Our Mission for Elementary School
Community School of Davidson believes that every child can and will succeed in ways that reflect his or her own aptitudes and interests. Our mission is to use The Basic School educational program to provide an optimum environment for learning in which: - Teachers and parents work together to create a safe, supportive, and inclusive community of learning.
- Students are intrinsically motivated as lifelong learners through hands-on teaching and an integrated curriculum.
- Teachers are empowered and encouraged to teach to the needs of each individual student as they remain with the same class for two years.
Our Academic Program
Community School of Davidson has adopted as its educational program The Basic School, a comprehensive plan for elementary schooling, developed by Dr. Ernest L. Boyer through The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Learning. The most distinctive feature of the Basic School is its curriculum, which is organized around eight integrative themes called 'Core Commonalities.' The core commonalities are (1) The Life Cycle, (2) The Use of Symbols, (3) Membership in Groups, (4) A Sense of Time and Space, (5) Response to the Aesthetic, (6) Connections to Nature, (7) Producing and Consuming, and (8) Living with a Purpose. These eight commonalities, based on share human experiences, integrate traditional subjects and help students relate what they learn to life.
Our Elementary School Structure
At CSD, we have a shared community belief that all students are entitled to a school environment that supports their intellectual, physical, social and emotional needs. We are able to accomplish this by utilizing educationally sound ideas, such as:
- Small class size
- Individualized, differentiated instruction
- Developmentally appropriate practices
- Multi-disciplinary, integrated curriculum that is relevant, challenging, and exploratory
- Active, hands-on learning and problem-based approach to hands-on learning
- Two-year loop with same teacher develops deeper relationships with teacher and students and enables teachers to get to know students well, as learners, so they can successfully and appropriately challenge them in all academic areas.
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