A Place to Successfully Learn How to Learn

Current News

Posted: August 20th, 2008

Summer Festival / Open House
Saturday, August 23
12pm - 5pm
139 Main St.
Little Falls, NJ 07424

Directions | Map To celebrate the successful completion of our first year and the exciting start of our second, Teddy McArdle Free School is hosting a free summer festival/open house on Saturday, August 23 from noon until 5pm. We'll be having face painting, storytelling, fairy tale arts & crafts, games, science experiments and a fabulous garage sale! It's also a great opportunity to come and get to know us, and to hear more about democratic schools in general and our nurturing, learner-centered environment in particular!

Posted: August 4th, 2008

Part-Time Teacher / Volunteers Wanted
We are looking for compassionate, enthusiastic, curious individuals to help expand our wonderful staff.

Our ideal staff will include people who:

  • are personable and social, with good people and problem solving skills (conflict resolution)
  • are deeply passionate about working in a free school environment and who understand free school principles
  • love children and are committed to helping them discover their interests and passions-experience in this area a plus
  • are curious, with many interests and hobbies and a desire to keep learning new things
  • are compassionate and open-minded with an upbeat, positive outlook on life
  • believe in (and have experience living out) non-coercive relationships with young people
  • can add to the diverse experiences and perspectives of our community
  • have a sense of humor!
  • are fun and like to play, to build things, and who are young at heart and in their outlook on life
  • are up for trying anything, not afraid to make fools of themselves -- up for singing, dancing, doing artwork in an unfamiliar medium...
  • can play and teach music

We are looking to fill:
  • one paid staff position (25 hours a week for $16,000 a year plus free tuition for children)
  • several intern/volunteer positions. We are also looking for teenagers who would like to help lead activities for our younger students, and retirees who would like to share their experience and talents with a new generation of curious and engaged young people!


For more information: contact us or call 201 538 6253

Posted: July 2nd, 2008

Fall Enrollment
After completing our first successful year, we're now starting to enroll for the 2008-2009 school year. We're accepting students ages 5-18 for both full time and part time enrollment.

Tuition for full time students is on a sliding scale based on your family's financial need, capping at a maximum of $10,300 per student per year. We use a third party company, FACTS Tuition Management to help determine how to allocate financial assistance to families in need and to help families easily pay their tuition in monthly installments throughout the school year, if needed. You can fill out an online financial assessment application through FACTS to find out what your sliding scale tuition rate would be.

Part time enrollment (anywhere from 1 day - 4 days a week) is on a fixed scale of $2,060 / day for the year (e.g. if you enroll Mondays and Wednesdays, tuition for the year would be $4,120, etc.) We keep our schedule as flexible as possible for part time students but require that everyone enrolled register for the time slot of our School Meeting (currently held on Wednesday mornings). Half days are allowed so long as a student comes for at minimum two half days a week or one full day.

Please see our online application for more details and for the application process.

View Older News

Upcoming Events

  • Summer Festival / Open House
    Saturday, August 23
    12pm - 5pm
    139 Main St.
    Little Falls, NJ 07424
    Directions | Map

    We're hosting a free summer festival/open house. We'll be having face painting, storytelling, fairy tale arts & crafts, games, science experiments and a fabulous garage sale!

About Us

The Teddy McArdle Free School is a non-profit independent alternative school located at 139 Main St., Little Falls, NJ, U.S.A based on the democratic and free school educational philosophies. We opened our doors in the fall of 2007, with 13 enrolled students ages 5-12.

Find out more about us

Support Our School

There are four ways you can help support the Teddy McArdle Free School:

1. Make a Donation

Make a donation of any amount, small or large, using PayPal's safe and secure system.

2. Search and Shop

Search the web and shop using GoodSearch.com and GoodSearch Shopping to support our school.

GoodSearch: You Search...We Give!

Or shop at hundreds of stores online using iGive.com and a portion of the proceeds will go to our school.

3. School Store

Buy merchandise from our school store.


4. Time and Supplies

We're looking for extra supplies and for volunteers passionate about our educational philosophy. If you're interested in volunteering time or donating supplies, please contact us.