Dawson is that rare K-12 independent school that brings out the best in people. We look at students not only for who they are, but for who they can be. Dawson students are curious, and interesting, and ready to engage in a very exciting school life. At Dawson, there are happy, healthy, wholesome students, at ease in their surroundings, being themselves, and engaging fully in all they do with other students and adults. Your years at Dawson are years of joy, years of freedom, years that make a difference. The opportunity is here. The choice is yours. Choose the Dawson Experience. It starts when you start. It lasts a lifetime.

Academics

In a private school like Dawson, teachers provide more than just academic excellence. They also provide a personal, human touch. That means students get the individual attention it takes to prepare them for what the world demands. At Dawson, it’s not about teaching to the test, it’s about quality, substance and depth. At Dawson, excellence is the norm.

While the standards are high, we won’t ask for more than a student can give. Our goal is to instruct, encourage and challenge students to reach their own personal potential, and by so doing, discover that they can go well beyond what they thought they could achieve.

The Arts

At Dawson, we recognize the importance of the arts in the crafting of a complete education, and to the development of a complete person. That’s why we offer a full range of courses in the visual, manual, and performing arts. From ancient to modern, from the sublime to the ridiculous, from appreciation to participation, art makes the heart beat faster. At Dawson, we’re committed to making sure that pulse continues its steady rhythm at the core of the Dawson experience.

Athletics / Sports

We’re a school of doers, not watchers, players not spectators. We’ve won state championships, Junior Olympic gold medals, even the Wells Fargo Cup for school wide athletic participation and excellence. Through competition, Dawson students learn about honor, teamwork, fairness, determination, and leadership. It’s all a part of building character, one of the cornerstones of a Dawson education, and what makes us one of the best private schools in the area.

Community Service

It is an integral part of life at Dawson to participate in the world outside the school, by committing time and energy to community service through a variety of programs. Students learn how to organize and run major events like the twice yearly Bonfils Blood Drive, and the regional Special Olympics soccer tournament for over 250 Special Olympic athletes. They serve on donation committees, help in literacy and farm programs, build Habitat For Humanity homes, and learn to make volunteering a regular part of their lives. Last year, Dawson students volunteered over 5,000 hours to community service, equal to a full time job for two-and-a-half years!