PROGRAM | the-boxberry-school

Our Learning Enviroment

Our supportive culture fosters effective communication skills, creative problem-solving techniques, critical thinking, self-confidence and respect for others. We incorporate social emotional learning elements into our daily practice to foster empathy and kindness.

Our curriculum is designed using the Educating for Sustainability framework. This emphasizes place-based education, project based learning, systems thinking, and service learning.

The academic curriculum is also enhanced by foreign language, art, music, drama, environmental studies, outdoor education, creative movement and cultural studies.

Our small group size allows for interactive learning and individualized attention.

We currently have two classrooms- one for Grades K-2 and one for Grades 3-6. Within each classroom students reap the benefits of being in a multi-age environment. We also meet together as a whole school at least twice a week for morning meeting and closing circle.

We regularly incorporate field trips, guest speakers and instructors into our curriculum as well.

Our teachers collaborate to create the curriculum. The Common Core standards are used as a reference point for planning, but we mostly rely on their own creativity and ingenuity in program delivery. While some skill instruction is necessary in math and literacy for specific concepts, much of this is also interwoven into our thematic units in a more practical sense.

Boxberry still has a strong hold on incorporating the arts into instruction as well- weather through model making for projects or other artistic expressions- giving students myriad ways to express themselves and show their learning.

Throughout the school year, students showcase their progress to family members during potluck dinner/presentations. These gatherings help strengthen our close-knit community by giving teachers, parents and students a chance to meet and socialize. The group presentations highlight the projects these students have been working on and give them the opportunity to speak and perform in front of an audience.