Children learn best when…

They are trusted, valued and well known by their teachers, whom they see as allies.

Their developmental timetables are respected.

They experience diversity as a natural and positive dynamic in their classrooms and in the school community.

They enjoy learning for its own sake rather than being motivated through competition or rewards.

Their original, creative work is valued and nurtured.

Their own wonderful ideas influence the curriculum.

Their need for play is dignified as authentic learning.

Their social connections and emotional lives are an integral part of their school experience.

They find security in understandable and reasonable rules.

They have close connections to the natural world.

Teaching is most effective when…

Teachers have a deep understanding of child development.

There is an awareness of and appreciation for students' diverse backgrounds.

Teachers practice their craft as both a science informed by current research, and as an art.

There is an emphasis on conceptual level understanding and the interconnectedness of subjects.

Assessment is done through observation and work samples rather than through tests and grades.

Academic challenges are matched to each child's demonstrated cognitive growth.

• Young children learn through discovery and direct experience.

• Older children learn academics in a meaningful context with a purpose that matters to them.

• Oldest children are guided to develop an authentic voice as well as skills needed when they outgrow the school.

Our community thrives when…

Diversity is valued and celebrated. 

Communication is respectful between all members of the community. 

Children feel ownership of the campus as their special place.

Teachers and staff are respected as professionals dedicated to a form of education that is responsive, not predetermined, and thereby more demanding than traditional methodologies.

There is a sense of partnership between parents and teachers.

All members understand the values and methods of progressive education

Students develop as independent thinkers capable of influencing the world in which they live.