Birchwood
School
World Class Education
in a Globally Diverse Environment
A private
elementary school serving grades K through 8
| 4400 West 140th
Street Cleveland, OH 44135 Office: 216.251.2321 Fax: 216.251.2787 |
Our Mission
> Founders' Statement
Beliefs About Child Development
From birth, every child is created with the potential to become a great
human being, one who is productive, just, and compassionate. But such
great potential requires cultivation, careful nurturing of shining qualities
under the vision of loving parents and teachers. The process begins at an
early age with the training of good habits. These habits form a base of
good behavior and make a child ready to learn the ethics and attitudes of
achievement and responsibility. With a view toward maximizing a child's
potential, parents and teachers create a culture that 1) teaches children
the achievement cycle of goal-setting, hard work, self-discipline and
success, 2) encourages, fosters, expects, and rewards children's
academic achievement, 3) cherishes, nourishes and supports children
through their intellectual, emotional, and social development, and 4) shows
children that individual development and achievement is maximized within
the context of responsibility for others.
Beliefs About Academic Programming
Curriculum must be derived from time-tested, research based pedagogy
and practice. Quality programming is determined as such only when the
result is student growth and achievement. This achievement is measured
both by the individual student's progress as well as objective comparisons
to student achievement from local, state and national contexts.
Academic programming must also strive to maintain an instructional and
challenging level for all students - average, above average and gifted.
This requires that programming and classroom arrangements strive to
individualize curriculum as much as possible.
Beliefs About Teaching Professionals
Attaining the highest levels of academic training requires that teachers 1)
aspire toward excellence in their field, 2) draw expertise from their
profession at large, 3) learn and improve their methodology through
contact with benchmark schools and programs, 4) convey to their students
not only academic content but also love and enthusiasm for subject matter,
5) recognize the time honored outside-of-class time and effort intrinsic to
the essence of the profession which is necessary to attain outstanding student achievement and 6) nurture the characteristics which communicate love, care, and commitment to each student. Teachers themselves ought to embody the same characteristics and attitudes that Birchwood hopes to instill in its students.
Teachers are also responsible for maintaining an atmosphere of respect,
support, and comraderie among staff and administration which supports a
cohesive and focused team effort and maintains the school ethos.
Beliefs About Home/School Collaboration
Whether or not a child's personal habits and academic achievement will
have a healthy development hinges upon a close working relationship
between home and school. Communication, collaboration, and trust enable
teachers and parents to have one mind toward the personal and academic
growth of each child.
Beliefs About Universal Availability
A Birchwood education, though not for everyone, must be for anyone who
wishes to provide his or her child with the academic training and personal
development that we at Birchwood espouse. Therefore Birchwood School
must maintain the financial resources to insure that no family will be turned
away.
< Mission
> Core Values
> Theoretical Base
> Founders' Statement
Beliefs About Child Development
From birth, every child is created with the potential to become a great
human being, one who is productive, just, and compassionate. But such
great potential requires cultivation, careful nurturing of shining qualities
under the vision of loving parents and teachers. The process begins at an
early age with the training of good habits. These habits form a base of
good behavior and make a child ready to learn the ethics and attitudes of
achievement and responsibility. With a view toward maximizing a child's
potential, parents and teachers create a culture that 1) teaches children
the achievement cycle of goal-setting, hard work, self-discipline and
success, 2) encourages, fosters, expects, and rewards children's
academic achievement, 3) cherishes, nourishes and supports children
through their intellectual, emotional, and social development, and 4) shows
children that individual development and achievement is maximized within
the context of responsibility for others.
Beliefs About Academic Programming
Curriculum must be derived from time-tested, research based pedagogy
and practice. Quality programming is determined as such only when the
result is student growth and achievement. This achievement is measured
both by the individual student's progress as well as objective comparisons
to student achievement from local, state and national contexts.
Academic programming must also strive to maintain an instructional and
challenging level for all students - average, above average and gifted.
This requires that programming and classroom arrangements strive to
individualize curriculum as much as possible.
Beliefs About Teaching Professionals
Attaining the highest levels of academic training requires that teachers 1)
aspire toward excellence in their field, 2) draw expertise from their
profession at large, 3) learn and improve their methodology through
contact with benchmark schools and programs, 4) convey to their students
not only academic content but also love and enthusiasm for subject matter,
5) recognize the time honored outside-of-class time and effort intrinsic to
the essence of the profession which is necessary to attain outstanding student achievement and 6) nurture the characteristics which communicate love, care, and commitment to each student. Teachers themselves ought to embody the same characteristics and attitudes that Birchwood hopes to instill in its students.
Teachers are also responsible for maintaining an atmosphere of respect,
support, and comraderie among staff and administration which supports a
cohesive and focused team effort and maintains the school ethos.
Beliefs About Home/School Collaboration
Whether or not a child's personal habits and academic achievement will
have a healthy development hinges upon a close working relationship
between home and school. Communication, collaboration, and trust enable
teachers and parents to have one mind toward the personal and academic
growth of each child.
Beliefs About Universal Availability
A Birchwood education, though not for everyone, must be for anyone who
wishes to provide his or her child with the academic training and personal
development that we at Birchwood espouse. Therefore Birchwood School
must maintain the financial resources to insure that no family will be turned
away.
< Mission
> Core Values
> Theoretical Base
| About Us
CCIS (Cleveland
Council of Independent Schools)
OAIS (Ohio
Association of Independent Schools) |
|
©
2006-2012 Birchwood
School, All Rights Reserved |