittedly I was skeptical about private school when I first started looking into it. I created my list of "tough questions" and was ready to find the system and schools weakness. I started looking into Waterford two years prior to my son starting Kindergarten. I started reaching out to the Admissions team and threw my questions at them. Each question was seen as valid and worthwhile of a thoughtful answer. They took the time to answer my questions promptly and thoroughly. After my initial questions were answered, I decided to go and take a tour of the school during one of their open houses. I was sure this was where I would find the school's weakness and expose the reason why it just wasn't going to work for us. I presented my final question and sure enough, they answered it thoroughly and thoughtfully and I had nothing left as to why this school wasn't going to work out. Since my initial inquiry, I now have two children at Waterford and soon a third. From the Administrative team to the faculty to the recess and lunch staff, my expectations not only have been met but have been greatly exceeded. I have found a wonderful community of supportive families and a school that really puts children first with their whole development: character, academic, emotional and physical. I love the specialists that teach them science, art, music and dance in experiential, hands on ways. Waterford continues to be a place where I can ask tough questions and seek support and they consistently respond in a thoughtful and thorough way. If you are considering private school, I can't recommend Waterford enough. It is more than a liberal arts school. They are a community that wants to collaborate with you and your family to help your child achieve their potential and discover their greatness.

After moving from the East Coast to Utah eight years ago, we were looking at private schools and received the recommendation of Waterford from a colleague whose sons had attended from Preschool through Upper School graduation. When the time came for our daughter to start school, we enrolled her in Waterford’s preschool class, and could not have made a better decision for our family. That daughter is now enjoying first grade, our younger daughter is currently in PreK-4, and we look forward to our son starting preschool in a year. In making our decision, we visited other schools in the area, and talked with families of children at those schools and also those at Waterford. It was important for us to find a school that offered a diverse group of students and families, with a challenging academic environment, that also cared for each student and fostered individual growth. Waterford has surpassed our expectations in every way. The students are remarkable, and are consistently raising the bar for one another. The qualifications and experiences the teachers bring to the classroom are outstanding. The administration sets an enthusiastic tone for the school and demonstrates genuine care for each student and family. Finally, the campus – reminiscent of the New England campuses we enjoyed – provides a beautiful and safe environment for our children to learn. There is certainly more than one path to a great education, but for our family Waterford has absolutely been the right choice, and we feel so fortunate to be a part of its community.

As we began the search for an alternative to our public school, we were blown away by the curriculum, test scores, and accomplishments of the Waterford School and their students. What “sealed the deal” was our first visit to campus. The students were happy, engaged, and enjoying the learning process. Eleven years later, with both our children in high school, we can say with conviction that enrolling them in Waterford is the best thing we have ever provided for them. Each new year our children have seized the opportunities and challenges presented to them by the amazing Waterford faculty. As our oldest has started the college selection process, we are confident, and more importantly he is confident, that he is fully prepared for college. We are so thankful for all that Waterford has provided for our family.

We couldn't be happier with our decision to send our children to Waterford! Having looked at EVERY private school from downtown SLC, to American Fork and our neighborhood public school, I can honestly say I have done my homework! Waterford offers something for everyone, and it's community is more diverse than any other school I've seen in Utah. In addition to my children having found wonderful friendships, my husband and I have found many wonderful and dear friendships as well. It's been a great "village" for all of us!Our family made the decision for our twins to attend Waterford when they were in 2nd grade (they are now in Middle School). They have been able to challenge our over achieving child, while assist our once struggling child with caring and attentive classroom help, wonderful tutors and overall plans for their success. The bandwidth of knowledge and experience with the Faculty is beyond impressive (just take a look at the Faculty Profiles) and you can't help but know that the payoffs for our kids FAR outweigh the financial sacrifice many of us make. My children are thriving, they do things THEY didn't think they could possibly do, each and every day, and their self confidence just continues to blossom. They are encouraged to try new things, (Robotics, Photography, Instruments, Theater, Sports...and the list goes on) and they always learn a little something about themselves in the process. Can't say enough wonderful things about our school! Love, love, LOVE it!Good luck!

I will always be grateful that we sent our children to Waterford. The opportunities for learning are diverse and extensive. My children have benefitted from outstanding instruction in all subject areas. They connect with their teachers and are inspired by them. Waterford prepares them for success in college and beyond as they work hard and gain academic confidence. While at Waterford my children have participated in many sports, gained foundations in photography and music, had leadership and service opportunities, and formed lasting friendships. Waterford’s influence in their lives is profound – we cherish it!

At first, The Waterford School was the perfect nursery school for my son. My husband and I are successful public school graduates, so paying for private school seemed foreign. We truly thought that after a few years of preschool, we would transfer our child to our local public school. Fast forward nine years, and my sons are both at Waterford in the sixth and fourth grades. We have two wonderfully average boys who are challenged to find their greatness and fuel their passions. The Waterford Faculty and Staff create a place where a true love of learning can take root and flourish. Each year that passes, I am more impressed at the quality of experiences offered at this campus. The Waterford School teaches more than an exceptional curriculum, it polishes and hones great people. Although writing the check is sometimes painful for our family, we feel that the experience and education at The Waterford School is the best gift we could possibly give to our children.

