Mission
The Orchard School’s mission is to develop and educate the whole child.
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As a progressive, non-sectarian, independent school, Orchard commits to advance each student’s academic success, self-confidence, open mindedness, ethical character, leadership, and love of learning.
Cornerstones
Progressive Teaching
- Engage the natural curiosity of students in an active, child-centered, and experiential learning environment.
- Provide a well-rounded education that includes core academics, visual/performing arts, physical education, outdoor education, service learning and extracurricular activities to develop the whole child.
- Differentiate instruction to meet students’ individual needs.
Academic Excellence
- Create an expectation of achievement by extending the curriculum beyond grade level benchmarks.
- Encourage independent thought and expression, construction and application of knowledge, critical thinking, problem-solving, persistence, and collaboration.
- Develop lifelong learners.
Diversity and Education for a Global Society
- Foster, appreciate and support a diverse faculty and student body.
- Experience, learn, and practice inclusion, equity, and social justice.
- Develop the capacity to recognize and respect differences through curriculum, open inquiry, and learning from multiple perspectives.
Character Development/Behavioral Excellence
- Foster personal integrity and respect for self, others, and the world around us.
- Commit to service and civic responsibility.
- Live the Orchard core values of friendship, fairness, honesty, responsibility, self-discipline, respect, trustworthiness, compassion, and moral courage.