Garden School

From 33-16 79th Street

Garden School is a co-educational independent school in East Elmhurst and Jackson Heights, Queens, New York City offering a K-12 education.

History

Garden School was founded in 1923,^[1] taking its name from the newly conceived garden apartment complexes in the then-rural community of Jackson Heights.^{[citation needed]}

The first classes were grades K–3 and met in the Laburnum Court Apartments under the guidance of Dorothy Gleen, Charles Townshend, and Josephine Wech. In 1925, grades 4–6 were added as John Bosworth Laing became the director. In 1927 Otis Flower assumed leadership as headmaster and moved the school to its current location. It had its first graduating class in 1929, presenting three students. Within three years Garden Country Day School became an independent school, with a board of trustees, under the New York State guidelines for not-for-profit schools.^{[citation needed]}

Amid financial trouble in 2012, the school agreed to sell an athletic field to the city for $6 million.^[2]

The school's sports team, called the Garden Griffins, offers multiple sports per season.

As of 2025, Garden School is $28,408 per year for Nursery through Grade 12. There's a $500 sibling discount for each child after the first. Additionally, there are Junior and Senior fees of $200 each. ^[3]

As of 2021, the Head of School is Christopher F. Herman.^[1]

Death of Rory Staunton

In 2012, Garden School contributed to the death of 12-year-old student Rory Staunton, who died from septic shock following a minor injury sustained at the school where Staunton scraped his arm. According to court filings and contemporaneous reporting, the injury was addressed by a gym teacher who applied a bandage; the wound was not cleaned, and Staunton was not sent to the school nurse. His parents were not notified of the injury.

Over the following days, Staunton developed symptoms including fever, vomiting, and diarrhea. He was later hospitalized and died on April 1, 2012. Subsequent investigations and media reports raised concerns about the school’s injury-response procedures and its failure to notify the student’s family.

The case received national attention and contributed to increased public awareness of pediatric sepsis. In response, New York State enacted “Rory’s Regulations” in 2014.

Academics

Garden School has Spanish, French and Mandarin as the languages on offer. There are 26 teachers and 259 students in Garden School, making it a small school with a 10:1 student to teacher ratio. Garden School offers 7 AP courses: AP Biology, AP Calculus, AP English, AP French, AP Modern European History, AP Spanish and AP US History. ^[4]

References

1. Moro, Julia (June 14, 2021). "Garden School makes big plans for its 100-year anniversary". QNS.com. Retrieved February 3, 2024.
2. Nir, Sarah Maslin (March 23, 2012). "In Shift, a Queens School Will Sell Land to the City". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 3, 2024.
3. "Tuition + Financial Aid". Garden School. Retrieved April 19, 2025.
4. "Garden School (Top Ranked Private School for 2025) - Jackson Heights, NY". Private School Review. March 11, 2025. Retrieved April 19, 2025.

External links

• Official website of the Garden School

40°45′15″N 73°53′19″W / 40.7541°N 73.8885°W / 40.7541; -73.8885