Since it's inception, our school has been committed to a child-centered, cooperative, critical, multicultural, academic curriculum. We focus on the development of the whole child by designing and implementing an experience-based curriculum which takes into account the different ways in which children learn and express their understanding, as well as a variety of pedagogical strategies and approaches that focus on meeting the needs, interests, and learning "styles" of each child. Our diverse school community strives to provide children with a curriculum of excellence in human thought, feeling and action--a spiraling scope and sequence of big ideas, themes, and questions that help students become knowledgeable and skilled in many ways. Through a constructivist and child-centered approach to teaching and learning and loving and supportive learning environment that maintains high standards, our students develop the civic and social skills and values necessary to navigate successfully in our pluralistic democratic society. Our work with children focuses on helping them become open-minded and critical readers of their society by promoting culturally, racially and gender responsive pedagogical practices. Cultural fluency is a critical goal. Students are guided towards reaching their maximum potential as individuals and to developing their unique talents and abilities at their own pace in a nurturing environment which affirms their sense of self-worth and sets high expectations. The educational experiences we create, empowers students to express themselves and to be critical thinkers and decision-makers.