Capitol Hill Day School

The School believes that students are engaged by the teachers' own enthusiasm for learning. Thus, within broad parameters, teachers are expected to invent, interpret, and shape curriculum, responding sensitively to children's needs, interests, and backgrounds. Teachers work together to integrate the curriculum, relating themes and concepts between subjects and over the years. Respect is given for varying styles of teaching, and different groupings occur within classrooms as appropriate to pedagogical goals.

The School believes that healthy social, emotional, and physical growth must go hand in hand with the development of strong academic skills, and that this growth is best nurtured in an atmosphere of openness, cooperation, and civility, where diversity is embraced and celebrated. From the earliest years, children are taught how to be responsible members of a group. They come to understand that being part of a class, of a school, and eventually of a wider community requires compromise, self-examination, empathy, humor, and even struggle. With the trust that a healthy sense of community engenders, children learn that they can express differing views that will be heard with respect and that they are expected to respect the views of others.

Two principles are at the heart of the School's curricular development. First, teachers integrate the curriculum, across as many disciplines as possible, so that students are immersed in specific topics. Second, teachers work together to create a "spiral curriculum," in which students revisit skills and concepts in increasing sophistication over their years in school.

Much of the success of the School derives from its scale. The School community is small enough to allow relationships to be individually developed and maintained, yet large enough to present a range of backgrounds, interests, and challenges.

The School's sense of community is advanced by the active involvement of all its members. Parents are encouraged to volunteer in a wide range of activities. Students interact across the grades and perform service within and outside the School. The School works with its neighbors in matters of common concern and of necessity uses neighborhood facilities in its program. The Board of Trustees reflects these interrelations, being composed of parent members, the School head and faculty representatives, and others drawn from the wider community.

An atmosphere of openness and cooperation in the School community is essential for education and for governance. Just as individual students must feel that their questions and views are respected, so must the School community be able to address constructively sometimes contradictory issues of policy and values.