OUR CORE BELIEFS

• We believe that if students can’t learn the way we teach them, we must teach them the way they learn.
• We believe that students learn in different ways and prefer to learn at their own pace.
• We believe that each child is a unique individual who needs a secure, caring, and stimulating atmosphere in which to grow and mature emotionally, intellectually, physically, and socially. It is our desire to help students meet their potential in these areas by providing an environment that is safe, supports risk-taking, and invites a sharing of ideas. There are three elements that we believe are conducive to establishing such an environment, (1) the teacher acting as a facilitator, (2) allowing the child’s natural curiosity to direct his/her learning, and (3) promoting respect for all things and all people.
• We believe that a teacher’s role is to guide students and provide access to information rather than acting as the primary source of information. For students to construct knowledge, they need the opportunity to discover knowledge for themselves and practice skills in authentic situations. Providing students with access to hands-on activities and allowing adequate time and space to use materials that reinforce the lesson being studied creates an opportunity for individual discovery and construction of knowledge to occur.
• We believe that it is important for students to have the opportunity to study things that are meaningful and relevant to their life and interests. Developing a curriculum around student learning styles and interests fosters intrinsic motivation and stimulates the passion to learn. When students have ownership in the curriculum, they are motivated to work hard and master the skills necessary to reach their goals.
• We believe that our Mastery Level curriculum that is aligned with Standards endorsed by the CAIE ensures academic success for every child by tailoring lessons to the needs and learning styles of each individual student. We believe that our progressive practices will assist students in progressing through each content area of the curriculum at their own pace. Each student/facilitator will create a Personalized Learning Plan (PLP) that focuses on his/her strengths and weaknesses in addition to identifying extra support in needed areas of improvement. The strength of our School is that it moves students beyond traditional classroom instruction and gives them hands-on, project-based, authentic learning experiences that engage and ignite their young minds.
• We believe that our School will give our students the skills, knowledge, and passion for learning that they will need to excel in high school, college, and their future careers.

WE RESPECT EACH OTHER

Our School helps students learn skills and habits for solving problems, considering alternative viewpoints, taking responsibility for their actions, and understanding the role we all play in creating justice in the world. We cultivate a learning environment where teachers and students feel comfortable asking questions and taking intellectual risks.