Why Renaissance?
At Renaissance Elementary Magnet School every student is
seen, experiences success, is nurtured, empowered and cared about.
Parent Reflection
Such a unique experience where the kids here get the best of all worlds. An extremely diverse physical education program, from cup stacking, to rock climbing to pogo sticking, they do it all. The support and leeway given to art is phenomenal. The pieces these kids create you actually will want to keep. They get an AMAZING performing arts program that continues to blow you away. On top of that, they have teachers, that follow all the rules as a neighborhood school, but they get the ability and support to make it the best possible space, strategy, and material they can that the kids need. With a HUGE focus on learning by doing. Learning by your own actions. We’re so lucky to be here.
We are an educational forum with heart, expertise, and wildness. These qualities help us facilitate powerful, authentic experiences. Renaissance students rise to an occasion, not because teachers set fire beneath yet because teachers have stoked the fire within.
What We Offer Our Students
Renaissance students receive personalized, individualized instruction.
At Renaissance our highest endeavour is to impart within each of our students a compassionate and curious sense of self and a resolute belief in one's potential and purpose. We empower children to believe in the tangibility of their dreams. As mentors we own the responsibility of encouraging the young to take an optimistic view of their future. We make time to explore why, within each of our unique and special talents, exists the extraordinary potential for success.
Together, students and teachers create a class-scape that nurtures a deep respect and appreciation for individuality and diversity. Students work collectively to define parameters that guide how their learning environment best serves expressing differences of opinion, adversity, joy, and original ideas. Our spaces of learning are always designed with an awareness that students learn best from one another in a caring community.
How We Make It Happen
At Renaissance we implement a wide variety of instructional approaches that teach to the whole child providing a healthy, safe, engaging, supportive, and challenging environment.
ACADEMICS
Students move on from Renaissance Elementary prepared for middle school and beyond. Research proves students perform best when they are engaged and involved in their educational process instead of mere “recipients” of knowledge and information. The curriculum at Renaissance Elementary is authentic, relevant, and engaging.
CULTURE
The school's small size, along with a tradition of shared experiences such as drum circles and all-school meetings create a culture of crew that feels more like a family than traditional schools.
Meaningful connections between students and teachers are grown through close attention to the development of relationships, trust, mutual understanding, shared values and behaviors.
ADVENTURE
We are a school that respects and upholds character development as an essential and necessary part of education. Twice a year, our K-6 crews disembark on an emotionally raw journey of physical and mental dexterity. The wilderness becomes our learning environment. Backpacks, tarps and snow- shoes, our gear. Communication, courage, compassion and reflection, our tools.
CARE & INCLUSION
We believe, as Brene' Brown said, "You are imperfect, you are wired for struggle, but you are worthy of love and belonging. Imperfections are not inadequacies, they are reminders that we are all in this together." To ensure the care and inclusion of all students Renaissance Elementary practices the principles of Restorative Justice, Love and Logic and Mindfulness.
INNOVATION
As educators we change, we evolve and we are always in a state of becoming. Becoming implies a sense of movement, growth and constant learning which is an essential part of being an educator. Staff at Renaissance are on a never ending quest to keep learning experiences innovative, modern, challenging and relevant. EL Education, Outward Bound, The Institute for Humane Education, STEM, DESIGN THINKING and other models are intertwined to attain this goal.