Elementary (Ages 5-10)
We are a learning community. Students work individually and collaboratively. Teachers arrange classrooms and design lessons to promote discussion and teamwork. Our nongraded program is developmentally-appropriate and inquiry-based, nurturing creativity and providing a strong academic foundation. The curriculum emphasizes creative problem-solving, analytical thinking and communication skills over rote memorization and testing. Multi-age groupings and buddy programs develop leadership and mentoring skills. Community service projects encourage personal responsibility, while our peaceable school practices strengthen interpersonal communication.
- Multi-age groupings of 10 to 14 students
- Multiple-year looping of students with the same teachers
- Recognition of different learning styles, levels of ability, and rates of development that allows students to progress at their own pace
- Active, hands-on, project-oriented learning
- A test-free curriculum with assessment based on observation, class work, projects, and homework
- Quarterly parent/student/teacher conferences to review portfolios, set individual goals, and assess progress
- Thematic learning, including the integration of art, music, drama, and technology into the core curriculum
- Spanish language and culture studies
- Twice-daily outdoor recess
- Weekly homework beginning in the upper elementary classes
- Community service projects and a peaceable school philosophy
- Off-campus learning opportunities including nature study trips and field trips to regional cultural and historical attractions
- Buddy programs pairing younger students with older studentmentors for regular classroom activities