Welcome To Main Street School

We are a small, private school, located just 15 minutes south of Des Moines, in Norwalk, Iowa.

Established in 2006, our diverse community consists of classrooms from preschool through 12th grade.

What Our Parents Say

M.F. - Norwalk, IA

We couldn’t be happier with the academic preparation that Main Street gave our daughter. She has since gone on to graduate high school and college and is now a teacher herself because of the inspiration of Tanya. It also appropriately prepared our youngest daughter for her high school experience. We also appreciated the lessons in citizenship that our children received. They learned the why behind the what in all instances and that made them better critical thinkers. Most importantly, they learned to love and respect people for who they are. This fit so well with our family philosophy. It was a Godsend to have our personal philosophy and our children’s educational experience so aligned.

A.M. - formerly Ames, IA

We commuted from Ames to Main Street School when our son was in 7th and 8th grades. We sought individualized academics, experiential learning and a small class size. The experience was nothing short of transformative for him. He matured, he gained both study and social skills and he had the experience of teachers who would not give up on him and would not let him get away with not trying. Public school doesn't always work for all children. When a student needs an alternative, Main Street School is a shining example of what that can be. We were so relieved to find it, and so delighted with the results. We feel so strongly that Main Street School has the power to improve lives that we continue to give a small monthly donation even though we now live out of state.

S.L.S - Des Moines, IA

We have been part of Main Street for 10 years now and both girls have benefited greatly from the experience. The classes are small, sometimes one-on-one, so individual needs are recognized and met. The adult-to-student ratio is high so misbehavior is quickly seen and discussed calmly and sometimes introspectively (can we talk about why you said/did that?) All ages mingle, older students read to younger ones, and students work and play together at recess. The students learn to interact with all ages from 3 to adults.I would highly recommend Main Street School to anyone who wants their child(ren) to have a personal academic and life-skills education in a rich, caring, comfortable environment.

B.C. - Formerly Ames, IA

Main Street literally saved our child. He was completely disengaged in public school, truly believed that he couldn’t do the work, and got in fights with his peers instead of working. The willingness of the Main Street teachers to get to know him as a person, a child, and a learner made such a difference in his life. He was challenged and succeeded for the first time in school. He was prepared for high school in a way that would have been impossible if he’d stayed in public school. And he learned how to deal with conflict and personality differences without violence. We will forever be grateful that we spent a couple of years driving an hour each way to get our child engaged in learning.

What Our Alumni Say

"Main Street School is more
than a school, it is a family.
My experience at Main Street School helped me grow as a human and academically. I
could not have asked for a
safer or more accepting environment that also expanded my learning horizons."

C. B. Alumni

"It is incredibly special to feel inspired, seen, supported, creative and free in a learning environment. Main Street School helped me feel all of those things every day. I am immensely grateful for that education and highly recommend this school."

E. W. Alumni

"Looking back, I’m grateful for the unique experiences of being part of a small learning environment. It allowed for more hands-on learning with lessons tailored to the students interests and many field trips, things not possible in a
large public school."

I. A. Alumni

Diversity Equity and Inclusion Statement

Main Street School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.

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