Vision, Mission, Core Beliefs
Vision
Love to Learn
Cherish the Journey
Embrace the World
Mission
Baker Demonstration School nurtures each child to become a creative, confident and reflective learner, strong in mind, body and heart.
Baker students think independently, engage collaboratively, make connections across disciplines, realize their talents and apply their learning beyond school.
Baker's inclusive community celebrates individual, family and cultural differences.
Baker serves an ever-changing world through research-based curriculum that promotes academic excellence through active inquiry, exploration and continual innovation by our entire learning community.
Core Beliefs
1. A caring community is the collective and individual responsibility of all its members.
- The Baker community is a respectful and a safe environment that values free expression for children and adults; it is an environment where all stakeholders, including students, faculty, administrators, parents, and the governance boards feel free to exchange ideas.
- The Baker community uses positive conflict resolution/problem solving strategies, advocates non-violence, and anticipates problems.
- The Baker community participates in all aspects of school life; social, service projects and giving.
2. We believe in the dignity and worth of each person, the importance of individual differences and potentials, and the value of a diverse population.
- Baker faculty and staff model respect for all through their behavior and by creating inclusive classrooms.
- Diversity in culture, ability, experiences and ideas are reflected in the school environment, curricular choices and students' work.
3. Academic achievement results when students encounter concepts from multiple perspectives and in purposeful contexts.
- Baker faculty collaborate to integrate curriculum across varied disciplines, including fine arts, physical education, languages and information literacy.
- Inter-disciplinary and integrated studies provide a cognitively and intellectually diverse student body with opportunities to learn in ways that suit each student best.
- Students are expected to demonstrate their learning through varied means of expression.
4. A lifelong love of and excitement for learning develops when students construct knowledge and reflect on their own learning process.
- Students pursue their own interests and questions through choice in academic projects and play.
- Baker faculty set high expectations for all students appropriate to their development, learning and experience.
- Students take responsibility for their own learning.
- Students are challenged by an intellectually rich and authentic learning environment.
- Students refine learning processes and understanding through personal reflection.
5. Collaboration creates a vibrant learning environment.
- Baker faculty collaborate with each other, within teams and across teams, as well as with members of the larger educational community to provide a highly interactive and dynamic learning environment.
- Baker students collaborate with each other and with faculty in a variety of learning activities - social, physical and academic.
- Baker faculty, school administrators, parents, and governance boards collaborate for the advancement of the school's mission.
6. Teacher leadership enriches teaching and learning.
- Baker faculty are responsible for the creation of an educational program that responds to students' needs and the needs of a changing society.
- Baker faculty engage in research and other scholarly activity to grow personally and professionally and to develop the knowledge base.
- Baker faculty share in school wide decision-making to create an environment of engaged and empowered teachers and learners.
7. Children flourish in a school community that approaches learning holistically.
- Learning is approached through the physical, intellectual, emotional, and social domains of students.
- Students incorporate their own experiences into their understanding of ideas and consider perspective when evaluating information.
- The curriculum is driven by developmental needs and is age appropriate at all grade levels.
Whom We Serve
Baker Demonstration School is a nurturing and caring community that values the potential of each child. We seek to serve children who embrace learning and have the capacity to successfully engage and participate within the school community. We strive to help each child function independently, collaborate with peers and adults, and maintain self regulation. Students who require extensive individual support and intervention, beyond which is typically expected for a child at her/his developmental stage, may not be a good fit. Composing a balanced group of learners is critical to enable the richest learning experience for each child at Baker.