This article is Stuart Grauer’s most recent publication for the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS). On the surface, it’s about admissions, but at its heart it’s about how schools can practice what they preach.
Dr. Grauer's Column - Keeping Admission On Mission
Keeping Admission On Mission
By Stuart Grauer
This article, subtitled “What We Learned at The Grauer School About Value-Driven Admission from Submarine Crews,” is my most recent publication for the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS). On the surface, it’s about admissions, but at its heart it’s about how schools can practice what they preach. We are in a new era, where universities are being sued by groups demanding admission based solely on standardized test scores—yet we now have the tools to measure so much more.
Click here to read about what may be the most exciting and promising educational advance of the century so far.

Grauer students learning how to skate on a skateboard at Camp YMCA Surf - August 29, 2025
COMMENT! Click on the "Comments" drop-down box below to share a comment.
SHARE! Click on the social media icons below or copy the link to share this column.
Read More
In an age racing toward artificial intelligence, one of the most radical things a school can do is remain intensely human. Sometimes this means being a spiritual gangster.
I just read a new 57-page report on the health of our students—your children. What is it telling parents and teachers we need to do differently right now?
What if the classroom isn’t where human beings were meant to do most of their learning?
f you are new to this column, its purpose is to help make educating and raising kids more humanitarian and liberating. Today’s question: What if the people teaching our kids the most aren’t their teachers or parents—and aren’t experts at all?
The first day of school for the 2026-2027 school year on Tuesday, August 18, was filled with smiles and hugs as students greeted their friends and teachers. As classes began, teachers introduced new students, invited everyone to share stories about their summers, and shared syllabi and schedules.
Grauer faculty and staff spent the day at Paradise Point in Mission Bay to build connections, overcome obstacles, and bond as a team. The group participated in a series of Survivor Team challenges where they had to work together to accomplish team goals.