Features of the School
" The only good teachers for you are those friends who love you, who think you are interesting, or very important, or wonderfully funny. " - Brenda Ueland
- Small class size with individual tutoring and mentoring
- Primary focus is upon motivation
- Accelerated academic curriculums
- Frequent pre and post-testing for rapid progression
- Curriculums compacted to reduce redundancy, anxiety and boredom
- Continuum of achievement levels with no discrete grade levels by age
- Syllabus prepared for each student
- Continuous progress assessment - no traditional report cards or grades are issued
- Minimum acceptable level of mastery is ninety percent (90%)
- Focus on Fine Arts: Art & Theater Arts - Greek Drama, Mythology, Shakespeare and other notable playwrights
- Training provided in etiquette, dress and grooming
- Comprehensive community resource utilization with weekly study/fun (field) trips
- Substantive enrichment components integrated, in part, to limit the study of core academics to no more than fifty percent of time in school
- Emphasis on higher order, analytical, abstract, creative, divergent, productive thinking
- Hands on Equations Program (concrete Algebra utilizing manipulatives) for all students beginning at age six
- Intellectually stimulating games and activities
- Artist-in-Residence program
- Critical and evaluative thinking activities with discussion and analysis of current events
- Calligraphy
- Newspaper in Education program
- Foreign Language required
- Introduction of new information typically limited to one or two learning cycles (for the purpose of acceleration)
- Study of Greek and Latin Roots
- History taught as literature
- Adventure Trips (overnight & one week long)
- Petting Zoo and Aviary with animal friends for the children (we want each child to have an animal friend at school)
- Personal instruction/tutoring in the use of the computer and in building computers
- Study skills and test taking strategies emphasized with preparation for the SAT beginning at age six
- Aesthetic learning environment with fine art displayed throughout the school
- One hour of required reading at home in lieu of traditional homework
- Classical background music played throughout the day
- Guidance and counseling provided on any topic of concern, for students and parents or guardians
- Home atmosphere (the campus is designed as a home away from home)
- Lifetime entertainment skills
- Uniforms required for all students
- Community Service components integrated into the annual goals for students