Waterford School is truly an experience. The school has done a fantastic job blending academic rigor and exploratory learning and has created an environment that cultivates development of the whole child. Yes, the school is an investment, but in our experience over almost 13 years we’ve seen first hand how children thrive at Waterford School in a way they simply couldn’t anywhere else.

Waterford is a special place. The breadth and depth of education and experiences students receive impresses me every time I visit the school -- year after year. We chose Waterford in 2002 and believe it's one of the best decisions we've made as parents. We relocated from Colorado, having never been to Utah. Over the years we've had job opportunities in a few of the western states. After visiting other independent schools, we felt so strongly about the education received and time spent at Waterford, that we've chosen to stay put...because of Waterford. Our sons have an enthusiasm about a variety of subjects: Latin, AP Chemistry, Orchestra, Chinese, Human Geography, Robotics, Science, Crew, P.E., etc, and I could go on. The faculty are dedicated educators, incredibly skilled and passionate about the subjects they teach and the sports they coach. Our sons are truly life-long learners and are better, more complete, and on their way to wholeness as human beings because of their Waterford education. I encourage any family to schedule a campus tour and see if the school is a good fit for their student(s).

Our family moved to Salt Lake about 13 years ago. We were looking for a private school for our three grade- school age kids, and even though we had choices, Waterford felt the best for us. The reasons were many why Waterford was the best choice for us. Here are just a few: a generous liberal arts program, low student-teacher ratio, outstanding faculty, specific teachers for science, computers, music, PE and dance, a beautiful campus in a suburban setting and, maybe best of all, uniforms :) Two of the three have graduated now (one on the east coast and one on the west coast) and both are doing extremely well. Waterford did a great job in preparing them not only for their college academics, but also for the time management and self motivation that it takes to be successful. Thank you Waterford! We couldn't be more grateful.

We have two children ages 10 and 11 and strongly recommend the Waterford School to parents searching for the best school for their family. When we relocated from the Bay Area in California, Waterford stood out to us as by far the best private school in the Salt Lake Valley and we believe that Waterford compares favorably to top private schools anywhere in the country. Our children are very happy at Waterford and, as parents, there is nothing better than having happy children. The variety of enriching experiences our children have at Waterford is remarkable, but when asked what they love most about Waterford, our children quickly said in unison, 'the teachers!" We agree. The teachers at Waterford seem to be able to find what is unique and special about each child and bring out what is best in them. We feel lucky to have our children learning and growing in such an amazing environment.

Waterford is a unique place, where students are provided a broad array of opportunities and challenges by world-class faculty. My children have very different needs and interests, and Waterford has the breadth to respond to my children individually and the depth to challenge them personally. I encourage anyone considering applying to the school to take a tour--you will be glad you did.

Waterford is truly a remarkable educational opportunity. It has excellent teachers, modern facilities, a wide curriculum, small class sizes, plentiful extra-curricular activities, and an atmosphere that challenges students to grow in multiple capacities.I attended Waterford from age 3 to age 17 (nursery school to high school graduation). I could spend thousands of words extolling Waterford's many academic virtues -- I wrote papers that were carefully reviewed by teachers (something that isn't done in bigger schools); I worked in actual chemistry labs (Mr. Ward and Mr. Shaw); I went birding in the Utah wilderness (Mr. Harris); I took classes on ancient philosophy that I still remember today (Matt Culberson); I received private lessons in microeconomics (Charles Rosett); I somehow managed to understand a (very) small bit of calculus after extra lunch sessions (Tim Dolbin); I learned to love reading (Ms. Powers and Mr. Brennan); I developed a passion for international politics in a fascinating elective history class (Jan Van Arsdell); I built the best Bohr's model atom ever, etc. -- but this has already been fairly well canvassed in the other posts to this site. Instead, I'll say a quick word about Waterford's athletic program:I am not Usain Bolt, Michael Jordan, or Mariano Rivera. Not even close. But because of Waterford's small size, I had the unique opportunity to play three varsity sports (baseball, soccer, and racquetball). These experiences pushed me to my limits as a lazy teenager; they kept me healthy; they taught me the beauty of competition; they gave me three great groups of friends; and they instilled in me a love for sports that makes my life so much happier today. I couldn't have had this experience at Judge or Juan Diego, and certainly not at Brighton or Alta. And don't think that Waterford traded away all quality for wide participation. We had excellent coaches, and we had success: In my senior year (2002-2003), we beat schools like Park City, Ogden, Wasatch, and Cedar City to win the 3A soccer championship. In racquetball, we beat Brighton (a 5A school) to win the state championship. And in baseball, we had two of the most respected coaches in the state -- Rand Rasmussen and Joey Sato of Bingham baseball -- lead us to a second place finish in the 1A tournament.Waterford didn't require any tradeoffs. I could be on the baseball team without having devoted my whole life to baseball. I could get great attention in English Literature classes and still play soccer at night. Waterford allowed me to live a well-rounded, full life (even though I didn't take full advantage of it at the time) that I try to replicate today. I'm now about to enter one of the top law schools in the country, but, in Waterford spirit, I still am devoted to intramural sports, theater groups, and other activities that allow me live life to its fullest.If I could send my hypothetical child anywhere, I would send him to Andover, Exeter, Deerfield, or Choate. But if I had to send him somewhere west of the Mississippi, I would strongly consider Waterford – Waterford encourages academic excellence and a fully developed life.Stephen RicherWaterford Student, 1988-2003

