What do we mean when we say we are More Than A School?
Being More Than A School means providing a nurturing environment that feels more like a second home.
For school-aged children, school and home are the most prevalent aspects of their worlds. If life at school is a struggle, it ultimately affects life at home. We provide a place where students can build on their strengths so they can feel strong enough to take on challenges. With this in mind, we understand there are many factors that add to a child’s success at school.
At WEDS, the foundation of our program highlights that all behavior has meaning, and how you feel impacts how you learn.
With a multidisciplinary team that includes Master Level Teachers, Counselors, Speech and Language Pathologists, and Occupational Therapists, we truly support the whole child. Here at WEDS, we believe relationships matter and having positive relationships with adults and peers at school make all the difference when it comes to learning.
Collaboration is at the root of everything we do. In our building, collaboration is happening all day, every day. But it doesn’t end there.
We bring together parents, faculty, and students to address any issues that come up. The lines of communication are always wide open and we wouldn’t have it any other way.
More Than A School means...
Relationships Matter
Relationships are the backbone of every child’s development and this is especially true in a school setting. At West End Day School, we understand that children thrive when they feel connected to and understood by school faculty. Throughout our program, we focus on connecting with our children; helping them engage and expand the orbit of relationships around them; and overall, encouraging them to become stronger members of their community.
Learning is Customized
We believe that learning should not be a one-size-fits-all model. Learning should be personal. This means we develop a rich picture of a child’s learning profiles, strengths, needs, and interests and consider all aspects related to their inner lives that makes each one of them an individual. Behind every lesson, activity, and event is our dedicated team planning how each child will learn and achieve their goals in their best possible way.
Parents are Key Partners
Throughout the elementary school years, parents remain the most important adults in children’s lives. Our parents have the unique experience of being an active part of the team. We invite parents in to meet with our counselors and together we come up with mutually agreed upon goals. Parents can also seek help with home struggles, as we feel strongly that home and school shouldn’t be separated. We find that our students thrive when they are getting the same input from home and school - and so do our faculty and parents!
Children are Understood
We have been empowering children for over 35 years and what is central to our mission is appreciating that all behavior has meaning. When children are struggling, our priority is to understand the reason for their difficulties. We understand that children cannot always communicate their complex ideas and feelings and our team of experts are dedicated to helping translate their actions. When this happens and our students feel understood, the leaps and gains they make - both academically and socially - are remarkable.
All Problems Have Solutions
The ongoing partnership between children, faculty, and parents enables us to identify worries. In our safe, nurturing environment, we reinforce that problems are part of life and everyone has a role in identifying them. Although solutions may not be immediately obvious, we believe the key to trying to find the best solution lies in the partnership between children, faculty, and their parents. Our program allows brainstorming to be thoughtful and open-minded and addresses not only the problem, but the children’s feelings.