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Columbus Magnet School
46 Concord St, Norwalk, CT
06854
Phone: (203)
899-2840
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Statement of Philosophy
Columbus
Magnet School is committed to educational excellence where the learning
experience combines traditional academics with an individualized approach to
learning based on the child's physical, intellectual, social, and emotional
needs.
This reflects the importance of building a community where the
process of learning is as valuable as the product, where all members of the
learning community, including students, staff, parents/guardians are accountable
to achieve our goals. We accomplish this through a curriculum where all
disciplines are valued equally by the Bank Street and H.O.T (Higher Order
Thinking) approaches to learning.
We believe that these goals can only
be achieved through the emphasis of an equitable environment for learning that
incorporates the democratic process. Through community building each child is
given a voice and children learn to respect and value different cultures and
perspectives that relate to their world.
GOAL 1: To promote a spirit of self-worth and respect for others within a
diverse environment.
Objectives: The school community
will:
- Honor differences by affording students the opportunity to make responsible
choices while respecting peers, staff and community.
- Enhance the Columbus Magnet School curriculum by addressing the diverse
needs and learning styles of the students.
- Recognize and showcase the special abilities and talents of the entire
school community in an arts-energized environment.
GOAL 2: To foster a love for learning and a sense of self worth through an
environment that encourages cooperation and trust.
Objectives:
The school community will:
- Plan curriculum based on the needs and interests of the children in an
effort to actively engage them in the process of exploration and inquiry.
- Create an atmosphere with minimal competition that encourages students to
work cooperatively toward a common objective or goal.
- Promote the use of democratic practice, facilitating the opportunity for
each child's voice to be heard, appreciated, and valued.
- Integrate the arts and the multiple intelligences into the curriculum to
meet the various learning styles.
- Encourage students to explore and share their individual strengths in a safe
and open environment.
GOAL 3: To develop an integrated curriculum that ties together all subject
areas.
Objectives: The school community will:
a) Plan units
of study that are connected to the social studies core, and integrate the arts
into the learning.
b) Ensure continuity of curriculum from grade to grade
building on prior knowledge.
c) Foster methods of differentiated instruction
that encourage learning through the arts.
d) Draw on the resources of the
school system as well as the parents and the community.
GOAL 4: To develop a program that provides for individual differences in
learning style, rate of learning, and developmental level, while taking into
account the multiple intelligences.
Objectives: The school
community will:
a) Provide students opportunities to take ownership in the
decision-making process by creating learning units based on student interests,
individual strengths, and weaknesses.
b) Include the student in the learning
process by providing activities from a wide range of artistic resources and by
using a variety of assessments to encourage individual learning styles.
c)
Create opportunities for students to express themselves artistically within the
academic curriculum.
GOAL 5: To develop open communication, mutual respect, and support among
families, staff and administration in an effort to facilitate a productive
working relationship for the entire school
community.
Objectives: The school community will:
a)
Utilize the strengths and talents of staff, family members and administrators to
plan programs of interest and concern, and strengthen arts integration.
b)
Ensure that students, staff, parents, and administrators have a voice in
developing the prosperity and the welfare of the school through the pursuit of
democratic practice.
c) Create and promote school-wide activities that foster
family, staff and administrator interest and participation.
GOAL 6: To improve communications with the City of Norwalk, especially
South Norwalk district. As a school community, we need to continually reach out
and educate the community about the mission and philosophy of Columbus Magnet
School.
Objectives: The school community will:
a) Extend
democratic practice throughout the larger Columbus community.
b) Establish
an ongoing awareness of Columbus Magnet School and its mission among community
groups, such as the Norwalk Board of Realtors, community agencies and
organizations, preschools, and the Norwalk Board of Education.
c) Improve
timeliness of media coverage.
d) Encourage local community members to
volunteer their talents and participate in school projects.
e) Maintain a
parent coordinator to facilitate communication between the school and the
community.
GOAL 7: To actively encourage parental involvement to support the school
philosophies and practices.
Objectives: The school community
will:
a) Clearly communicate the importance of parental involvement as an
integral piece of our program.
b) Include a parent coordinator as a
parent/school liaison. A family room will be provided to support and facilitate
parent participation.
c) Educate parents on Bank Street philosophy and
H.O.T. School initiatives including democratic practice, arts integration, and
multiple intelligence theory.
d) Create a welcoming atmosphere that
encourages parental participation by providing varied opportunities for
involvement through classroom, school-wide, and parent activities.