Philosophy & Mission

MAJOR GOALS

Our objectives are many, yet they spring from a limited number of broad goals:

A. Getting Students Off to a Good Start: We help young people develop the foundation of skills knowledge and positive outlooks they will need to prosper in higher education and later life. We nurture self-esteem and cooperative skills. We help students learn to find joy in hard work, and to work hard in a spirit of play. We seek to engender a life-long love of learning.

B. Encouraging Student Involvement and Assertiveness: We encourage students to assume an active role in their own learning, growth and life. We function as facilitators, coaches, and mentors. We invite students to share in shaping their community. We offer a learning process that teaches students how to cope with data and reach for concepts, rather than simply to hear by rote. Our commitment to hand-on experiential education is a logical extension of this inquiry approach to learning.

C. Teachings The Whole Child: We provide a holistic learning experience that helps students to become not simply fine scholars, but also worthy, well-rounded human beings who have developed intellectual, creative and physical abilities along with strength of character and sound values. We help students to explore the interconnectedness of learning and to see their lives as an integrated whole.

D. Nurturing The Individual: We provide instruction that is demanding yet supportive, responsive to the unique strengths and needs of each individual student. We help students to understand and accept themselves. We challenge them to pursue a vision of "personal best," rather than judge themselves by comparison to others.

E. Creating A Healthy And Diverse Community: We Provide a caring and cordial atmosphere in which all members of the school family – students, staff, and parents – respect, enjoy and seek to help one another. We give each other room to be ourselves, and we value openness and the constructive expression of differences of opinion.

F. Developing Cultural Awareness: We help students to understand their own cultural heritage, the heritage of other world cultures, and current and future issues with which they, as citizens of the world, will have to contend.

G. Preparing For Tomorrow…Today: We begin students' exposure to the environmental, technological, social and other global changes that will shape the world they will inherit as adults. We help students to begin building the foundation of skills and knowledge they need for life in the twenty-first century.

The Results Include:

• IDS-CC is dedicated to children first and seeks to nurture intellectual curiosity, emotional well-being and strength of character in each child.
• The faculty consists of highly skilled teachers who consistently study to bring the best practices of education to life in the classroom.
• Teachers use interactive teaching techniques such as cooperative learning, multiple intelligences and integrated curriculum to promote involvement in all aspects of student life.
• Emphasizing hands on learning, IDS encourages students to take an active role in their education and creates opportunities to make significant connections between school work and “real life”.
• Both new and experienced outside educators have attended training workshops and observed the application and integration of multiple options for results in education in IDS classrooms called the M.O.R.E. Approach.
• Over 6,000 educators worldwide have observed and/or trained at IDS-CC allowing the school to be a private school with a public purpose.
• State-of-the art technology is an integral part of learning from Pre-K3 through 8th grade. Along with exciting sports and amazing performing arts, programs that are designed to tap into students' multiple intelligences.
• Designated as a Blue Ribbon School in 2004, an International Baccalaureate Middle School in 2007, and an International Baccalaureate Primary Years Pre-K through 8th Grade in 2008. IDS-CC is also currently an International School Connection member dedicated to prepare students for success in an increasingly global world.