The Strategic Plan for Echo Horizon School

Dear Echo Horizon Community,

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very morning our students come to a historic place: the oldest school building in Culver City. Yet we are more than our building—much more. We are a place where children are nurtured, inspired, and respected.

And we believe that students thrive in a balanced environment that supports the whole child, both academically and socio-emotionally. Our welcoming and inclusive community, exceptional faculty and staff, innovative educational program, and nationally recognized center for deaf and hard-ofhearing (DHH) students comprise our foundation.

We are committed with our hearts and minds to ensuring that Echo Horizon School remains a beacon of intellectual curiosity and joyful, engaged learning; and that all students and families feel part of a community that puts the needs and interests of its students at the center. It was with this history and commitment in mind that we embarked upon a dynamic and challenging eighteen-month process of creating a forward-thinking strategic plan. This strategic plan was a truly collaborative endeavor— faculty, staff, parents, board members, and alumni all played

recommendations on ways to meet our challenges and build on our strengths. Community is at the core of our existence, and we believe that forming and now implementing this plan together with you is key to its success. We are grateful to the community members who committed valuable time and energy to create this vision, and to the many of you who shared your

under three main goals. These goals detail our priorities for developing a culture of empathy and kindness; dedicated, creative teachers; and innovative and thoughtful practices. We look forward to sharing our exciting new changes with you and your family over the coming years!

With gratitude,

Peggy Procter Head of School

Pamela Kelly Chair, Board of Trustees

Akeem Ayeni Chair, Strategic Planning Committee

The mission of Echo Horizon School and its Echo Center is to educate children in a collaborative environment that is academically challenging and developmentally appropriate. We actively promote mutual respect, individual responsibility, and ethical action. The Echo Horizon graduate is an inquisitive and critical thinker who brings creativity, kindness, and self-reliance to the lifelong journey of learning.

THE

Kindness

“Education is for improving the lives of others and for leaving your community and the world better than you found it.”

- MARIAN WRIGHT EDELMAN

cho Horizon is a place where children are nurtured, inspired, challenged, supported, and respected.

We believe that students thrive in a balanced environment that supports the whole child, both in academics and in social-emotional and behavioral skills.

Our welcoming and inclusive community; dedicated, creative teachers; and innovative, thoughtful practices comprise the foundation of our Pre-K–6th grade school.

GOAL ONE PERPETUATE A CULTURE OF CONNECTION, KINDNESS, AND SUPPORT We believe that we must expand the strict retention of knowledge and incorporate the whole child. A healthy civil society depends on adults who are committed to their communities and who, when needed, will put the common good before their own. We believe that the positive energy generated by kindness is a necessary and vital element of our society. Our goal is to partner with parents in the development of future adults who are moral global citizens, as well as involved friends and community members who feel inspired to make a difference.

OBJECTIVES:

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Prioritize the qualities and actions of empathy and kindness as essential to our school culture, including the relationships among and between students, faculty, parents, and leaders.

Develop with deliberateness good character and character competencies in our students. We don’t simply say we value character—we will nurture, teach, and support social, emotional, and behavioral development.

Promote a welcoming, inclusive, and diverse community that honors all aspects of each member’s identity.

Make positive and meaningful contributions to our neighborhood and local community.

Continue to cultivate an environment that attracts engaged and down-to-earth families who share our educational philosophy, which includes valuing academic excellence; lifelong learning; whole-child development; and strong, connected relationships.

WHY

THIS IS IMPORTANT Research shows that children who don’t value caring and kindness over personal success— and don’t see it prioritized in their community—have a higher risk of harmful behavior. If we don’t prioritize teaching children to care for others, we deprive them of the chance to develop fundamental relationship skills, and strong relationships are one of our most vital and durable sources of well-being.

GOAL TWO CULTIVATE EXCEPTIONAL TEACHING

Most of us have been blessed by having a phenomenal teacher in our lives, one who loves being in the classroom; designs creative, engaging lessons; and makes us want to be a better person and reach our fullest potential. Great teachers are a gift, and we believe that our students at Echo Horizon deserve such exceptional teachers.

Excellence in teaching doesn’t just happen; create clear pathways for its attainment, and provide precious time and resources to support it. And just like our students, great teachers need to be inspired, challenged, supported, and always learning. Our educators should continually take risks, receive feedback, learn, iterate, and grow, enabling them to serve as exceptional models of resilient learners for all children in the school.

OBJECTIVES:

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Continue to attract talented, inspiring, and effective teachers.

Develop talented, effective, and inspired teachers.

Continually research and utilize best pedagogical practices to ensure that our classrooms are dynamic centers of engaged learning.

Provide a balanced educational program that develops students who are curious, think deeply, and engage joyfully in the learning process.

WHY

THIS IS IMPORTANT Studies show that educators are crucial to student performance.

The impact teachers have on student success is estimated to be far greater than any other factor, including resources, services, and administration. In addition, extensive research on the brain and how students learn means that our teachers must stay up-to-date on new and innovative pedagogies and practices that support student learning and engagement. Echo Horizon’s inclusive community acknowledges and values the different experiences and needs of all approach to teaching and learning.

GOAL THREE BECOME AN INNOVATION LEADER IN ELEMENTARY EDUCATION The skills students need to thrive in the the last two decades. Students need to be able to collaborate with others, adapt to the unexpected, respond constructively to feedback, and synthesize information across multiple bodies of knowledge to solve problems.

We will use an evidence-based approach to explore research-validated innovations and thoughtfully layer these alongside the best traditional approaches.

OBJECTIVES:

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Teach kids that taking risks and making mistakes are essential to the process of self-improvement and invention.

Embrace interdisciplinarity in our curriculum because we believe that bodies of knowledge are increasingly interconnected.

Strengthen our nationally recognized premiere program for mainstreaming DHH students.

Foster equitable participation, differentiation, deep engagement, and creativity through a considered application of technology.

3430 McManus Avenue • Culver City, CA 90232 T: (310) 838-2442 • F: (310) 838-0479 • TTY: (310) 202-7201 www.echohorizon.org