Name of school: The Ideal School
Grades: K-12
Size of student body: 182
Educational approach or philosophy: The academic program at The Ideal School is based on the belief that students learn best when the bar is set high. The faculty at IDEAL believes that true learning is only possible when students feel understood and celebrated. The faculty is made up of dedicated, highly skilled, committed teachers who aim to know their students in and out of the classroom. Through various programs, IDEAL provides time for conversation, reflection, and leadership. The arts, STEAM, and athletics are integrated into the school’s program, fostering creativity and a healthy mind-body balance.
IDEAL graduates are equipped not only with outstanding critical thinking and academic skills, but also with voice, self-assurance, and empathy. The Ideal School will be graduating its first class this spring and Audra Zuckerman, founder and parent of one of the graduating seniors says, “It’s exciting to see the first graduates, exciting to see the school succeed the way we imagined it would. To see each student at his or her own personal best and ready to take their next step, whatever it may be, is very rewarding.”
What makes the school unique: In the Lower School (Grades K-5), general educators and learning specialists co-teach in the classroom using a research-based, differentiated curriculum. In the Middle School (Grades 6-8), small, seminar-style classes cultivate the lifelong learning skills students need to be independent thinkers. The unique High School model is based on a rotating curriculum that brings students in Grades 9-12 together in intentional groups designed to inspire and challenge all learners to achieve personal and academic excellence. “At IDEAL, all individuals are honored and celebrated for their full identity and all students are encouraged to strive for personal and academic excellence,” says Janet Wolfe, Head of School.
“Teachers know their students as individuals and challenge, inspire, and support them in achievement. Within our nurturing learning community and with the guidance of our expert faculty, IDEAL students develop a growth mindset. They build on their talents, grow through practice and application, and take the healthy risks all children need to take to grow and thrive. Living and learning within a community that is intentionally diverse in every way, including academically, our students learn to collaborate, develop empathy and an understanding of the world beyond themselves, and celebrate the achievements of their peers, as well as their own,” she says.
Main image via The Ideal School
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