Welcome to Ethical Culture!

Ann Vershbow
Principal, Ethical Culture

Here on the corner of 63rd and Central Park West, we occupy an historic and beautiful seven-floor building, which is home to 500 children from prekindergarten through fifth grade. The belief of our founder, Felix Adler, in learning by doing, in “deed rather than creed” still actively informs the mission and curriculum of the Ethical Culture School.

Adler’s influence on American education has been far-reaching. If you look at any good independent school these days, you will find they have many characteristics in common with the progressive education that he envisioned. They include: a child-centered (not subject-centered) education; active engagement in developing habits of mind; the ability to read and write clearly and to do the basics of math, but also to excel at finding answers to questions; community service and education in ethics and social justice. Those fundamentals, recent additions to some schools, have been an integral part of ECF for over 125 years.

At Ethical Culture, our students know how to read and write clearly, they know the fundamentals of math – and they also know how to find answers to their own questions whether the topic is crayfish or snakes. We teach our students to be active and enthusiastic researchers, which has an appropriately different definition in preK than it does in fifth grade.

From morning meeting to our after school program, from woodworking and art to library, the students at Ethical Culture are actively engaged in their education, and our faculty just as engaged in guiding and supporting their learning.

We welcome your virtual visit and look forward to seeing you in person.



Ann Vershbow
Principal, Ethical Culture