Dear Watershed School and Friends School Communities,
We are thrilled to announce that, after more than a year of discussion and exploration, the boards of our schools have voted to join forces: Over the next year, we plan to unify Friends School and Watershed School into a single institution. Watershed and Friends have always shared the same spirit, values, and progressive-learning approach to education, and unifying our schools is a natural next step. Together we can provide exciting new opportunities for students and families in the Boulder area, including:
- Our students will benefit from a cohesive experience, from preschool through high school, that strengthens academic culture and deepens learning. In this continuous educational journey, students can grow in a nurturing environment — with teachers who know them deeply and can support their evolving needs at every stage.
- Our teachers will be able to collaborate among a larger group of exceptional peers, sparking fresh ideas, a richer curriculum, and learning experiences that offer even greater community impact.
- Our school will benefit from a broader, more diverse community that offers a wider range of perspectives, friendships, and opportunities for connection. And our school can continue to serve as an inspiring model of progressive-learning, nationwide.
- Our expanded community will offer greater organizational strength and resilience, allowing us to continue to keep our focus where it should be — on teaching and learning.
We’re confident that our two schools are already closely aligned in mission, educational philosophy, and culture — and we believe that your input is critical to a successful unification. To begin the process, we are launching a series of “listening sessions” so that parents/guardians, staff, students, and alumni can provide input. (We are especially mindful of the overlap between our middle schools, and we’ve planned some events and discussions specifically in support of middle-school groups.) These listening sessions are merely the first — not the last — opportunity you’ll have to contribute to a successful unification, and we hope everyone will join in to offer questions, comments, and ideas.
We intend to operate as a combined school at the start of the 2026–2027 school year, and we don’t anticipate any momentous programming or logistical changes before then; however, we can offer some details on leadership through and after the unification process. Current head of Watershed School, Tim Breen, together with incoming Friends interim head Matt Levinson, will guide the first stage of the unification process. Tim plans to retire from his headship in June of 2026. An interim head will lead the combined school for 2026-2027, and permanent leadership will be appointed for the fall of 2027. (Tim’s retirement announcement is coincidental and unrelated to the unification, and he will send his own note to the Watershed community later today.)
More details about the unification process, our plans for leadership, and registration forms for the listening sessions are posted online at togetherinboulder.org. This site will serve as a central, up-to-date resource, and it also provides a form through which you can submit questions and comments. Please keep in mind that we may not have answers (yet!) for every question, and we may not be able to answer every message with a personal reply.
We’re grateful to Honor and Tim; they’ve led our shared community to a vibrant future — and we’re excited about the opportunities that come from unifying the schools we love. Thank you for your partnership and patience as we build a bigger, brighter future together!
Sincerely,
Kristin Lawrence and Julie Goldstein
Chairs of the Board for Friends School and Watershed School, respectively.
P.S. This announcement has been made in person to the staff of both schools and to students in grades four and older. We ask parents and guardians of younger students to share the news with their own children as they feel appropriate.