.png){kind=logo}
Alumni
Thomas P., '24 Finds Belonging at High Meadows
“I have a lot of interests, and High Meadows helped me develop them,” Thomas noted. “The main thing I learned was how to pursue and tackle my passions and to never give up on something I truly believe in. The High Meadows community exemplifies all of those traits.”
As a young student, Thomas struggled to focus in the classroom and to find his inner circle of friends. When it was time to begin his middle school career and prepare for high school, Thomas’s family recognized the need for a change and chose to enroll him at High Meadows School, a place where joy, wonder, and discovery fill each school day.
“My family chose High Meadows for my middle years education for multiple reasons,” Thomas said. “They hoped it would help me to focus and find my community.”
Thomas immediately immersed himself in all that the school’s 42-acre campus had to offer, and he had no trouble making friends and excelling academically. Middle school can be a formative period in a student’s life, and Thomas encountered a diverse curriculum filled with unique experiences, exciting mini-courses, and even overnight trips.
“The overnight trips were a highlight of my High Meadows experience,” recalled Thomas, now a freshman at a local public high school. “The trips brought me, my peers, and my teachers closer together as a community and helped us develop individually.”
Thomas has numerous interests, and his teachers helped nurture each one. One of the many strengths of a High Meadows education is that students are encouraged to ask questions, think critically, and explore paths of their own making. When a child enrolls at High Meadows, parents will find that lessons are often shaped by students’ voices, creating an exciting and dynamic classroom environment. The traditional image of desk-bound hours that parents picture will fade away as their students learn on the meadow, in nature, and with hands-on experiences.
“I have a lot of interests, and High Meadows helped me develop them,” Thomas noted. “The main thing I learned was how to pursue and tackle my passions and to never give up on something I truly believe in. The High Meadows community exemplifies all of those traits.”
Beyond the experiences High Meadows provided, Thomas formed close relationships with many of his teachers during his three years as part of the HMS family. “All of my teachers impacted me in so many ways, but Ms. Spinola, Mr. Stephens, and Ms. Hillestad are three who stand out,” Thomas shared.
Ms. Hillestad, an English teacher, joined High Meadows during Thomas’s eighth-grade year, but she made a lasting impression on him. She encouraged him to appreciate small things and to cherish every moment. In science class, Mr. Stephens consistently brought laughter and amusement to the classroom, brightening Thomas’s day and showing him that school can indeed be fun.
In middle school, Thomas also began taking a second language class. Tackling Spanish is challenging for many students, especially at first. Initially, Thomas doubted his ability to learn a new language, but with the caring guidance of Ms. Vanda Spinola, he learned a valuable lesson. “Ms. Spinola helped me understand that if I put in 100% effort, I can surprise myself with how well I can do,” Thomas said.
High Meadows Middle Years and Connections Principal Matt Nuttall often finds that HMS graduates are consistently ahead of their ninth-grade peers when they begin high school. When Thomas walked across the stage in May 2024 to receive his certificate of achievement, he knew he was ready for high school and the academic challenges that awaited. High Meadows School had laid a strong foundation for his future. “By taking advantage of the opportunities High Meadows offered, I was prepared for high school in countless ways,” he said. “Most importantly, the teachers and staff helped me learn to adapt while also understanding how to be and express myself.”
After three years at High Meadows, Thomas eased his parents' concerns about his focus in the classroom and ability to find community. Thomas summed it up best, saying, “The best part of my time at High Meadows was the feeling of community and belonging and always being included.”
Thomas and his family gave the Pre-K through Eighth Grade School in Roswell a glowing review, and Thomas had a powerful message for prospective families searching for an independent school for their child: “If you want your child to grow, not only as a student but as a person, then you could not choose a better school. The teachers and staff at High Meadows care about the people and the community.”
To learn more about High Meadows, please call (770) 993-2940 or click here to register for one of our upcoming tours or events.
The High Meadows community celebrates and perpetuates each individual’s quest for knowledge and skill, sense of wonder, and connection to the natural environment. We empower each to be a compassionate, responsible, and active global citizen.
Age 3 through Grade 8 | Authorized IB PYP World School
1055 Willeo Road, Roswell, Georgia 30075 | (770) 993-2940 | info@highmeadows.org
1055 Willeo Road, Roswell, Georgia 30075 | (770) 993-2940 | info@highmeadows.org
