Our school is small, diverse, and relationship-oriented, with outstanding academics (reading, writing, math), science and social studies project-based learning, outdoor and indoor play, small group enrichment classes, and as soon as it is safe to do so again, weekly trips throughout the city and state. We also use an individualized approach with our families, providing them with high levels of attention, communication, and support.
Rigor and Spark. We hope that boredom is the antithesis of the
Croft student experience. Our goal at Croft is not simply to
sustain the curiosity that many young children naturally possess
when entering school. It is to brighten each child`s spark even
further and enhance a child`s love for learning more and more as
she or he grows older. To do so, we utilize teaching strategies
that ensure that each child`s academic work is on the edge of her
or his knowledge and skill level, we over-invest in connecting
lessons and projects to the interests of our students, and we hire
teachers who bring a natural and contagious zeal to a profession
they love. We never shy away from challenging our students, helping
them strengthen their core skills while also broadening and
deepening their knowledge. In doing so, we are creating pathways
for our children to soar academically, both within and beyond The
Croft School`s classrooms.
Student-Centeredness. The Croft School is anything but "one
size fits all." We know that learning is stickier when it is
relevant and connected to one`s personal experiences and interests.
While we always encourage students to reach beyond the familiar and
their own comfort zone, our program creates opportunities for
students to dive deeply into what matters most to them. In math and
literacy, we leverage small, flexible groupings to ensure that each
child is receiving the right lesson at just the right time. This
allows students who are able to accelerate into advanced skills to
do so, while it affording students extra time and support, as
needed, to master grade-level fundamentals.
Balance. We know schools that are obsessive about testing and
standards. We know other schools that choose to forego explicit
teaching of critical literacy, math, and other foundational skills.
We pride ourselves on being thoughtful about balance: the right
dose of core academic focus mixed with the right dose of other
types of progressive learning, discovery, and fun! We`re often
asked: Are you Montessori? Are you Waldorf? Are you traditional
"Direct Instruction"? Our answer: we respect all of these program
types, and employ our favorite features from each of them. But
ultimately, we are a new type of educational model that transcends
traditional labels. We offer a balance between structured academic
time and choice-based purposeful play; a balance between academics
and social-emotional learning; a balance of both active and quiet
time; and a balance of both indoor and outdoor learning.
Small, Relationship-Driven Environment. The Croft School is a
small school. To us, small is a beautiful thing. Small allows
school to be personal for each child, where individual students
become known personally and form the nexus of each decision that
our teachers make. Small ensures that students never get "lost in
the crowd" and get individual attention every day. Small allows
students` social development and friendships and the parent
community to be thoughtfully built over time. Most importantly,
perhaps, small means excellence. By focusing on the quality of our
program rather than its size, we can consistently deliver on the
promises we make and the high expectations we hope that families
hold.Relationships matter in education between teachers and
students and between teachers and parents. We are passionate about
building deep, caring, and trustful relationships with our students
and parents, and then working in partnership to customize the
program to fit each child`s interests and needs. We hope that the
bonds that are built at Croft can last a lifetime.
Celebrating Diversity. At Croft, celebrating the diversity of
our students and families is a crucial part of the learning
experience. We invite students and families to share traditions
they take part in at home, and view students` cultures as important
sources of knowledge and expertise that they bring to our school
community. We also embrace the diversity and peoples in our
surrounding community through visits to local restaurants, parks,
and community organizations. Finally, we help students develop an
understanding of diversity in a more global sense through their
classroom work. We intentionally choose curriculum materials and
read aloud books that feature diverse peoples, cultures and
communities around the world, and provide students opportunities to
discuss and respond to these texts. In social studies, students
investigate issues of global importance, and our art and music
classes also feature projects and songs inspired by diverse
cultures. In sum, we provide experiences that help students develop
an appreciation for diversity from their earliest days at Croft.We
hope that the bonds that are built at Croft can last a
lifetime.
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