Charles River School


Charles River School was founded by parents on the banks of the Charles River in Needham, Massachusetts, United States, in 1911. In 1917, the school moved to Dover, Massachusetts. Today the school serves children from Pre-Kindergarten to Grade Eight. The school is accredited by the Association of Independent Schools in New England.

Notable alumni

The Charles River Creative Arts Program, the summer day program of the school, was founded in 1970 to provide an environment in which young people could pursue an interest in the arts.
Approximately 550 students from around the state, ages eight to fifteen, enroll in the program each year. The summer is split into two four-week sessions attended by 275 participants each. Students pick their own schedule from over 130 classes in art, writing, media, performing arts, gymnastics, textiles, sports, photography, and more.
CRCAP has run for over 40 seasons, and is under the direction of Aaron Gelb. Every summer the camp produces two original musical productions, one for each of the two sessions. The productions are usually written by CRCAP alumni or staff members, including Faith Soloway.
Programs based on the CRCAP model have been established in 20 states, including six other programs in Massachusetts. CRCAP-inspired programs have also been initiated in Geneva, Switzerland, and Hong Kong. Guest artists to the program have included William Wegman, James Taylor, Madeleine l'Engle, Tracy Chapman, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Noel Stookey, William Hurt, Israel Horovitz, Jane Alexander, Yo Yo Ma, Elizabeth Swados, John Hockenberry, Julie Harris, Niia, and Matt and Kim.