Mission & Principles

Mission

Empower children, families, educators, and local community through education that connects us to the natural world, emphasizes belonging, and cultivates knowledge of self.

Vision

Thriving communities of people who are secure in themselves, engaged in local communities, and connected to the natural world.

Educational Philosophy

At SOLID GROUND SCHOOL, we are inspired by each child’s inherent capacity to investigate, to ask questions, and to explore the world around them. We recognize that children are intrinsically motivated to learn by this powerful inner curiosity, by an enthusiastic drive to play, and by a fundamental desire to be part of an accepting community. Attuned to these basic tenets and utilizing the supportive guidance of reflective and engaged educators, we set out to cultivate in our students the confidence to realize their own creativity and to develop a strong internal sense of self and place. In doing so, we ultimately enable them to discover their own conscience, voice, purpose, and agency supporting them as they come to more fully understand who they are and what they have to offer their communities.


We are guided in this work by several essential pedagogical principles and goals:

PEDAGOGICAL PRINCIPLES at SOLID GROUND SCHOOL

We believe: 

Children and educators co-create an emergent curriculum that gives children ownership of their learning and empowers our teachers to create rich learning experiences that are guided by our students’ interests. By giving children a voice in their educational path and trusting them to engage in decisions about their learning and their lives, we support children in developing a sense of themselves as capable and deeply engaged in the world around them.