Challenges come in all shapes and forms. That's why at Mead, we foster profound learning by guiding students along several paths toward knowledge and discovery; paths that encourage them to evaluate the importance of what they’ve learned and then apply it to their own lives. Traditional education focuses on telling children what they should know. At Mead, we create a sensory-rich environment that engages children’s passions for learning and encourages risk-taking, reflection, and the freedom to go beyond the parameters. Students develop their skills in critical thinking, and oral and written expression, but not at the expense of cultivating intuition, imagination and creativity.

Mead’s two-teacher system guarantees that children’s needs are addressed. Children have a Home Center Director, who is responsible for their students’ physical, social, and emotional well-being. The Curriculum Directors are teachers dedicated to instruction in all content areas.

At Mead, we believe that social and emotional development are as vital to children’s future success as their academic pursuits. Our commitment to teaching, challenging and nurturing the whole child is realized throughout our approach, but most uniquely through our Home Center Directors.

Each class has a Home Center that is led by a Home Center Director (HCD) — a teacher who is dedicated to the academic, emotional and social development of each child. The role of the HCD is to continually assess each student’s physical, social and emotional well-being and to guide students through challenges and opportunities as they arise.

Students gather in their Home Center every morning. During their time together, they discuss challenges or opportunities they are facing in the day or the week ahead. The HCD serves as the common thread to the students and gives support and guidance as needed. HCDs connect with students on a personal level, cultivating open conversations and building trusting relationships. HCDs serve as the bridge between students, parents, and others in the educational process, ensuring that children’s specific needs are addressed.

HCDs give children the guidance and support they need to navigate challenges and identify opportunities for growth that are often outside the purview of the traditional academic process, so that children have the opportunity for deeper academic learning and more profound personal development.

Simply put, our Curriculum Directors (CDs) are our teachers.  They are experts in specific subjects, such as language arts, math, early childhood development, Spanish, music and drama.

CDs take an innovative, personalized approach to teaching. They design their curriculum to engage students on a more meaningful level by presenting the material in fresh and interesting ways. Mead students don’t simply learn facts and figures, they are challenged to think deeply about a subject and understand it from many different perspectives. The result is motivated students who love to learn.

While the CDs expect students to meet high academic standards, they also encourage them to be curious and think creatively and independently. By promoting self direction, our teachers guide children toward independence and the development of personal responsibility. The Mead approach encourages student’s abilities and ensures children are actively involved in their own learning process.

Small classes allow these teachers to really get to know their students so they can both challenge and support them to achieve the highest level of learning.

While CDs challenge students to excel academically, they never forget about the social and emotional growth that’s such an important part of learning and success both in school and in the world.