Learning that's meaningful, inspiring, and fun.
MeadowLab is a progressive, independent school where kids build strong foundations with expert guidance, have the freedom to explore what sparks their curiosity, and grow into resilient, empathetic human beings.
Newark CA
Surrounding Areas
1:8
Adult-To-Child Ratio
TK-8
Grades Served
Fall 2027
Launch
5 Days/Week | 9 AM to 3 PM Mon–Thu | 9 AM to 12 PM Fri
Each day blends focused time on literacy and math with hands-on projects, open-ended studio work, and time outdoors. Enrichment Fridays are half-days, filled with activities such as field trips, cooking, music, and craft projects.
Why MeadowLab for your kid?
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Capable kids who stay curious.
When kids have strong foundational skills and the freedom to use them on what they care about, they build a love of learning that lasts.
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Real friendships along the way.
In a mixed-age group, older kids mentor, younger kids learn by watching, and relationships form as they work things out together.
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Learning personalized for your kid.
With up to 8 kids for each educator, we know where each child is and can meet them there, whether that means more practice or a bigger challenge.
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Nature and movement, every day.
Kids head outside whenever the weather allows, to explore, play, and learn in the open air.
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Screens in the background.
Kids don't use personal devices, and a shared screen comes out only when it helps teach something.
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Progress you can see.
Instead of letter grades, each child builds a portfolio of real work, photos, and short notes that you talk through with their educators regularly.
What we’re hearing from local parents.
Shared through our parent survey and at our Parents’ Circles.
"It can't just be about surviving a curriculum anymore. It has to be about preparing them mentally and emotionally for an unpredictable, AI-driven world. How do we teach them adaptability, critical thinking, and resilience when the old playbook no longer applies?"
— A parent in Newark
"Low teacher-student ratio, explorative learning, not wanting kids to fit in a box."
— A parent in Fremont
“Being a pediatric SLP (speech-language pathologist) and having worked in schools, I have seen what works, but also what is not working. I want more play and time for him (my son) to learn through creation, imagination, and problem-solving.”
— A parent in Milpitas
Frequently Asked Questions.
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MeadowLab is a small, independent TK-8 school in Newark, opening in Fall 2027 with kids ages 4 to 7. It was started by two local parents, a longtime kindergarten teacher and a systems designer, who wanted a school day that gives kids both strong foundational skills and room to grow.
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MeadowLab is for families looking for a more intentional way for their kids to learn and grow in a close-knit, inclusive community. Whether your child is in public school, private school, or just getting started, if you're curious, you belong here.
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Kids at MeadowLab learn the same foundational skills they would at any school, and the difference is in how the day is shaped around them. They learn in a small, mixed-age group with up to 8 kids per educator, so teaching can follow each child's pace. Their questions turn into hands-on projects and studio work, they spend time outside every day, and you see their progress through portfolios and regular conversations with their educator instead of letter grades.
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Our founding cohort is made up of kids ages 4 to 7, learning together in one mixed-age group. As those kids grow, MeadowLab grows with them, with the long-term goal of serving TK through 8th grade.
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Our founding campus is in Newark, CA, and we welcome families from Fremont, Union City, and nearby cities. We share the exact address with families once they register for a visit.
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Kids leave MeadowLab with strong foundational skills, along with the ones that matter just as much in a changing world: critical thinking, creative problem-solving, emotional resilience, adaptability, and the ability to collaborate across differences. They practice these every day through hands-on projects, mixed-age teamwork, and real challenges they get to work through themselves.
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Yes. We plan to grow with our founding families all the way through 8th grade, but if your family decides to move at any point, your child will be ready.
Kids build the core skills every school expects, and we track each child's progress closely along the way. If you do move on, we send your child's records and a summary of their reading, writing, and math skills to the new school, and their portfolio goes home with you.
Exploring alternative elementary options?
Join a playdate (with kids) or a Parens’ circle (without kids) to get to know the program and our team. Sessions run through fall and winter, and you're welcome to attend as many as you like.
OCTOBER 4, Sunday
9:30 TO 11:30 AMDECEMBER 5, SATURDAY
10 TO 11 AMJANUARY 10, SUNDAY
9:30 TO 11:30 AM