Program

What is a small school?

A small school is an educational institution that enrolls fewer students than a traditional comprehensive school.  However, it is also a school that is autonomous; where the school community retains the authority to make decisions affecting the important aspects of the school.  Small schools are also focused rather than comprehensive.   In small schools, every single child is known by every single faculty member and there is a tremendous emphasis placed on developing a personalized approach to each individual student’s education.

At full capacity, Everest will have:

  • 400 students
  • 100 students per grade resulting in classes of no more than 25 students
  • Student mentor groups of no more than 18

How does this small size allow for a personalized approach to education?

Small schools allow each student to develop and sustain significant relationships with teachers and other faculty members.  In classes, students cannot be invisible because teachers tailor instruction to the specific needs of each individual student.  Faculty members know the strengths, areas for growth, and interests of the students and are able to support learning in the most appropriate and beneficial way.

In an effort to ensure that all students reach their academic and personal goals, consistent, relevant, and personalized support is seamlessly integrated into every student’s day.  At Everest, we offer:

  • One trained faculty mentor who individually supports 18 or fewer students
  • Personalized learning plans (PLPs) created by the student, their faculty mentor, and parents.  PLPs prompt students to set goals, focus on utilizing personal strengths, develop in areas of weakness, and exam priorities
  • A weekly Connections course that teaches students critical skills required for success in and out of school
  • A school day that includes up to three hours of Independent Learning.  This time can be spent completing homework, receiving peer or adult tutoring, or participating in study groups.

Essential Elements of a Good School

The School Redesign Network at Stanford University and other leading educational research has identified ten features that exist in schools in which all children succeed.  Everest embodies all ten features and continually works towards achieving them at the highest level.

  1. Personalization
  2. Continuous Relationships
  3. High Standards and Performance-Based Assessment
  4. Authentic Curriculum
  5. Adaptive Pedagogy
  6. Multicultural and Anti-Racist Teaching
  7. Knowledgeable and Skilled Teachers
  8. Collaboration Planning and Professional Development
  9. Family and Community Connections
  10. Democratic Decision-Making

Global Focus: What It Means to be an Educated Person in the 21st Century

The 21st century educated person is one that thinks globally but acts locally. Students today must understand the opportunities and dilemmas that will arise continually from changes in the political, social, economic, and environmental conditions in this country, and in other countries around the world. As adults, these students will be responsible for making decisions that will affect our world in the 21st Century. Creating an environmentally stable economy in the United States and addressing the complex issues of the global economy will be two, among a myriad of, problems facing the next generation of leaders. Students at Everest will acquire the academic and practical foundation necessary to understand these issues, enabling them to make more informed decisions as adults.

The competitive nature of the 21st century global economy requires citizens in the United States to compete with others from around the world for employment opportunities, as greater numbers of businesses develop multi-national operations. Globalization of the economy demands that students possess a deeper understanding of other countries, their cultures, and their economies. New ways of engaging in international cooperation and competition will be a mandatory skill for students in the 21st century. This challenge will require an educational program that is far more interdisciplinary in nature than in the past. In educating students for work and citizenship in the 21st century, Everest will foster the following habits of mind: intellectual curiosity; creative expression; moral reasoning; and empathy for others. Everest will expect its graduates to engage in a system of thinking that involves articulating ideas and making informed decisions by hypothesizing, connecting, analyzing, using evidence, and evaluating significance and perspective. The Everest’s educational program will create the conditions under which its students will become self-motivated, competent, and life-long learners.