Why Croft?
Why Croft: Our Founder’s View
Summer 2025
Dear Families,
I'm Scott. I'm a dad, first, and an educator, second. My boys (above in photo!) are 8- and 10-years old and, like every parent, my wife Sarah and I want the world to be their respective oysters. For us, that pathway starts with love, play, and guidance at home, but almost as important is finding the very best elementary schooling option for them.
So: what's important to my wife and me when thinking about schools?
That a school has a process and plan to hire and retain consistently amazing teachers
That the school balances outstanding instruction in math, reading, and writing, with ample doses of play, project work, outside expeditions, and enrichment.
That the school is a tight-knit community - for students and for us.
That the school enrolls a diverse student body.
That the school is convenient for families, and, of course...
That the school is more affordable and less “exclusive” than most private schools.
For a while, we leaned towards city public school as our default option, but we observed just too many quality inconsistencies, classroom to classroom, to pursue that path. Our review of most private schools yielded options that were unaffordable and/or didn't "check the boxes" on other criteria, too. We felt stuck — there were no undeniably high-quality schools that were meeting all of the above criteria.
So, in 2017, I decided to create The Croft School: Providence in an attempt to solve this conundrum for my own family and for others like us. We hypothesized that many families would value what we built. As it turns out: we were right! We now receive more than 200 enrollment applications per year. Our school, which currently includes Grades K-7, will eventually expand through Grade 8.
Given how well things were going in Providence, we decided to bring the model to Boston, where I've spent much of the last 20 years of my life. We opened The Croft School: Jamaica Plain in September 2020. We opened the school amid the pandemic with 50 students; we now educate 240 students in Preschool through Grade 5 and will reach our full capacity next year as a K-6 school.
About four years ago, several families from the South End neighborhood of Boston visited our school in Jamaica Plain and… fell in love with it. They explained how our type of school was missing from the educational landscape in the South End and that The Croft School could have a transformative impact on the families and children of the South End. We were compelled by their thinking and advocacy. We opened The Croft School: South End in September 2022 and now serve students in Preschool through Grade 2. This school will also expand into a Preschool - Grade 6 school in the years ahead.
Finally, over the last 18 months, we have engaged with families from Cambridge who have continually expressed hope for bringing The Croft School to their community. We are so honored, genuinely, to have the opportunity to launch The Croft School: Cambridge in September 2026.
Whether you live in Providence, Boston, or Cambridge, if you're looking for a school that blends rigor, spark, heart, joy, and belonging for your young children, I hope you will consider reaching out. We'd love to learn more about you and your child, and begin exploring whether this may be a great fit.
Sincerely,
Scott Given
Founder and Executive Director, The Croft School
PS: Back in 2021, The Atlantic published an article by Caitlin Flanagan called Private Schools Are Indefensible. The article has been widely shared and read in the private school world and I would encourage you to take a read as well. I thought it was important to take some time to reflect on the criticism within the article, acknowledge the forces and mindsets that have led to these challenges at many independent schools, and to articulate my belief and hope The Croft School can and will be different. After reflecting, I organized my thoughts into a written response, which you can read here. If you read the article and my response, feel free to share your thoughts directly with me. I'm very curious to hear what you may think.
Why Croft: Our Families’ View
"Croft has given our child the rare gift of loving school. The academics are challenging, but what amazes us most is the joy he brings home every day. He feels seen, stretched, and inspired.” -Abigail, Croft Mom
“What sets Croft apart is the balance: high standards and high heart. Our son is thriving academically, but he’s also developing empathy, resilience, and a sense of purpose. We couldn’t imagine a better preparation for high school, or for life.” -Rahul, Croft Dad
“Croft isn’t just a school, it’s a family. We’ve watched our child find her voice, build lifelong friendships, and discover passions we never knew she had. Choosing Croft was the best decision we’ve made as parents.” -Meredith, Croft Mom
“If you measure a school by the talent and heart of its educators, we can’t imagine there is a better school than CROFT!!!” - Gigi, Croft Mom
“Late elementary school years can be tricky, but Croft has created a community where our daughter feels both deeply supported and endlessly challenged. She’s grown into a confident leader who knows who she is and what she stands for.” -Josh, Croft Dad
. . . But Why “Croft”?
Harold (“Hal”) Croft had an outsized influence on Founder Scott Given’s life as his Reading (MA) Memorial High School English teacher (a class called “Idea of Man”) and track coach.
Scott recalls, “More than anything else, Mr. Croft taught my classmates, teammates, and me that you could achieve far more than you ever think possible with hard work, determination, and collaboration with a team. He took an average athlete like myself and, by convincing me I could be great, he turned me into an all-star runner who could break 4:30 in the mile.”
Croft’s record as the Reading High Boys’ Track and Field Coach provides evidence that he had this type of effect on many of his students and athletes.
When Croft took over the boys’ spring track team in 1971, he inherited a team that finished 0-9 in 1970. After a 3-6 first season, Croft’s Rockets didn’t lose another dual meet until the early 2000s. “The Streak” is a nationally-recognized record of 29 straight league titles and 252 consecutive dual meet victories.
Scott adds: “I am proud to have been able to name our schools after an individual who has been so impactful in my own life. If we can have half the impact on our students that Mr. Croft had on me, our schools will be a tremendous success.”