Vision & Mission
of
School Lane Charter School

VISION

Our vision is that every member of the SLCS community (students, parents, staff, and Board) and all who enter this school community will enter into a sanctuary.

Our sanctuary is a safe, physically protected, and emotionally literate place that serves as a healing environment from the negative aspects of the outside world. Everyone who is affected by the school environment is also responsible for creating, modeling, and maintaining school safety:

  • Physical
  • Psychological
  • Social
  • Moral/ethical

In our sanctuary the needs of children come first. No child is expendable. Everyone is recognized as having a capacity for learning and unique patterns reflecting multiple intelligences. Every child is recognized as gifted. Our responsibility is to help them to discover their giftedness and learn to use their minds well. Our expectation is of high achievement for all.

Our sanctuary is a community of learners where active learning is facilitated, students develop a love of learning, and everyone is a life-long learner. Each member is empowered to take responsibility for his/her own learning and growth.

In our sanctuary, diversity is honored and celebrated. Multicultural education, global awareness, and equity are practiced.

In our sanctuary everyone is worthy of respect and all voices are heard. Positive school growth is achieved through parent partnering and collaborative problem solving.

SLCS is a school of choice where teachers use innovation to empower and motivate students to believe that they can be whatever they want to be.

Through positive attitudes and flexible thinking, each of us can make a difference.

This is our vision. This is why we are here.

Mission

The mission of the School Lane Charter School is to create a sanctuary where all members of the learning community are partners and show by example their commitment to the School Lane Charter School Vision of: high achievement, lifelong and active learning, diversity and equity, and collaborative problem solving.

Definition of Terms

Sanctuary is:

A safe place, a place of refuge, as described in "Creating Sanctuary in the Classroom" by Sandra L. Bloom, M.D. and "The Soulful School" by John Miller

Learning Community is:

Parents, students, teachers, staff, administrators, board members, management company, community members, community businesses, and agencies

Partners are:

Individuals, groups, and organizations who work together, in collaboration toward the achievement of a common goal

High Achievement is:

All members of the learning community take responsibility for and are encouraged to challenge themselves and each other to their highest potential in all areas of intelligence

Lifelong Learning is:

All community members are engaged in and open to continuously and actively seeking and participating in personal growth and learning for the sake of knowledge and positive application of learning in the home, school, and community

Active Learning is:

Experiential and hands on learning, flexible, creative and critical thinking, social skills development, cooperative, team work, collaborative - personalized learning, recognizes and addresses individual learning styles

Diversity is:
 

  • Accepting, honoring, recognizing, and appreciating difference related to: social, cultural, race, ethnicity, gender, age, physical and mental ability, sexual orientation, religion, learning styles, and language
     
  • Interrupting and educating against discriminating and oppressive behaviors, policies, practices and procedures
     
  • Taking a stand against discriminating and oppressive behaviors, policies, practices and procedures
     

Equity is:

Fair does not mean equal. All members of the SLCS community are treated and treat each other with consideration of individual needs, performance, circumstances, and abilities. Access to participation in all school programs, projects, and the decision making process are open to all within the existing governing structure.

Collaborative Problem Solving is:

  • Bi-monthly Board/Community Forums
  • Monthly Public Board Meetings
  • SLCS Committee Meetings
  • Staff Meetings
  • School Lane Alliance for Creating Sanctuary Team
  • Peer/School Mediation
  • School Problem Solving Groups (i.e., Grade Groups, Instructional Support Team)
  • Transparent Problem Solving Circles
  • Conflict Resolution and Problem Solving Corners
     

Resolved 7th day of February, 2000

Board of Trustees
School Lane Charter School