About

We believe that...

1. All children are unique, important and talented individuals who deserve the right to achieve their full potential in school and life.

2. All children are capable of growing academically, behaviorally and social-emotionally when properly supported.

When the culture of the school is built upon a foundation that espouses both of these core beliefs, systems can be developed with the aim of providing integrated and responsive instruction. Our commitment to an integrated instructional approach is attributable to our belief that academic, behavioral and social-emotional skills collectively contribute to a student’s ability to succeed at school and in life. Further, we view all three as interconnected. That is, social-emotional well-being impacts academics and behavior. Behavior impacts academics. Academic success impacts social-emotional well-being. And so forth. For this reason, it is critical that schools integrate the teaching of academic, behavioral and social-emotional skills within all aspects of the educational program.

That being said, it is equally important that educators recognize that academic, behavioral and social-emotional needs vary considerably amongst students. Some students can comprehend at a tenth grade level at the age of 10, while others struggle to complete their homework as a result of lagging organizational skills. Many students have been impacted adversely by traumatic experiences. This being the case, it is understandable that a one-size-fits-all approach to education is not practical. Rather, the goal must be to remain responsive to the academic, behavioral and social-emotional needs of students. To remain responsive, students receive support or enrichment based on their current performance in relation to some predetermined academic, behavioral and social-emotional standard or expectation. In other words, the very essence of being responsive is meeting a student at his or her present level and, from there, pursuing growth.

Through cultural and systematic transformation, our aim is to integrate the teaching of academic, behavioral and social-emotional skills within all aspects of the educational program while remaining responsive to the varied needs of the entire student population. In doing so, multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) implementation begins to function as a natural extension of the school's fundamental purpose - the academic, behavioral and social-emotional development of all students.