“KAS was instrumental in my child’s successful relocation to Pittsburgh from out of state.”

Paul T.

Our History

Kentucky Avenue School is an offshoot of McEwan School. McEwan was founded in 1970 based on the essential philosophy that learning can be fun and that our attitude about learning greatly influences our ability and capacity to learn throughout our lifetime.

Kentucky Avenue School opened its doors as a licensed private school in the fall of 2002 and has continued as a K-8 program. KAS is designed to remain a small school. It enables us to ground education in strong personal relationships.

The small size allows faculty and staff to know each child and capitalize on his or her strengths. We build a caring community in which we treat each other with courtesy and respect. Our size also allows us to be relaxed and flexible, enabling us to differentiate instruction.

Think Critically, Act Kindly

OUr Mission Kentucky Avenue School is a progressive  K-8 community where we challenge and support each other to become critically thoughtful, creative, and compassionate global citizens through academic achievement, self-discovery, and social engagement. 

our Vision In a supportive setting, KAS students acquire the skills to succeed academically through experiential learning, personalized instruction, collaborative problem-solving, and artistic expression.  Students are empowered to develop a strong sense of self, responsibility, and advocacy to affect and create change in their own communities and the world. 

Our school prioritizes programming
on the following 4 guiding principles

Whole Child, Individualized, Experiential Approach

  • Social-emotional learning and students’ connections to each other are just as vital as academics.
  • Each child is celebrated and known.
  • We create meaning and knowledge by doing and making.
  • Cooperation, kindness, and collaboration are central to promoting and modeling healthy interactions with peers.   
  • We value self-care and wellness for each student, educator, and community member. 

Social Justice and Civic Engagement Emphasis 

  • We commit to a social justice curriculum that promotes a culture of service, responsibility, and civic engagement. 
  • Our goal as a learning community is to foster open and honest dialogue. 
  • We celebrate and value diversity and difference,and acknowledge that not all members of our community enjoy the same privileges, historically and presently. 

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion 

  • KAS must be a nurturing and safe space, respectful of students’ racial, cultural, and ethnic identities, religion, family structure, social and cognitive style, sexual orientation, and gender identity and presentation. 
  • Inclusion and support of neurodiversity benefit all students and generate a more vibrant, empathic, and innovative community.
  • KAS fosters an inclusive learning environment where diverse perspectives are recognized, respected, and seen as a source of strength.

Creative, Curious, and Critical Thinking:

  • We hold space for collaborative, experimental, and creative thinkers. 
  • Students’ interests and passions guide and inspire emergent curricula and projects.
  • A strength-based approach empowers students to achieve their fullest potential.
  • The arts are integrated with everyday learning. 
  • Students are encouraged to reflect, question, and develop intellectual curiosity.
  • Facilitating understanding and thinking critically is part of the classroom culture.
  • Students take ownership of their learning.  Classrooms are safe for students to explore, discover, and creatively problem solve.