LOCATION

The school is located on five acres of woodland property in West Saugerties in the Catskills region of Upstate New York, about ten minutes from the main streets of both Woodstock and Saugerties. Saugerties is a quaint town on the west bank of the Hudson River about 2 hours north of New York City. We are part of the Saugerties School District (see map) with a population of about 25,000. Chronogram Magazine wrote an article about Saugerties, saying it’s “having a moment”. A local business owner summed it up saying, “I think it’s because we have the right mix. There are great stores, art, restaurants, and things to do. There are a lot of new people coming in but locals seem content, too. There’s something for everyone. No one feels excluded.”

The campus can be difficult to find due to an oddity in the road numbering system. We’re at 268 West Saugerties Road. We’re right at Kate Yaeger Road, 3 miles away from Taleo Arts Center, which is at 275 West Saugerties Road. In The Sticks restaurant is right up the road. There is a long driveway leading up to the school.

Here is a map of our campus.

This area was originally the land of the Esopus tribe who retreated into the Leni Lenape tribe after being “resettled” by Germans and Dutch in the 1600s and 1700s. The Lenape have a matrilineal clan system and historically were matrilocal. Saugerties was the site of several battles during the American Revolution. Lumber and stones from local quarries were used to support the shipping industry. While the farming and hunting community has maintained a presence since these towns were founded, the last century the area has attracted a large number of artists and spiritual seekers. The Woodstock Chamber of Commerce published this brief history of the Utopian vision upon which the town was built.

Enjoying New York State’s natural beauty comes with a risk of tick encounters. Middle Way School students spend ample time outdoors where ticks thrive. We have solicited different perspectives on tick prevention, disease detection and treatment, and other related issues from friends of the school so that caregivers can choose what’s best for their families.