Our Philosophy
In order to thrive in the modern world, SCC educators and staff believe a learner must be prepared to understand and solve complex problems. As a staff and community, we foster a school environment in which our learners can develop the following characteristics in order to be better prepared for the future:
Social and Emotional Competency: Learners must be able to navigate social situations, both professionally and personally. At SCC, we strive to empower our learners to lead with influence, rather than control. They must be able to utilize social and emotional awareness to effectively collaborate with others.
Analytical and Critical Thinking: Learners must be curious about the changing world around them. They will encounter issues that they must be able to tackle with creativity and innovation. As they work to solve problems, they will encounter new information and changing variables that they must respond to with agility and ease.
Creative Problem-Solving: Learners must be forward-thinking to meet the ever-changing needs of society in the future. They must anticipate the needs of their communities and develop innovative solutions to solve the world’s pressing problems. They must take initiative and pursue their interests with a passionate sense of urgency.
Our Curriculum
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Interdisciplinary Instruction
SCC educators use an integrated curriculum design, empowering learners to engage individually and cooperatively with material and with ideas. With integrated learning, learners are able to make connections across multiple subject areas. Through this multidisciplinary approach, learners are able to develop the critical thinking skills necessary to understand the complex interrelationships in the real world.
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Educator Created Curriculum
Given the interdisciplinary model of instruction, traditional textbook curricula do not adequately meet the needs of SCC learners. Curriculum is primarily created by educators, with most references coming from primary and secondary sources such as newspapers, periodicals, online websites, library books, expert speakers, and educator-created resources. Textbooks occasionally serve as supplementary resources to enhance learning. At all levels, instructors are creative and innovative in addressing the developmental needs of learners, and in matching children’s individual learning interests to challenging daily activities.
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Multi-Age Classrooms
To ensure an intimate school experience, the grade level structure is designed to offer two-year learning loops for most grade levels. This allows learners to develop and sustain deep relationships with both their peers and their educators. Within this structure, educators are able to maximize learning time in the classroom during the second year without spending time on typical activities associated with the start of a new year: administering assessments, getting to know learners, and establishing classroom rules and routines Additionally, this structure provides opportunities for the older learners in the cohort to provide classroom leadership.