Guiding Principles
Guiding Principles
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We are all part of, responsible for, and have a direct impact upon our world. Productive citizenship requires that students thoroughly understand how their local and global communities work and how individuals and communities affect each other.
- Understanding the relationships between humans and the world they share is the primary goal of education. For students to appreciate their place and role in their environment - and respond with wonder and confidence - their learning experiences must be embedded in multiple human and natural contexts.
- To thrive in an age in which complexity and opportunity are created at an ever-accelerating pace, students must become skilled in a balanced mix of the language arts, mathematics, and physical, natural and social sciences, as well as artistic, musical and athletic expression.
- Technological understanding and competence are increasingly essential for communication, competitiveness, and success in the information age.
- Students must interact directly with their environment in order to experience and appreciate the real-world value of their skills and knowledge. With the world as classroom, lab and shop, lessons are forever linked to vivid personal learning experiences.
- Respect for self and others, enjoyment of diversity, personal commitment to equality, devotion to stewardship, and acceptance of responsibility are essential pillars of the Vermont Commons education and values system.
- Recognizing that the relationships between students and adults form the fabric of the Vermont Commons experience, daily life in our school is organized to promote healthy, positive, mutually enjoyable interactions among students, teachers and staff members.