Prairie Crossing Charter School is a child-centered community of learners. We use an ecological, integrated, experiential approach to learning, which utilizes unique environmental and community resources. We develop students who demonstrate environmental stewardship and responsible, global citizenship.

We envision a small, public school where…

Students and teachers are outside daily, immersed in the natural world learning about nature and culture through rich, first-hand contact with world around them. Children and teachers are guided by the cycles and patterns of growth, rainfall, migration, and the changing of the seasons as they learn about the natural world.

Children learn about the life cycles of animals and plants as well as the interdependence of life, including our use of plants and animals for food, through their observations, projects and real work on the farm, prairies, woodlands and wetlands that surround the school.

Every child is known well by the teachers, and his or her gifts, talents and special needs are recognized and addressed.

The school day and year are driven by curiosity and a commitment to learning rather than by mandates or the bell. Teachers have the freedom to shape day-to-day activities based on learning opportunities and teachable moments as well as on a set of rigorous academic standards.

The school serves as the anchor of a Conservation Learning Center that includes a conservation resource library, educational workshops and conferences. Teachers, administrators, and other staff members and parents model lifelong learning and environmental stewardship through consistent practices and behavior both in and out of the classroom. Parents, community members, and other individuals share in the learning experience through symposia and round tables sponsored by the PSO and other community organizations.

Learning experiences involve a broad community of learners. Children of different ages and abilities work together and with members of other schools, citizens groups, and service organizations. Sometimes they learn within single-grade level classes, sometimes in multi-age classes, and sometimes in groups that include multiple grade levels. All members of the community share questions, misunderstandings, and knowledge both to deepen their own knowledge and to help others do the same.

Members of the community show respect and care for each other, for those in the communities that surround us, and for people throughout the world. Children learn to understand and appreciate other cultures. Through their study of the Spanish language in every grade, they gain an enriched sense of Hispanic cultures.

Students practice the art of learning and discover how it leads to high achievement. They work on projects that are needed and useful to learn why technique, accuracy, clarity of thought and clear communication are important. Adults hold high expectations for students and help them unfold their potential.

Teachers, administrators, and other staff members collaborate to promote a sense of collective purpose. Teachers reflect together on their practices, critically analyze learning situations in their classrooms, and suggest and engage in creative strategies to provide settings that enable each child to meet the high expectations.

Parents play an integral role in the educational experience of the children through volunteer opportunities inside and outside the classroom, leadership positions, and reinforcement at home.

Children experience and practice the arts and humanities as an integrated part of their studies in social studies, science, and mathematics.

Students come to understand that natural and human communities are one and that environmental stewardship and civic responsibility go hand in hand. They gain a love for learning and a care for the earth and its citizens that continue to develop after they have graduated.