Walk into this school and you'll probably see and hear the following:
- An extended day from 8:00 AM to 3:10 PM
- School rules that develop the values of kindness, safety, responsibility, and mutual respect
- Evidence of school-wide learning challenges for students, staff and families to conquer together, such as naming everyone in the school, reciting all the presidents, or solving math challenges
- Multi-age classrooms with flexible groupings and block scheduling for math and language arts
- Leadership skills posted that include challenging the process, inspiring a shared vision, enabling others to act, modeling the way, and encouraging the heart (The Student Leadership Challenge, Kouzes and Pozner, 2008) and evidence of student leadership in action
- Empty classrooms when students are on an expedition or a service learning project
- Development of Life and Social Skills , including student greeters who describe what they’re learning
- Colors on the wall, based on research, that alternatively calm spirits and welcome creativity
- A flexible environment including alternative lighting, seating, writing surfaces, and other accommodations for individual learning needs and learning styles
- Specific plants, based on research, that contribute to air quality and building health
- A rocking chair in each classroom provided as an additional option for student movement
- Teachers who manage classrooms effectively with both high expectations and high support
- Students moving between learning groups
- Parent volunteers fulfilling their Family Service Requirements with a parent lounge and resource center that invites community-building
- Collaboration between every child and adult connected with the school/center
- Older students trained to mentor and be quality leaders for younger students
- Critical, creative, and logical thinking skills listed on the walls and evidenced in student work
- Evidence of the current universal school theme and cross-curricular learning themes
- A middle school schedule that acknowledges the different circadian rhythms of adolescents
- Personal learning plans with student agendas for organizing and reflecting upon one’s learning
- A variety of learning centers
- Hands-on models, construction materials, and sensory tables
- Musical selections, based on research, playing at various times during the day
- Music, Spanish, Art, and P.E. teachers team-teaching with other teachers to integrate the subjects as well as spending concentrated time in their own classrooms
- Friday workshops that are standards-based and allow students to connect with community experts and pursue unusual fields of study such as print-making or the local bat population