I have children in Kindergarten and Class II, and they love coming to school. The Waterford community is warm and welcoming, but excellence is taught and expected in all endeavors. I like that creativity and imagination are valued, yet there is also structure in the class and in the day--it seems the perfect balance. A true liberal arts curriculum, the children have interesting math problems, and learn to read and engage with history at a high level, and also attend classes with specialists, such as engaged science teachers that are doing hands on experiments and discussion--my Class II daughter's favorite class is science--and talented music teachers who just put on a wonderful choral performances. Passionate art, PE, and computer teachers, and librarians make for rich days for students. Classroom faculty are caring, organized, and meet continually refine a thoughtful curriculum. I value the diversity of families--ethnic and religious--all connected by interest in great education.

We were looking for an inspiring and well rounded education for our four children. We found it in Waterford, the private college preparatory school, in Sandy, Utah. Waterford has a strong liberal arts curriculum with remarkable and caring faculty. We have found that our investment in Waterford continues to give back time and time again. Daily comments, stories and experiences continue to remind us how fortunate we are to be a part of this school.

There couldn’t have been a better place for our children to explore and learn about the world than Waterford. They have been taught by talented and passionate teachers who have challenged them to think more deeply, have required them to apply themselves more diligently and have shared insights that they will appreciate for the rest of their lives. Our 3 kids have been at the school since kindergarten and our oldest son graduates this year. He couldn't be more prepared for college!

We moved from San Francisco to Utah right before my oldest son was preparing to begin Kindergarten. Before moving I had just finished touring and applying to twelve incredibly distinct and outstanding schools. I wondered if I would find anything as good in Utah. This was imperative to me, as my children would spend more time at school than they would with me! I needed to know the environment was wonderful. As soon as we toured Waterford I knew we found the perfect fit for my three boys. Two years later I feel as excited about the school experience as our first day. While no school is perfect, it has delivered on its promises. My children are gaining a well-rounded, robust academic experience combined with a celebration of values to be good citizens with empathy for those around them. A great deal is expected – allowing them to realize how much they are really capable of, growing in self-confidence and developing a genuine love of learning. I am grateful they are there!

When my family moved from New York to Utah a few years ago, we didn't have to think twice about where to send our kids to school. My husband and I attended Ivy League schools for college and graduate school and we had heard about Waterford's exceptional environment from our classmates. It is truly the paradigm of a modern liberal arts education, and I become giddy any time I have an excuse to roam the halls with my kids, visit their classes, meet with their teachers or hear the administration speak. It brings me so much joy to know that my kids are finding the same love of learning that I've enjoyed in my own life. I am daily grateful that I can send my children off to such an amazing place.

Waterford undoubtedly provides an exceptional liberal arts education. But it is so much more. You will be amazed with the opportunities that children have from nursery through high school. Of course middle school and high school subjects are taught by teachers who specialize in their field. But at Waterford, elementary children enjoy this same privilege. Each day they visit different specialists in art, science, computers, music and dance. Each teacher has a passion for the subject they teach. This passion is contagious, setting the foundation for a love of learning early in life. Waterford consists of a community of families who value education and caring faculty who know each student. One day my middle school daughter verbalized what the whole family has always felt, "Mom," she said, "I feel so safe at Waterford."

Everyone in our family are die-hard Waterford School fans! We have 3 children in Waterford, grades 8, 5, and K. Our 14yo son has been going there since he was 3. They all love going there and cannot imagine going elsewhere. I agree with all the other positive reviews on the strength of the academic program, but what puts this school above others is all the other amazing experiences their students get there: from learning yoga moves in Nursery 3 (preschool), to dissecting a cow's heart in 3rd grade, to putting on an incredible Shakespeare play in 5th grade, to designing their own computer game program in 7th grade...the list is endless! We feel so good knowing our children spend most of the days in their lives in a place that encourages independent thinking and fosters such love of learning that I'm sure will last a lifetime!

The Waterford School came highly recommended to us, but the actual Waterford experience has been top-notch and beyond our expectations. We moved to Utah at the midpoint of my son's kindergarten year, and visited many schools, public and private. The Waterford School stood out immediately as the best school in the Salt Lake/Sandy area. We were and continue to be impressed by the facilities that support a rigorous and liberal arts education, even (and most importantly) at the Lover School (elementary) level. My son, now in Class II was quite shy coming into the school, but the low class size and well-funded enrichment classes of science, PE, music, dance, computers and library have allowed him to thrive socially, intellecutally and physically. As an adult in a new city, I am also grateful to have found a community of bright and thoughtful parents committed to education. I found it easy to meet people, make new friends and become involved in parent events and volunteer opportunities.