Niche 2024 Rankings for Maharishi School
As the #1-ranked school in Iowa for five years in a row, your continued support has given students access to the benefits of Consciousness-Based Education. Their achievements never cease to make us so proud. Whether it’s innovations in robotics, advancements in our boarding program, or noteworthy achievements in the Lower, Middle, and Upper Schools, this blog provides an overview of the most significant accomplishments that have left a lasting impact in 2023-2024.
#1 Best High School for STEM in Iowa—Top 5% Best High School for STEM Nationally
#1 Best Private K-12 School in Iowa—Top 2% Private K-12 Schools Nationally
#1 Best Private High School in Iowa—Top 2% Private High Schools Nationally
#1 Best Boarding School in Iowa—Top 16% Best Boarding School Nationally
Top 10 Achievements
1. Educational Savings Account (Voucher)
The finances of our families and our school both got a boost with the passage of ESAs (vouchers) in Iowa. Qualified families receive $7,600 per child for private school tuition. This is vital to the sustainability of the school’s goal to become self-sufficient.
2. International Recruiting
Our multicultural school is continually enriched by the presence of our international boarding students from China, India, Russia, Korea, and Vietnam. We will need to expand our dormitory facilities next year to meet the demand. We are eager to fill our dorm to capacity for 2024-2025!
3. Student Support
In an age when stories abound about students struggling with mental health, stress, and anxiety, the Maharishi School community enfolds students in an embrace of love and care, alongside teaching strategies that nurture social emotional learning alongside academics, and in-house professional counseling services for students who need them. Most importantly, twice a day, students of all ages unplug from stress through their Transcendental Meditation program.
4. Preschool
New this year to Maharishi Preschool is Eniko Reeder, founder and former director of Singing Cedars School. In her own words, which embraces our preschool’s philosophy: There is plenty of time to be an adult, but we only get one childhood. We must preserve and protect childhood and bring self-directed play back to the center. Through play, the young child is building the foundation of their human experience. It’s where they learn about themselves and their relationship with the world. If children feel respected, they will grow to be respectful, and for that, we need to provide a place where they feel free to be themselves and experience that the world is safe and good.
5. Lower School
This year, we renewed our emphasis on reading and writing with great results. Katherine Walmsley, Writing Teacher Extraordinaire, says students in first grade are mastering literacy at a rate that is months ahead of the norm. Reading specialist Diane Aitchison and Lynn Shirai round out the support team, working individually with almost 20 students to facilitate and enrich reading levels across all grades.
6. Middle School
The grade 6 students read the book Seedfolks by Paul Fleischman. It is the story of a neighborhood that comes together through community gardening. Their teacher, Melissa Jones, heads our seed-to-table program—and the next step will be the students creating a community garden of their own!
7. Upper School Robotics Team
8. Rocketry
9. South Africa Connection
Part of our school’s mission is to share Consciousness-Based Education with the world, like the weekly workshop we conduct with CBE schools in South Africa. We are as enriched as our colleagues by the stimulating interactions and shared experiences.
10. Donor Support
Maharishi School is deeply grateful for the support shown during our December “Season of Giving” campaign. Our Development Team, together with your help, raised $27,926 through Giving Tuesday and Matching Funds.