Elmwood Franklin School

Elmwood Franklin School Elmwood Franklin School prepares children to lead thriving lives. The faculty, parents and board remain committed to its elementary school tradition.

Elmwood Franklin School is the oldest independent school in Western New York with a preschool through eighth grade configuration. The Elmwood School was founded in 1889 as a kindergarten. In 1895, it was incorporated as an independent, not-for-profit school. The Elmwood School prided itself on developing a wholesome curriculum that considered the child's total needs. The Franklin School, establish

ed in 1891, was connected to the Department of Pedagogy at Buffalo Normal College (now Buffalo State College). Course work at Franklin was rigidly tied to the classics and foreign languages. In 1941, the Elmwood School and the Franklin School merged and moved to the Elmwood School Campus on Bryant Street in Buffalo. In 1951, Elmwood Franklin School moved to its current location, a 5-acre campus in a centrally located, residential section of Buffalo, enlarging classroom and field space significantly. In 1981, the school became fully co-ed by adding boys to grades five through eight, one year at a time. Today Elmwood Franklin continues to thrive, with robust enrollment, excellent financial health, and a fine physical plant. The school enjoys a special place in Buffalo's historical and current educational scene and stands ready to carry out its historic mission of academic excellence into the 21st century.

Give a cheer for the first day of school! 💙There were plenty of first-day feels at EFS today—new and returning friends, ...
09/03/2026

Give a cheer for the first day of school! 💙

There were plenty of first-day feels at EFS today—new and returning friends, a new Head of School, new learning, a newly refreshed Dining Room, and lots of excitement as we kicked off the 2026–2027 school year!

This year, we’re celebrating Tradition Meets Possibility—honoring all that makes Elmwood Franklin special while looking ahead to the possibilities waiting for our students.

The sun shone brightly today for our Back-to-School Playground Parties! ☀️From Prep to Upper School, students and famili...
09/01/2026

The sun shone brightly today for our Back-to-School Playground Parties! ☀️

From Prep to Upper School, students and families gathered to reconnect with old friends, meet new classmates, and enjoy time together. We loved seeing so many smiling faces back on campus. 💙

It’s beginning to look a lot like a new school year! 💙Today, we welcomed our youngest students to EFS for a playground p...
08/31/2026

It’s beginning to look a lot like a new school year! 💙

Today, we welcomed our youngest students to EFS for a playground party-turned-dining room playdate. A little rain could not dampen the excitement as we get ready to welcome everyone back for Opening Day this Thursday!

New Year, New Faces! We are counting down to the first day of our 131st school year and cannot wait to welcome all of ou...
08/27/2026

New Year, New Faces! We are counting down to the first day of our 131st school year and cannot wait to welcome all of our students—new and returning—back to campus!

We are also excited to welcome some new faces to the EFS community! Join us in saying hello to our newest faculty and staff:

👋 Ms. Liya Zhou — Mandarin
👋 Mrs. Lisa Edelman — Registrar & Assistant to the Heads
👋 Mr. Johnathan M. Letcher — Head of School
👋 Mrs. Rachel Tomczak — Prep II
👋 Ms. Morgan Morin — Math

We look forward to a wonderful start to the school year, filled with new beginnings, familiar traditions, and plenty of possibilities for our students to learn and grow together. 💙

Join our team for the 2026–27 school year and become part of a vibrant, supportive school community dedicated to helping...
08/14/2026

Join our team for the 2026–27 school year and become part of a vibrant, supportive school community dedicated to helping our students thrive.

We’re currently seeking:

➗ Middle School Math Teacher
🍎 Elementary School Teacher (K–Grade 3)

Know a great educator? Help us spread the word!

Learn more and apply: https://www.elmwoodfranklin.org/careers.html

Week 4 of Summer Camp is officially underway, and we’ve kicked off a new set of Explorers camps for another week of summ...
07/13/2026

Week 4 of Summer Camp is officially underway, and we’ve kicked off a new set of Explorers camps for another week of summer fun!

In Pixel Perfect, campers kicked things off by diving into the fundamentals of photography. They explored composition guidelines, experimented with perspective, and discovered how a simple change in angle can completely transform a photo. We can’t wait to see the creativity they capture as the week unfolds!

Here’s to another week of learning, creating, and making unforgettable summer memories! 📸☀️

06/25/2026

Elmwood Franklin Summer Camp is in full swing! Campers are spending their days swimming, playing, learning, competing, and making memories that will last long after the season ends.

This week, our eighth graders crossed the stage of The Johnston Theatre for the last time as students. Please join us in...
06/18/2026

This week, our eighth graders crossed the stage of The Johnston Theatre for the last time as students. Please join us in congratulating Elmwood Franklin School’s Class of 2026! No matter where you go or how much time has passed, you will always have a home at EFS.

We were honored to welcome Tricia Barrett ’92 back to campus to deliver this year’s graduation address and inspire the C...
06/18/2026

We were honored to welcome Tricia Barrett ’92 back to campus to deliver this year’s graduation address and inspire the Class of 2026.

Tricia’s connection to EFS spans generations—as a student, Alumni Council co-chair, aunt to two students, sister-in-law of Beginners teacher Martha Wilson Barrett '87, and niece of longtime Head of Lower School Susan Barrett Green ’62. Her enduring involvement is a powerful reminder that EFS is truly a lifelong community.

A graduate of John Carroll University, Tricia joined Crowley Webb in 2003 and, after more than two decades of leadership and innovation, became the agency’s first female CEO in 2024.

Family Ties. A sizable group of alumni is making an Elmwood Franklin education a family tradition. These families are no...
06/17/2026

Family Ties. A sizable group of alumni is making an Elmwood Franklin education a family tradition. These families are not only shaped by their experiences at the school—they, in turn, help shape the future of Elmwood Franklin.

Among the Class of 2026, four students represent the second or third generation in their families to graduate from EFS.

Andrew Barrett '26 is pictured with his aunt and this year's commencement speaker, Tricia Barrett '92; his brother, Bruce Barrett '28; and his mother and Beginners teacher, Martha Wilson Barrett '87.

Grace Duddy '26 is pictured with her grandmother, Betsy Swift Mitchell '65, and her mother, Sarah Mitchell Duddy '90.

Cameron Kresse '26 is pictured with family members (left to right): Helen Ladds Marlette '73, Devon Parker Marlette '67, Parker Kresse '25, William Kresse '29, Melissa Marlette Kresse '92, Carolyn Potts Sullivan '83, and Karr Parker Marlette '98.

Grace Smith '26 is pictured with family members (left to right): David O. Smith, Jr. '56, Bim M. Bowen, Jr. '62, Alexandra Smith '19, Andrew Smith '85, Jane Morris '62, and Mary Diebold Smith '60.

Address

104 New Amsterdam Avenue
Buffalo, NY
14216

Telephone

+17168775035

Website

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