Dear La Tierra Parents,
Welcome to our school year 2018/2019!
Thank you for choosing our community! Every year new families decide to join our school based on their preferences and understanding of what their child’s learning obtains. Our goal is to deliver a type of scholarship that is authentic and rich with projects and activities that foster lifelong love for learning, inquisitive mind, creative approach to problem-solving, and critical thinking.
We are determined to create our school in a spirit of deep learning that is connected to real life. We now see so much push for nature spaces and read scientific literature that supports natural environments as a fundamental part of profound learning. The natural living systems offer interconnectedness that helps us to understand the bigger picture and think in creative perspectives. Our students need to be able to use their intellectual capacities in practical and solution-oriented approaches that support sustainable ways of living.
The La Tierra community experienced a steady growth last year. We worked hard on creating professional office space, developed school-wide database, and implemented new policies and protocols. Our staff adopted evidence based Conscious Discipline, a whole brain approach to help students toward their lifelong resiliency, and established continuous professional development in areas of instructional practices, teacher’s self development and sustainability education. We painted our school buildings, created new nature-based areas and gardens and established the outdoor eating patio. These improvements would not have been possible without our parents, and on behalf of our La Tierra staff we would like to express our deep gratitude to all of you! As a result of our sustained growth, we have been able to hire five new staff members and expand to include seventh grade.
We are continuously developing La Tierra school grounds! Our dreams are well and alive and our passion is contagious. We are determined to make our school a place where children learn and experience life through projects and activities that are deeply engaging. Our outdoor environment is consistently getting new spaces that promote place-based pedagogy. The peace garden and outdoor lunch area are soon to be completed. Please join our growing pool of volunteers and help to make our school beautiful.
La Tierra students have opportunities to work with amazing teachers who not only have their general education degree, but also hold additional knowledge in ecology, adventure and wilderness education, social justice, and sustainability.
We are embarking on a new and exciting path at La Tierra. We warmly welcome your family to share this exciting journey with us. Please stop by anytime. My door is always open!
Sincerely,
Lenka V. Studnicka
Dr. Lenka V. Studnicka
School Director
