Core Educational Competencies

Our goal is to enable each child’s potential to unfold by developing creative, imaginative capacities and skills while building a strong academic foundation in math, science, language arts, and geography and history.

We teach the following core competencies and capacities as a part of our curriculum:

Critical thinking and problem solving. We want our students to ask questions and think flexibly for themselves.

Curiosity and imagination. We want our students to be inquisitive, creative, and engaged learners.

Collaboration. We want our students to cooperate and work with each other.

Agility and adaptability. We want our students to learn how to learn in order to keep up with a fast-moving environment.

Initiative and entrepreneurship. We want our students to be inspired to be doers and innovators.

Excellent oral and written communication. We want our students to be exceptional communicators in diverse situations in the knowledge economy.

Analyzing information. We want our students to think for themselves, to think outside the box, and to find new solutions to new problems.

Emotional and Social Resiliency. We want our students to quickly learn new skills and adapt to new situations so they are prepared to meet their futures.

Passion. We want our students to be inspired, to follow their passions and dreams.

Leadership. We want our students to be leaders in their communities and careers.

• We are a safe village for children and parents to feel nurtured and supported.
• We support appropriate, responsible use of technology by limiting the use of screens ~ cell phones, computers, video games, television, and social media.
• We encourage healthy, age-appropriate parental participation and volunteering.
• We offer healthy, organic food. We use green cleaning products, and support land stewardship, including recycling.
• We utilize portfolio assessment and other forms of assessment, rather than standardized testing, to ensure that students are meeting appropriate standards and fulfilling their academic potential.  We do use the national Terra Nova test in grades 6 – 8.
• We are a spiritual school, meaning that we are connected to each other in some way, but we are not a religious school. All religions are welcome and celebrated in our community.